• 03.08.2017
• Petra Dres

On the premises of TSC Astoria Stuttgart the press conference before the 31st German Open Championships was held. GOC’s press officer Petra Dres not only welcomed Wilfried Scheible, GOC’s CEO and president of TSC Astoria Stuttgart, as host, Harry Körner, GOC’s managing director, but also Heidi Estler, president of Tanzsport Deutschland and vice-president of DanceSport Europe, and Hartmut Sautter, president of the Rock’n’Roll and Boogie Woogie association of Baden-Württemberg. Marius-Andrei Balan and Khrystyna Moshenska came to Stuttgart as representatives of the active athletes.

Heidi Estler started with a review of the World Games in Wroclaw and praised the great presentation of professional world champions Benedetto Ferruggia / Claudia Köhler in the standard section. They received their second gold medal with their third participation in the World Games. Germany reached the second place in the medal table in the end, contributed by the gold medal of Ferruggia / Köhler and the bronze medal of Bludau / Uhl.

In regard to Stuttgart she is looking forward to the competitions. “The patronage,” said Heidi Estler “is once again taken over by the Minister of the Interior Dr. Thomas de Maizière.” With that dancesport as a discipline has reached the highest level. The 31^st GOC offer once again many athletic highlights. Estler mentioned the wheelchair competitions, which have become a fixed component of the competition-timetable. New in this year are the national competitions. “They offer youngsters the possibility to have a look at the international scene”, told president Heidi Estler. She concluded by thanking all media. She hopes for a good media coverage and mentioned in this context the SWR’s, whom she especially thanked, broadcast (see below).

Wilfried Scheible thanked the city of Stuttgart for the support of the event, which has been granted until 2024. It is reassuring that you do not have to wait for the approval each year. The city of Stuttgart is therefore one of the GOC’s main sponsors. Without the generous support of the city an event like this would not be possible today, Scheible referred also to other large events, which are supported by the city of Stuttgart.

The preparations are going their usual way, and are all in all calm. “This year we had a problem to get enough volunteers”, Scheible said. Many of the loyal volunteers are reaching an age, where they reconsider their commitment. Now it is our task to motivate the younger people. He also thanked the region’s hotels, which support the GOC to the best of their ability.

“We receive 30 to 40 registrations daily,” Harry Körner explained. The number of registrations is better than last year. The national competitions are not yet accepted as well as the GOC wishes (116 starts). Nevertheless, there are 141 German couples more competing than last year. With 1120 starts in all competitions together there are so many German couples participating as never before on Stuttgart’s dance floors. “We had to accept a drop in the Juveniles’ and Juniors’ sections,” Körner said about the negative development, “but we also have more Seniors participating.” The GOC is still the most important competition in the couples’ calendar.

Hartmut Sautter talked about the chances of success in the Boogie Woogie competitions. “The expectations in Main class aren’t so high”, said Sautter. The national coach has to struggle with the withdrawal of good couples and the younger generation is not on this level yet. In the Seniors class the German association provides most competitors, therefore the chances are looking better, “We are hoping for two or three finalists from Germany”, he elaborated. He hopes for a good result with the Juniors. Acting world and European champions Elian Preuhs / Theresa Sommerkamp are on the starting list of the only international competition, held in Germany, which is very popular among all Boogie Woogie couples.

“It was a hard time after the lost German championship,” Marius-Andrei Balan confessed to the journalists. On the other side they can compete now in an unspoiled way. “We are able to attack, we don’t have to defend,” he described the attitude towards the competition. Both are looking forward to the GOC, but also stress that it isn’t exactly a home match. “It is taking place in the TBW, but the audience is international,” Balan explained the situation. The audience decides which couple is their favorite. He and Khrysthyna will give their best to earn the audience’s favor.

SWR will broadcast a live stream from the Beethovensaal on Friday and Saturday on swr.de/sport an in its program “Tanzen total” on Sunday from 13:00 p.m. to 14:00 p.m. on SWR-TV.