23/08/2017 23:31
Kazan ready to host best ever #EuroBeachVolleyU18
2017 CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Kazan, Russia, August 23, 2017. The 2017 edition of the CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championship started on Wednesday with a series of matches on schedule for the qualification tournament, with Kazan, the capital city of the Republic of Tatarstan, playing host to the event for the first time in history. The tournament will last until August 27 and is taking place at a venue set up nearby the iconic Water Sports Palace. The same venue played host to the Beach Volleyball competition of the 2013 Summer Universiade.
CEV Technical Supervisor Henrique Gomes of Portugal addressed the media on Wednesday as a press conference took place the day before the start of the main phase. “I would like to thank the organisers of this tournament, since this European Championship here in Kazan is a historic event for the CEV. For the first time in the history of such age-group championships, a qualifying tournament is held, since more than 30 countries are participating in the competition. More and more European countries are involved in Beach Volleyball, and we can see a young, promising generation of athletes taking to the court in Kazan. I am sure that these young athletes will be the stars of the international Beach Volleyball in the near future,” Gomes said.
“Kazan is ready to host any Beach Volleyball tournament. I have seen many competitions of different levels throughout my career, and here we all appreciate the excellent preparation and high professionalism of the local Organising Committee. I think Kazan would have done very well with a senior championship as well. Therefore, this is only a question of Tatarstan coming forward with an application to host such an event,” Gomes continued.
Tournament Director Leonid Goldman stressed that Kazan is poised to host international Beach Volleyball competitions. “Thanks to the CEV for the trust they have been showing in our country. Thanks to the Republic of Tatarstan for the opportunity to visit their capital once again. It is not the first time that Beach Volleyball comes to Kazan. Just a month ago, we staged here the All-Russian Beach Games. Four years ago, the Beach Volleyball competition of the Universiade was held in Kazan with the highest standards. Kazan is very familiar with Beach Volleyball and we are happy that major international competitions are returning to this city. It is truly symbolic that in this tournament will perform players under 18 years of age - they are the future of European Beach Volleyball,” Goldman said.
The head coaches of the Russian youth national teams, Oleg Kiselev and Dmitry Fedotov shared their impressions as well. “This is a landmark event for Russian sport. I want to thank the authorities of the Republic of Tatarstan for organising this tournament. Everything is very convenient and comfortable for the athletes. This is very important for us. All the players are in a good mood before the start of the tournament. We will try to justify the trust people have shown in us,” Kiselev said.
“For a long time we wanted such competitions to be held in Russia. I want to thank Tatarstan and the Russian Volleyball Federation for organising this tournament. These players are our future, and they are very promising ones. We hope that they will achieve outstanding results once they move to the senior ranks. I have never experienced such a professional organisation in any previous age-group competition. All little details are being taken into account. We want to show ourselves from the best side. We will try to achieve the best possible results,” Fedotov added.
The First Deputy Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports of the Republic of Tatarstan Khalil Shaikhutdinov noted that Beach Volleyball is developing in Tatarstan and is becoming more and more popular.
“I am also very grateful to the All-Russian Volleyball Federation and to the European Volleyball Confederation for their trust. We live and breathe sport in Kazan. Beach Volleyball has become increasingly popular in our region. As many as 184 teams participated in the 2017 edition of the Zenit Cup. We dream that there will be more Tatarstan athletes competing in this sport. We are working on it. While hosting tournaments with the strongest European players, our children will catch up with them. We are doing everything to promote Volleyball in Kazan,” Shaikhutdinov said.
Home stars Pavel Shustrov and Mariia Bocharova also highly appreciated the work done by the organisers of the tournament in Kazan.
Next to the press conference, qualification matches took place on Wednesday as well. Hungary beat Croatia in the women’s qualifiers whereas teams from Hungary and Denmark progressed to the Main Draw of the men’s tournament.
Later in the evening, the Drawing of Lots for the Main Draw took place as well – with one of the most accomplished world’s Volleyball stars, Wilfredo Leon attending the event. Leon is actually an ambassador to the 2017 #EuroBeachVolleyU18.
The winners and medallists of the tournament will emerge on Sunday, August 27, 2017.
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