Rehearsal for "Knights World Championship"

They cross swords in heavy armor

Crossing blades at the Altausser See(Bild: Christian Jauschowetz)

A Styrian dentist in knight's armor: top athlete Wolfgang Laserer is heading to Mexico for the Medieval Martial Arts World Championships, which will take the breath away of 30,000 spectators on May 2. The "Krone" was there for the tough training at Lake Altaussee. First things first: the competition is anything but a game of jousting for young-at-heart adults ...

The chain mail rattles, the swords clink, the knights breathe quickly. A hard blow to the helmet is followed by a swift counterblow to the shoulder. Even though the spring sunshine makes for mild temperatures and the wind that blows across the crystal-clear lake is cooling, the men are sweating as they take off their helmets and lay down their weapons. Both are alive and unwounded. No, the location of the duel is not the scene of a crusade to the Holy Land, but Altaussee at the foot of the Loser. It is also not some random year in the 11th or 12th century, but 2024.