The preliminary stage of the 2025 Austrian National Snooker Championship has produced four qualifiers for the ÖSBV Finals: three players from Vienna’s HSEBC and one former national champion from PSSC Wels.
Paul Schopf (PSSC) is no stranger to the feeling of lifting the coveted trophy as Austrian National Champion. In 2014, the now 36-year-old claimed his first – and so far only – title, one of the last before Florian Nüßle began his remarkable run of eight consecutive titles as Austrian National Champion.
Paul Schopf; © ÖSBV
Since Nüßle is competing this year as Austria’s first-ever professional player on the WST Main Tour, he is not eligible to defend his amateur title, adding further excitement to the competition.
Oskar Charlesworth; © ÖSBV
For the three HSEBC athletes – Oskar Charlesworth, who finished the Austrian Snooker League season as the year’s top-ranked player, Thomas Janzso (a two-time National runner-up) and Philipp Koch, who produced the tournament’s highest break with 64 – a victory would mark their first national title.
Thomas Janzso; © ÖSBV
There will certainly be no shortage of excitement when the new National Champion is crowned at the ÖSBV Finals on 10–11 January 2026. The semi-finals and bronze medal match will be played as best of 7, while the final will be best of 9. The detailed weekend schedule will be announced after the entry deadlines for all remaining Austrian Championship events, that is after 14 December. For the first time, all medal decisions of the Austrian (National) Championships will be contested on one single weekend as part of the ÖSBV Finals.
Philipp Koch; © ÖSBV
The referees on duty this weekend were Christian Fock (Vienna), Manfred Göllner (Carinthia), Walter Kunz and Franz Meszaros (both Vienna). Tournament director was ÖSBV Sports Director Patrick Stegmeier, supported by Christian Fock, as Stegmeier himself was qualified to play in the event.
Title photograph: © ÖSBV