Championships
- 03.08.2016
- Ilka Scheible
“I am still quite calm,“ confessed GOC’s CEO Wilfried Scheible in front of the present journalists. This year’s ticket sale went as well as never before, he reported. Friday and Saturday are sold out; there are some rest tickets left for the other days. “We were asked, if we wanted to move to a bigger convention hall“, said Wilfried Scheible. However, a full hall with good atmosphere is more important to him then the possibility to sell more tickets. His commitment to the Liederhalle was also to the city of Stuttgart, which he pointed out as an important partner and sponsor. “Without the grant of the city this would not be possible“, he thanked Lena Knorr and Nadine Fischer, who were present as representatives of the city of Stuttgart.
“This year we are competing with Olympia“, remarked Heidi Estler, president of Tanzsport Deutschland and vice-president of DanceSport Europe, who attributed an important meaning to the German Open Championships. “30 is a significant number“, she said. In the year with the largest number of registrations approximately 5,000 couples came to Stuttgart. This year there are about 4,000 registrations. “The GOC are the most important and meaningful dance sport competition“, Estler emphasized. She pointed out the wheelchair competitions, which were held for the first time in 2015, and are offered again this year. “This shows the good cooperation between DTV and the German Wheelchair Association“. Furthermore, the five days of GOC will be used for important meetings and conversations.
Harry Körner, managing director of the GOC, focused on the topic of security. After the incidents in the last weeks the GOC have been confronted with questions concerning the security. The very best will be done to ensure the safety of dancers and visitors.
Unfortunately, while the number of visitors is steadily growing, the number of registrations is slightly declining. Especially couples from Russia aren’t coming to Stuttgart anymore, which is due to the economic situation and the exchange rate. The security situation is also a reason why couples refrain from travelling to Germany.
“It is not obvious that a large competition is held in Germany“, said Hartmut Sautter, president of the Rock’n’Roll and Boogie Woogie association of Baden-Württemberg. Therefore, he is all the more pleased that a big competition, namely the European Championship, will take place once more during the GOC. He saw no real chances for one of the front places in Main Class. On the other hand, in Seniors and Juniors places on the winner’s rostrum might be possible. One has to wait what will happen. “The performances are so close together that place 16 of the world ranking list might beat the first“, Hartmut Sautter related.
Marius-Andrei Balan and Khrystyna Moshenska considered the GOC from an athlete’s point of view. Marius gave his view on a discussion, which was held before the press conference, about doping. “We are not doped“, he said. NADA’s controls are very complete and often unannounced. Concerning the preparation of the competition at the GOC on Friday he said: “This is a marathon. Six rounds on one day is not an easy task“. Khrystyna and Marius are well prepared and after training work closely together with a physiotherapist and a sports physician. „“We are looking forward to a good fight and a great show. It is always a pleasure to feel the emotions at the Beethovensaal“, he increased the anticipation of the GrandSlam Latin competition.
The 30th German Open Championships will take place from August 9th to August 13th, 2016 at the Liederhalle in Stuttgart. In five days 42 competitions are scheduled.
