Anniversary Swiss Wrestling Festival 19-year-old creates sensation and shares festival victory with Staudenmann

Staudenmann and Hiltbrunner celebrate sensational co-festival victory - Gallery

Fabian Staudenmann (left) and Fabio Hiltbrunner (right) on the shoulders of their team-mates from Bern.

Image: Keystone

The 19-year-old and the 24-year-old celebrate a co-victory at the anniversary festival in Appenzell.

Image: Keystone

Top favorite Staudenmann secures the title with a victory in the final round against Armon Orlik from Bünder.

Image: Keystone

Surprise man Fabio Hiltbrunner caused a sensation with a flat throw in the sixth round against wrestling king Joel Wicki.

Image: Keystone

The young Emmental native, who has yet to win a wreath in his palmarès, had the same number of points as Staudenmann and Orlik after the fifth round, but was not considered for the final round.

Image: Keystone

Staudenmann and Hiltbrunner celebrate sensational co-festival victory - Gallery

Fabian Staudenmann (left) and Fabio Hiltbrunner (right) on the shoulders of their team-mates from Bern.

Image: Keystone

The 19-year-old and the 24-year-old celebrate a co-victory at the anniversary festival in Appenzell.

Image: Keystone

Top favorite Staudenmann secures the title with a victory in the final round against Armon Orlik from Bünder.

Image: Keystone

Surprise man Fabio Hiltbrunner caused a sensation with a flat throw in the sixth round against wrestling king Joel Wicki.

Image: Keystone

The young Emmental native, who has yet to win a wreath in his palmarès, had the same number of points as Staudenmann and Orlik after the fifth round, but was not considered for the final round.

Image: Keystone

The Federal Jubilee Wrestling Festival has two winners: 19-year-old Fabio Hiltbrunner from Bern wins the season highlight together with Fabian Staudenmann.

Fabian Staudenmann and Fabio Hiltbrunner win the Federal Anniversary Wrestling Festival in Appenzell. While Staudenmann is the top favorite, the fans in the pretty arena rub their eyes in amazement at Fabio Hiltbrunner.

The 19-year-old from Bern puts wrestling king Joel Wicki on his back in the 6th round. No approach, dry, flat. In return, he scores the maximum score and is declared the winner even before the final round has been decided. "It's just awesome, I can't say it any other way," said Hiltbrunner on "SRF" about the coup.

After Hiltbrunner's sensational swing against Wicki, one thing is clear: if one of the final round participants also wants to win the final round, they have to win, because otherwise Hiltbrunner would have more points in the final standings.

In the final round, Staudenmann and Armon Orlik shake hands. After around ten minutes, Staudenmann makes an irresistible leap and defeats Orlik. The Bernese day in Appenzell is perfect. Two Bernese wrestlers claim victory.

Bernese party, bitter pill for north-eastern Swiss

While the Bernese celebrate, the north-eastern Swiss in particular have to swallow a bitter pill. Three of the most frequently named favorites to win the festival were eliminated. Samuel Giger cannot succeed in Appenzell. Three defeats against Joel Wicki, Matthias Aeschbacher and Adrian Walther are ultimately three defeats too many for him to be considered for the final round.

In the second round, the final round is already a distant prospect for Werner Schlegel. The Toggenburg native opens by defeating the festival winner Staudenmann and loses to Michael Gwerder. The explosive wrestler does not get up to speed after that either.

It goes without saying that Orlik from Graubünden is closest to victory for the north-eastern Swiss. Orlik impresses in the morning by winning three rounds - he is the only wrestler to do so. On his way to the final round, Orlik eliminates four Bernese swordsmen and defeats Matthias Aeschbacher from Bern. The Bernese seem to suit Orlik, before he is defeated by a very strong Staudenmann in the final round.

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Staudenmann wins!

Wow, what an attack from Staudenmann. He puts Orlik flat on his back with an irresistible leap. A glorious day for the Bernese: Hiltbrunner and Staudenmann share the victory.

Half time

It hasn't yet become dicey in the final round. There is an incredible amount of power at play, but neither Orlik nor Staudenmann have yet managed to make a significant move.

The final round is about to begin

Armon Orlik and Fabian Staudenmann enter the arena. Once again: if either of them wants to share the victory with Fabio Hiltbrunner, they have to win the final round. The final round lasts 14 minutes. And here we go!

Fabio Hiltbrunner is the winner - the question now is: alone or will he be followed by a runner-up?

It's madness in a nutshell! Fabio Hiltbrunner puts wrestling king Joel Wicki flat on his back! This means that the 19-year-old is the winner. Why? Before the last round, Hiltbrunner had the same number of points as the final round participants Fabian Staudenmann and Armon Orlik. So if one of Staudenmann and Orlik also wants to win the festival, they have to win. It is important to note that a victory in the final round is always awarded the maximum score.

Gasser takes over at the top of the table

Dominik Gasser storms to the top of the rankings! The man from Bern beats Marcel Bieri 8 seconds before the time runs out. In other words: Flat throw and maximum score.

Swinging talent Moser ends the competition with a flat throw

Michael Moser with the next impressive performance. The 19-year-old from Bern shows his full potential in Appenzell and will be at the top of the final rankings after his flat throw against Lars Voggensperger.

Aeschbacher is jubilant

Wow, now that's fast: Matthias Aeschbacher buries Adrian Odermatt in the sawdust with the first move. This also scores the maximum mark. There are four more rounds to go before the final round.

Walther also scores maximum points

Adrian Walther almost ends the fight against Kaj Hügli before it has even really begun. After two seconds, Hügli's shoulder is in the sawdust - not enough for a valid result. Walther then continues to attack and pushes Hügli flat on his back after 95 seconds.

Giger with a flat throw

Samuel Giger bumps Reto Thöni with his second attack. He bids farewell to Appenzell with a maximum score victory and a subsequent wave of la-ola.

The 6th course is underway

Hello there. So, after a slightly longer breather, it's time for the 6th gear. We are in for a few swinging delicacies, and the final round between Fabian Staudenmann and Armon Orlik is a tough one anyway. Let's wait and see ...

The top pairings in the 6th round

Curdin Orlik - Mario Schneider
Samuel Giger - Reto Thöni
Kaj Hügli - Adrian Walther
Matthias Aeschbacher - Adrian Odermatt
Michael Moser - Lars Voggensperger
Marcel Bieri - Dominik Gasser
Florian Gnägi - Lario Kramer
Fabio Hiltbrunner - Joel Wicki

Final round: Armon Orlik - Fabian Staudenmann

Final round pairing is fixed

Sodeli, and now it's official: Fabian Staudenmann and Armon Orlik will fight for victory in the final round. This duel has taken place three times so far. Twice the fight ended in a draw, once Orlik emerged victorious.

The interim rankings after the 5th round - trio in contention for the final round

Three wrestlers are at the top with 48.50 points. Everything points to the final round being decided between Armon Orlik and Fabian Staudenmann. In case you are wondering why Fabio Hiltbrunner should not be in the final round: Orlik and Staudenmann have the better score sheet, meaning they had the better opponents on their way to the final round.

Orlik triggers frenetic cheering in the stands

Armon Orlik clenches his fist, the arena stands! He kills Dominik Gasser. Three wrestlers are now in the lead. Orlik, Staudenmann and Hiltbrunner. The final round will now be decided by the division, which will most likely be Staudemann against Orlik, as the two had the better opponents across all five rounds.

Staudenmann strong as a bag

Fabian Staudenmann needs a ten and makes a ten. The top wrestler with his third flat throw in a row. He puts Lars Voggensperger on his back - the final round is within his grasp.

The next co-favorite drops out of the decision

No winner between Samuel Giger and Adrian Walther. Giger's chances of reaching the final round were already dwindling after his second defeat in the 4th round against Orlik, and now the final round for Adrian Walther is also gone. Both receive a score of 8.75.

Hiltbrunner flirts with the final round

Unbelievable! Fabio Hiltbrunner beats Werner Schlegel by ten! The 19-year-old from Bern causes a big surprise with his flat throw. Hiltbrunner takes the lead and is a hot candidate for the final round.

Final round gone for 19-year-old Moser

Damian Ott and Michael Moser face off. Ott is the more active in a rather quiet fight, but not compelling enough. Moser, on the other hand, hardly tries anything - so the 19-year-old is also eliminated from the final round.

Wicki with a lightning victory

Joel Wicki makes short work of Tim Roth. The wrestling king puts his opponent on his back with the first move after just a few seconds. But as was already clear after the 4th round: Wicki will no longer be in contention for the final round.

Top pairings in the 5th round

Tim Roth - Joel Wicki
Michael Moser - Damian Ott
Fabio Hiltbrunner - Werner Schlegel
Samuel Giger - Adrian Walther
Fabian Staudenmann - Voggensperger Lars
Dominik Gasser - Armon Orlik

Intermediate ranking after four rounds

Armon Orlik gives up his leading position to Dominik Gasser. Fabian Staudenmann is now level on points with the Grisons native and has the final round in his own hands. This undertaking is more difficult for Samuel Giger. The man from Thurgau drops back to 5th place after losing to Curdin Orlik.

Next eastern Swiss weakened by a Bernese

Armon Orlik only turns up the heat against Matthias Aeschbacher towards the end. Despite some top-class chances for Orlik, the fight ends in a draw. Orlik gets a nine and falls back to second place. As Aeschbacher says in an interview with "SRF" after the fight, he swung for the Bernese team. With his fourth victory in the fourth fight, Orlik would have had one foot in the final round, but now everything remains open.

Curdin Orlik puts the brakes on Samuel Giger

Samuel Giger drops points in the 4th round and falls behind. The man from eastern Switzerland cannot succeed against Curdin Orlik and is eliminated. At least - from Giger's point of view: he gets a nine because he did a lot to win.

Wicki drops out of the final round decision

Wrestling king Joel Wicki finds no recipe against the strong Damian Ott. The fight could have gone either way, but ends in a stalemate. Both are rewarded with a nine for their offensive swinging style. Nevertheless, it is clear that Wicki and Ott are hardly in contention for a place in the final round after two defeats.

Staudenmann continues his run of maximum marks

Fabian Staudenmann is once again hot on the maximum score and gets it. After the flat throw in 3rd gear, Staudenmann also scores a ten against Marcel Biere.

Schurtenberger carried off the course

The competition seems to be over for Sven Schurtenberger. After losing to Adrian Walther, the man from central Switzerland remains lying on the ground. His knee seems to be hurting. After a few minutes of care in the sawdust, he is carried off the course on a stretcher. The audience and the wrestlers accompany this scene with applause. Get well soon at this point!

Walther wins - Schurtenberger remains lying on the ground

Adrian Walther floors Sven Schurtenberger with a show of strength. Schurtenberger then remains lying on the ground and clutches his knee, his face contorted with pain. Samaritans rush to help and the Swiss athlete is tended to. The battles on course 3 are currently interrupted.

Who has won now? Schneider and Gasser with questioning looks

Mario Schneider goes for a Schlungg attempt against Dominik Gasser. The move fails. Schneider lands on his back. But as the man from Thurgau is still turning, he pushes Gasser into the sawdust in the same breath. Who was down now? Neither Schneider nor Gasser know the answer to this question. The referee sheds light on the matter: Gasser wins - correct decision.

Voggensperger remains in the lead

With his victory against Patrick Gobeli in 4th gear, Lars Voggensperger remains in the lead. Michael Moser, Fabio Hiltbrunner and Voggensperger are currently in first place with 38.5 points.

Youngster Moser defeats Kramer

Big cheers from young super-technician Michael Moser. The 19-year-old from Bern wins against Lario Kramer in less than thirty seconds. Moser's victory is worth ten points because of the flat throw.

Schlegel recovers and wins

Werner Schlegel wins his 4th round against Lars Zaugg. At first it is the Bernese who puts the Toggenburger in danger, but Schlegel is able to avert defeat. A short time later, Schlegel attacks with a short and puts Zaugg in the sawdust with a follow-up press.

On we go - with a lightning victory for Schneider

The lunch break is over, the 4th round is about to begin and starts with a lightning victory by Domenic Schneider. The man from Thurgau puts Michael Zurfluh on his back after three seconds.

Top pairings in 4th gear

Werner Schlegel - Lars Zaugg
Lario Kramer - Michael Moser
Patrick Gobeli - Lars Voggensperger
Dominik Gasser - Mario Schneider
Sven Schurtenberger - Adrian Walther
Marcel Bieri - Fabian Staudenmann
Damian Ott - Joel Wicki
Samuel Giger - Curdin Orlik
Matthias Aeschbacher - Armon Orlik

The wrestlers take a break - it continues at 1.15 pm

Now it's time to take a breather. For the wrestlers and the spectators. Have a nice lunch break. The action resumes in around an hour.

Intermediate ranking after three rounds

Armon Orlik is the only wrestler to achieve three victories in the morning. The man from Graubünden is alone at the top with 29.50 points. Dominik Gasser moves up to second place with 29 points after his victory over Nick Alpiger. Samuel Giger is lurking with three other wrestlers, who have a score of 28.75 at the halfway point. Fabian Staudenmann is in 4th place with a quarter of a point less than Giger.

Orlik also clears the third Bernese out of the way

Armon Orlik marches off in front. The man from Graubünden also wins the third round and defeats Thomas Sempach. It is only the fourth defeat of the season for defensive artist Sempach. Orlik has a great morning in Appenzell and leads at lunchtime.

Giger defeats the leader

Samuel Giger does the job against Fabio Hiltbrunner with flying colors. The 19-year-old from Bern suffers his first defeat. He had previously been at the top of the rankings with the maximum number of points. Giger's flat throw after 55 seconds was awarded the maximum score. Another demonstration of power from the Thurgau native after his lightning victory against Kramer in 2nd gear.

Ott still in the lead

Damian Ott does a very good job this morning. The man from eastern Switzerland defeats Marc Lustenberger in third gear. With two wins and one defeat, Ott remains at the top of the rankings.

Staudenmann gets the maximum score

Fabian Staudenmann goes for the maximum score against Lukas Bissig. The Bernese fights the Central Swiss on the ground, lifts him up and buries him in the fine wood shavings. It is difficult to tell whether Bissig was actually down or not. But it doesn't matter: the result is what counts. The judges give Staudenmann a ten.

Walther and Wicki win

Adrian Walther stays in the lead and wins against Oliver Hermann. Joel Wicki also wins his fight and does so in a very energy-saving manner. The wrestling king defeats Patrick Schenk after 15 seconds.

Aeschbacher is annoyed after a flat throw because he only gets a 9.75

Curdin Orlik wins his match against Erich Fankhauser. His association colleague Matthias Aeschbacher follows suit against Michael Gwerder. Aeschbacher starts the 3rd round on the offensive, but has to be patient before he can score. He needs two and a half minutes for his flat throw. And then something surprising happens: Aeschbacher gets a score of 9.75! Why? I have no idea. In any case, Aeschbacher is visibly annoyed by the score and throws his ear protection to the floor. He obviously can't understand the grading either. After a few minutes, Aeschbacher has worked off his frustration and already has a smile on his face again.

Gasser pushes Alpiger into the sawdust

Dominik Gasser takes his second victory in 3rd gear. Shortly before the final minute, he puts Nick Alpiger on his back.

Schlegel reacts to defeat and wins

Werner Schlegel defeats Adrian Klossner. The Toggenburg native struggles and needs a little more time before the tough Bernese is on the ground.

Top pairings in 3rd gear

Adrian Klossner - Werner Schlegel
Curdin Orlik - Marco Fankhauser
Matthias Aeschbacher - Michael Gwerder
Oliver Hermann - Adrian Walther
Patrick Schenk - Joel Wicki
Lukas Bissig - Fabian Staudenmann
Marc Lustenberger - Damian Ott
Samuel Giger - Fabio Hiltbrunner
Armon Orlik - Thomas Sempach

Räbmatter decides to retire

Patrick Räbmatter already has to say goodbye to the Swiss Jubilee Wrestling Festival. His back is giving the man from Aargau a hard time, as he announced on Instagram. Räbmatter has to retire after two bouts (a second against Roger Rychen and a defeat against Paul Tornare).

The interim ranking after the 2nd round

After two rounds, one wrestler has achieved the maximum number of points: youngster Fabio Hiltbrunner. The 19-year-old is alone at the top, followed by a quintet with 19.75 points.

Ott puts everything on the line, but loses to Ledermann

Damian Ott is very active against Michael Ledermann. The man from eastern Switzerland attacks, the Bernese defends. Ott invests a lot, a lot. Ledermann has to take a lot of punishment. The duel ends with a submission. An active swinging style is rewarded here. A well-deserved nine for Ott. Both wrestlers are ready to eat after the fight.

Armon Orlik takes 2nd victory

Oh la la, what a fight between Armon Orlik and Christian Gerber. Gerber brings Orlik to the brink of his first defeat of the season. But with his incredibly strong core muscles, Orlik is able to free himself from the dicey situation. After the rescue, Orlik really turns up the heat. He goes all out and puts Gerber on his back after several attempts to attack. Second victory for Orlik.

Attacking Wicki bumps off Gobeli

Joel Wicki goes for the win against Patrick Gobeli right from the start. The wrestling king buries Gobeli on his back after just over two minutes. The judges decide no flat throw. Hence the score of 9.75.

Giger wins after three seconds - maximum score against Kramer

Samuel Giger has to fight Lario Kramer. Giger is the favorite, but nobody likes to swing against Kramer. The referee gives the "Guet" and Giger puts Kramer on his back with the first move. Three seconds to go, a well-deserved ten. Giger gets off to a strong start after the first-gear submission against the wrestling king.

Walther leads the way to victory

The duel between the namesakes goes to the taller one. Adrian Walther (200 centimeters long) defeats Adrian Odermatt (193 centimeters long). The task against Odermatt turns out to be a difficult one for Walther. After 5 minutes and 14 seconds, Walther takes his first victory.

Big surprise! Gwerder ties back the favorite Schlegel

Scary moment for Werner Schlegel! The man from Eastern Switzerland immediately goes on the attack against Michael Gwerder, Gwerder counters and almost catches Schlegel. However, the 21-year-old is still able to turn away decisively. It's quite possible that Schlegel is still feeling the effects of the seven intense minutes against Fabian Staudenmann. His attacks, which are always there, fail to materialize for once. In return, Gwerder swings aggressively and puts Schlegel on his back with another attempt. The first co-favorite is tied back. Little came from Schlegel in the fight.

Staudenmann goes for a flat throw - doesn't succeed, but wins anyway

Fabian Staudenmann starts the fight against Martin Roth like a fire engine. However, the Bernese fighter immediately feels the defensive skills of the man from Eastern Switzerland. Staudenmann goes for the flat throw and Roth is able to free himself time and again. At some point, Roth ends up on his back. Victory for Staudenmann - with a mini flaw: he fails to score a 10 in the form of a flat throw. He scores a 9.75.

Top pairings for the 2nd course

Werner Schlegel - Michael Gwerder
Adrian Walhter - Adrian Odermatt
Samuel Giger - Lario Kramer
Patrick Gobeli - Joel Wicki
Christien Gerber - Armon Orlik
Michael Ledermann - Damian Ott

King Wicki and Giger face

Joel Wicki and Samuel Giger put on a great fight. Much less attractive than the previous bout between Staudenmann and Schlegel, but still entertaining. Neither the wrestling king nor the Unspunnen winner manages a victory. Stopped.

Highly attractive match between Staudenmann and Schlegel ends in defeat - points distribution earns criticism

Fabian Staudenmann and Werner Schlegel earn the first applause after just a few moments. The two wrestlers demonstrate their explosiveness. The gait is highly attractive, both defensively and offensively. When one launches a great attack, the other's defensive work is equally spectacular. In the end, there is no winner. And to the surprise of many: there is only an 8.75! "I don't understand that", says Jörg Abderhalden on "SRF". A gait like this should be rewarded with a 9 - Christian Stucki agrees.

Orlik wins first giant duel against Walther

So, the first really, really attractive round is about to begin. Adrian Walther and Armon Orlik step into the sawdust ring with their Zwilchhosen. And with the first "Guet" from the referee, things really get going. Both pull and move, and a murmur goes through the arena a few times. Walther is a little more active, but then buckles during one of his own attacks. Orlik takes ice-cold advantage of this and puts the two-meter man on his back.

A face-off between Aeschbacher and Bieri

The duel between Matthias Aeschbacher and Marcel Bieri promises high tension. This promise is not kept. The bout ends without any spectacle with a single knockdown.

Referee gives the result - his colleagues intervene

Crazy! Benjamin Gapany is on his back against Nick Alpiger. The referee gives the result. But his colleagues at the referee's table wave him off and say: "No, no - Alpiger didn't have a hold." Absolutely correct decision. But shortly before the end, Alpiger goes one better and wins against Gapany after all.

No fireworks between Schneider and Kämpf - Stuck

The seven minutes of the fight between Bernhard Kämpf and Domenic Schneider are a long seven minutes. Little happens. The fact that they have to make a fresh grab here and there is the only invigorating, somewhat changing element. Unsurprisingly, the fight ends with a knockdown.

Müllestein and Orlik submit

Mike Müllestein and Curdin Orlik need four minutes before they really get active and pull. Then, after a brief peak, the attractiveness level of the fight flattens out again. Stuck.

Döbeli takes victory against Schwander

After the fight between Lukas Döbeli and Severin Schwander had to be interrupted, the fight continued. Döbeli first had to digest Schwander's elbow strike to the back of his head. The fight is no treat for a long time. Few attacks, little spectacle. Just under 30 seconds before the end, Döbeli attacks and wins against Schwander after a short move.

Ott rewarded for active swinging style against Gnägi

Damian Ott is the more active against Florian and tries more. A leapfrog attempt by Ott brings Gnägi to the brink of defeat. The man from eastern Switzerland doesn't let up, stays on the ball and pushes the Bernese fighter into the sawdust with a Gammen after the final minute.

Döbeli gets an elbow to the back of the head

After 40 seconds, Lukas Döbeli is elbowed on the back of the head by Severin Schwander. The fight has to be interrupted and the duel between Florian Gnägi and Damian Ott is brought forward.

Schurtenberger cannot put Sempach on his back

Thomas Sempach is difficult to defeat - the 39-year-old from Bern proves this again today. The fight against Sven Schurtenberger is truly no spectacle. Schurtenberger tries hard to get something going here, but Sempach holds his own and gives his opponent no chance to make a move with his defensive swinging style. After 7 minutes, the match is over. Incidentally, Sempach has only lost three rounds this season, and so far it remains that way.

Schenk scores maximum points against Hersche

The festival in Appenzell is a home game for Martin Hersche. After less than 30 seconds, he is almost lying with both shoulder blades in the sawdust against offensive wrestler Schenk. A little later, Schenk launches his next attack and puts Hersche flat on his back with a short move.

Duel between Rychen and Räbmatter without a winner

Roger Rychen and Patrick Räbmatter show a great gait. Both indicate with their attacks: "I want to win here." But neither of them takes the final risk - placed. Score 8.75 for both.

Kramer with a working victory against defensive artist Good

Marco Good demonstrates his defensive skills against Lario Kramer. Good is able to get out of every dicey situation. Kramer simply can't get the eastern Swiss on his back - until 23 seconds before the end. The western Swiss player takes the win against Good.

Roth brilliant - Eastern Swiss puts Bernese Moser on his back

Martin Roth from Appenzell puts Michael Moser on his back. The eastern Swiss cheer. Roth defeats the Bernese after a skillful headlock. Score 9.75. The fight between Matthieu Burger and Lars Voggensperger ends in a knockdown.

Here we go!

The wrestlers stand in the sawdust and attack. Michael Moser and Martin Roth open the jubilee wrestling festival in 4th place, where the top pairings will be contested in the first round, the Anschwingen.

The top pairings in the 1st course

Sven Schurtenberger - Thomas Sempach
Lukas Döbeli - Schwander Severin
Florian Gnägi - Damian Ott
Mike Müllestein - Curdin Orlik
Bernhard Kämpf - Domenic Schneider
Nick Apliger - Benjamin Gapany
Matthias Aeschbacher - Marcel Bieri
Armon Orlik - Adrian Walther
Werner Schlegel - Fabian Staudenmann
Samuel Giger - Joel Wicki

Applause for Strebel

The technical director of the ESV, Stefan Strebel, gives a short speech. The duration is 7 minutes. He recalls the values of the sport of wrestling and receives applause from the audience for his words. He calls on the wrestlers to show humility in victory and greatness in defeat. This means for the winner: First wipe the opponent's back, shake hands and only then cheer.

First impressions of the morning

First impressions of the jubilee wrestling festival



The wrestling arena in the early morning.

Image: KEYSTONE



"Hoi" is written on the board - everything is ready for the jubilee wrestling festival.

Image: KEYSTONE



The ladies of honor are ready.

Image: KEYSTONE



The audience is there - the stands are filling up.

Image: KEYSTONE



Marching into the arena. The atmosphere is great.

Image: KEYSTONE

First impressions of the jubilee wrestling festival



The wrestling arena in the early morning.

Image: KEYSTONE



"Hoi" is written on the board - everything is ready for the jubilee wrestling festival.

Image: KEYSTONE



The ladies of honor are ready.

Image: KEYSTONE



The audience is there - the stands are filling up.

Image: KEYSTONE



Marching into the arena. The atmosphere is great.

Image: KEYSTONE

The wrestlers enter the arena

The atmosphere here in the beautiful arena in Appenzell is fantastic. All the wrestlers are greeted by the audience - the party can begin.

Schlegel: "Every opponent has a back"

Werner Schlegel is one of the favorites at the Federal Anniversary Wrestling Festival. Before the highlight of the season, the Toggenburg native talks about the festival, his wrestling style and the parallels with Jörg Abderhalden.

Parallels to the three-time kingTop wrestler Schlegel: "I don't want to be a mini-Abderhalden"

A wrestler from Canada wants to give the big names a run for their money

With Thomas Badat, a Swiss abroad is stepping into the sawdust ring. Badat lives in Quebec, Canada, and wants to take on Giger and Co. in Appenzell. However, a glance at his statistics shows that the 27-year-old farmer, who speaks flawless Swiss German with a slight English accent, is unlikely to be a threat to the really bad guys.

Badat competed at the Swiss Wrestling Festival in Pratteln two years ago. On the second day of the competition, he was just a spectator. After losing four rounds out of four fights, he was already finished after the first day. In Zug 2019, his adventure at the Swiss nationals was also only four courses long. At least he managed to win with a flat throw in the third round.

Federal jubilee wrestling festivalA wrestler from Canada wants to give the big boys a run for their money

These wrestlers could put Staudenmann and Giger on their backs

The most frequently named favorites to win the festival are Fabian Staudenmann from Bern and Samuel Giger from Thurgau. However, with wrestling king Joel Wicki, Adrian Walther, Werner Schlegel and Armon Orlik, there are other wrestlers who are among the top candidates. Wrestlers such as Nick Alpiger, Curdin Orlik or Lario Kramer could become the spoilers for Giger and Co.

Highlight of the seasonThese wrestlers could put Staudenmann and Giger on their backs

Hello ...

... and welcome to the ticker of the Federal Anniversary Wrestling Festival in Appenzell. This wrestling festival takes place every 25 years. Today the successor to Thomas Sutter will be decided. Which wrestling titan will be crowned the winner today? The hottest decisions here in the ticker. It starts at 8 am.

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