Strong teams in 11th Hubert Wagner Memorial

In Polish Olympic Center official agreement for organizing 11th Hubert Wagner Memorial was signed. Tournament will take place in Orlen Arena Plock, in term 6th – 8th September with four teams: Poland, Germany, Netherlands and Russia. Agreement was signed between city president Mr. Andrzej Nowakowski and director of Memorial – Mr. Jerzy Mroz.

In Polish Olympic Center official agreement for organizing 11^th Hubert Wagner Memorial was signed. Tournament will take place in Orlen Arena Plock, in term 6^th – 8^th September with four teams: Poland, Germany, Netherlands and Russia. Agreement was signed between city president Mr. Andrzej Nowakowski and director of Memorial – Mr. Jerzy Mroz.

-Plock is very important city on sports map of Poland. Orlen Arena hosts Polish Handball league matches as well as international handball events. Now it’s time to promote volleyball. Besides here was played World League matches between Poland and Puerto Rico, during which the audience was filled to capacity. Hall in Plock is great and city is beautiful and charming. I’m convinced that Memorial will be very important sport event. For the teams it will be the last test before 2013 CEV VELUX Volleyball European Championship played in Poland and Denmark in term 20^th – 29^th September. – said Jerzy Mroz.

He underlined that the great support and assistance in organizing the Memorial of years provides Polish Volleyball Federation and its President Miroslaw Przedpelski.

- I am very pleased that Memorial has become such an important event in the volleyball calendar. Plock is the perfect place to host such an important event. Here, has its headquarters main sponsor of Federation PKN Orlen. I have no doubt that our team will show in competition with strong teams great form - said the president of the Polish Volleyball Federation Miroslaw Przedpełski.

President of Plock, Andrzej Nowakowski was very glad that the city will host such an excellent teams. We have new hall in Plock, people are hospitable and open to the world. We invite all fans. For sure we will see great show – said Andrzej Nowakowski.

Polish national team coach Andrea Anastasi clearly remembers Orlen Plock Arena. - We played here matches against Puerto Rico. The fans created a great atmosphere. I am delighted that once again we have a chance to play in such a beautiful hall. In the Memorial we will see the leading teams in Europe. It will be a foretaste of the excitement before the continental championship - said the Polish coach.

The first Memorial was played in 2003. For ten years the struggle of volleyball players in the tournament seen live more than 140,000 fans, an average of about 14 thousands in each contest. Attendance record was set in 2009 in Łódź and in 2011 in Katowice, where the final match watched over 11,000 people.

The previous winners of Hubert Wagner Memorial: 2003 The Netherlands, 2004 Russia, 2005 The Netherlands, 2006 Poland, 2007 Germany, 2008 Poland, 2009 Poland, 2010 Brazil, 2011 Italy, 2012 Poland.

In the event took part in a total of 24 teams from five continents. Only two teams that are currently ranked in the top fifteen of the FIVB has not played in the Memorial. These are the USA (5) and France (15).

Hubert Wagner Memorial is dedicated to the memory of the best in the history of Polish volleyball coach. Under his guidance, white - reds reached the greatest successes. In 1974 won the world championship, and two years later, Olympic gold.