The adh-Open Floorball KF took place in Karlsruhe on the weekend of 15.04. to 16.04.2023. Eight teams from different cities in Germany took part, including WG Gießen, WG Hannover, WG Heidelberg, WG Würzburg, TU Ilmenau, TU Berlin, Uni Tübingen and host Uni Karlsruhe.

The tournament began on Saturday morning with the accreditation of the teams and the preliminary round, which was played in two groups of four teams. The spectators were treated to many high-scoring and exciting matches. The group winners were the University of Karlsruhe and the University of Tübingen, who were to play for victory on Sunday together with the runners-up from Würzburg and Gießen.

The first exhausting day of the tournament was rounded off on Saturday evening with a joint barbecue and subsequent party. New friendships were forged and fan communities formed. After a short night, which some teams spent in the hall provided, the final day began with the overnight teams having breakfast together.

On Sunday morning, the teams from Berlin, Heidelberg, Hanover and Ilmenau battled it out for victory in the secondary round. In the end, Berlin came out on top ahead of Hanover and Ilmenau. WG Heidelberg had to settle for eighth place this weekend. After the semi-final between Würzburg and Karlsruhe, from which the host emerged victorious, the friendship formed in the evening was lived out so that both teams could start their final matches with loud support from the other team.

In the match for third place, WG Gießen faced WG Würzburg, which won by a clear 6:1 and thus secured third place in the tournament. Fourth place went to the team from WG Giessen.

In the final match, the University of Tübingen and the host, the University of Karlsruhe, were to play for victory in the tournament. After the team from Tübingen took a two-goal lead, Karlsruhe was able to follow up with a goal. A short time later, however, Tübingen extended the lead to 2 goals again, but Karlsruhe was able to reduce the deficit to 2:3. In the final two minutes, Karlsruhe decided to throw everything into the balance with an empty net and the resulting 4-on-3 superiority and was rewarded with the equalizer to make it 3:3 with 10 seconds left in regulation time. The game then went into overtime, in which the University of Tübingen team had to settle for second place this time after scoring the golden goal to make it 4:3.

"It was a thoroughly successful weekend, both in terms of the sport and the surroundings. The atmosphere in the hall and at the bar was great. To be rewarded with such a final after all the organizational and sporting effort in advance, of course, puts the crown on the whole thing, kitsch authors have already been released for more credible things than this match. Thanks to the entire organizing team, the referees and of course the other teams for the great event!"

Marvin Frisch, Captain Team Karlsruhe

"The whole weekend was great fun, both on and off the pitch. The teams were in a great mood and the games were intense and full of great action. Of course, the final was the icing on the cake from our point of view. Huge compliments to the team, who came back and managed to equalize in 4-on-3 with an empty net just before the end, without us ever having practiced that in training."

Max Oesterle, Coach Team Karlsruhe

Finally, there was great praise for the referees, some of whom had traveled especially for the tournament and also took part in the accompanying Floorball BW referee course, as well as for all the players and helpers who contributed to the match secretariat and the organization. In addition to honoring the winners and presenting the certificates, trophies and the obligatory bag of gummy bears, top scorer Maximilian Sternal from Berlin was also presented with a prize for the most goals scored over the weekend. The joint group photo of all the teams rounded off the tournament weekend.

The adh-Open Floorball 2023 was a great event where the participants not only fought for victory in exciting and sometimes tough, but always fair games, but also had a great time together. The atmosphere was fantastic and there was something for everyone - from the exciting games to celebrating together.

We would like to thank all the teams, some of whom traveled a long way to take part in the tournament, for the great games and the support they provided as match secretaries and referees. We would also like to thank the Floorball Association Germany and the Floorball Association BW, who supported us by organizing the referee course and the organization of the games. Special thanks also go to the team of the University Sports Karlsruhe, who created the framework conditions for the tournament and of course to the floorball department of the University Sports Karlsruhe, without whom such an event could not have taken place in the first place!

We are already looking forward to the next adh-Open in the floorball discipline!

Authors: Marianne Kronsbein and Simon Woll