Wikipedia

Viola Brand

Viola Brand (born 28 June 1994[1]) is a German cyclist specialising in artistic cycling. She has won national and European championships twice each, and the silver medal three times in the World Championships.

Viola Brand
Viola Brand doing a handstand in 2019
Personal information
Born (1994-06-28) 28 June 1994 (age 30)
Backnang, Germany
Team information
Current teamRetired
DisciplineArtistic cycling
RoleSingle
Major wins
German Champion (2017)
European Champion (2018)
Medal record
Representing  Germany
Single artistic cycling
World Championships
Silver medal – second place 2016 Stuttgart Women Elite
Silver medal – second place 2017 Dornbirn Women Elite
Silver medal – second place 2019 Basel Women Elite
European Championships
Gold medal – first place 2018 Wiesbaden Women Elite

Personal life

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Brand was born in Backnang, Germany.[2][1] She tried to climb the training bike as early as 5 years old, then still failing to reach the pedals. Her elder brother did artistic cycling before her, and both he and Brand were coached by their mother.[3] She started training artistic cycling at 6 years old.[4][5][6]

Brand is studying clinical nutrition at Hohenheim University, Stuttgart.[7] As of February 2021, she is writing the thesis for her master's degree.[8]

Professional career

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Brand at the World Championships in Basel 2019

Brand's sports club is RSV Unterweissach (located in Weissach im Tal).[3][9] She joined the German national sports team at the age of 15,[5] and won the Junior European Championships in 2012.[9]

She set a world record at the European Junior Championships in 2011 in her age group,[10] and another world record at the regular European Championships in 2018.[11][12][13] Her best personal score was 194.71 points in German Masters 2019.[14]

Brand spent years perfecting her choreography and learning new stunts. It took her seven years of training to be able to do a handstand on the handlebar,[15] the stunt Brand is most proud of,[16] and in June 2019 she was able to perform a Maute jump for the first time, jumping from the saddle to the handlebars.[17]

Brand participated in a total of five World Championships, missing qualification in 2018[18] after a competition which German national coach Dieter Maute [de] called "very hard".[19] Since each nation can only send two participants, Brand stated that "qualification is much harder than winning a medal at the World Championships".[18] Brand uses a special belt-driven bicycle,[16] and her motto, inscribed on the toothed belt, is "Du musst den Kampf mehr lieben als den Sieg" ("You have to love the fight more than the victory").[18][2]

Her last official competition was in Basel at the World Championships in December 2019, where she won a silver medal, making it her third Vice Championship.[1] In February 2020 she announced her retirement, although she continues to perform for exhibitions and to promote her sport.[20][1] Brand hopes to someday see artistic cycling become one of the Olympic sports.[6]

Statistics

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Personal best

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Her best results, according to data from the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) and German Cycling Federation (BDR):

Artistic Cycling   –   Single women
Competition City Date Result Position References
German Masters 1 Lemgo (  Germany) 6 September 2014 173.78 2nd [21][22]
German Masters 2 Klein-Winternheim (  Germany) 20 September 2014 172.80 2nd [23][24]
German Championships Denkendorf (  Germany) 18 October 2014 175.30 2nd [25][26]
German Masters 1 Bruckmühl (  Germany) 5 September 2015 175.98 1st [27][28]
German Masters 3 Mörfelden-Walldorf (  Germany) 3 October 2015 179.99 2nd [29][30]
German Championships Lübbecke (  Germany) 16 October 2015 173.06 2nd [31][32]
3-Nations Cup Koblach (  Austria) 7 November 2015 180.41 1st [33]
German Masters 1 Oberschleißheim (  Germany) 10 September 2016 171.60 2nd [34][35]
German Masters 3 Biberach an der Riss (  Germany) 8 October 2016 182.75 1st [36][37]
World Championships Stuttgart (  Germany) 2 December 2016 173.75 2nd [38]
German Masters 1 Weil im Schönbuch (  Germany) 9 September 2017 169.31 3rd [39][40]
German Masters 2 Öhringen (  Germany) 23 September 2017 184.80 2nd [41][42]
German Masters 3 Gutach (  Germany) 7 October 2017 185.28 2nd [43][44]
German Championships Hamburg (  Germany) 20 October 2017 183.94 1st [45]
World Championships Dornbirn (  Austria) 24 November 2017 183.29 2nd [46]
World Cup Prague (  Czech Republic) 10 February 2018 176.04 3rd [47]
European Championships Wiesbaden (  Germany) 1 June 2018 186.58 1st [48][11]
World Cup Heerlen (  Netherlands) 30 June 2018 162.36 3rd [49]
World Cup Hong Kong (  China) 12 August 2018 175.93 1st [50]
German Championships Neresheim (  Germany) 19 October 2018 180.66 2nd [51]
World Cup Bokod (  Hungary) 10 August 2019 180.69 1st [52]
German Masters 2 Biberach an der Riss (  Germany) 21 September 2019 193.39 1st [53][54]
German Masters 3 Weil im Schönbuch (  Germany) 5 October 2019 181,97 1st [55][56]
German Championships Moers (  Germany) 18 October 2019 183.00 2nd [57]
3-Nations Cup Baar, Switzerland (  Switzerland) 23 November 2019 192.09 1st [58]
World Cup Erlenbach (  Germany) 30 November 2019 181.8 1st [59]
World Championships Basel (  Switzerland) 6 December 2019 185.14 2nd [60]

Other activities

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Brand doing a stunt outdoors (2020)

In 2017, Brand started an Instagram account after a friend suggested it, and by July 2018 had gathered over 100k followers.[4] As of February 2021, she has almost 400k followers.[8] Her channel piqued the interest of staff from The Ellen DeGeneres Show, which Brand used to watch to improve her English skills, and in February 2020 she was a guest in the show.[61][62] In 2018, she participated in the talent show Das Supertalent but failed to reach the final.[7] In 2019, she toured with the show Feuerwerk der Turnkunst through 22 cities in Germany,[1] with her performance being lauded.[63][64]

After her February 2020 retirement from professional sports, Brand announced that she would like to focus on appearances in shows and her social media.[62] In early 2021, she signed a contract with the Golden State Warriors to perform during the halftime show, virtually at first due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic;[8] in early 2022 she performed live during several NBA halftime shows.[65] In July 2021, the Stuttgarter Zeitung reported on an underwater photography session featuring Brand with her bicycle.[66] In May 2022, she was featured in a video by Danny MacAskill.[67]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e Grün, Steffen (14 February 2020). "Viola Brand verlässt Wettkampfbühne". Backnanger Kreiszeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  2. ^ a b "Steckbrief Viola Brand" (in German). Deutsche Bank. Retrieved 26 March 2021.
  3. ^ a b Rainer, Rainer (2 December 2016). "Hallenradsport-WM: Schon mit fünf Jahren aufs Rad geklettert". Südwest Presse (in German). Archived from the original on 15 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  4. ^ a b Brand, Viola (31 July 2018). "Meeting Viola Brand". We love cycling (Interview). Škoda Auto. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  5. ^ a b Mayer, Isabel (17 November 2018). "RTL-Serie: Kunstradfahrerin aus Schorndorf will Supertalent werden". Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). Archived from the original on 7 August 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  6. ^ a b Jost, Klaus-Eckhard (27 May 2018). "Kunstradfahrerin Viola Brand: Sich aus der Nische strampeln". taz (in German). Archived from the original on 18 June 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  7. ^ a b "RTL-Show "Das Supertalent": Kunstradfahrerin aus Schorndorf schafft es nicht ins Finale". Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). 23 December 2018. Archived from the original on 12 August 2020. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  8. ^ a b c Flegel, Uwe (9 February 2021). "Viola Brand und ihr Wahnsinn mit der NBA". Murrhardter Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  9. ^ a b Gunter (27 May 2012). "Viola Brand holt sich den Europameister-Titel" (in German). Radsportverein Unterweissach e.V. 1905. Archived from the original on 12 February 2021. Retrieved 9 February 2021.
  10. ^ Gunter (12 April 2011). "Viola Brand mit Weltrekord bei 1. Junior-Masters sowie 1. und 2. EM-Qualifikation und 1. C-Kader-Sichtung". www.rsvu.de (in German). Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  11. ^ a b Schwarz, Wilfried (4 June 2018). "EM-Gold mit neuem Weltrekord geholt". Backnanger Kreiszeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  12. ^ Klingler, Daniela. "EM Elite: Weltrekord für Viola Brand!". Württembergischer Radsportverband e.V. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  13. ^ "Miedelsbacherin mit Weltrekord zum EM-Titel". ZVW (in German). Zeitungsverlag Waiblingen. 3 June 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 15 February 2021.
  14. ^ "Ergebnisliste" [Results list] (PDF). BDR (in German). Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  15. ^ Butschek, Isabelle (11 January 2018). "Radsport im Rems-Murr-Kreis: Künstler auf einem und zwei Rädern". Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  16. ^ a b Brand, Viola (2 November 2018). "This Mind-Blowing Artistic Cyclist Is Stronger Than a Tour de France Rider!". Bicycling (Interview). Interviewed by Yeager, Selene. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  17. ^ Schwarz, Wilfried (26 June 2019). "Viola Brand gewinnt nach gelungenem Mautesprung". Backnanger Kreiszeitung (in German). Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  18. ^ a b c Schwarz, Wilfried (5 December 2019). "Fünfter Anlauf auf das erste WM-Gold". Backnanger Kreiszeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  19. ^ "Viola Brand kämpft um WM-Teilnahme". ZVW (in German). Zeitungsverlag Waiblingen. 6 September 2018. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  20. ^ "Artistic cycling: A wave of departures and arrivals". UCI. 21 February 2020. Archived from the original on 30 January 2021. Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  21. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Lemgo – 06 Sep 2014". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  22. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradfahren – 1. German Masters 2014 Finale" (PDF). Hallenradsport Daum (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  23. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Klein-Winternheim – 20 Sep 2014". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  24. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 2. German Masters 2014 Finale" (PDF). Hallenradsport Daum (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Denkendorf – 18 Oct 2014". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  26. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – DM Elite 2014 Finale" (PDF). Hallenradsport Daum (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Bruckmühl – 05 Sep 2015". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  28. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 1. German Masters 2015 Finale" (PDF). Hallenradsport Daum (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  29. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Mörfelden-Walldorf – 03 Oct 2015". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  30. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 3. German Masters 2015 Finale" (PDF). Hallenradsport Daum (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  31. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Lübbeke – 16 Oct 2015". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  32. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – DM Elite 2015 Finale" (PDF). Hallenradsport Daum (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  33. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Koblach – 07 Nov 2015". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  34. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 10 Sep 2016". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  35. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 1. German Masters 2016 Finale" (PDF). rad-net (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  36. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 08 Oct 2016". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  37. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 3. German Masters 2016 Finale" (PDF). rad-net (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  38. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Stuttgart – 02 Dec 2016". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  39. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 09 Sep 2017". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  40. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 1. German Masters 2017 Finale" (PDF). rad-net (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  41. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 23 Sep 2017". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  42. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 2. German Masters 2017 Finale" (PDF). rad-net (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  43. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 07 Oct 2017". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  44. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 3. German Masters 2017 Finale" (PDF). rad-net (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  45. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 20 Oct 2017". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  46. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Dornbirn – 24 Nov 2017". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  47. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Prague, Czech republic – 10 Feb 2018". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  48. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Wiesbaden – 01 Jun 2018". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  49. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Heerlen – 30 Jun 2018". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  50. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Hong Kong – 12 Aug 2018". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  51. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – N. N. – 19 Oct 2018". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  52. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Bokod – 10 Aug 2019". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  53. ^ "Ergebnisliste Biberach" (PDF). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  54. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 2. German Masters 2019 Finale" (PDF). rad-net (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  55. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 05 Oct 2019". UCI. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  56. ^ "Ergebnisliste im Kunstradsport – 3. German Masters 2019 Finale" (PDF). rad-net (in German). German Cycling Federation. Retrieved 15 April 2021.
  57. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Frankfurt am Main – 18 Oct 2019". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  58. ^ "Viola Brand". Backnanger Kreiszeitung. Retrieved 5 April 2021.
  59. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Erlenbach – 30 Nov 2019". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  60. ^ "Single Artistic Cycling Women – Basel – 06 Dec 2019". UCI. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  61. ^ Alderman, Elgan (6 March 2020). "You need a lot of courage". The Times. Archived from the original on 29 January 2021. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  62. ^ a b Götz, Sina (2 March 2020). "Kunstradfahrerin Viola Brand: Schorndorferin verzückt Ellen DeGeneres". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 28 July 2020. Retrieved 24 January 2021.
  63. ^ Kowalewski, Martin (30 December 2019). "Kraftvoll und schön". Kreiszeitung (in German). Archived from the original on 31 December 2019. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  64. ^ "Viola Brand fasziniert mit Balance auf dem Fahrrad". Harzkurier (in German). Funke Mediengruppe. 31 July 2019. Archived from the original on 22 February 2021. Retrieved 22 February 2021.
  65. ^ Weingand, Phillip (24 March 2022). "Kunstradfahrerin aus Schorndorf: Viola Brand begeistert die NBA-Fans". Stuttgarter Nachrichten (in German). Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  66. ^ Weingand, Phillip (14 July 2021). "Influencerin Viola Brand: Mit dem Kunstrad unter Wasser". Stuttgarter Zeitung (in German). Retrieved 18 May 2022.
  67. ^ Fotheringham, Ann (11 May 2022). "Daredevil Danny's bike stunts in Glasgow are part of new film". Glasgow Times. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
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