PFORZHEIM, Germany (January 18) – World champion Frank STAEBLER (GER) scored late to defeat Aleksandr MAKSIMOVIC (SRB), 3-2, in the decisive bout Saturday evening to lift SV Germania Weigarten over KSV Ispringen in the German National (Bundesliga) Team Championship final.

Wrestlers and coaches on the SV Germania Weingarten bench could not contain their excitement at the final buzzer of Staebler’s Greco-Roman victory at 75kg, storming the mat and burying the world champion under a tidal wave of bodies.

Meanwhile, the Weingarten fans celebrated their club’s third Bundesliga title. SV Germania Weingarten had previously won in 2011 and 2012. 

KSV Ispringen actually won the second-leg dual 13-11 on a fall by Khakhaber KHUBEZHTY (RUS) over Georg HARTH (GER) in the freestyle bout at 75kg. Weingarten, however, had won the first leg of the home-away series 13-9 on January 7 and enjoyed a four-point advantage coming into Saturday’s final.

“It was really close with a better end for us,” Weingarten coach Frank Heinzelbecker said after the ceremonial champagne shower. “It was a complete team effort that helped us win the final and the title.

In an unprecedented act, the Weingarten wrestlers invited their rivals from Ispringen to join them in the post-dual award ceremony photograph.

Results of individual bouts:

KSV Ispringen - SVG Weingarten 13-11

57kg/GR: Ibrahim Fallacara - Thomas Rönningen 0:3 PS (1:9)

61kg/FS: Ivan Guidea - Vladimir Egorov 3:0 PS (11:1)

66kg/GR: Muhammet Yasin Yeter - Ionut Panait 0:3 PS (0:9)

66kg/FS: David Wagner - Alejandro Valdes 0:4 SS (0:12)

75kg/GR: Aleksandar Maksimovic - Frank Stäbler 0:1 PS (2:3)

75kg/FS: Kakhabar Khubezthy - Georg Harth 4:0 SS (9:1)

86kg/GR: Zakarias Berg - Jan Rotter 2:0 PS (4:0)

86kg/FS: Michael Kaufmehl - William Harth 1:0 PS (4:3)

98kg/GR: Ardo Arusaar - Oliver Hassler 2:0 PS (6:2)

130kg/FS: Nick Matuhin - Magomedgadzhi Nurov 1:0 PS (7:6)