The third edition of the Arlberg Pickleball Championship 2025 was more than a tournament. It was a full-week celebration of learning, community, and high-level competition, set right in the heart of the Alps.
Clinics that sparked curiosity and confidence
For the first time, the APC featured an extended format with five full days of clinics, led by Felix Grunert. Players of different levels fine-tuned their game, asked questions, experimented, and left the court visibly better than when they arrived.
One of the highlights followed naturally. A dedicated school day welcomed around 100 local kids, who were introduced to pickleball by Felix Grunert and Bastian Grau. First rallies turned into laughter, then into competition. Many of those kids and clinic participants came back over the weekend to watch the pros play. Curiosity turned into fandom, almost instantly.
Amateur teams, international flavour
But the APC did not stop at education and youth development. The event also included an international amateur team tournament, welcoming teams from the Czech Republic, Germany, Canada, the USA, Switzerland, Liechtenstein, and beyond.
The team format delivered what pickleball does best. Lots of matches, constant action, shared emotions, and packed schedules. Semi Finals and Finals were streamed live on the RTA Pickleball Tour broadcast, bringing the atmosphere of St. Anton to viewers across Europe.
Commentary was provided by Nick Hobbis, while visuals, pictures, and graphics came from Dr. Maren Katherina Preis, capturing the intensity and joy of the event frame by frame – Live Stream by PickleB (Steve Baele and his crew).
Community makes events like this possible
Events like the APC are never the work of a single person. They are built by many hands and shared belief.
Our sincere thanks go to
• the volunteers who made long days feel short
• the sponsors and partners who believe in pickleball’s future
• the tournament directors Bastian Grau and Martin Grau
• and of course the players who travelled to St. Anton am Arlberg, this time not only for skiing, but for pickleball
Pickleball in the Alps might sound unusual. After this third edition, it feels perfectly natural.
Looking ahead
With this event, we aim to make pickleball better known and help it grow faster, in Austria and across Europe. Judging by the smiles on the courts, the packed streams, and the young players asking when they can play again, we are clearly moving in the right direction.
Pickleball has arrived in the mountains, and it plans to stay.