The 2020 Bank Windhoek Fistball League will kick off this weekend in Swakopmund. Known as the league's opening tournament, the first fixtures for this season will start on Saturday, 8 February 2020, with Swakopmund Fistball Club (SFC) as the hosts.This Bank Windhoek Cup Tournament will see a total of ten teams divided into two groups according to the rankings drawn up from the previous national tournament. The first two top teams after the preliminary round in each group will advance to the Category A semi-finals, while the third and fourth-placed teams will battle it out in the Category B semi-finals.
Participating teams comprise four from Cohen Fistball Club (CFC), a group each from Deutscher Turn und Sportverein (DTS) and Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW), and another four teams from SFC.
“The matches will be played according to time limits and not sets as in previous tournaments. However, the final match will see teams compete for points in a total of five sets," said Fistball Association of Namibia's Media Officer, Helmo Minz.
Brief team and player analysis
On match day, defending champion CFC is expected to cruise through the group stages. However, backed up by home turf advantage, SFC 1 will also look at dominating the tournament as the team is currently the League B champion and the National Cup holders, giving them an added boost of confidence.
With the return of Kristof Lerch, a former youth international player, SKW is likely to be even more competitive than the previous campaign. “The 27-year-old is a huge signing for the team, whose average age is about 39 years. This will help SKW's pursuit of the title come to the final whistle," said Minz.
The coastal-based SFC is currently the fastest growing club in the country. With the experience of the ex-national players Christian Knobloch and Olaf Haase, SFC could provide some surprises during the season.
CFC 1's captain Götz Friedrich is still ruled out as a bad shoulder injury plagues him since June 2019. However, CFC 2 would like to prove that the 2019 third-place spot in League A, as well as the opening and National Cup Tournament win, were not flukes.
After a well-deserved three month break, the players and clubs have all given their assurances that they are ready to compete. “The 2020 Bank Windhoek Fistball League season promises to be an exciting affair since it allows Namibian fistball players to get back in the game and hone their skills. All the best to every participant," said Bank Windhoek's Head of Corporate Affairs, Hayley Allen.
