The annual EuroGraps.com Awards returns for a second year and looks to recognise the very best in European Wrestling. We put our survey out to a carefully selected panel of journalists and fans from all across Europe to select their top three in a number of categories. 2019’s panel was @MikeKilby, @GaryOnGraps, @Spoilex16, @theianhamilton, @ArnoldFurious, @SarahFlann, @IwanMack, @AnotherOli, and @ManuRomeroGraps. Points were awarded with a first choice receiving 5 points, a second choice receiving 3 points and a third choice receiving 1 point.

Venue of the Year:

1. Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen (GER) – 20pts.

2. Copper Box Arena, Stratford (GBR) – 14pts.

3. National Stadium, Dublin (IRL) – 11pts.

=4. Markthalle, Hamburg (GER) & The Cockpit, Marylebone (GBR) – 6pts.

=6. Brighton Open Air Theatre, Brighton (GBR), The Hangar, Wolverhampton (GBR) & KULTTEMPEL, Oberhausen (GBR) – 5pts.

9. Hex, Sheffield (GBR) – 3pts.

=10. The Dome, Tufnell Park (GBR), Merton Arts Space, Wimbledon (GBR), Batschkapp, Frankfurt (GER), Peak Cavern, Castleton (GBR), York Hall, Bethnal Green (GBR), Craufurd Arms, Milton Keynes (GBR) – 1pt.

For the second year in a row – Oberhausen’s Turbinenhalle takes the top honours in the venue category. The spiritual home of wXw continues to wow any weekender first timer and the move from Turbinenhalle 2 to Turbinenhalle 1 for 16 Carat Gold in March was a great success in terms of giving the event a grander stage – although perhaps at a slight loss in good sight lines.

So, what’s new on the venue front in Europe? The big new venue of 2019 was The Copper Box in the London Olympic Park – previously home to the Boxing during the 2012 Games – which hosted New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Royal Quest show in September. This was a sensational venue with excellent sight lines from every single seat and was worthy of the stacked card.

The Dublin venue crisis reared its ugly head with the destruction of the much beloved Tivoli Theatre but this year also saw a number of new venues including the cavernous National Basketball Stadium, the KFR Centre (both in Tallaght) and the Sheriff Youth Hall in the docklands.

Some less conventional venues which got some traction in 2019 included the Peak Cavern (nicknamed the Devil’s Arse) in Derbyshire which was host to Sheffield-based promotion Breed Pro’s Starrcave event, the Brighton Open Air Theatre which saw several unsuspecting Brighton residents encounter Mad Kurt on their bank holiday weekend and finally the Merton Arts Space – a literal library next to Wimbledon train station which has been host to Pro Wrestling SOUL.

 

Previous Winners:

2018: Turbinenhalle, Oberhausen (GER)

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