Martin Schmidt makes it Austrian Title number Eight - European Billiards & Snooker Association

Vienna’s Martin Schmidt (HSEBC), who was also crowned the best player of the past season, secured his eighth Austrian Billiards Championship title. In the final against Christian Pleschko from Wels, he achieved a century break of 102 points.

After an expected opening-round victory against Florian Bruckner from Wels (PSSC), Schmidt faced the only other former national champion in the tournament field, Patrick Stegmeier from ABC in Vienna, in the semifinals. Stegmeier had won the Austrian Billiards Championship in 2011, and the two long-time rivals had also contested the finals of the previous two championships. This time, the decisive clash for the tournament victory came earlier, in the semifinals, where Schmidt once again prevailed to reach the final.

His opponent in the final was Christian Pleschko (Upper Austria, PSSC), who had secured his place after victories over Women’s Snooker Champion Stephanie Doležal (Vienna, HSEBC) and clubmate Patrick Russ, who had earlier defeated Josef Elias Wimmer (also PSSC) in the opening round. Pleschko entered the final as the underdog on paper.

P. Stegmeier, M. Schmidt, C. Pleschko

Stegmeier, who had won his opening match against Carl Walter Steiner (Vienna, HSEBC), eventually secured the bronze medal by a narrow margin of four points. The match took a dramatic turn around the halfway mark, at which point Stegmeier had built a lead of over 100 points.

The final, however, was a one-sided affair from the start. Schmidt effectively sealed his victory with the tournament’s highest break, which he made before the halfway stage. Christian Pleschko took home the silver medal, which marked a great achievement and a strong conclusion to his season.

Referees for the event included Erich Pließnig, who officiated the final, and ÖSBV President Christian Fock, who also acted as tournament director.

Results | Austrian Billiards Championship | 2024 Season

Title photograph: Martin Schmidt
all photographs: © ÖSBV/pstegmeier

Thomas Janzo and Jérôme Liedtke do The Double, Double

Just like last year, the winners of the Austrian Snooker Doubles Championship at the conclusion of the 2024 season are once again Thomas Janzso (Vienna, HSEBC) and Jérôme Liedtke (Lower Austria, Snock).

The successful duo, who only entered the competition at the semi-final stage, dominated their match without dropping a frame against Erik Lukatsch and Patrick Stegmeier (Vienna, ABC), securing a direct ticket to the final.

E. Lukatsch, P. Stegmeier, T. Janzso, J. Liedtke, D. Seyser, F. Schidla

In the final, they faced Florian Schidla and Daniel Seyser (Vienna, 15 Reds), the season’s top-performing doubles team. Schidla and Seyser earned their place in the final after defeating Andreas Kosić and Bernhard Ullmann (Vienna, HSEBC) in the quarterfinals and Helmut Chlada and Carl Walter Steiner (Vienna, HSEBC) in the semifinals.

T. Janzso, J. Liedtke, Referee E. Poskočilová, F. Schidla, D. Seyser

In the bronze medal match, Lukatsch and Stegmeier staged a comeback after losing the first frame, ultimately securing a well-deserved third-place finish.

T. Janzso, J. Liedtke, Referee E. Poskočilová, F. Schidla, D. Seyser

The final proved to be a one-sided affair for the defending champions Janzso and Liedtke, who did not allow Schidla and Seyser a single frame victory. Schidla and Seyser, who had already secured the season’s best doubles team medals, had to settle for silver, while Janzso and Liedtke claimed another gold medal without much trouble.

Referees for the event included Eva Poskočilová from Prague, who officiated the final, as well as Carinthian referee Erich Pließnig and ÖSBV President Christian Fock, who also served as the tournament director.

Results | Austrian Snooker Doubles Championship | 2024 Season