Oskar Charlesworth from HSEBC Vienna wins his second Grand Prix overall after 2022, marking a perfect start to the 2025 season.
At the HSV in Krems-Mautern, 16 athletes competed on the first tournament day for the four knockout-stage spots reserved for the semifinalists on the final day. Alongside the eventual tournament winner, these spots were secured by young talent Lukas Stötzer from PSSC Wels, Jérôme Liedtke from Snock in Wieselburg, and Thomas Janzso (HSEBC). Both semifinals ended in clear 4-0 victories, leading to a final showdown between Charlesworth and Stötzer, while Liedtke and Janzso faced off in the third-place match. Liedtke secured third place with a 4-2 win against Janzso – a great success for the Lower Austrian, who had won gold in the doubles event at the recent Austrian Championships with Janzso but suffered a painful round-of-16 defeat in the main event against first-round opponent Fidan Krasniqi (Bulls Salzburg). This time, however, Liedtke left no doubt, dominating Krasniqi with a 4-0 victory.
Jérôme Liedtke; ©ösbv/pstegmeier
The final turned out to be the most thrilling match of the tournament. Lukas Stötzer took an early 3-1 lead at the mid-session interval, but Oskar Charlesworth returned highly motivated, claiming the next three frames, including a half-century break in the decider, to secure his long-awaited second Grand Prix title. It was a great success for the Viennese player, who also achieved the tournament’s highest break with an impressive 85-point run.
Oskar Charlesworth; ©wsf
Another remarkable performance came from 14-year-old Upper Austrian Lukas Stötzer. In January, he was crowned Austrian U21 Champion and runner-up in the Open Class. After winning his first Grand Prix at the final event of the previous season, he now reached his third consecutive final in top-tier domestic tournaments.
Lukas Stötzer; ©wpbsa
The tournament was officiated on Saturday by Günter Kaschmitter from SCAH Heidenreichstein and on the final day by ÖSBV President Christian Fock (15 Reds), who also served as the referee for the final and one semifinal. The second referee was Franz Meszaros from Vienna. Special thanks go to Alois Schreibeis, sports director of the hosting HSV Krems-Mautern, as well as the tournament directors and referees for their efforts in providing the best possible conditions for the players.
The Grand Prix series now moves on to Vienna, where the second event of the season will take place on March 1-2, 2025, at HSEBC in the Austrian Snooker and Billiards Academy.
Title photograph: Lukas Stötzer, Oskar Charlesworth, Jérôme Liedtke; ©ösbv/cfock