Enjoyable outdoor activities abound amidst the smaller sunshine in the Salzburg countryside.
In the picturesque Pongau region of Austria, a group of enthusiastic young athletes from Thuringia spent an unforgettable holiday last year. The 2025 Thuringian Badminton Youth holiday was a week-long adventure filled with sports, team-building activities, and exploration.
Half of the participants hailed from the two Ilmenau clubs, 1. BC and SV 1880 Unterpörlitz. The group included 30 boys and girls who honed their badminton skills, participated in friendly matches, and even took part in a football tournament.
The table tennis tournament saw Adrian Richter triumph among the boys and Jette Geyer shine among the girls. However, the competitive spirit didn't stop there. The "Fun Olympics" was another highlight, where Lotta Seifert, Elisa Schmidt, Constantin Jury, and Jacob Steinkopff won the gold medals. This quirky event required participants to master stations that tested their knowledge, creativity, speed, and skill.
The holiday began with a barbecue evening, setting the tone for a week of camaraderie and fun. The traditional hike to the summit cross of the "Heukareck" was a memorable experience, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Another highlight was the visit to the salt mine in Bad Dürrnberg in Hallein.
The care team for the holiday included Anne Seifert, Tina Ehemann, Ralf Schubert, Lasse Seifert, Hospi Liam Richter, and Holger Bauerschmidt. Special thanks go to the Heigl host family for their warm hospitality and delicious food.
The football tournament saw the team of the youngest participants emerge victorious. Two all-girl teams also participated, showcasing the growing interest in sports among Thuringian youth. The team "The 6 Dwarves," consisting of Jonathan Schön, Michael Reetz, Karl Herrmann, Jakob Krautheim, Jacob Steinkopff, and Constantin Jury, took home the trophy after winning the small-scale tournament on the artificial turf pitch.
In addition to sports, the group also took part in the "Dom Rally" to explore the land and its people of the Pongau district. The event saw teams completing tasks related to St. Johann. The winners, "The Labubus" with Pascal Schreiber, Gwen Schröder, Anton Reichert, Henning Oelze, Lotta Seifert, Michel Seifert, and Sarah Riege, won the main prize, a "Schiebel Fruchtinferno."
For more detailed information about the sports, quizzes, excursions, and scheduling of the 2025 Thuringian Badminton Youth holiday, it is recommended to consult the official websites or contact points of the Thuringian badminton youth associations or sport federations, event organizers linked to youth badminton camps or holidays in Pongau or Salzburg regions, or local Pongau tourism offices or youth sports coordinators who might offer programs in summer/winter 2025.
- Despite their primary focus on badminton, the enthusiastic athletes from Thuringia also showcased their skills in other sports during the holiday, winning the football tournament with the team "The 6 Dwarves."
- Alongside their competitive spirit on the badminton and football courts, the group also enjoyed a leisurely lifestyle, traveling to explore the Pongau region, visiting the salt mine in Bad Dürrnberg, and participating in the "Dom Rally."
- Apart from the traditional team-building activities and sports competitions, the 2025 Thuringian Badminton Youth holiday incorporated a "Fun Olympics" with quirky stations testing the participants' knowledge, creativity, speed, and skill, adding to the overall appeal of the adventure.
