The Vikings extend CB Gerner and sign former Steelshark Leotjep

noon corner Leo Gerner, who already played a great season for Vienna in the UEFA Europa League in 2021, extended his contract with the champions for another two years. With Valentin Leutgeb, a promising talent has been signed on the defensive line.

“Leo is one of those pieces of our high school who continues to make important plays for us. Every year he adds to his game and will be a big part of the Defensive Back’s success in the next couple of years.”commented the Vienna Vikings head coach Chris Kalikai The new contract is for two years for Gerner.

A few months after Leo won the European Championship with the junior national team in 2019, the Upper Austria native joined the Vikings AFL, before being active with the Kirchdorf Wildcats for years.

In his first season in the EFL, Gerner was satisfied, after the 2022 regular season, that he managed 10 tackles (a team best value), two interceptions and 36 tackles. The performance and stats did not go unnoticed by the league and the 22-year-old athlete earned an All-Star Team nomination. The Vikings have now secured the services of a cornerback, who also serves as a longtime lead on special teams.

The Vikings contract with DeValentin Lotjib

“As he enters his rookie year in UEFA Europa League, this young Austrian defender has the tools to contribute this year and the future of the Vikings series.”head coach Calaycay makes his latest commitment and makes it clear that he is excited and confident in the further development of Upper Austria’s defensive end.

The 1.91m tall D-Liner and 110kg heavyweight has signed for a year with the ELF champion from Vienna and is looking forward to a new chapter in his football career, setting high expectations for himself: “I am really dissatisfied, I always see the potential for improvement. In 2023 I will have new frontiers to master. I am very excited and I am sure this will be a big step for me.”

The 21-year-old Leutgeb started playing American football with Steelsharks Traun in 2015. In 2019, he changed clubs and was a player with Gladiators Ried for two seasons before returning to Traun in 2021 and playing for Steelsharks in the AFL.