Luxembourg, February 25, 2020. Welcome to today’s issue of Snow Weekly, CEV’s digest of news from the exciting world of Snow Volleyball, set to come out every Tuesday throughout the CEV European Tour season.
SNOWSTORM
• Once again, Russia did not leave any gold to the other nations on the CEV Snow Volleyball European Tour 2020, topping the podium in both the women’s and the men’s tournaments at the third stop, in Donovaly, Slovakia. The ladies’ silver went to Czechia. Lithuania took another bronze. On the men’s side, Ukraine and Slovakia finished second and third, respectively. Find out more...
• The first stop on the FIVB Snow Volleyball World Tour 2020 to be held in Erciyes - Kayseri, Turkey from March 12 through 15 was presented to local media in the capital Ankara, with the participation of Turkish national team players Bahanur Gokalp and Simge Yalcin. Read more…
Turkish snow volleyballers rejoicing on the snow in Erciyes
SNOW KINGS
The members of the Russian team that won the men’s competition in Donovaly - Ruslan Daianov, Vladislav Mikhalev, Vsevolod Bobrikov and 2019 King of the Snow Yury Bogatov - have seized their second gold and third overall medals on this year’s CEV European Tour, collecting a total of 290 points each, which puts them in the lead of the Tour ranking, hence for the title of King of the Snow 2020. Next in the ranking are their compatriots Nikita Kuzmin, also one of the 2019 crownbearers, and Vadim Smorchkov on 215 points apiece.
The Russian men - Donovaly champs and current European Tour leaders
SNOW QUEENS
New leaders emerged in the race for the Queen of the Snow 2020 title. Lilija Frelik and Svetlana Bekis-Sturo, who were on the Lithuanian squad that finished third in Donovaly, have now collected one silver and two bronze medals, or 250 points, each to top the standings. Previous leaders Anastasiia Pavlova, Arina Iarantceva, Elizaveta Novikova and reigning Queen of the Snow Olga Motrich of Russia skipped the event in Slovakia and fell behind the two Lithuanians with 200 points apiece.
The Lithuanian women’s team celebrating a point in Donovaly
SNOWFLAKES
• Also in Donovaly, Slovakia held its 2020 national championship on Friday. A team consisting of Alica Bertova, Andrea Bundzelova and Lenka Vandakova won the women’s title, while the squad of Ivan Povraznik, Lukas Kyjanica and Tomas Vojkovic celebrated as Slovakian champions in the men’s category. Read more...
• The first Romanian national champions were crowned in Azuga. The squad of CSM Bucuresti / CSM Timisoara, consisting of national team players Alexia Bradatan, Catinca Ilie and Iustina Corcoz, as well as Beach Volleyball standout Ioana Ordean topped the women’s podium. Another combined team, CSS Constanta / CSS Tulcea, with Alexandru Voicu, Andrei Grigore and Bogdan Beiu on the roster, snatched the men’s gold. Find out more...
• The national championship of Sweden took place in Ostersund. The team of 08 BC/Lidingo with Kristina Thurin, Susanna Thurin and Tadva Yoken on the squad emerged as Swedish champs for women, while the men’s title went to IKSU (Bjorn Berg, Daniel Lundstedt, Philip Franzon and Sven Nord). Find out more...
SNOWWOMAN
Presenting Snow Volleyball star Silvia Poszmikova
Silvia Poszmikova was born on October 11, 1987 in Dunajska Streda, Slovakia. She started playing indoor Volleyball when she was 18 years old, shortly before moving to neighbouring Czechia where she continued as a third-division player. Four years later, Sisi Poszmikova took up Beach Volleyball and in 2014 she played her first two Snow Volleyball tournaments, winning gold at both of them. Just a year later, the 180-cm-tall Slovak and her Czech teammate Karolina Rehackova won two silver medals on the European Tour and became the 2015 Queens of the Snow. When in 2016 the first European Tour under the umbrella of the CEV was held, Poszmikova and Czechia’s Zuzana Vojtiskova won the very first gold medal, in Spindleruv Mlyn. The following two seasons, Poszmikova added two silver medals, two bronze medals and two fourth place finishes on the European Tour. Her best results since three-a-side Snow Volleyball was introduced are the fourth places at the European Tour stops at St. Anton 2019 and Donovaly 2020, as well as the fifth places at the 2019 World Tour stops at Plan de Corones / Kronplatz and Bariloche. Sisi Poszmikova is currently at number six in the CEV European Ranking.
Silvia Poszmikova: “My name is Silvia, but everybody calls me Sisi since forever... I was born in Dunajska Streda, a small town in southwestern Slovakia. As a child I tried all activities available in my town - ceramics, painting, basketball... I also played soccer on competitive level, but finally when I was 18 I started playing indoor Volleyball. At the age of 19 I moved to Prague where I also studied and continued to play Volleyball in their third national league. Another four years later I also started to play Beach Volleyball. Unfortunately (or luckily?), I never played professionally. It made me hungrier to improve my Volleyball and Beach Volleyball skills and results. Back in 2014, we were invited for the Snow Volleyball exhibition held in Germany and Austria, and my beach partner and I we were crazy enough to try this funny kind of sport we love the most. Surprisingly, we won both tournaments and I definitely fell in love at first sight with Snow Volleyball. After that, I played the majority of the Snow Volleyball tournaments each season. In 2016, the CEV organised the first ever European Tour and the first stop was held in Spindleruv Mlyn in the Czech Republic. Of course, I was there. The most emotional match of this tournament was the gold medal game against the team of 2012 Beach Volleyball Olympian Greta Cicolari of Italy, where we surprised everybody (even ourselves) and made it to the highest step of the podium. The first ever CEV gold medal in Snow Volleyball hangs on my neck! More podium successes came later on when Snow Volleyball was still played 2x2, in addition to the ninth place at the first ever EuroSnowVolley in 2018. Since last year, I became 2019 national champion of Slovakia and finished fourth twice at European Tour stops, but I am still working for my first CEV or FIVB medal in the 3x3 format. I am proud that all successes were achieved as a semi-professional player and full-time employee at the same time without any regular sponsors or a stable team. I wish that before I retire I can make it to the World Championship and fulfil my old dream to belong among the best players in the world.”
SNOW PEAKS
• The members of the men’s Snow Volleyball national team of France were featured in a long interview for the volleypack.fr website, where in addition to their experiences and their goals in international competition, they share the details about the sports gear they use in their endeavours. Read here...
SNOW TOPS
SNOW PATH
• A Russian Snow Volleyball National Tour event will be held in Kazan February 28 through March 1. Find out more...
• A King & Queen of The Mountains Invitational tournament, organised by Snow Volley Italia, is scheduled on February 29 and March 1 in Alta Badia. Find out more...
• A Snow Volleyball tournament will be held on Saturday in Verbier, Switzerland. Find out more...
SNOW SPARKLES
Snow Weekly - February 18, 2020
Snow Weekly - February 11, 2020
Snow Weekly - February 4, 2020
Snow Weekly - January 28, 2020
CEV Snow Volleyball Calendar
CEV Snow Volleyball Ranking
CEV Snow Volleyball News
CEV Snow Volleyball Info
CEV Snow Volleyball on Facebook
CEV Snow Volleyball on Twitter
CEV Snow Volleyball on YouTube
PS. National federations, Snow Volleyball promoters,
teams and players, feel free to send us your SNOWFLAKES to be included
in the next issues of Snow Weekly to news@cev.eu.