18-year-old Burgmann, Mairhofer, Burgmann and Riva celebrate as women’s Italian champions
Burgmann, Seeber, Hanni and Berger defend the men’s title
Inaugural U18 national championships was held in Kronplatz on Friday
The iconic snow volleyball venue in Kronplatz (pictured in the main photo; credits: FIPAV), situated at 2,275 meters above sea level, welcomed the Italian snow volleyball championships at both the senior and the U18 levels last week, to draw the winter season to a conclusion.
Women
A team of four 18-year-old athletes – Anja Burgmann, Julia Mairhofer, Lea Burgmann and Sarah Riva – topped the women’s standings at the Finals of the 2024 domestic tour, the third edition of the Absolute Italian Snow Volleyball Championships. In Sunday’s final at the end of the two day-event, they managed a hard-fought 2-0 (16-14, 15-12) victory over the team featuring 2017 European Queen of the Snow, Anna Dostalova of Czechia and her Italian teammates, 54-year-old Cristiana Parenzan and 45-year-old Federica Tonon.
The third-place match also a straight-set battle, with Eva Seeber, Ines Lufter and Jasmin Lestani defeating Chiara Cazzaniga, Franziska Schifferegger and Viktoria Gasser in a 2-0 (15-13, 15-13) showdown to secure the bronze. A total of five teams participated and the fifth place went to a trio of 14-year-old competitors - Lena Obletter, Leni Marie Prenn and Romy Brugger.
All results and standings
Men
In the men’s competition, Michael Burgmann, Peter Seeber and Thomas Berger defended the Italian title from 2023, along with 2022 champion Theo Hanni on the squad. It was the third back-to-back championship crown for Burgmann and Seeber. The squad celebrated a 2-0 (15-12, 15-11) sweep of Sunday’s gold medal match against Atef Adel, Enrico Lupatelli, Gaetano Vespero, Michele Bennato.
The bronze went to Diego Leon Steger, Ervin Gulan, Markus Groeber and Maximilian Balzarini after a 2-1 (9-15, 15-11, 15-11) comeback against Filippo Galante, Massimo Di Risio and Matteo Bertoli in the third-placed match. Six teams participated in the tournament, initially split into two pools of three.
All results and standings
U18
For the first time in history, U18 national snow volleyball championships were organised in Italy and the first youth champions in both genders emerged after 12 women’s and 10 men’s matches were played on Friday.
Barbara Miribung, Maja Valentini, Marika Frenademez and Nadine Valentini won the inaugural U18 women’s title after a 2-1 (11-15, 15-10, 15-5) victory over Ailin Rubatscher, Angelika Frenademez, Lena Irsara and Sofia Rudiferia. Lena Obletter, Leni Marie Prenn and Romy Brugger celebrated the bronze after a 2-0 (15-8, 15-7) sweep of the third-place match against Alea Grittner, Maja Stolzlechner and Victoria Steger.
Alex Natoli, Laurin Zoschg and Michael Stolzlechner triumphed in the men’s competition. They delivered a 2-0 (15-12, 15-12) victory over Dennis Hintner, Luis Mairhofer and Nicolas Untersteiner in the final. Diego Belardi, Felix Helfer, Jakob Mutschlechner and Sebastian Dujczynski defeated Emil Martinelli, Ruben Strim and Tobias Karnutsch by a nail-biting 2-1 (11-15, 15-7, 18-16) for the bronze.