At the start of the evening, Mayor
Manfred Böhmwalder welcomed those in attendance as ambassadors of the meeting and thanked everyone for their dedication. Hypomeeting Organizing Committee President Alexandra Giesinger, in keeping with the “Magic Moments” theme, invited the volunteers to look back on the last two Hypomeeting events and made special mention of the 2025 anniversary meeting, which set many records. The innovations planned for 2026 were also reviewed, followed by a first look ahead to 2027. In addition to acknowledging the importance of sponsors, media partners, and political allies, the Organizing Committee President, on behalf of the entire Organizing Committee, thanked everyone who gives what money can’t buy: time, energy, and passion.
In keeping with the evening’s theme, the volunteers were thoroughly entertained: The eight members of the OC team introduced one another and shared their very own “Meeting Magic Moments.” Magician Jürgen Peter skillfully tied in with the theme and amazed the audience with his magic tricks.
After the guests were treated to culinary delights by the team at “gächters amBach,” they had the chance to put their Hypomeeting knowledge to the test in an active quiz. In the end, 16 winners were delighted to receive great prizes.
The celebration of the long-serving volunteers was also a highlight: The volunteers who have dedicated their free time year after year to the Hypomeeting Götzis for 20, 30, 40, or even 45 years were honored. Together, these long-serving volunteers account for a total of 545 years of volunteer service!
A special highlight of the evening was the presentation of the first honorary membership of the Hypomeeting’s sponsoring association, the Association for the Promotion of Track and Field, to Armin Hug, a co-founder and still-active member of the Hypomeeting Götzis team. In his laudatory speech, Walter Weber honored him as a pioneer who, together with Konrad Lerch, Elmar Oberhauser, and the late honorary president Werner Stöhle, turned an idea into something great: the Hypomeeting Götzis. As the creator of the “Fastest Montforter” (now the Montfort Track Challenge), Armin Hug also set milestones in the realm of youth competitions, and he can be described as a walking “encyclopedia of the Hypomeeting and its participants.”
In a video message, the two 2026 Hypomeeting champions, Annik Kälin (SUI) and Simon Ehammer (SUI), greeted everyone in attendance and thanked Armin Hug and the volunteers for their dedication. Both emphasized the Hypomeeting’s cult status and shared that their victories this year had made their childhood dreams come true.
Before the evening came to a musical close with DJ Alex Roncat, the 2027 theme was presented featuring the two aforementioned protagonists.
This evening was all about expressing gratitude to everyone who makes the Hypomeeting what it is today: the world’s most renowned event in combined track and field, known far beyond Austria’s borders in the international sports world.
In 2027, many volunteers will be needed once again, and everyone is cordially invited to sign up to help on the website hypomeeting-goetzis.at. A wide variety of exciting and interesting tasks, as well as plenty of “magic moments,” await all participants before, during, and after the meeting weekend.
THANK YOU TO EVERYONE FOR BEING PART OF IT!
