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Germany vs Austria in US-style football final

Austria defeated France on Wednesday to earn its place in the European championship final against Germany this weekend. It's football, American-style.

Published: 6 June 2014 15:35 CEST
Germany vs Austria in US-style football final
Austria defeats Japan. Photo: AFBÖ / Herbert Kratky

Vienna's Ernst Happl stadium will become the venue on Saturday for the titanic clash between two teutonic teams — Austria versus Germany.  This time though, it's not European football — instead, the countries are facing off against each other in gridiron, or American football.

The tournament has been running since 30 May, in Graz, St. Pölten and Vienna.  Last year, Austria managed a respectable third place, so hopes are high in the nation for a result against their German-speaking cousins.

Expectations for an Austrian win are well-founded, given that much of the team came from the successful youth team in the European Youth Championship (for under-19s) in 2011 and 2013.  

Six countries were represented in this year's championship, including Austria, Germany, Denmark, France, Finland and Sweden.  Austria leads the points table, with 61 points from Group B versus Germany with 52 from Group A.

The action won't only be on the field, as organizers are following the US model with plans for a "game day" experience, including cheerleaders, fireworks, after-game parties, food and beverages and a rousing musical performance.

Entertainment includes Austrian Playboy model and singer, Cathy Zimmerman, who will sing (together with young rapper Slim21) the official theme song called "Let's Go."

This year's tournament is called "Eat the Ball".  The American Football Society of Austria (AFBÖ) president Michael Eschlboeck sees the tournament as important not only as a sporting event, but also a way to spread the popularity of American-style football across Austria.

"After the World Championship in 2011, we are excited to bring Football back to Austria. With the fixtures in Graz, St. Poelten, and Vienna we are continuing to spark enthusiasm for our fascinating sport, especially among a young target group."

"With the European Championship, as with the World Championship, we have the opportunity to show our visitors on game day that Football is much more than merely action on the field. Our event is a day filled with entertainment for the entire family", he said.

The Local will be covering the match, so stay tuned for the latest news this weekend.

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CLIMATE CRISIS

Austria ‘likely to be ice-free within 45 years’

Austria is set to become largely "ice-free" within 45 years, the country's Alpine Club warned Friday, as two of its glaciers last year melted by more than 100 metres.

Published: 6 April 2024 12:17 CEST
Austria 'likely to be ice-free within 45 years'

Amid growing concerns over the effects of extreme warming on glaciers around the world, the latest report by the Austrian Alpine Club (OeAV) showed that rapid glacial retreat over the past seven years had accelerated.

The study found that 93 Austrian glaciers observed by the organisation retreated by 23.9 metres (78.4 feet) on average last year, marking the third-biggest glacier melt since measurements began in 1891.

Two of the glaciers showed especially drastic declines, with the Pasterze shrinking by 203.5 metres and the Rettenbachferner by 127 metres.

The 2023 readings came after the worst year on record for glacier melt in Austria, with glaciers shrinking by 28.7 metres (94.2 feet) on average in 2022.

Faced with extreme warming in the Alps, glacial ice in Austria could largely disappear within 45 years, the Alpine Club warned, adding that restrictive climate protection measures were introduced too late.

“In 40 to 45 years, all of Austria will be pretty much ice-free,” Andreas Kellerer-Pirklbauer, head of the Alpine Club’s glacier measurement service, told reporters on Friday.

The OeAV urged increased protection of glaciers as part of overall efforts to sustain biodiversity, noting that expansions of ski resorts had put Alpine regions “under constant pressure”.

According to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), major glaciers worldwide suffered the largest loss of ice since records began in 1950, “driven by extreme melt in both western North America and Europe”.

In Switzerland, where the WMO is based, Alpine glaciers have lost 10 percent of their volume in the past two years alone.

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