April 2013

President

WATER POLO

• The main Water Polo highlight in April was the Women’s Champions Cup Final

reached its climax. The four best clubs in Europe had already demonstrated their

power in the Quarter Finals in March, and at the moment of truth in Hungary Kinef

Kirishi (RUS) and CN Sabadell (ESP) dispatched ZF Eger (HUN) and Vouliagmeni (GRE)

respectively. The Final saw the Spanish team take the lead in the first two quarters

with the Russians then striking back in the third, but with not enough strength to

turn it around in the end. The Catalan club’s players were then handed the

Champions Cup by LEN President Paolo Barelli, and they have earned the title of

European Club Champion for the second time in three years. Among those in

attendance at this important LEN Event were LEN Treasurer and Hungarian

Swimming Association President Tamas Gyarfas, LEN Bureau Member (and Women’s

Water Polo Liaison) as well as Royal Spanish Swimming Federation President

Fernando Carpena, with LEN Water Polo Manager Marco Birri at hand to supervise

that all runs as smoothly as could be.

• The other Women’s Water Polo Club competition also concluded in April. The LEN

Trophy Final was played in Russia, with the first game in Moscow where Shturm

2002 Ruza delivered a decisive away win against Izmailovo Moscow. The return

game was under control for the team from Ruza, and Shturm lifted the LEN Trophy

for the second time, as they already won it in 2009.

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national teams in two groups of Round 1 of the Qualification Tournament for the

2014 European Water Polo Championship in Budapest (HUN). Eleven teams played

take place in July and November.

Radnicki Kragujevac confirmed their dominion of the competition by again defeating

RN Florentia, with the Serbian team thus achieving its first European title as Euro

Cup Champion. LEN Bureau Member (and Men’s Water Polo Liaison) Aleksandar

Sostar, as well as the LEN Water Polo Manager were both present for the occasion.

• The European Water Polo Champions League Quarter Finals’ first legs were played

have won their place at the great European Water Polo Club celebration that is the

Champions League Final Four and that this year will take us to Belgrade to see two

local teams, Crvena Zvezda Belgrade (SRB) and Partizan Belgrade (SRB) facing the

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the competition CN Atletic Barceloneta (ESP). We look forward to seeing them give

Club Champion.

• And precisely in order to prepare for this great highlight of the season, the LEN

coordinate and help the organizing committee set everything in place. Marco Birri

European Masters Water Polo Championships, for next year’s European Water Polo

Championships, and for the recent Women’s Water Polo Champions Cup Final Four.

MEETINGS

British Swimming CEO David Sparkes, attended a meeting at UK Sport in London

with representatives of the institutions that have come together to present an

impressive bid to host a combined 2016 European Swimming Championships and

European Masters Championships. These institutions are UK Sport, the Greater

London Authority, the Olympic Park Legacy Corporation, London & Partners, and of

course, British Swimming.

MISCELLANEOUS

partnership through the current Olympic cycle. The mutual collaboration and benefit

of the many years of working together have made continuing forward side by side a

natural step in both organizations path ahead. The agreement includes title

sponsorships for LEN’s official partner at the upcoming Arena European Diving

Championships in Rostock (GER) in June, at the Arena European Junior Swimming

Championships in Poznan (POL) in July, and at the Arena European Masters

Championships in Swimming, Diving, Synchro, and Open Water Swimming, in

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Swimming’ project within the framework of the Grundtvig Learning Partnership

Programme of the European Commission met at LEN Office in Luxembourg to plan

the next steps in this stimulating initiative that will, among other things, offer an

informative seminar at the Arena European Masters Championships this summer in

Eindhoven. The project coordinator is Ariella Cuk of Leader Comunicare Interculture,

and project partners include British Swimming, the Royal Dutch Swimming

Federation, and LEN.

• May will be a month of great events with four groups of the Qualification

Tournament for the Men’s European Junior Water Polo Championship in four

different venues, the European Junior Synchronised Swimming Championships in

Poznan (POL), the European Synchronised Swimming Champions Cup in Savona

(ITA), Leg 1 of the 2013 European Open Water Swimming Cup in Bat Yam (ISR), and

last but not least, the European Water Polo Champions League Final Four in

Belgrade (SRB).

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We continue to work for LEN’s bright future and we thank you all for all you do to

support and help European Aquatics achieve its deserved success. We are very

fortunate to have you on board and we look forward to seeing you at the upcoming

LEN Events of 2013.

President