Page 3 - Maerki Baumann & Co. AG | Journal 2-2022

Employee portrait
From Swiss wrestling
pants to a silk tie
Eugen Hasler is one of the most successful Swiss wrestlers
in history. After bringing down the curtain on his sporting career, he joined the private bank Maerki Baumann.
“Schränz Geni” was a daredevil: He won more than 100 wreaths during his professionally planned Swiss wrestling career. Any setbacks he suffered only further fuelled his sense of ambition.
It was a make or break contest that was ultimately decided with a final round that allowed an entire region to breathe a sigh of relief. For the first time since 1986 and for only the sec- ond time ever, a native of Central Swit- zerland became Swiss wrestling cham- pion. In the stands in Pratteln, guest of honour Eugen Hasler, also from Central
Switzerland, cheered on Joel Wicki’s victory: “What a spectacle. I have rarely seen such a battle of attrition in a final round,” he said following the conclusion of the Swiss Wrestling and Alpine Festi- val at the end of August 2022.
Eugen Hasler, now 57 years of age, has been watching 25-year-old Joel Wicki for some time. He still has crystal clear memories of their first encounter: “The first thing I noticed were his extremely strong forearms,” says Hasler, who until a few years ago had held a central role within the Central Swiss Wrestling Asso- ciation. While Wicki is rather small for a Swiss wrestler at 1.83 metres, Hasler is the benchmark at 1.90 metres.
With his versatile Swiss wrestling repertoire, he also set sporting stand- ards during the 1980s and 1990s. Eugen Hasler came out on top at 38 wreath festivals, winning a total of 101 wreaths. Every time he stepped on to the saw- dust, action was the order of the day: With his aggressive style, he earned himself the nickname “Schränz Geni,” which has stuck with him to this day. If a youngster asks him for advice, he says to remember that “as soon as you step on to the sawdust, you are the boss.”
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