Europe and the world visit Oberwart
From 6 to 8 August 2026, Oberwart was the centre of attention for international youth Stock Sport. At the Open European Youth Championships for the U16 and U19 age groups, around 60 athletes from six nations competed for twelve sets of medals.
Alongside Austria, Germany, Italy and France, two non-European guest nations – Canada and India – were also represented for the first time. Oberwart thus became a meeting place for Europe’s young Stock Sport talent and, at the same time, an international showcase for the growing popularity of Stock Sport.
For the first time, the U16 and U19 European Championships were held together at a single venue on summer rinks. The event was organised by the International Federation of Icestocksport (IFI) and hosted by ESV Oberwart.
Thrilling competitions for medals
In sporting terms, the title matches offered numerous highlights. Alongside the traditional team and target events, the mixed doubles competition made its debut. The new head-to-head format also added extra excitement with direct duels.
In the team events, both the U16 and U19 titles went to Austria. The U16 team prevailed 7–5 against Germany in the final, whilst in the U19 final Austria won 4–3. Bronze went to Italy in both categories. A particular source of delight for the hosts was that the Oberwart players Laura Resch and Lisa Seper were part of the successful Austrian U16 team and were able to celebrate the European Championship title in front of their home crowd.
Germany proved to be the most successful nation with seven gold, five silver and four bronze medals. Austria followed with four gold, five silver and five bronze medals, ahead of Italy with one gold, two silver and six bronze medals.
The team events also produced some thrilling finishes. In the U16 mixed team event, Austria finished ahead of Germany and Italy, whilst Germany won the U19 mixed team event. In the head-to-head competitions, Nina Paulus and Jakob Wieser secured the U16 titles. In the U19 category, the gold medals went to Anna Obermayer and Marco Straubingerfrom Germany.
Oberwart impresses as host
Oberwart also showed itself at its best in terms of organisation. ESV Oberwart and its dedicated team of volunteers, together with the modern stocksport hall, ensured excellent conditions for the event. The opening ceremony underlined the significance of the event for international youth sport.
IFI President Christian Lindner expressly praised the outstanding work of the host and the entire organising team. Mayor Georg Rosner also emphasised the importance of the European Championships for the sporting town of Oberwart and the unifying power of sport.
Focus on young talent
Alongside all the sporting results, one thing in particular took centre stage in Oberwart: young people.
The European Championships not only offered the young athletes the opportunity to compete at an international level, but also provided a space for meeting others, making friends and exchanging ideas.
The participation of Canada and India, as well as the new competition formats, underlined the open and forward-looking nature of the event. The joint staging of the U16 and U19 European Championships on summer tracks also provided a significant boost to the further development and internationalisation of Youth Stock Sport.
Special thanks to Christian Resch
The President of the IFI extends his warmest thanks to all participating nations, athletes, coaches, support staff, referees and officials.
A very special and personal thank you goes to Christian Resch, who can undoubtedly be described as the driving force behind this European Championship. With exceptional personal commitment, great passion and tireless dedication, he played a decisive role in the preparation and staging of the event. Always approachable and ready to lend a hand, he was one of the key figures behind the successful running of the championship.
Our sincere thanks go to Christian Resch for his exceptional dedication and outstanding cooperation. We would also like to thank the entire team at ESV Oberwart, the town of Oberwart, the Austrian Federation and all the volunteers and supporters who, together, contributed to the success of these European Youth Championships.
Oberwart has thus impressively demonstrated that the future lies with young stocksport players – and that there are no limits to what they can achieve.
