Finland's players are competing in the Czech Republic
Lausanne, Switzerland, May 25, 2017 – Finland will take the next step in their Italy-Bulgaria 2018, FIVB Volleyball World Championship dream when they travel to the Czech Republic for the second round of European Qualification.
Tuomas Sammelvuo’s team will face the host nation, Northern Ireland, Sweden, Spain and Cyprus from May 23-28 in Karlovy Vardy. The team that finishes top qualifies for the World Championship, while the second place teams qualify for the third and final qualification tournament that will take place in July.
Finland have qualified for the World Championships seven times, including Poland 2014, the most recent edition.
“Of course we want to get the best from this tournament and a place in the 2018 World Championship finals,” Sammelvuo said. “We want to be the team that made the best possible preparation and when we play, we will have a feeling that we deserve our place there.
“We won’t underestimate anyone. We are not that sort of team and we would never let that happen.”
The Qualification Tournament marks the start of a busy period for Finland. A week after the Qualifiers they begin their 2017 FIVB World League Group 2 campaign in Seoul where they face Korea, Slovenia and the Czech Republic.
Later in the summer they will compete in the CEV European Championship where they start against host nation Poland, Serbia and Estonia in Gdansk.
“We have big roster and we do everything to build our game and energy until the last game of this tournament,” Sammelvuo said.
For more information on the European World Championship Qualifiers, head
here.
Finland Squad
Setters: Eemi Tervaportti, Mikko Esko
Middle blockers: Tommi Siirila, Sauli Sinkkonen, Markus Kaurto, Miki Jauhiainen
Outside hitters: Antti Siltalla, Niklas Seppanen, Elviss Krastins, Jan Helenius
Opposite hitters: Olli-Pekka Ojansivu, Urpo Sivula, Antti Ropponen
Liberos: Lauri Kerminen, Eetu Pennanen