27 Nov 2011 at 15:28 | Published by: Hans | Views: 12433 | News search

Bianca Utzig, Austria playing in Stockholm  (Photo by Patric Fransson 2011)

Interview with Bianca Utzig (BU), Austria and Gaenserndorf

This interview was done the 25th of November 2011. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all congratulations to a great season of 2011 and especially the World Championship in Stockholm with silver in the team and 4th in the stroke play and quarter finals in the match play. Are you happy with the results in Stockholm?

BU: Thank you very much! I’m very happy with my results in Stockholm. I didn’t think I would play as well as I did.

HB: Can you tell our readers a little bit of who is Bianca Utzig?

BU: I am 21 years old and I have been playing minigolf for more than 12 years (with a 2,5 year break). It is not only fun and a hobby, but also my passion – it is great to travel around and get to know a lot of people and of course the feeling of playing in important situations under pressure.

HB: The team completion was a close race between Austria and Germany almost all the way. Can you tell us about how it felt playing with that kind of pressure for two days?

BU: On the one hand it was very exciting and fun, but on the other hand it was very hard. In the end I can say that everyone in my team did their best.

HB: Of course it must have been terrible losing the team gold on the last lane as you did. How was it experience this from besides?

BU: Of course it was terrible, but as I said before, everyone in our team did their best. We are four players in a team and we stick together.

HB: You ended in fourth place in the stroke play, the worst place of all some say. Also your last round on the concrete had a tough ending with only two aces in the last 9 lanes. Now when you look back can you feel satisfied the results or are your feelings that you were losing the bronze medal?

BU: I feel absolutely satisfied with my results. Before the last round I didn’t believe that I could reach the bronze medal, so I played without pressure and I just had fun. Of course I think it is a pity that I only did two aces on the last nine lanes, but it was my first World Championship and I think I can be proud of myself.

HB: As this was your first major Championship in General Class (except the Nations Cup) how are your feelings about the competition when you are remembering now two months later? What memories are the strongest?

BU: The strongest memory of the World Championship was that all the people in the park were cheering for the Swedish players when they did aces. Not only the cheering, but also the fact that the audience was so big. It was a great experience to play in the team because we are not only team players, but also friends.

HB: What is your opinion about the way the Stockholm championships were played with 2 days team, one day stroke play and one day match play?

BU: I would say it was something new, but I think that it was nice to play.

HB: You are one of the girls in the new young generation of Austrian girls entering the scene in general class together with Karin Heschl. It seems that you two are doing quite well. Are the gap between the junior class and general class smaller than you expected?

BU: Although it seems that the gap between the junior class and the general class is small, it really isn’t. I’m not sure, but I think the reason why the gap seems to be small is that we were a great team in Stockholm because of our team spirit.

HB: How does your season planning look like for 2012 and onward?

BU: There is a regional division with my club, a national division, the Austrian Championship and international competitions if I’m allowed to play.

HB: What happens next for you in Minigolf?

BU: The next bigger competition is the “Bundesländer Cup” in February. It is a team competition with teams from all over Austria.

HB: If you could recruit any girl player in the world, as long as it’s not a Austrian, to play for your club who would you pick?

BU: I mean there are many very good female players, but I don’t know them very well. I wouldn’t recruit any other player right now, because to me, my team is perfect due to our passion to minigolf and our friendship.

HB: Again a big congratulation to the fantastic 2011 season and good luck in the future.

BU: Thank you very much! It was really nice to ask me for this interview – thank you again.

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