PRESS KIT SNOW NIGHT FEBRUARY 14, 2018 SNOW VOLLEYBALL NIGHT

Snow Volleyball Night is an event jointly organised by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) and the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV).

It will take place during the Winter in PyeongChang, on February 14, 2018 at the Austria House.

An exhibition match will take place at 16:00, featuring male and female volleyball and stars from Austria, , , and South Korea.

Players will compete in a mixed gender, three-a- side match in a best of three sets competition. The first two sets end with the first team to reach 21 points, and the third with 15. A special court format of 7m X 14m will be tested during the event.

The match will be followed by a press conference at 17:30, convened for an announcement on the development of snow volleyball worldwide and future plans for the , including the inaugural snow volleyball European Championships in March 2018 in Austria. At 18:30, there will be a reception and a chance to find out more about snow volleyball.

The public is invited to watch the exhibition match on February 14 and attend the family event at Austria House on February 15 to join some of volleyball’s true legends on the snow.

PRESS KIT | Snow Volleyball Night 2 GILBERTO () AMAURY VLADIMIR GRBIC DE GODOY FILHO SERBIA BRAZIL

Gilberto (Giba) Amaury de Godoy Filho was One of the most decorated volleyball players widely regarded as one of the best volleyball of his generation, Grbić is a member of the players in the world for much of the 2000s. International Volleyball Hall of Fame, having The Brazilian won a gold medal at the Athens won gold at the Sydney 2000 and bronze at 2004 Olympic Games, as well as silver medals the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. The Serbian at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 Olympic has won medals at both World and , and was victorious at three World Championship level, as well as reaching the Championships (2002, 2006, 2010). During his World League podium three times during his

IN THE EXHIBITION MATCH professional career he played for clubs in Brazil, distinguished career, and now represents the

Italy, , and the United Arab FIVB Athletes’ Commission as Secretary. Emirates. Giba is now the President of the FIVB Athletes’ Commission.

EMANUEL REGO NIKOLAS BERGER BRAZIL AUSTRIA

Emanuel Rego represented Brazil in beach With the event being hosted by the Austria volleyball at five consecutive Olympic Games. House, Nikolas Berger is sure to be a fan Emanuel won gold at Athens 2004, as well as favourite. Having played both indoor and beach silver in 2012 and bronze in 2008. As well as volleyball during his career, it seems only natural being the recipient of many individual awards that Berger would now attempt snow volleyball! STARS TAKING PART TAKING STARS for his incredible athleticism, Emanuel is a three- A four-time Austrian volleyball champion, Berger time world champion, two-time Pan-American also represented his country on the sand at the Games gold medallist and is an expert on the Athens 2004 Olympic Games, and won gold at the FIVB Athletes’ Commission. 2003 European Beach Volleyball Championships in Alanya, before retiring in 2008.

PRESS KIT | Snow Volleyball Night 3 XUE CHEN STEFANIE SCHWAIGER CHINA AUSTRIA

The Chinese beach volleyball star burst onto the Stefanie Schwaiger will also be hoping to get the scene in 2006 when, aged just 17, Xue won the Austrian crowd onside at the exhibition event in China Shanghai Jinshan Open. She went on to PyeongChang. Having represented her country win a bronze medal at her home Olympic Games in beach volleyball at back-to-back Olympic in Beijing, and narrowly missed out on another Games (2008, 2012), Schwaiger became a home- medal four years later in London. Xue is a two- nation favourite when she and her elder sister time World Championship medallist, winning Doris won the 2013 European Championships in gold in 2013 and bronze in 2011, and currently sits Klagenfurt, Austria.

IN THE EXHIBITION MATCH as a member on the FIVB Athletes’ Commission.

KIM YEON-KOUNG SOUTH KOREA

A MVP in volleyball at the London 2012 Olympic Games, Kim has represented South Korea on some of the FIVB’s biggest stages throughout her career. Kim won the Asian Games in 2014, and also has a silver medal from 2010, as well as four Asian Championship podium finishes, including a bronze at last year’s event in the Philippines. STARS TAKING PART TAKING STARS She won the CEV Volleyball Champions League in 2012 with Fenerbahce SK ISTANBUL, receiving the award for the Most Valuable Player of the Final Four tournament held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Kim is also a member of the FIVB Athletes’ Commission.

PRESS KIT | Snow Volleyball Night 4 Snow volleyball demonstrates the fun, passion and

BACKGROUND NOTES BACKGROUND universality of the sport of volleyball, which is now accessible all year round, from the summer to the winter, from the beach to the mountains, indoor and outdoor. Volleyball any time, any place, anywhere.

Though people all over the world have been playing volleyball in the snow for many years, the adventure to formalise snow volleyball as a sport began in 2008, in the mountains of Wagrain, Austria. For the first time in the history of this winter resort, net posts and pitch lines were dug into the snow at an altitude of broadcast the event live, raising the awareness around 1,850m, with Chaka 2 becoming the first of the new discipline throughout the country. promoter. In 2017, the FIVB held its inaugural three-day On October 16, 2015, at its Congress in Sofia, Volleyball Your Way Snow Festival from March , the European Volleyball Confederation 22-24 at Wagrain-Kleinarl in Austria, followed by (CEV) confirmed the addition of the new sport the international Snow Volleyball Goes Europe to its official calendar. The first CEV Snow professional tournament on March 25-26. Volleyball European Tour took place under SNOW VOLLEYBALL the umbrella of the continental confederation Following the success of the European Tour, the and was held between March and April 2016 CEV decided to organise the Snow Volleyball with three stops in as many countries (Czech European Championships in March 2018 for the Republic, Austria and ). first time ever.

The first international snow volleyball The FIVB is also currently developing snow competition outside of Europe took place on volleyball by teaming up with existing sports February 12 and 13, 2017, at the Dizin mountain events to build awareness of the discipline and resort in Iran, 2,650 meters above sea level. create a global movement, built on what has The Iranian national television channel TV3 been put in place already on the European Tour.

PRESS KIT | Snow Volleyball Night 5 Between 2017-2019, the FIVB aims to establish The goal is to have a full-fledged World an eight-year plan and will test rules and Tour from 2018/2019 season (minimum three regulations at various demonstration events. stops within the territory of three different Confederations), a World Championship in 2020 The FIVB vision is to offer opportunities to enjoy and a demonstration event at the 2020 Youth volleyball in all its forms which can unite people Olympic Games in Lausanne. in a peaceful environment, with the goal of being the number one family sport in the world. One of the goals of the FIVB is to create new opportunities to attract tourism at prestigious The FIVB and CEV have recognised snow winter resorts and possibly to partner with volleyball as one of their disciplines and the two iconic venues and existing sports events as well organisations hope that all affiliated volleyball as new sponsors. governing bodies will do the same in their respective countries. This will contribute to the growth of the sport at the grassroots and

BACKGROUND NOTES BACKGROUND international level.

Do snow volleyball players wear special clothes?

For the moment, there is no specific uniform designed for snow volleyball, so various types of clothing can be observed on the courts. Most athletes who play snow volleyball are also beach or indoor volleyball players.

As snow volleyball players, they usually wear thermal underwear under existing volleyball uniforms, that consist of synthetic t-shirts and shorts with some promotional logos. This helps players keep warm – especially in negative temperatures – while conveying the image of volleyball in general to the audience.

Football boots are used when playing snow volleyball, since they provide a grip on the SNOW VOLLEYBALL snow and prevent the player from sliding when playing. However, over the next two years the FIVB and CEV will work with their suppliers to develop specific equipment and uniforms for snow volleyball. Snow Volleyball Night is another opportunity to gather feedback from experienced, world-class athletes, and find out more about what is needed to optimise comfort and performance in winter conditions.

PRESS KIT | Snow Volleyball Night 6 2018 CEV SNOW VOLLEYBALL EUROPEAN TOUR

Date Country Venue 12 - 14 January Turkey Erciyes (TUR) 17 - 18 February Italy Roccaraso (ITA) 23 - 25 February Georgia Bakuriani (GEO) 1 - 4 March Turkey Uludag (TUR) 9 - 11 March Slovenia Kranjska Gora (SLO) 16 - 18 March Italy Plan de Corones / Kronplatz (ITA)

2018 CEV SNOW VOLLEYBALL NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Date Country Venue

BACKGROUND NOTES BACKGROUND 06 - 07 January Russia Zelenogorsk (RUS) 20 January Austria Zell am See - Kaprun (AUT) 20 - 21 January Armenia Tsaghkadzor (ARM) 20 - 21 January Platak, Rijeka (CRO) 20 - 21 January Lithuania Jonava Sports & Recreation Center (LTU) 27 - Jan Sigulda (LAT) 03 - 04 February Shostka City (UKR) 09 - 11 February Turkey Artvin (TUR) 09 - 11 February Epleny Skiarena (HUN) 16 - 18 February Winterberg (GER) 17 - Feb Spindleruv Mlyn (CZE) 18 - Feb Switzerland Engelberg (SUI) 24 - Feb Slovakia Strbske Pleso (SVK) 24 - 25 February Greece Kalavrita Ski resort (GRE) 26 - 27 February Georgia Bakuriani (GEO) 02 - 04 March Norway Gaustadtoppen Skisenter (NOR) 03 - 04 March Slovenia Ziri (SLO) SNOW VOLLEYBALL 2018 CEV SNOW VOLLEYBALL EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS

• The inaugural CEV Snow Volleyball European Championships will be held in Wagrain-Kleinarl and Flachau in Austria from March 23 to 25, 2018.

• Over three days of competition, 24 teams from each gender will compete for a top prize of €10,000.

PRESS KIT | Snow Volleyball Night 7 PRESS CONTACTS FIVB press contact

Communications Department Email: [email protected] Telephone: +41 21 345 35 35

www.fivb.com

CEV press contact

Communications Department Email: [email protected] Telephone: +352 25 46 46 37

www.cev.lu

Onsite press contact

Mr Wolfgang Eichler Austria House Email: [email protected] Telephone: +43 664 2769084

PRESS KIT | Snow Volleyball Night 8