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European Youth qualifiers opened tomorrow - "death groups" in Skopje and Paphos

Due to a record entry of 32 teams, the independence of Montenegro and pretty surprising results at the 2005 Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria we will see some of the toughest Qualification Tournaments ever in the history of Men`s European Youth Championships. The matches of all four groups will start tomorrow in Kranj (Slovenia), Gorzow (Poland), Skopje (Macedonia) und Paphos (Cyprus).   Due to the high number of entries four instead of three groups were made up this time. So in the Groups A, B and C the top two will qualify for the 2007 European Championships to be held in Gzira, Malta, in Group D only the group winner. So the matches of Group C will see a real death group as Russia and a strong Turkish team will face newcomer Montenegro.   In the matches of Group D to be held with only five teams in Cyprus one big waterpolo nation, Greece or Germany, will be knocked out, as only the group winner will gain a Malta berth. Both teams had pretty bad results at the 2005 European Championships, Sofia, but the respective level of the four groups is extremely different this time nevertheless.     Since the draws the situation has dramatically worsened for the participants of these events. Due the new age groups, which has been decided the FINA on the occasion of the 2007 World Championships in Melbourne, Australia, and will come in effect at the beginning of the new year, the international career for players of the age groups 1989 and 1990 will be over in 2007 and can only be continued at senior level.      2007 Men`s European Youth Championships   Qualification Tournament draws   Group A in Kranj, Slovenia France Slovenia Portugal Austria Great Britain Belgium   Group B in Gorzow, Poland Belarus Poland Ukraine Lithuania Ireland Sweden   Group C in Skopje, Macedonia Russia Bulgaria Montenegro Czech Republic Turkey Macedonia   Group D in Paphos, Cyprus Greece Germany Israel Cyprus Switzerland

 

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