Overview
- Essen’s Hallenstadtmeisterschaft opened on January 3 with full day-one scores and group tables published, with the Zwischenrunde set for January 10–11 and the Finalrunde on January 17–18 at Halle am Hallo.
- Organizers confirmed the Zwischenrunde group heads in Essen, with the seeded higher-tier clubs entering next weekend.
- Rot-Weiss Essen II will again not participate, with organizers saying the team provided a written justification for its absence.
- Herne’s Alfred-Schmidt-Pokal completed its Saturday Vorrunde and moves through the Zwischenrunde and knockout rounds on Sunday, with the final scheduled for 17:31.
- After Group B in Herne, RWT Herne withdrew from continuing and ESV Herne takes its place in the Zwischenrunde.