Back from Appelscha: Interview with Stefan Viberg
06 Nov 2013 at 18:09 | Published by: Hans | Views: 20465 | News search
Stefan Viberg celebrating an ace in Appelscha (Photo by Appelscha team 2013)
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Interview with Stefan Viberg (SV), Sweden and Örebro
This interview was done the 6th of November 2013. Interviewer is Hans Bergström (HB).
HB: First of all congratulations to a great season of 2013 and of course the two gold and one silver at the Senior European Championship in Appelscha.
Did you expect this success before going to Appelscha?
SV: Thank you Hans. No, then I would lie. I thought we had a good chance to take the team gold and in the individual my goal was be a finalist.
HB: So please tell our readers who is Stefan Viberg?
SV: I am 52 years old and I have played minigolf since I was about 10-11 years old. I was born and raised in Ludvika, and moved to Örebro in 1989. I am working at a company called EMBA Machinery. I live together with my partner Ylva.
HB: Looking back on the team play in Appelscha. The Swedish team and the German team had a close battle all the way to the end. At what point did you feel that it could be gold?
SV: I thought and hoped for the gold already from the beginning, but I was not sure about it until Peter Söderlund (Swedish closer) cleared track 17 on the last team lap.
I was an incredibly tough and fun team competition to play. All creds to our German opponents, that’s how all competitions should be.
HB: This was your debut in an international championship. Was it as expected or what were your thoughts before the tournament?
SV: It was as I thought. It was very good that it was training schedule. It would otherwise have been the risk that you have trained too much
HB: And then Friday came and the stroke play finals. You never gave the rest much of a chance and in the end your victory margin was incredible 14 strokes on 8 laps. It seems like you almost didn’t know how to miss? Was this your best tournament of your life?
SV: Absolutely. I thought I played well on the Swedish championship this year, but this tournament was so much better even.
HB: Then you were very close to win also in the match play finals. Was the loss in the sudden death against Horst Brandstätter a big disappointment for you?
SV: I was not so inspired for playing the match play finals on Saturday morning. But when I won the first game, then I wanted to win it all. So yes, I was disappointed immediately after the loss in sudden death. But soon I was pleased as soon as I had realized what incredible championship I actually made.
HB: You also took two world records (5 and 6 laps of felt) with your game in Appelscha and equalized the record for one lap. How does it feel to be the world record holder?
SV: Great fun and something I am very proud of. Before I became the world record holder I did not even know there was the world record. So now I can focus on new records
HB: Looking back on Appelscha, which is the single moment that you remember the most?
SV: I have so many wonderful memories but here are a few:
• The silence on the arena when I played the track 17 and 18, on the round that I set course records of 22.
• To stand on the podium and hear the national anthem, I must learn it until next time .
• All the nice people I got to meet.
HB: Has your success been noticed coming back to Sweden?
SV: The club has congratulated, job, friends and neighbors have celebrated me. There have been newspaper articles in a local newspaper in Örebro and even in a local newspaper in Ludvika as well. And also lots of congratulations from players around in Sweden.
HB: You have played all your life for your club Örebro, which is a club around top 10 in Sweden. Have you ever thought of or even have offers to play in higher ranked club?
SV: I've thought about it at some point in time, but I like being where I am and we have great fun together.
HB: Now the international audience has seen your skills on felt. Are you as good also on the other surfaces?
SV: Is not nearly as good today, but I know how to play on these surfaces and I would like to get a chance to defend my title next year on eternit and concrete. So I think I can do a good championship if we get as good a chance to prepare ourselves like we did this year.
I have also talked to some players who will help me to become better at the faster surfaces.
HB: Who are the best players (men and ladies) in the world at the moment by your opinion?
SV: I have no idea.
HB: Will we be seeing equally much of you in the 2014 season?
SV: I thought it was so fun to play in the national team, so maybe I will make a real effort in practicing on the faster surfaces, and hence to try take a place in the national team in 2014.
HB: Again a big congratulation to the European Championship titles and good luck in the future.
SV: Thank you very much Hans!
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