World League Finals
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OFFICIAL BULLETIN No. 7 September 2006 Edition in English FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL World League Finals – Brazil make it four in a row in Moscow The 2005 World League champions got off to a shaky start in the Final Round with a shock defeat against Bulgaria in their opening match. After beating Italy in pool play, Bernardo Rezende’s team then faced a tough five-setter against Russia, which they won 3-2 to take them into the semi-finals as the second-placed team in Pool F. They faced Russia again in their semi-final match, faring better second time round to win 3-1. Then, in a thrilling final against the surprising French team, they battled from two sets down to take their fourth consecutive World League title and the winner’s cheque for 1 million US dollars. Silver medallist France did their trainer Head coach Bernardo Rezende and country proud on their first-ever and captain Ricardo Garcia show off the winner’s trophy appearance in the finals. Their second place was the country’s best result in its 11 World League participations. The cham- After being knocked out of the tournament Individual awards for the 2006 pions’ head coach Bernardo Rezende was in the semi-final by the eventual champi- Final Round full of praise for the French team, who had ons, Russia took the bronze medal after Most Valuable Player (MVP): battled through seven matches in nine beating Bulgaria 3-0 in the third place Gilberto Godoy Filho “Giba” (BRA) days (including four five-set tie-breaks) play-off match. Martin Stoev’s team still Best server: Andre Nascimento (BRA) before stumbling at the last hurdle. “The appeared to be reeling from their straight- Best scorer: Sébastien Ruette (FRA) world of Volleyball is proud of France. set loss to France in the semi-final – their Best blocker: Vincent Montmeat (FRA) They deserved to be here and have shown first defeat in the Final Round after three Best spiker: Matey Kaziyski (BUL) a great will to win over the past six years,” consecutive straight-set victories in the Best setter: Andrey Zhekov (BUL) he said. pool play. Best libero: Alexey Verbov (RUS) Final Round - Results FIVB President Date Teams Result Rubén Acosta In this Issue Day 1 - Pools E-F congratulates Volleyball 23-Aug Brazil - Bulgaria 0-3 MVP Giba Playoff France - Italy 3-2 • World Championships News: Russia - Serbia & Montenegro 3-0 Iran & Staff workshops Day 2 - Pools E-F • World League: Last rounds 24-Aug Italy - Brazil 1-3 and Finals Playoff Serbia & Montenegro - Bulgaria 0-3 • World Grand Prix: France - Russia 2-3 1st and 2nd legs Day 3 - Pools E-F Beach Volleyball 25-Aug Bulgaria - Italy 3-0 Serbia & Montenegro - France 3-2 • U-21 World Championships Playoff Russia - Brazil 2-3 • Beach Volleyball News Day 4 - Semifinals • SWATCH FIVB World Tour 26-Aug Bulgaria - France 0-3 Technical & Development Russia - Brazil 1-3 Day 5 - Final for bronze places 3-4 • Vanuatu & North Korea 27-Aug Bulgaria - Russia 1-3 • Courses Calendars Final for gold places 1-2 27-Aug France - Brazil 2-3 • 2006 FIVB General Calendar www.fivb.org 2006 World League VOLLEYBALL MEN Intercontinental Round - Final Rankings Matches Rk Teams Points Points World League - Tense moments in the closing stages W L Ratio of the Intercontinental Rounds Pool A - Intercontinental Round 1 Serbia & Montenegro 21 9 3 1.066 The qualification for against the USA and kept its crucial points 2 Poland 21 9 3 1.038 the finals came down ratio advantage. The tiny margin dividing 3 U.S.A. 17 5 7 1.043 to the final weekend points won by points lost (1.066 against 4 Japan 13 1 11 0.857 of the Intercontinental Poland’s 1.038) secured them the ticket to Pool B - Intercontinental Round Rounds, since Brazil Moscow. The USA was knocked into third 1 Brazil 24 12 1.210 (and Russia as host) place after the fight for the leadership and 2 Argentina 19 7 5 0.969 were the only teams sure of a place in Japan finished fourth in the pool, their 3 Finland 16 4 8 0.968 the final six before the last matches. only victory being that in the shock opener 4 Portugal 13 1 11 0.894 This made for exciting action in the against Serbia and Montenegro. Pool C - Intercontinental Round closing stages, with strong teams such 1 France 21 9 3 1.042 as Bulgaria, Cuba, Poland and Serbia Pool B 2 Russia 20 8 4 1.085 and Montenegro all in with a chance Brazil romped towards its qualification for 3 Italy 19 7 5 1.055 to qualify. the Final Round as the only one of the 16 4 China 12 12 0.815 teams participating in the Intercontinental Pool D - Intercontinental Round Pool A Rounds to win all 12 of its matches. Argen- 1 Bulgaria 22 10 2 1.181 Serbia and Montenegro took three wins in tina put in a strong performance, winning 2 Cuba 22 10 2 1.167 four matches against the USA and Japan all of its last six matches to take second 3 Korea 16 4 8 0.931 in the fourth and fifth weekends, but place overall behind the mighty Brazil. 4 Egypt 12 12 0.778 Poland won all of its matches against the same opponents. Both teams finished tied Although Finland had got off to a good and finish the Intercontinental Round top on 17 points at the top of the group head- start against its European opponents Por- of the pool, one point ahead of the Final ing into the final weekend, but Poland had tugal, Mauro Berruto’s team found the Round hosts. Despite coming from behind, a theoretical advantage, facing the weaker South American volleyball a challenge, with two consecutive victories against Rus- Japanese side at home. losing all of its matches against Argentina sia in its last two matches, Italy managed and Brazil. Portugal finished bottom of no better than third place in the group but However, Serbia and Montenegro matched the pool after a single 3-2 victory against qualified for the Final Round as the FIVB Poland’s two victories in its matches Finland at home. wild card. China exited the tournament after the Intercontinental Round without Pool C a victory. France continued its excellent start Pool D to the tournament, Cuba and Bulgaria swapped the lead winning four of its over the second three weekends of the last six matches, Intercontinental Round, but were always half of which were matched on points after splitting on their five-setters. Hav- head-to-head encounters and winning all ing split its sec- their other matches. The final battle was ond two matches decided in Bulgaria’s favour by a minute against Russia and points ratio difference (1.181 for Bulgaria won twice against against 1.167 for Cuba). Korea finished in China in the sixth third place after picking up two more vic- weekend, Philippe tories against Egypt. The first-ever Afri- Blain’s team even can team to compete in the World League Poland’s Krzysztof Ignaczak managed to pip finished the Intercontinental Round at the celebrates in front of the home crowd Russia to the post bottom of Pool D without a victory. Week 4 - Results Week 5 - Results Week 6 - Results Date Teams Result Date Teams Result Date Teams Result Pool A - Intercontinental Round Pool A - Intercontinental Round Pool A - Intercontinental Round 4-Aug U.S.A.-Serbia & Montenegro 1-3 12-Aug Poland-U.S.A. 3-2 18-Aug Serbia & Montenegro-U.S.A. 3-2 5-Aug Japan-Poland 2-3 12-Aug Serbia & Montenegro-Japan 3-0 19-Aug Poland-Japan 3-1 5-Aug U.S.A.-Serbia & Montenegro 3-1 13-Aug Poland-U.S.A. 3-0 19-Aug Serbia & Montenegro-U.S.A. 3-0 6-Aug Japan-Poland 0-3 13-Aug Serbia & Montenegro-Japan 3-1 20-Aug Poland-Japan 3-2 Pool B - Intercontinental Round Pool B - Intercontinental Round Pool B - Intercontinental Round 4-Aug Finland-Brazil 0-3 12-Aug Brazil-Finland 3-1 19-Aug Brazil-Portugal 3-1 5-Aug Portugal-Argentina 2-3 12-Aug Argentina-Portugal 3-0 19-Aug Argentina-Finland 3-2 5-Aug Finland-Brazil 1-3 13-Aug Brazil-Finland 3-1 20-Aug Brazil-Portugal 3-1 6-Aug Portugal-Argentina 2-3 13-Aug Argentina-Portugal 3-0 20-Aug Argentina-Finland 0-3 Pool C - Intercontinental Round Pool C - Intercontinental Round Pool C - Intercontinental Round 5-Aug Russia-China 3-0 11-Aug Italy-China 3-0 19-Aug France-China 3-1 5-Aug France-Italy 2-3 12-Aug France-Russia 0-3 19-Aug Russia-Italy 0-3 6-Aug Russia-China 3-2 12-Aug Italy-China 3-0 20-Aug France-China 3-0 6-Aug France-Italy 3-2 13-Aug France-Russia 3-2 20-Aug Russia-Italy 2-3 Pool D - Intercontinental Round Pool D - Intercontinental Round Pool D - Intercontinental Round 4-Aug Egypt-Cuba 1-3 12-Aug Korea-Egypt 3-2 18-Aug Egypt-Bulgaria 0-3 5-Aug Bulgaria-Korea 3-1 12-Aug Bulgaria-Cuba 2-3 18-Aug Cuba-Korea 3-0 6-Aug Bulgaria-Korea 3-0 13-Aug Korea-Egypt 3-1 19-Aug Cuba-Korea 3-0 6-Aug Egypt-Cuba 0-3 13-Aug Bulgaria-Cuba 3-0 20-Aug Egypt-Bulgaria 0-3 2 FIVB World Volley News No.7 September 2006 2006 World Grand Prix VOLLEYBALL woMEN General Standing - After week 2 Matches Rk Teams Match Points World Grand Prix Points W L Ratio Brazil out in front again 1 Brazil 12 6 1.236 2 Russia 11 5 1 1.132 After two weeks to the South Americans, however, with 3 Italy 11 5 1 1.118 of World Grand the Dominican Republic taking them to 4 China 11 5 1 1.042 Prix pool play, five sets in the first match.