Press Conference one week before the 38th German Open Championships
GOC CEOs Stephen Harnisch and Bernd Roßnagel welcomed media representatives, partners, and guests and provided a comprehensive preview of the upcoming competition week.
Stephen Harnisch began by reflecting on the generational transition within the GOC leadership and expressed his sincere gratitude to Wilfried Scheible, who has played a decisive role in shaping the event’s development over many decades. He also thanked Harry Körner and Michael Eichert, whose dedication has significantly contributed to the success and growth of the German Open Championships.
Particular emphasis was placed on the close cooperation with the GOC’s long-standing partners in Stuttgart. Harnisch highlighted the excellent relationships with the Maritim Hotel and the Liederhalle, which, like Stuttgart’s Television Tower, are celebrating their 70th anniversary this year.
The organizers also looked optimistically toward the future. After the WDSF once again awarded the GrandSlam competitions for 2026 and 2027 to Stuttgart, the GOC was also granted the hosting rights for Boogie Woogie World Championships, European Championships, and World Cups through 2030.
Representing the City of Stuttgart, Nadine Fischer attended the press conference. Harnisch thanked the city, the event’s most important supporter, for its continued commitment. At the same time, he emphasized the importance of international exchange, which has been a hallmark of the GOC for many years. A special example is the Twin Cities Dance Meeting with teams from Stuttgart, Brno (Czech Republic), and Khmelnytskyi (Ukraine), which will take place on 12 August at the Alte Reithalle. An invitation from Brno for a return visit in October has already been received.
Despite continuing economic challenges, Harnisch remained confident: “The financial situation is challenging, but we are looking to the future with optimism.” In addition to thanking the City of Stuttgart, he also expressed his appreciation to the many sponsors and supporters who make the staging of the GOC possible. He further underlined the importance of the event for Stuttgart as an international highlight of the summer season.
Bernd Roßnagel highlighted the outstanding position of the German Open Championships within the international dance sport community. With 3,830 registered couples and solo dancers, the GOC has once again reached the high participation level achieved in 2024. The largest number of entries comes from Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, Ukraine, and China. He also stressed the exceptional quality of the competitions, supported by the two GrandSlam events and an internationally balanced adjudicating panel.
The technical foundations for worldwide coverage are also in place: all three competition halls will be live streamed over five days. The corresponding links will be published on the GOC website on the Sunday before the event begins.
Special thanks were extended to the more than 600 volunteers whose commitment ensures the smooth running of the event. Without this extraordinary dedication, the German Open Championships in their current form would not be possible.
The press conference concluded with contributions from Vladyslav Tsykhanovskyi and Veronika Tsikhanovska, who shared insights into the life of elite athletes and spoke about their personal journey from Ukraine to Germany. Finally, Wilfried Scheible reflected on nearly 40 years of GOC history and expressed his pleasure at continuing to support the event in the future as an advisor.
With more than 3,800 athletes from around the world, world-class dance sport, and a unique atmosphere, the 38th German Open Championships once again promise a week filled with outstanding sporting performances and international encounters in Stuttgart.