18 Aug 2010 at 20:57 | Published by: Hans | Views: 19656 | News search

Vitus Spescha waiting between shots in Odense  (Photo by Hans Bergström 2009)

Interview with Vitus Spescha, Switzerland and MC Olten

This interview was done in August 2010. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all thank you for letting Minigolfnews interview you.

HB: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself to those who don’t know you. Who is Vitus Spescha?

VS: I’m Swiss, I measure 1.69 m, brown hair, my mother-tongue is Rhaetho-Romanic (4th language spoken in Switzerland by only 40’000 people), sports fanatic (ski, football, snooker, tennis, poker…), living in downtown Zurich on 11th floor with my lovely girlfriend, working in the night and sleeping in the afternoon (sometimes), teacher in conflict-management for train staff.

Short trivia: Over my bed hangs a painting of “Schellen-Ursli” (a famous hero of Rhaeto-Romanic kids stories), I once lived with a married couple in one flat and my favourite animals are ants! (Please take care of them on minigolf lanes!)

Profession: train attendant at Swiss Railway
Year of birth: 1976
Start of Minigolf career: 1993
Make of club: NIFO
Favourite ball: Deutschmann 083
Favourite surface: Concrete
Technical tip: practice a lot the feeling for tempo

HB: What do you think of your 2010 season so far?

VS: My goal for this year was to become Swiss Team Champion with the MC Olten, and this we achieved.

HB: How is the league play going for your club MS Olten this year?

VS: It worked very well. We had a fantastic team spirit and therefore won the championship. After 1st day of competition and a middle-rate start we grew and finally won with a good last day on felt course. I think the league-system is quite good and I hope that it will stay.

HB: Last year in Odense the Swiss Team and you had some though days without that much success. Can you share with us any reflections on the Odense Competition?

VS: First I have to say that in Switzerland there is only one tournament a year on felt (even very short lanes) and we therefore have little experience. This year we had the first team competition ever on felt. So it was very hard to learn playing those long, difficult and unfamiliar felt lanes in such a short practice time with good results.

For me personally this was not only the problem for I have already played competitions on difficult felt lanes (Vaasa, Vienna), but at that time I wasn’t in such a good constitution and I didn’t have enough confidence in my stroke.

HB: You are soon to be off to Predazzo. What are your hopes about this Championship for the Swiss Teams and for yourself?

VS: For our team (men and women) I hope we are going to win a medal with a nice team spirit, a good atmosphere and successful strokes. I want to help my team by playing my best minigolf.

HB: And who of the Swiss Players do you think will have the best chance individually?

VS: With this KO system all Swiss players are able to be successful if they have a good day.

HB: And what are the favourites for the gold medals individually in Predazzo do you think?

VS: I actually don’t busy myself with this topic. I concentrate on my performance.

HB: Are there any nations or players that you think will have a breakthrough this year in Predazzo?

VS: I hope that one of our Swiss team takes his/her chance.

HB: What is your best moment in your Minigolf Career?

VS: To become Team World Champion in Steyr 2005.

HB: And the worst?

VS: Before a tournament I was ill and couldn’t take part. Not to be able to play is hard for me.

HB: What is your opinion on the KO-modus in international championships?

VS: I don’t like it. I think minigolf must be decided on long distances. In Tennis there isn’t played only one set and Snooker isn’t decided in only one frame, either. I want it to be abolished.

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

VS: Carl-Johan Ryner. He’s a friend of mine and a fantastic minigolf player.

HB: Again thanks for participating and good luck in Predazzo.

VS: Your welcome, and have a nice trip to Predazzo.

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