Release from 30.01.2025

Kitzbühel forward Jakob Lippitsch: “I believe that anything is possible for us now”

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The Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel are currently in fourth place in the table and have therefore already qualified for the Master Round and the playoffs. In this interview, 20-year-old youngster Jakob Lippitsch, who moved from the EC-KAC Future Team to the “Eagles” last summer, talks about the season so far, the goals for the rest of the season, the importance of playing practice in a semi-professional league and his big goal - to one day play for his home club EC-KAC in the win2day ICE Hockey League again.

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Jakob Lippitsch is in his first season with the Adler Stadtwerke Kitzbühel and feels completely at home in the “Gamsstadt”. When asked how he has settled into his new surroundings, the 20-year-old says: “I feel very comfortable in Kitzbühel. The surroundings are extremely beautiful and the Tyroleans are all very friendly. Accordingly, I haven't found it difficult to settle in and find my feet here.”

With 18 scoring points already, including two braces, the young forward has made a strong impact and has integrated perfectly into the team. Although he is satisfied with his performance so far, he still sees potential for further development: “I think I'm playing a relatively good season so far, but there are always things you have to work on. I think I need to improve my speed and consistency in particular in order to play consistently well and have fewer ups and downs.”

The Klagenfurt native also looks back on his time at the EC-KAC, where he spent his entire youth and was even able to gain his first experience in the ICE Hockey League. When he learned that the Future Team would no longer be participating in the Alps Hockey League this season, it came as a shock to him and his teammates: “Of course it was sad for me when we found out that the team would no longer exist, because we had all known each other for ages and some of us even started playing hockey at the same time. However, the option with Kitzbühel opened up relatively quickly and I was very happy to be able to start a new chapter.”

For Jakob Lippitsch, playing in the Alps Hockey League is an important step in his development. “In my opinion, the Alps Hockey League is a great option for young players like me to develop further and gain their first experience in professional hockey. Of course, the goal is to play in the ICE Hockey League and it would also be cool to be able to play in my hometown of Klagenfurt again,” explains the young forward.

The “Eagles” are currently fourth in the table and have already secured direct playoff qualification. The team was delighted when it became clear that a place in the top five was no longer out of reach: “Of course we were very happy because that was our goal, to qualify directly for the playoffs and not have to go through the pre-playoffs.”

The support of the fans also plays a key role for the 20-year-old. Many of the games are sold out and the club has the third-largest average attendance of all teams with an average of 892 spectators. “Having the fans behind you is always a big advantage. We're playing very attractive and fast hockey this season, which naturally attracts more and more fans to the arena. With our place in the playoffs and the Austrian final, we naturally hope that the arena will be even fuller than it already is,” says Lippitsch.

The Klagenfurt native remains realistic about the team's goals, but is also optimistic: “As I said, the two big goals were to reach the playoffs directly and to make it to the Austrian final. I believe that anything is possible for us now, but we have nevertheless resolved to look from game to game.”

Jakob Lippitsch also has clear ideas for his personal future: “Of course I want to improve and develop every day and, as already mentioned, sooner or later gain a foothold in the ICE Hockey League.”
Kitzbühel are back in action in the Alps Hockey League today, Thursday. At 20:00 they will face HK RST Pellet Celje away from home, live on www.valcome.tv.