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Zurich, Switzerland, May 5, 2015 – It’s been raining, damp and
miserable in Switzerland for the past few days, but nothing’s
dampening the volleyball spirit inside the Saalsporthalle in
Zurich’s Wiedikon district, were the 2015 FIVB Volleyball
Women’s Club World Championship begins tomorrow afternoon.
Everyone agrees this is going to be a tough competition and
spectators will be treated to some incredible action. “The level
this year is very happy,” said head coach of Rexona-AdeS Rio de
Janeiro, Bernardinho. “All the teams here are very strong and
tall,” added Kumi Nakada, head coach of Hisamitsu Springs of
Kobe.
And the chairman of the Organising Committee, Stav Jacobi,
summed it up pretty accurately at the pre-competition Press
Conference: “We are very happy that this year’s edition has been
described as the strongest in the history of the competition.”
First up tomorrow are the freshly crowned European Champions of
Eczacibasi Istanbul, who meet Japan’s Hisamitsu Springs at 17:30
local time (15:30 GMT), at the cosy venue right by the banks of
the river Sihl, for Pool B.
The Turkish side are making their first ever appearance in the
competition, but are burdened by the legacy of their
gold-winning Istanbul predecessors: Fenerbahce, who won the
trophy in 2010 at Doha; and VakifBank, who struck gold right
here in the same hall in 2013.
Hisamitsu Springs, on the other hand, are making their return to
the Saalsporthalle, following their appearance here last year.
The reigning Asian club champions failed to make it past pool
play on that occasion, so they’re raring to give it another go.
Attention will not be just on which teams wins, though. All eyes
will be focused on Eczacibasi’s middle blocker, Christiane
Fuerst of Germany, who embarks on a quest for a record third
gold medal. The winner of the Fair Play Award at the recent CEV
Denizbank European Champions League final had been on the roster
of the other two Istanbul sides that held the cup aloft in 2010
and 2013—and she’s now back for more.
Russia's Dinamo Krasnodar, winners of this year's CEV Cup
completes Pool B.
An even huger match comes up at 20:00 local (18:00 GMT), when
hosts Volero Zurich take on Mirador of Santo Domingo. Both teams
have been twice before to the semis. And both teams have failed
to medal each time.
Volero lost the bronze medal matches in 2013 to Evergrande of
Guangdong and in 2014 to SESI of Sao Paulo. Mirador lost the
third-place playoff in 2010 to Foppapedretti of Bergamo and in
2011 to Sollys Nestle of Osasco.
With reigning Brazilian and South American champions Rexona-AdeS
rounding up the pool, losing tomorrow is not an option for
either Volero or Mirador. |
