“In my eyes she has already won.”

If you want to be in front, you have to line up hours in advance, one visitor joked. The rush, Global Skills-Seeing the finalists in the last seconds before the end of the competition is amazing. The concrete construction duo from Austria works alongside the Japanese and Indian teams: Stefan Huber and Christoph KurzIt's still some time until the final whistle, but a crowd of fans is still forming in front of their station.

Even at international level, Team Austria cannot be ignored – or overlooked. “I am from Austria” blares from the loudspeakers, and there is a red, white and red flag on every corner.

Also Martina Kern, the hairdresser's mother. Karina KernHe hung an Austrian flag around his neck. “I’m incredibly proud of her. In my eyes, she’s already won. Everything else is just luxury,” she says happily.

Hair Stylist Susan Zoser Confident: “She’s definitely part of the better half. She’s doing extensions now and she’s really good at it.” Will that be enough to get the gold? “Of course we hope to join Strokerl, but I don’t want to say anything more about that yet,” was the answer.

Global Skills in Lyon

both of them Job applications Best competition in the world Young professionals Competing against each other, fighting for medals. If you walk through the seven halls of Euroexpo in Lyon, France, you will see more than 1,600 highly trained professionals from Uganda to Poland offering their expertise and skills in 62 disciplines.

The Austrian team consists of 47 specialists who give their all in these four days of competition. “It is a real effort, but there is no room for fatigue. We have to keep fighting,” said the specialist in mechanical engineering CAD. Anis Kocabay.This is not easy with a crowd like the one on site.

Nearly a quarter of a million visitors are expected. “The hustle and bustle here is huge, but I don’t allow myself to be distracted and instead try to make the most of every task,” says the mechanical engineer. Look at Phil. Brick maker Florian Gruber He has a particularly effective tactic for blocking out the noise around him. “Oh, he just put his earmuffs on,” his trainer Andreas Stigler says casually, adding that he doesn’t get easily startled.

last minutes

Back to the hairdresser Karina KernWho focuses on a wig. It's just before the final whistle. She has her arms covered in tape, as well as her neck. “It's a very physical job, especially at the end, and you're usually very nervous,” says her trainer, Susan Zauser.

So Martina Kern is happy that the competitions are slowly coming to an end: “I have noticed how stressful and tense the whole thing is,” she says. “And mentally, too.” Ultimately, Karina Kern wants to do her best, no matter the cost.

artist Lena Prinz She wants to give herself a break after the competitions, at least that's what her father Sandro Prinz wants. “She trained for more than 800 hours, sometimes until late at night,” he says. He's been supporting her since the beginning of the competition – but from a distance. He didn't want to put any more pressure on her.

Leopold Kurz, the father of a concrete worker, deals with things in a similar way. Christoph Kurz“He asked me to do it, otherwise it would distract him,” he says. “But here I am now and I am incredibly proud and excited.” Our conversation stops at the final whistle. The concrete workers fall into each other’s arms. A tear or two will be shed.

The awards ceremony is scheduled to follow on Sunday. KURIER reports live on site.