Fortress Table Tennis Luxembourg sent 6 players and 3 coaches to the prestigious 25th LINZ AG Youth Championships in Austria. Four of our players also took part in a 3-day training camp before the tournament.
From April 2 to 6, 2026, Fortress Table Tennis Luxembourg was proudly represented at the 25th LINZ AG Youth Championships, held at the iconic TipsArena in Linz, Austria. Organized by LINZ AG Froschberg, this is one of Europe's most prestigious youth table tennis events, bringing together hundreds of young talents from across the continent.
Fortress sent a delegation of 6 players accompanied by 3 coaches — Mirko Habel, Christian Kill, and Kai Qi Gui. Four of our players also participated in a 3-day training camp held before the tournament (March 30 – April 1), gaining invaluable match preparation and high-level sparring against international opponents.
## Our Players
- **U17 Boys:** Gilles Ries, Rodrigo Bastos Soares
- **U17 Girls / U15 Girls:** Araceli Pedregosa Olmedo, Anna-Lena Stemper
- **U13 Boys / U11 Boys:** Benoit Ries, Noah Stemper
## Key Results
- **U17B Challenge Team:** Fortress finished in the 9th–13th placement bracket, with Gilles Ries winning key singles matches along the way
- **U17G Challenge Team:** Fortress competed against Iceland and strong European opposition in the Challenge bracket
- **U13B Challenge Team:** Fortress beat TTVI Innerschweiz 3-0 on Day 1 and advanced through the 9th–13th placement rounds
- **U11B Championship:** Noah Stemper advanced to the Championship bracket, defeating Genge (FAL) 3-0 before falling to Wierszyllowski (ENG)
- **Individual Highlights:** Gilles Ries won 3-2 against Zumstein (TTVI) and 3-1 against Aksöz (USM); Benoit Ries won 3-1 against Menti (TTVI); Noah Stemper beat Slavec (KRA) 3-1 and Weber (DAC) 3-2 in the consolation rounds
## The Experience
Beyond the results, the LINZ AG Youth Championships offered our players an incredible experience competing against top youth players from Austria, Germany, Czech Republic, Denmark, Switzerland, England, Iceland, the Netherlands, and many more countries. The atmosphere at TipsArena was electric, and our young athletes gained priceless international match experience that will fuel their development for months to come.
A huge thank you to our coaches Mirko, Christian, and Kai Qi Gui for their tireless support, and to all the parents who made this trip possible. 🏓