07 Apr 2011 at 10:59 | Published by: Hans | Views: 12286 | News search

Marcel Noack, winner of the expert jury "Man Player of the Year 2010"  (Photo by Hans Bergström 2010)

This interview was done the 17th of March 2011. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).

HB: First of all congratulations to a great season of 2010 which lead to winning the expert jury part of vote for “Man player of the Year” on Minigolfnews. Did you expect to win this vote?

MN: Thank you. No, I didn’t expect to win in such a survey. Quite the contrary, I was very surprised that I was on this poll first. I must confess, I first learned of this survey in retrospect.
HB: So, can you tell our readers who is Marcel Noack?

MN: I'm 25 years old, living in Mainz and play minigolf since 1996. . I am employed at a large statutory accident insurance as an expert in telecommunications

HB: In the public vote you where only placed in sixth position. Any idea of why this big difference between the two votes?

MN: Between 2001 and 2004, I played in the national youth team. Turning into the men’s team, was rather unremarkable. So I think, I just been known in Germany and not in Europe.

HB: What were the highlight moments of your 2010 season?

MN: There were two great moments in the year 2010. One highlight was the nomination for the European Championchips in Pedrazzo, after I had a very good performace as a one of the alternative and upcoming players. The other highlight was the success of the men’s team during my national team debut. Not to forget is the contest through the K.O. Rating to the final.

HB: You were amongst others participating and winning Asian Open. Can you tell us about that experience?

MN: After 2008, this was my second participance at the Asian Open. Unfortunately, Alice Kobisch and I played in an individual competition and not with a team. The experience with MOS - Crazy Golf (a type of artificial turf and fantasy obstacles with stone bands) were quite funny, but to me it is a different world compared to the professional sports as we know it. The Asian people are a very hospitable and big family. Wether as a participant of the Asian Open or as a tourist, Asia is definitely a trip worth

HB: Before 2010 you where not so known outside Germany. How has this international breakthrough changed your Minigolf life?

MN: I’m proud about last year to have been so successful with the national team, but I can't afford to rest. I’ll continue the hard training to be nominated for the national team again.

HB: So how do you feel about the upcoming season? How does your season planning look like for 2011?

MN: I'm looking forward to the rest of the season (in Germany the Season is multi-year, so there are two games in autumn and the another 4 games are in April and June in the next year). Over the wintermonth I keep myself fit with some indoor tournaments next to the Bundesliga, I also hope to be able to perform well at the German Championships.

HB: What do you think about the remaining playing days of the Bundesliga 2011? What chances have Mainz?

MN: The BGS Hardenberg Pötter has a very strong team. It will be hard work for us to dispute them the titel ambition this and the following years.
This happened to us in the past at indivdual-match-days and we already want to try this in the future.

HB: You seem to like the KO-modus, at least you were successful in Predazzo. What is your opinion about KO and the decision for WMF/EMF Championships to include both a stroke champion and a match play champion?

MN: When I first was confronted with this idea, I was quite sceptical. Now I know the backgrounds to this decision and I think it's worth a try. There was also some luck included in my success in Predazzo. Everyone who saw the indivudual-K.O.-matches, knows it could have ended differently. It was quite close between John Widlert and me already in the first match that ended on the 3rd Lane of the sudden death.

HB: What do you think about yours and Germany's chances in Stockholm in August?

MN: This year I try to deliver a good and constant performance like last year, so hopefully I will be nominated again. Germany is one of the Top Teams in the international comparison and we will try to do our best to be successful in Stockholm.

HB: Last year in Predazzo the performance by the German Team was one of the most impressive team efforts ever seen. Can you tell us the feeling of playing in a Team making these incredible results?

MN: It is difficult to describe this feeling. Everyone played an important part of this successful team. I am proud to play in such a good Team. It was a great feeling for us to make such an incredible result, but to fully understand you have to make this experience on your own.

HB: What happens next for you in Minigolf?

MN: Two weeks ago, we played our third league game in Mannheim. BGS Hardenberg Pötter won again the matchday and we attended the second place.
Therefor we enlarged our total advantage to the third placed team of Bochum. Until the next game in Witten, on 17. April 2011. Now we some time to prepare ourselves and hope to be successful in the future.

HB: Again a big congratulation to winning the expert jury part of vote for “Man player of the Year” on Minigolfnews and good luck in the future.

MN: Thank you!

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