"Krone" league final

Dry spell comes to an end after seven years

Gries back on the throne after seven years: Erwin Etzer, Patrick Fischer, Martin Leitner, Wolfgang Fischer, Josef Katsch, Hans Gruber with association vice-president Hans Peter Hettegger (standing) as well as Dominik and Bernd Fischer, Bernhard Gruber (from left to right/Gerhard Etzer not in picture).

(Bild: Peter Hettegger)

The wait has come to an end: record champion Gries made a comeback at the final showdown on their own course with their 19th national championship title (Pinzgau style). Böndlsee took the first medal with bronze and were even the winners at the celebrations.

They went into the final Sunday as leaders, they had home court, they had direct rivals in front of them - and they won the "Krone" league, i.e. the national championship in the Pinzgau style! We are talking about the Gries record champions, who crowned themselves for the 19th time, ending a seven-year drought. "We were the luckier ones", admits the shooting chairman Hans Gruber honestly.

Because St. Johann II gave the Pinzgauers a real hard time, initially making extra meters with "cutters". There were two direct duels in succession. In the second, Gries even threatened a "Schneider". "But our Moar Bernd Fischer saved us, it was just a normal defeat," says Gruber of the pairing thriller. Until the showdown: in which the hosts defeated Böndlsee and Taxenbach, until then in points trouble, snatched the title from St. Johann II's grasp. The losers, led by Albin Beran, took silver, while Böndlsee, led by Christoph Kößner, won their first medal with bronze.

Afterwards, celebrations were the order of the day at the award ceremony in the Weltmeister-Stüberl in Maishofen. For Gries, the celebrations continued at home, where Team Böndlsee also made an appearance. Gruber was delighted: "They celebrated the most and then sang sensationally at our place."

Relegation despite mega round
Of the promoted teams, Mühlbach/Pzg. in sixth place and Maishofen - still with former long-range shooting world champion Helmut Aglassinger, who has emigrated to Finland - in seventh place sold like hot cakes this year, while Uttendorf finished eleventh. Only Gnigl went down again (together with Stuhlfelden, Bischofshofen and Schüttdorf).

Speaking of relegation: In the 2nd Landesliga, dubbed the "horror league" (nine relegated teams!), even 16.2 final day points didn't save Kaprun.

"Krone" league, final standings: 1. Gries 13.8 last matchday/total 72.7 2. St. Johann II 13.9/69.0, 3. Böndlsee 12.6/66.5, 4. Taxenbach 9.1/65.3 5. Annaberg 12.6/65, 6. Mühlbach/Pzg. 10.4/61.8, 7. Maishofen 12.6/61.7, 8. Mittersill III 12.6/59.3, 9. Saalfelden 11.4/58.3, 10. Altenmarkt 13.8/58.2, 11. Uttendorf 8.0/57.2, 12. Oberndorf 5.5/57.0, 13. Wagrain 5.5/54.5, 14. St. Veit 7.9/53.5, 15. Gnigl 11.4/50.9, 16. Stuhlfelden 12.6/50.0, 17. Bischofshofen 6.7/48.5, 18. Schüttdorf 4.5 38.6.