As the ten qualifying events were completed on Monday after five days where Europe’s next golden generation showcased their skills, fighting spirit and potential, the starting field for the final round of the 2013 CEV Youth Volleyball European Championship is finally determined.
As for the boys’ competition that is set to run through April 12-21 in Laktasi (BIH) and Beograd (SRB), the 2011 European champions/organizers of Serbia plus the hosts of Bosnia and Herzegovina are joined by the first and second ranked teams of the various Pools that were played through January 3-7 and namely: Italy and France (from Pool A), Russia and Slovenia (Pool B), Poland and Bulgaria (Pool C), Turkey and Austria (from Pool D) as well as by Belgium and Finland that finished first and second respectively in Pool E. The real surprise of the qualification rounds was provided by Austria’s boys (pictured) who made it through a very demanding group that did include also the likes of Spain and the Netherlands to celebrate their third appearance ever in the final round of the Championship after the previous generations had finished 10th in 2007 and 2009.
As for the girls’ Championship whose final round is scheduled for March 29-April 7 in Bar (MNE) and Kladovo (SRB), the hosting countries – Montenegro and Serbia – plus the 2011 European champions of Turkey are joined by the winners of the five qualification tournaments – i.e. Italy, Germany, Poland, Slovenia and France – plus the four best placed runners-up – Russia, Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Greece – determined following discarding the results of the matches played with the last-ranked teams in those Pools containing six teams.
The Drawing of Lots to assign the 12 participating teams to the two preliminary Pools of the respective final round is set to take place this coming January 18 in Beograd. The top six of the CEV Youth Volleyball European Championship will eventually represent Europe at the 2013 Youth Worlds scheduled for later this summer in Tijuana & Mexicali (Mexico, boys, June 27-July 7) and Nakhon Ratchasima (Thailand, girls, July 5-14).
