A new face

Pariasek is missing! ORF premiere at Sporthilfe Gala

Rainer Pariasek will not be present at this year's Sporthilfe Gala.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Women's power at today's LOTTERIEN Sporthilfe Gala: Mirjam Weichselbraun and Karina Toth will host the glamorous evening at the Wiener Stadthalle on ORF. This leaves cult presenter Rainer Pariasek with the role of spectator.

The Wiener Stadthalle is once again the focus of the Austrian sports world today. As every year in the fall, the LOTTERIEN Sporthilfe Gala awards the Austrian "Athletes of the Year".

Mirjam Weichselbraun and Rainer Pariasek at the Sporthilfe Gala 2023(Bild: GEPA)

Rainer Pariasek hosted the event for 20 years, but this time the ORF star will be absent. Instead, the 41-year-old presenter Karina Toth has been chosen. Mirjam Weichselbraun is on board as usual. The ORF hosts are therefore two women for the first time.

Karina Toth(Bild: GEPA pictures)

New winning faces 
Even before the decision is made, it is clear that there will be new winning faces among the women and men. This is because none of the athletes who have been reduced to the top 3 have won the coveted trophy. The women's shortlist includes European javelin champion Victoria Hudson, overall downhill winner Cornelia Hütter and climbing ace Jessica Pilz, who came home from Paris with Olympic bronze.

The men's nominees are Olympic kitesurfing champion Valentin Bontus, overall slalom World Cup winner Manuel Feller and overall ski jumping World Cup winner and ski flying world champion Stefan Kraft. "New organization and new design promise a glamorous award ceremony with Oscar flair," says the organizer.

Alaba honors Thiem
Once again, the presentation of the Special Award promises to be a very special moment. This year, tennis ace Dominic Thiem will be honored for his outstanding career. He will be honored by soccer star David Alaba.