Swiss wrestling champion Joel Wicki triumphs for the first time on the Brünig

(sda) · The final bout lasted only a short time, exactly 49 seconds. Joel Wicki scored the result in the second move in a rematch of the final bout of the 2022 Swiss Federal Championships. The Lucerne native had reached the final with four wins and one draw, while Aeschbacher had a quarter point more. A draw would have been enough for the latter to win the tournament.

Wicki's only defeat came in the opening round against the up-and-coming Bernese Michael Moser. Aeschbacher drew in the third round against last year's winner Pirmin Reichmuth from Zug. Moser and Reichmuth then eliminated themselves from the race for the final round with a draw in the fifth and penultimate round, finishing the event in joint third place.

Wicki and Aeschbacher had never won the traditional event on the pass between Obwalden and Bern, but the Lucerne native was now able to close this gap in his record. At his fourth attempt, as he emphasized in the winner's interview with SRF. The 28-year-old from Entlebuch had reached the final round on the Brünig three times, missing the festival victory each time by a draw.

That shouldn't happen to him again. "I knew I'd have to take a lot of risks," said Wicki. "I've often wanted this. It's almost eerie to experience it now." His risk was royally rewarded.

Perhaps the final bout opponent was helpful. Wicki has become something of a bogeyman for Aeschbacher. Since 2015, the Central Swiss has defeated the Emmental native nine times in ten fights and drawn once.

Nevertheless, the Bernese also had reason to celebrate. Despite the absence of two flagship players, Fabian Staudenmann and Adrian Walther, they prevailed over the Central Swiss team in terms of wreaths won, 8 to 6. The guests from Northwestern Switzerland held their own, with Jonas Odermatt from Basel-Landschaft in fourth place and Nick Alpiger from Aargau in fifth place, collecting five wreaths.