Swiss University Sports Federation appoints new President, honours top student-athletes and unveils strategy through 2021

Swiss Students Sport Award winner Salomé Kora (third from left) with her gold medal winning 4x100m athletics teammates at the Taipei 2017 Summer Universiade

• Swiss Olympic Executive Council member Mike Kurt has been appointed President of the Swiss University Sports Federation. The former world-class canoeist and university world championship competitor succeeds Andreas Csonka, who is retiring.

• Athletics sprinter Salomé Kora of St. Gallen University of Teacher Education and snowboard cross rider Miriam Wuffli of ETH Zurich were also honoured with the Swiss Students Sports Award 2017

• As part of the FISU Member Federation’s new strategy from now through 2021, the NUSF is changing its name from Schweizer Hochschulsport-Verband SHSV to Swiss University Sports SUS

New Honorary Member Andreas Csonka (left) with the new President of Swiss University Sports, Mike Kurt 

Andreas Csonka was awarded honorary membership for his many years of outstanding work and commitment to Swiss university sport. Speaking about his departure, he said the time for the change was just right.

“In recent years we have succeeded in achieving many long-term goals: bringing the Winter Universiade to Switzerland, establishing the ‘Top Sport and Study’ programme across Switzerland and, not least reorganising the federation structures. Combined with the exciting opportunities that lie ahead, this is right basis for a generational change at the top.”

New strategy, new mission, new structures, new name

 Andreas Csonka, Renato Maggi (HoD Summer Universiade), Salomé Kora (Bronze medal 100m and Gold medal 4x100m at SU 2017), Cornelia Halbheer (Gold medal 4x100m at SU 2017) and Marilen Matter Graf, Head of Elite Sports SUS

The delegates also approved a new mission statement, a strategy up to 2021 and an adjustment in the organisation structure. While the strategy ensures continuity of the federation’s chosen path, its restructured organisation will enable it to make the most of the Winter Universiade 2021 for university sport in the long term and involve key figures from local university sport organisations.

 Reto Zimmermann, Director University Sports Berne and Chairman of the SUS Strategic Group

This also encompassed the motion to change the name from Schweizer Hochschulsport-Verband SHSV to . The federation logo will now be updated accordingly too.

Admittance of a new member

 From right: Regula Schweizer, Andreas Csonka, Leonz Eder, Cécile Büsser, Marilen Matter

At the Delegate Assembly the federation not only welcomed a new president, but also a new member: the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland (SUPSI), located in Ticino. The admittance of the University of Applied Sciences and Arts of Southern Switzerland means that all seven Swiss universities of applied science are now members of the national university sport federation.

Swiss Students Sport Award for Kora and Wuffli

 Salomé Kora (left) and Miriam Wuffli, the 2017 the Swiss Student Sports Award winners

The Delegate Assembly also provided the official backdrop for the Swiss Students Sport Awards 2017 ceremony: worth CHF 1500, the awards were bestowed on one summer and one winter sportswoman.

Track athlete Salomé Kora from St. Gallen University of Teacher Education was honoured for her outstanding achievements at the Summer Universiade in Taipeh. The athlete from LC Brühl and her team mates Cornelia Halbheer, Aila del Ponte and Selina von Jackowski won a gold in the relay race and bronze in the 100 metres.

After a long break due to injury, ETH student Miriam Wuffli secured a sensational silver at the Winter Universiade in Almaty in snowboard cross, ending her career with a major triumph. The 27-year-old will now pass on her expertise to talented young athletes from the North-East region as trainer of the Boarding Association Switzerland East (BASE).

Switzerland will host the FISU World University Cross Country Championship with a record number of competitors coming to St. Gallen in April 2018

The next highlight in the calendar of international university sport is coming up soon. On 7 April 2018 the FISU World University Cross Country Championship takes place at the . The organisers are delighted by the record participation with students coming from five continents, including a six-strong Swiss team.

Overall, top sport officer Marilen Matter estimates that this year the federation will send teams to 15 university world championships in various sporting disciplines from modern pentathlon and beach volleyball to floorball. Delegations from several Swiss university sport organisations will also take part in the in Coimbra.

Honorary member and former SUS President Martin Hodler with Andreas Csonka 

Source: Regula Schweizer, Head of Media and Communications of Swiss University Sports