Paul Schopf wins Grand Prix season opener in Salzburg

Paul Schopf of Wels claimed victory at the first Grand Prix of the 2026 Austrian Snooker League season in Salzburg, defeating the newly crowned national champion Oskar Charlesworth (HSEBC) 4-0 in the final. Third place went to Jérôme Liedtke (SNOCK), who beat Lukas Stötzer (PSSC) 3-1 in the playoff for third.

Over the weekend of 24–25 January 2026, Austria’s Snooker elite gathered at the BSLZ Salzburg. Following mostly clear-cut encounters in the knockout stages, the favourites progressed with confidence.

In the semi-finals, Oskar Charlesworth (HSEBC Vienna) recorded a convincing 4-0 win over Jérôme Liedtke, while Paul Schopf (PSSC Wels) edged past his protégé and ÖSBV youngster Lukas Stötzer in a tight 4–3 match.

Schopf dominated the final and secured the tournament title with a 4–0 victory over Charlesworth – an impressive start to the season for the PSSC player. In the match for third place, Jérôme Liedtke prevailed 3-1 against Lukas Stötzer.

Several breaks over 50 added highlights throughout the tournament. The highest break of the event came from the champion himself, with a run of 68 points.

Erich Pließnig (Carinthia) officiated the final and also refereed one of the semi-finals. On the final day, Tournament Director Manuel Pomwenger officiated as a volunteer referee in the other semi-final, while Peter Widmayr took charge of the third-place match. Tournament Director duties on the first day were handled by Alexander Stadler (all Snooker Bulls).

A strong Grand Prix field, solid breaks, and a well-deserved victory for Paul Schopf made for a successful opening event of the 2026 Austrian Snooker League season.