17 Aug 2009 at 09:58 | Published by: Hans | Views: 10191 | News search

Lisa Berger-Rella playing lane 15 at NC in Tampere 2008  (Photo by John Mittler 2008)

Interview with Lisa Berger-Rella, Austria, currently WMF world ranked no 1

HB: First of all thank you for letting Minigolfnews interview you.

HB: Can you tell us a little bit about yourself to those who don’t know you. Who is Lisa Berger-Rella?

LBR:

Short trivia:

Profession: Consultant, project management

Year of birth: 1980

Start of Minigolf career: 1993

Make of club: Nifo

Favourite ball: Nifo 2, Alt Erlaa, Bof Berger-Rella ;-)

Favourite surface: Felt

Technical tip: Just swing, nice & easy like Swedes…

HB: How has your 2009 season been so far?

LBR: I’m quite satisfied with my season so far… my results in the Austrian league were most of the time pretty good and my performance at the Austrian Championship as well.

HB: You are currently ranked as number one amongst ladies in the world by WMF. Are you the world’s best player?

LBR: Of course! No, just joking… I was really surprised to be ranked as number one. I see myself maybe under the top 5, but not on the very top. But anyway… it’s nice to be number one ;-)

HB: You are now in place in Odense. What are your expectations of your and Austria’s performance in Odense?

LBR: I think our team (men & ladies) is better than last year, so I’m confident that we’re going to win a medal in the team competition. Concerning the individual game, I don’t have any expectations. In the KO system everything can happen…

HB: Many are stating that since its felt the gold will be safe with Sweden. Do you think that the Swedish players really are so much better on felt than the rest of the world’s top players?

LBR: Yes, I do! They are definitely better – particularly if it’s not an easy felt course.

HB: What are your favourites for medals in the Team Competition on the ladies side?

LBR: Sweden

HB: And on the men’s Team Competition side?

LBR: Sweden

HB: When going into a Championship like this, what do you personally think is most important doing well in the Team or individually?

LBR: I think you can only be successful individually when you’ve done a good job with the team.

HB: Are there any nations or players that you think will have a breakthrough this year?

LBR: I don’t expect any big surprises in the team competition, but of course there might be some players with a breakthrough, e.g. Jessica Rengbrandt

HB: Can you mention any favorites as you see it for the individual medals in Odense?

LBR: it’s difficult to say… as the last years had shown, the KO modus is always good for surprises… Men: Ryner Carl-Johan, Brown, Erlbruch Harald, Westenthaler .. Women: Wiklund, Weaver, Rengbrandt, Kern, ...

HB: There has been much discussion on the Internet about the new KO modus played in the individual finals at international championships. What is your opinion about the KO-modus?

LBR: The KO-modus might be more exciting, for the spectators and for the players. It demands other skills, so it’s not really surprising that there are sometimes totally different players on the top. But of course you can be just unlucky and lose although playing really good… In Austria we had this year two champions (old system and KO), I think this is a good compromise!

HB: What is your opinion on the limited training time allowed in Odense?

LBR: Actually I endorse it because you save holidays ;-) And the conditions are the same for everyone.

HB: What is your opinion about the concept of playing championships indoors?

LBR: Generally I prefer playing outdoors. But of course there are big advantages when playing indoors, especially concerning the weather. But if playing championships indoor, I would suggest not playing in summer.

HB: There is much focus in some countries on MOS-courses and Adventure Golf courses with felt or artificial grass as surface. What is your opinion about these MOS courses as a competition arena?

LBR: Why not.. I don’t have any experience with these courses, but I think we should be open for changes.

HB: Your husband Markus has spent some time playing in Sweden for Tantogården this season. Do you think he will be a better player than before due to this?

LBR: I’m sure that playing in Sweden helps him to improve his play. Sweden has many top players and he can learn a lot from them, especially in the technical area.

HB: Finally, who will place the best in Odense you or your husband?

LBR: I guess that’s me ;-) but the comparison is not fair, because there are less women participating.

HB: Again thanks for participating a good luck in Odense.

LBR: Thanks! You’re welcome!

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