Dr. Michael LUDWIG
Mayor and Governor of Vienna
The quality of life in a big city can also be measured by its sports facilities. Since
Vienna wants to maintain its status as the most livable city in the world, we continue to invest in
both amateur and professional sports. We have just celebrated the topping-out ceremony for the
Sport Arena Vienna in Leopoldstadt. The major project with 13,000 square meters of space and room for
3,000 spectators will open in 2025 and will also provide a new home for handball.
While many of us are currently excited about the European Football Championship, Austria’s
handball national team is already preparing for the World Championship 2025. For top athletes to be successful,
the “basic work” must be consistently right. This is largely done by
clubs, which is why I am particularly pleased that WAT Fünfhaus is organizing the International Schmelzer Youth Handball Tournament for the
31st time. I am sure
that the atmosphere at Austria’s largest youth handball tournament will not fall short of the sporting World Championship
enthusiasm in Croatia, Denmark, and Norway by a single jump shot.
A major sporting event is an experience to which everyone contributes: the
athletes, the organizers, the audience. New this year is the GRG 23 as
a cooperation partner for the accommodation of the teams. Also new is the head of the
organization team, Christoph Zeiml, a former player and now youth coach of
WAT Fünfhaus. Thankfully, WAT Fünfhaus is supported by the University Sports Center
(USZ), where most of the games take place. The final games traditionally take place on
Sunday, August 25, in the Vienna Stadthalle B. As in the past, 80 volunteer helpers will be on duty.
In addition to the sporting competition, WAT Fünfhaus focuses on the interaction of young
people from different cultures. When creating the schedule,
care is taken to ensure that each team has sufficient opportunity for sightseeing
and getting to know the federal capital. As its mayor, I would like to
thank you for this, warmly welcome everyone, and wish you exciting days in
Vienna.
Dr. Michael Ludwig,
Mayor and Governor of Vienna
Photo credit: fotoschuster.at
Mag. Dietmar Baurecht
District Chairman Rudolfsheim-Fünfhaus
Dear handball friends,
I am very pleased that the 31st International Schmelz Youth Handball Tournament will take place again from August 22 to 25, 2024 in our 15th district. The University Sports Center on the Schmelz is an excellently suitable venue for this and offers young athletes the best conditions for a great sporting competition.
The extensive area of the Schmelz, in addition to the University Sports Center with its numerous indoor and outdoor sports facilities, also houses a high school, allotment gardens, parks, and a sports facility of the ASKÖ. A part of the area has been separated from the ASKÖ grounds and will in the future be available as a green recreational area for sports use by the public. The redesign will take place in 2024/2025. Before that, this area will be used as a free space for children and young people in the “Summer on the Schmelz” project. Until September, leisure educators from Juvivo15 will be on site with various leisure activities for children and young people. More information: wien.gv.at/rudolfsheim-fuenfhaus/sommer-schmelz
I would like to sincerely thank the team of WAT Fünfhaus for organizing the international youth handball tournament, which has been a fixed date in the calendar of numerous top teams from Austria and other countries since 1993. Good game and have fun!
Your District Chairman
Mag. Dietmar Baurecht