03/08/2015 20:10
Latvia ready to host Europe’s Beach Volleyball stars in the making
2015 CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championships
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Riga, Latvia, August 3, 2015. One of the major sporting events taking place this year in Latvia, the 2015 CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championships, is just about to start with the actions at the Beach Box Elkor stadium getting underway this coming Thursday. The young home heroes of Latvia are waiting with enthusiasm for the tournament to start and their expectations are obviously high for this premiere at home.
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The Championship will be promoted extensively also on social media via the official hashtag #EuroBeachVolleyU18
Latvia will be represented by three pairs per gender with Mihails Samoilovs/Aleksandrs Nasonovs, Atvars Ozolins/Kristaps Smits and Vladimir Jancevskis/Ervins Aboms competing in the boys’ tournament, while Tina Graudina/Paula Neciporuka, Elza Smilkalne/Linda Gramberga and Ieva Petrova/Annija Jurdza will carry the Latvian hopes of home glory in the girls’ competition.
The President of the Latvian Volleyball Federation, Mr Atis Sausnitis, addressed the media at Monday’s press conference in Riga emphasising that the European Championships represents a great incentive for such young players, especially if the tournament is held in their home country, but at the same time Latvia’s stars in the making have to be aware that in order to become successful the road is long and requires hard work. “The coaches and players understand very well that success requires a long of hard work, plus a bit of luck and good health, as well as support from the outside, which this year we feel we are getting from both the government and the sponsors. It is due to the results we are currently having in Beach Volleyball,” he said.
Sausnitis is looking forward to the campaign of the home teams at the upcoming U18 European Championships. “We have great expectations for the perspectives of these players because they are the future representatives of the Latvian national team. I would like our teams to make the podium not only today, but also tomorrow and the day after tomorrow. I also would like to get the feeling that we are one big volleyball family – Beach Volleyball players, coaches, fans, the athletes’ parents and friends. This competition should be like a real party and I wish to our athletes the best of luck in the achievement of their goals,” Sausnitis added.
It is the first time that such large-scale international Beach Volleyball tournament is taking place in Latvia and in its capital city. As many as 64 pairs – 32 per gender – from 30 European countries will participate in the tournament. Even though young players will compete in Riga, from an organisational standpoint this competition does not differ much from a ‘senior’ championship.
The Sports Department Director of the Ministry of Education and Science, Mr Edgars Severs noted that Beach Volleyball is a sport in which the Latvian players can not only compete but also edge the representatives of some real heavyweight nations. “I would like to congratulate the Latvian Volleyball Federation on their recent successes, including the gold medal won at the first ever European Games and the historic title claimed on Sunday at the European Championship. I would like to share the congratulations from the Minister of Education and Science Marite Seile for this success story, as well as to wish good luck to those involved in the organisation of the U18 European Championships here in Riga. For our government it is a huge pleasure that such events take place Latvia. It’s nice that the Latvian Volleyball Federation is continuing to host events of such level after the CEV Satellite and Masters held in Jurmala and I know that there are plans to host the European Championship Final in 2017.”
“Beach Volleyball is one of the sports where we can fight and win the big countries,” he added, “and with this sport we can help children, youth and seniors in their efforts to be active and live a healthy lifestyle. Although we do not have a long summer, this time can be used in a good way. I want to express my appreciation towards the Riga Municipality, Elkor and all other sponsors who find the means to support such events,” he continued wishing that on the last day of competition, August 9, the Latvian national anthem will be played for the eventual winners of the tournament, with the Latvian flag waving on the highest pole.
Latvia’s U18 girls’ mentor Aigars Birzulis expressed his satisfaction that after 19 years Latvia is hosting an age-group European Championship in Beach Volleyball again. “It’s been a long time, but now we have another quality to offer. If at the first championship teams from 17 countries were involved, we now have as many as 30 nations represented here. We will get to see the stars in the making from the most established Beach Volleyball powers. I hope that the Latvian girls will be able to show their best game, and after several years, do the same at another level – at even more important matches. I wish you to have a wonderful time together, to play with joy, so that the tournament is enjoyable for the athletes and the fans as well,” he said. He also singled out teams from Poland, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Norway and the Czech Republic as potential medal contenders. “There will certainly be a lot of good teams at this tournament, so luck will also be playing a role,” said the experienced mentor.
The assistant coach of the boys’ U18 team, Lauris Iecelnieks, thanked the Latvian Volleyball Federation for organising such tournament in the country’s capital. “The guys have been prepared in order to show what they are capable of so that they will not be ashamed of their performance. The main goal is to be able to deliver what you have done in your trainings,” he added while addressing his young mentees.
The Vice-President of the Latvian Volleyball Federation and member of the CEV Board of Administration, Mr Maris Pekalis, emphasised that it is good to know that due to the country’s successes in Beach Volleyball, Latvia got its place on the European Volleyball map. “We have organised a lot of competitions and we will continue to do the same in the future because we have proven ourselves as good organisers, therefore Latvia has gained a permanent place on the European Volleyball map. I hope that in the future the highest level tournaments will be held in our country. We have been noticed, understood and appreciated, because we can compete with the big guns,” he said.
Mrs Inara Brokane informed that 32 teams per gender from 30 countries will participate in the tournament, starting with the pool play and matches played on as many as four different courts. “Thanks to our partners Beach Box and Elkor we have been able to build a Beach Volleyball stadium which fulfils the CEV requirements and that hopefully not only the athletes will appreciate, but also the fans that between the games will have the opportunity to participate in a variety of organised activities and side events. We have thought not only about the athletes, but also about the spectators for whom the entrance will be free of charge,” she said.
The tournament at the Beach Volleyball stadium Beach Box Elkor will take place on four courts, with another two being set up for the warm up. Especially for the Championships the organisers will provide stands with a capacity of up to 1,000 seats to follow the matches on the centre court while bleaches accommodating another 300 fans will be available on court 2.
The competition will start on August 6-7 with the pool phase before the single elimination follows on August 8 for 24 teams per gender. The tournament will continue all the way through the semis and medal matches that will crown this year’s U18 European champions on Sunday, August 9.
LDz Ritosa Sastava Serviss is the main partner of the championship that will be organised with the support of the Riga City Council and many other companies. Supporting sport as the cornerstone for a healthy lifestyle ERGO has become the official insurer of the 2015 CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championships in Riga, thereby allowing all athletes to participate in the competition without any further concerns than their performance on sand.
All games on courts no. 1 and no. 2 will be broadcast live on sportacentrs.com before the main battles for the medals on Sunday will be televised nationwide on LTV7. The matches will start at 9:00 in the morning and will last until 7pm.
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