World League 2007: No One Like Brazil
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OFFICIAL BULLETIN No. 18 August 2007 Edition in English FÉDÉRATION INTERNATIONALE DE VOLLEYBALL FIVB 2007 World Grand Prix World League 2007: Ningbo awaits the Volleyball stars no one like Brazil Brazil’s Katowice, 30th June 2001. Brazil An emotional captain Fofao crushes Italy with an outstanding 3-0 MVP Ricardo with holding (to be noticed a 1st set winning, with a FIVB President the trophy 25-15 score) in the 2001 World League Dr. Rubén Acosta in 2006 Final. When the Brazilian team raises the cup, cheering to the Polish crowd, few people think that this is the begin- ning of a new Volleyball era, after the top years of U.S.A. and the Italian realm of the nineties, “Best Volleyball Team of the 20th Century” for the FIVB. From 22nd to 26th of August, the Nowadays, Katowice, 15th July 2007. Ber- best Women’s teams will be in nardo ‘Bernardinho’ Rezende is far from Ningbo, China, for the 2007 FIVB the World League podium, when his team World Grand Prix. China, already in and the staff are celebrating. He’s silently the Final Round as hosting country, admiring his masterpiece, leant to a bar- plus the best five qualified after the rier beside the FIVB Officials table, while three weekends started on the 3rd hundreds colored balloons cover the Ger- of August in Tokyo, Verona (Italy) flor falling from the ceiling of the Spodek drop for the game on TV. The Polsat and Rzeszow (Poland). hall: the 2007 World League gold medal is production has fixed a great standard for just the last stop of a long winning path. It Volleyball production, with 25 cameras, all Japan, China, Chinese Taipei and ends where it started: in Katowice. in High Definition. “Many countries are Kazakhstan from Asia, Russia, Poland, asking information about the wonderful Italy and the Nethererlands from For Brazil, it’s the seventh World League TV show they are watching from Poland” Europe, Brazil from South America, title, the fifth in a row. In a very tough said the FIVB President, Dr. Rubén Acosta Cuba, Dominican Republic and U.S.A. final match, in the full packed hall with H. during a crowded press conference in from Norceca. China, Cuba and Japan more than 12,000 people, Rezende’s team Katowice, while signing a new contract are the only countries having partici- signs a 3-1 result against Russia to go for live on TV. Thanks to this agreement, Pol- pated to all the 15 previous editions. the gold. The bronze medal match goes sat will be able to broadcast all the main to the U.S.A., which beats Poland 3-1: it FIVB events of the next years: FIVB World A round robin system will be played doubles the third medal signed by the League until 2010, 2010 Men’s World in order to find the 2007 World Grand U.S.A. in 1992. The Brazilian pick up a Championship, World Grand Prix until Prix Champion, a title won in the three team cheque for 1 million US dollars. Then 2010, World Cups until 2011. last editions by Brazil. The competition Ricardo Garcia’s tears are unstoppable will take place in a hall designed for when Dr. Rubén Acosta H, FIVB Presi- Volleyball, the Ningbo Beilun Gymna- dent, gives him the Most Valuable Player In this Issue sium, with a 8,000-seats capacity. prize. It is not so common to have a setter Volleyball as MVP, but the Brazil- ian ‘Ricardinho’ gives • 2007 World League: Last year’s weekends 6-7 and Finals edition winner, a wonderful setting les- Brazil son to all the Volleyball Beach Volleyball players in the world. • SWATCH FIVB World Tour The enthusiastic, cheer- FIVB ing crowd of the Spodek • Appointments in Lausanne hall is another win- ner, in the 2007 World Development League. Thousands of • Volleyball at School people, whole fami- Symposium lies with children, all dressed up with the Calendars white and red shirts of • Global calendar August Poland team, creates a • Technical calendar August- wonderful atmosphere September and an incredible back- www.fivb.org Volleyball VOLLEYBALL MEN team lose to U.S.A. 3-0 (25-21, 25-20, 2007 FIVB World League: 28-26): the injured Granvorka is back on the court as opposite, but that isn’t the Katowice days enough to fully counteract the opponent. As for U.S.A. captain Thomas Hoff: “Ob- The Spodek hall, teams go for a tie break, and no one in viously we’re very pleased with the way 12,000-seats arena the hall is sitting. Four points in a row for we played, especially in the first two sets. in Katowice, opens Gruszka and partners are the key to turn We were well prepared for this game, we its gates on the the match. Szymanski is unstoppable in were playing against France for the fifth 11th July. For five the attack and Poland remain undefeat- time now. They made some changes and days, the wonder- ed (38-36, 19-25, 21-25, 25-21, 15-11). pushed on in the end of the match.” ful arena is hosting Stephane Antiga, France team captain, 6 of the best Volley- feels disappointed: “We could have won DAY 3 ball teams in the world, to discover the the first set. We lost eight set points.” The 2007 World League champion. France reply comes from Piotr Gruszka: “We won The Brazilian team puts itself together receives the FIVB wild card to partici- and we’re very pleased. This match some- and defeats Russia 3-1 (22-25, 25-23, 25- pate in the event. All the tickets are how resembled of the one against Russia 20, 26-24). Even without the best Giba, re- sold out, the temperature goes heating on the World Championships – changes in placed by Gustavo Endres brother, Murilo, day by day… Travel with «World Volley the team were needed. I’m happy that we Canarinihos are speeding up and take News» through the Katowice days. managed to bring determination into our the lead again, avoiding a dangerous tie game again.” break. “We feel a relief that we survived DAY 1 and we’re in the semifinals” says Brazil- DAY 2 ian head coach Bernardinho. “I wanted to The 2007 FIVB World League Final Round play here once again, because Katowice is starts with the first surprise. Brazil seems Thanks to an exceptionally strong block, a wonderful place for us. Today we had 12 immediately not completely confident with Russia wins its first World League Final good blocks and Russians 7, that’s an im- its usual playing skills. The match, sup- Round match against Bulgaria 0-3 (23-25, portant number. We still made too many ported by a cheering audience of 9’800, 21-25, 21-25) in just 80 minutes. Nine errors and we have to use this though becomes hotter and hotter until the tie blocks signed by Russia, just 2 from Bul- match as an opportunity to prepare for break, when Bulgaria celebrates (2-3: 25- garia. Kaziyski’s two aces brings Bulgaria semifinals. ‘Giba’ had long holidays after 21, 20-25, 25-21, 23-25, 12-15). Coach a bit closer in the third set (17-20) but his his amazing last year and then he had a Bernardo Rezende admits that his team third serve hit the net and the way for very short preparation time. I hope he’ll made too many mistakes but the differ- Russia is opened. Vladimir Alekno, head get better soon.” He doesn’t know, still, ence was just one point in score and three coach of Russia, appoints the media after but soon means the day after. mistakes, as for the statistics. “Both teams the match: “I don’t need to tell everyone Poland has a target: to finish the 2007 edi- started the game nervously” says Bulgar- about how good we are and how well we tion with a better position than its best in ian captain Plamen Konstantinov “and did in the match. We just made the first 2005, when it was fourth. Supported by both made too many errors in the begin- step and we’re moving on.” 12’000 fans, Polish team defeats U.S.A. ning. We’re very happy about this victory France ends its Final Round experience 3-0 (25-22, 36-34, 25-23). U.S.A. is lead- – you don’t win against World Champions in Katowice with the third place in the ing for the first half of the set, but Poland everyday.” Pool. A double loss against Poland and overcomes them, with Wlazly’s powerful Poland suffers a lot against France, then U.S.A. means semifinals for both Lozano attack and Swiderski’s experience. Serves wins a 2 hours and 8 minutes match. The and McCutcheon’s teams. Philippe Blain’s by Athens Olympics best spiker Stanley The last weekends for the Pools 22, 25-20, 25-20) and (23-25, 17-25, 22- shows a better Montali’s team (3-1: 25- Before Katowice, 25), thanks to its dominance at the net 21, 27-25, 22-25, 25-18), which ends its the last Intercontinental games through its tall middle blockers. A victory Pool with the third place. against Russia in the last weekend isn’t enough and Serbia leaves the second po- Final Standings - After week 7 The sixth weekend celebrates the qualifi- sition to Cuba (0-3: 31-33, 23-25, 12-25) cation of U.S.A. in Pool B: the first victory Matches Points (3-0: 25-22, 25-16, 25-19).