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There have been various exciting sporting moments for our #hyloathletes over the past week. We take a look back at the last seven days’ events and competitions featuring our athletes, teams and clubs.
SVE about to achieve aim for season
With a 1:1 draw against Schalke 04 on Friday evening (19 April 2024) at a home game in front of 9,500 spectators in the URSAPHARM arena, SV Elversberg made major strides towards achieving their season goal of staying in the 2. Fußball-Bundesliga. More details in our post-match report.
With 40 points now on their ledger, at four games left to play, nine points above the potential relegation zone and ten points above the first direct relegation spot, the team cannot yet officially celebrate achieving this goal from a mathematical perspective, but history shows that the Saarland players definitely have the finishing line in their sights. Coach Horst Steffen appeared happy to have hit the magic point threshold. However, he emphasised that even if remaining in the league were secure, they would still be seeking to win every remaining game and win more points.
Elversberg’s next opportunity for this is on Sunday (28 April), at their away game against SC Paderborn 07.
Strong start to the season for Team75 Motorsport
Last weekend (19 to 21 April 2024), Team75 Motorsport began the new season of the Porsche Sixt Carrera Cup Germany in Imola, northern Italy. With the two talented 17-year-olds Robert de Haan (Netherlands) and Janne Stiak (Steinhude) at the wheel of the Porsche 911 GT3 Cup cars, Timo Bernhard’s racing team is counting on young talent in this prestigious brand cup.
At Saturday’s race, Robert de Haan in the Porsche with the starting number 14 finished in third place in the overall placings to secure 16 points for the championship, as well as gaining a win in the rookie classification for newcomers. His team colleague Janne Stiak in the sister vehicle with the starting number 15 finished in twelfth, earning him four championship points.
Sunday’s race initially saw celebrations for a second weekend podium finish, but this was followed by a technical setback: after a time penalty for a collision during the turbulent starting phase, Team75 Motorsport lost the third place it had clinched on the track in the second Porsche Carrera Cup Germany race in Imola. Robert de Haan from Eerbeek ended back in 14th place. The 17-year-old Dutch driver also missed out on his second weekend victory in the rookie rankings. Team colleague Janne Stiak came in ninth.
Team boss Jennifer Leising summed things up: ‘All in all, this was a very successful first weekend for us. With a slightly bitter aftertaste due to Robert’s penalty.’ Things continue for the Palatinate team this weekend (26 to 28 April) in Oschersleben at the next two races of the season.
Gabriel Clemens reaches quarter-final at Glaspalast
Last weekend (19 to 21 April 2024), Saarland darts pro Gabriel Clemens played his way into the quarter-final of the European Darts Grand Prix in Sindelfingen. At the fourth of 13 tournaments on the PDC European Tour, the German Giant was able to climb his way up the rounds in front of a home crowd at the Glaspalast Sindelfingen and fight through to the finals session on Sunday evening.
To kick off the tournament, on Friday evening the Saarland player triumphed 6:1 in a German duel against René Eidams with an average of just under 90. In the second round on Saturday evening, Gaga had his next German face-off with last season’s newcomer Ricardo Pietreczko. Once again, Clemens did not give his opponent any chances and gained a clear, well-earned 6:2 victory. He achieved an average of 93.64 against ‘Pikachu’. At the afternoon session on Sunday, he then faced top-seeded Brit Dave Chisnall for the last-sixteen match in Saarwellingen. With his best performance of the season and a points average of 101.43, Clemens won the game 6:3 and gained a place in the quarter final on Sunday evening. This marked the end for the German player, against Dutch competitor Michael van Gerwen. Clemens, the last German left in the competition, had to admit defeat 6:3 to ‘MvG’ and depart the tournament. By reaching the quarter-final, the German Giant secured major prize money and will therefore also be competing in the next European Tour events.
From 26 to 28 April, Gabriel Clemens will be at the Austrian Darts Open – the next PDC European Tour tournament – in Graz/Premstätten (Austria).
Medals and a successful comeback for Germany’s women gymnasts
As part of the FIG World Cup series for rhythmic gymnastics, last weekend (19 to 21 April) saw the German gymnastics team heading to Baku, the capital of Azerbaijan, for a World Cup event. Darja Varfolomeev, Germany’s reigning five-time world champion, dominated the all-around competition and secured the gold medal in magnificent form. She also set the tone in decision for the individual apparatus: the 17-year-old won three of the four finals in Baku, only falling to bronze with the clubs after a drop. Potsdam local Margarita Kolosov finished in fifth with the clubs and seventh with the ball. Anastasia Simakova ended the hoop final in eight place. Kolosov came fifth in the all-around competition, with Simakova finishing in ninth.
From 20 to 22 April 2024, the women of the German Gymnastics Federation lined up at the renowned international ‘Trofeo Citta di Jesolo’ rhythmic gymnastics competition in Italy. For some gymnasts on the squad, this represented a welcome final test before the upcoming European championships, and for Elisabeth Seitz it served as an international comeback after rupturing her Achilles tendon in September.
The German gymnasts returned from Italy with some strong performances and two medals under their belt: Karina Schönmaier from Chemnitz came 18th in the all-around competition with 51.30 points. She won silver in the vault final with 13.55 points.
The former European champion Elisabeth Seitz won the bronze medal on the uneven bars. Seven months after her difficult injury, the German record champion put in an impressive performance on her return to the international stage and is once again raising hopes of qualifying for the Olympic Games in Paris.
Marlene Gotthardt finished in fifth place on the vault in Jesolo.
Good start to the season for Svenja Thoes in the Canary islands
After a long winter break, on Saturday (20 April 2024) Saarland triathlete Svenja Thoes successfully launched her competition season by finishing in seventh at the Challenge Mogan Gran Canaria. The Saarland athlete is more than satisfied with the position achieved at the major triathlon event organiser’s first European event of the year.
Thoes completed this middle-distance event, comprising a 1.9-km swim, 90-km cycle and 21.1-km run, in an overall time of 4:25:55 hours. She gained the second-best time for the cycle, a top performance that reflects her training priorities thus far: due to heel issues, Svenja had to pause running for three and a half months, and was happy simply to be able to run without pain. Following this successful start to the season, the 32-year-old is now looking forward to her upcoming tasks and objectives with an optimistic eye.
BC Bischmisheim out in semi-final of final four
Eleven-time German champions BC Bischmisheim’s campaign to defend their title ended last Saturday (20 April 2024) at the semi-final stage. After the end of the European Badminton Championships in Saarbrücken, last weekend saw the federal badminton league determine the German team champion. Four teams qualified for the final tournament in Bad Vilbel in Hesse, including the reigning champions from Saarland, 1. BC Saarbrücken-Bischmisheim. On Saturday afternoon, BCB faced their long-time rivals and last year’s runners up BC Wipperfeld, ultimately losing 2:4 in an exciting duel.
The Saarland team were hoping to defend their title, but their chances dropped significantly when Linda Efler – Isabel Lohau’s experienced doubles partner – had to drop out last minute due to a fever and was replaced by Priskila Siahaya, who normally plays singles. Despite the loss of Efler, Isabel Lohau and Siahaya fought valiantly, but were beaten by the Wipperfeld pair in five sets. BCB were also unable to win their first men’s doubles match with Marvin Seidel and Frederik Sogaard, similarly losing in five sets. Although Mark Caljouw and Mads Christophersen achieved wins in the men’s singles to bring the tally to 2:2, it was ultimately not enough. Siahaya lost her women’s singles match, and the defeat of the men’s doubles pair (Mads Christophersen and Ruben Jille) sealed BCB’s fate.
In the final, SV Fun-Ball Dortelweil defeated Wipperfeld to secure the first championship title in the club’s history.
proWIN Volleys fail to cause an upset in the second division championships
On the last but one day of play in the 2. Bundesliga-Frauen-Süd on Saturday (20 April 2024), the TV Holz proWIN Volleys faced huge favourites and championship hopefuls Rote Raben Vilsbiburg II. The Saarland side failed to make a stir against the league leaders, as they did in the first leg of the season when they secured some vital points with a close 3:2 home defeat. This time, the #proWINNERS were once again close to causing an upset. The Holz team won the first set and were close to scoring the second set against the title contenders. However, the Lower Bavarian team from the Vils quickly came back with their old strength and ultimately won the match 3:1 (22:25, 25:23, 25:13, 25:18).
Coach Sergej Danilov’s team therefore remain in tenth place in the table with 24 points. On Saturday (27 April) at 7 p.m., the proWIN Volleys are facing their relegation rivals and next-placed league team Barock Volleys MTV Ludwigsburg for the final day of play and a firecracker of a last opportunity to stay in the league, taking place in front of a home crowd in Saarbrücken’s Multifunktionshalle at Sportcampus Saar.
Füchse Berlin draw against record champions
After the disappointing cup final four, the handball players of Füchse Berlin faced their next top game in the LIQUI MOLY Handball-Bundesliga (HBL). On Sunday afternoon (21 April 2024), the capital team faced record champions THW Kiel. Füchse Berlin scored a 32:32 (18:18) draw against the reigning world champions in the sold-out Max-Schmeling-Halle. Coach Jaron Siewert’s team thus gained another point in the championship race, but conceded the position at the top of the HBL table to the Champions League winners from Magdeburg after SC Magdeburg beat SG Flensburg-Handewitt on Friday. Mathias Gidsel was the game’s best scorer with 12 goals and four assists. Goalkeeper Dejan Milosavljev managed a total of 16 saves. In a top-quality, aggressive and physically strong game with plenty of back and forth, neither team was able to gain a clear foothold. This neck-in-neck race remained exciting right through to the final whistle. Following an open battle, ultimately both teams had to be content to share the points.
The Berlin team have little time to recover after this Bundesliga duel: today (23 April), Füchse are facing HBC Nantes at home in the Max-Schmeling-Halle for the first leg of the European League quarter final. The game begins at 8:45 p.m.
Successful start to the Tour of Türkiye for Bike Aid
From 22 to 28 April 2024, the BIKE AID Continental team from Saarland are participating in Turkey’s top cycling event. At the Tour of Türkiye, a 2.Pro event under the UCI classification, the professional cyclists from Saarland are competing against countless top teams on the international cycling stage.
The team has already completed the first two stages of the tour, with impressive results. Léo Bouvier began their Turkey tour on Sunday with fifth place in the first stage after a close sprint finish. Team colleague Vinzent Dorn secured a place at the top of the special sprint ratings and was also able to put BIKE AID on the podium at the award ceremony after the second day of racing, and continue to wear the white jersey for the top sprinter. This is a fantastic start to this top race for the Saarland team, with another six challenging stages to go before the finish line on Sunday.
We are looking forward to upcoming appearances from our #hyloathletes and wish all of our HYLO® partners much luck and success.