Title fights - Anticipation at Friesen for the Boßel-EM
Around 400 athletes will travel to the 17th European Championships in Neuharlingersiel, East Frisia, in May to compete for medals in boßeln and kloot shooting. In addition to the competitors, numerous fans, family members and vacation guests are also expected to follow the major event on the North Sea coast.
"We are expecting several thousand spectators every day," said Helfried Goetz, Chairman of the Frisian Kloot Shooting Association (FKV), to the German Press Agency. The association is organizing the home European Championships. The opening ceremony is planned for May 9 in the harbor of the coastal town in the district of Wittmund.
In addition to throwers from Friesland and East Friesland, bowls athletes from Schleswig-Holstein, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and possibly also Spain and Switzerland are expected to take part in the competitions. "We see our sport as a Frisian sport," said Goetz. "But throwing balls on roads or fields is actually something that is done and loved far beyond the Frisian borders."
Several disciplines are thrown: In field throwing with the Hollandkugel, in standing throwing with the Klootkugel and in street throwing with an 800 gram iron ball. In street bowling, whoever has the highest distance after ten throws can call themselves European champion. During their throw, the athletes try to keep the ball on the road for as long as possible using strength and skill.
The European Championships are held every four years, alternating between the participating nations and their associations. A home European Championship only takes place every 20 years or so, said Goetz. "So this is something very special for us." The anticipation and motivation of the athletes to take part is correspondingly high. Qualifications for the tournament are currently underway. The patron of the European Championships is Lower Saxony's Minister President Stephan Weil.
The last European Championships took place in Meldorf in the Dithmarschen district on the west coast of Schleswig-Holstein in 2022 - after it had to be postponed in 2020 due to coronavirus.
For the first time in the history of the European Championships, which have been held since the 1960s, all athletes will be accommodated together in a kind of Olympic village. The FKV has booked the youth hostel in Neuharlingersiel for this purpose. "It will be an international happening and a great opportunity to get to know each other better and make friends outside of the competition venues. I'm really looking forward to it," said Goetz.
The association, in which around 240 clubs and 30,000 athletes in Friesland and East Frisia are organized, has been planning the major event for around two years. "A lot of work and attention to detail goes into it. But also the awareness of making our sport known and interesting," said the FKV chairman.
In addition to the title fights, it is also about promoting the competitive sport of boßeln and Klootschießen in view of the lack of young talent - it may be traditional, but it is contemporary, says Goetz.
Information on the home European Championships at Friesischer Klootschießerverband
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- Athletes from Lower Saxony will join the athletes from Friesland and East Frisia in the European Championship, adding to the diversity of the competition.
- The German Press Agency reported that the European Championship in boßeln and kloot shooting in Neuharlingersiel, Schleswig-Holstein, is generating significant anticipation and interest in Europe.
- Italy, Spain, Ireland, and Switzerland are some of the European countries that are expected to participate in the sporting events on the North Sea coast.
- During their leisure time, many spectators are expected to enjoy the colorful sporting events and the atmosphere of the European Championship.
- The athletes are training hard for the title fight, as the home European Championship only takes place every 20 years, making it a special occasion for many.
- The Netherlands, like other participating countries, is sending a team of athletes to compete in the European Championship, hoping to bring back medals.
- The fact that all athletes will be accommodated together in a kind of Olympic village for the first time in the history of the European Championships is generating excitement and camaraderie among the competitors.
- In addition to promoting the sport of boßeln and Klootschießen, the European Championship is also an opportunity to address the lack of young talent and make the traditional but contemporary sport more appealing to younger generations.
Source: www.stern.de
