08/03/2019 11:00
Estonia and Croatia to host European Golden League Finals!
CEV Volleyball European Golden League 2019
Luxembourg, March 8, 2019. The 2019 edition of the CEV Volleyball European Golden League will be reaching its climax in late June with the Final Four tournaments due to take place in Tallinn, Estonia and Varaždin, Croatia for men and women, respectively. The eventual winners and runners-up of the competition will secure their participation in the 2019 FIVB Challenger Cup – where a ticket to the 2020 edition of the elite FIVB Volleyball Nations League will be at stake.
Estonia celebrate Volleyball’s 100th anniversary with a ‘bang’
Estonia’s Volleyball family will celebrate their 100th anniversary with the most important Volleyball event ever held in the Baltic country, which will be taking place at Saku Suurhall, a venue with a capacity of 7,200, in Tallinn on June 21-22.
“Estonia has never hosted a Final Four before and the players and fans have been waiting for this to happen for some time. Our fans are on top level, amazing people who follow us wherever we go. It is going to be interesting to see how the team will play in front of this crowd. I am expecting Saku Suurhall to be full and help us succeed. The goal is to win another Golden League title and to make it to another Challenger Cup,” said Estonia head coach Gheorghe Cretu recalling his team’s success at last year’s Golden European League Finals in Karlovy Vary.
The coach of Estonia, Gheorghe Cretu, erupting in joy after his team won the 2018 edition of the Golden European League.
“It is a known fact that our federation has great organising skills, so I am glad that we have a chance to host this tournament to show how Estonians care for and love this game and the team. To organize the Final Four is also a great honour and a recognition of the work we have all done in the past years. It is definitely a bonus. Moreover, the tournament is a gift for Estonian Volleyball, which celebrates its 100th anniversary this year,” he continued.
Hanno Pevkur, President of the Estonian Volleyball Federation and CEV Vice President: “After winning the Golden League last year, we are honoured to organise the tournament this summer. The team is eager to repeat the success of the previous years and it is a great opportunity for our fans to enjoy top-level Volleyball at home. The Final Four is a great addition to celebrate Estonian Volleyball’s 100th birthday. Welcome to Estonia!”
Kert Toobal, captain of Estonia: “To play a major tournament in front of a home crowd is the dream of every player. The fans can also show the world what they are like and how important Volleyball is for Estonian people. We will definitely do everything in our power to be successful. Moreover, playing at home we can be 100% sure that everything is organised perfectly and others can witness how a tournament should be organised.”
Team Croatia will vie for further glory when hosting the 2019 European Golden League Final Four after qualifying for EuroVolley 2019 Women in emphatic style.
Major international event returns to Croatia
The women’s Final Four due to take place in Varaždin on June 21-22 will coincide with the first major international competition of this calibre to take place in Croatia since the 2005 edition of the women’s EuroVolley. Croatia are traditionally a major force to reckon with in women’s Volleyball – with as many as three EuroVolley silver medals to their name and the country is a regular contestant of Europe’s premier Volleyball competition for national teams.
Croatia will ‘warm up’ ahead of the Final Four on home soil by playing pool matches against France, Austria and Hungary.
“The organisation of this event confirms the intention and full commitment of the Croatian Volleyball Federation (HOS) to deliver a top-quality sporting event for fans, partners and media alike in order to continue with the promotion of Volleyball in Croatia,” said HOS President Ante Baković. “We have a proven track record of success with regard to our ability to guarantee the smooth organisation of international events and we would like to thank the CEV for providing us with such an opportunity to grow Volleyball in Croatia even further.”
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