Rijeka (CROATIA) will host the men’s Europa Cup Super Final on 5-8 April. The last phase of LEN’s brand new premium water polo competition will feature the best male teams of the world.
LEN is happy to announce that the men’s water polo Europa Cup Super Final will take place in Rijeka, Croatia. President Paolo Barelli welcomed back the Croatian city to the circle of hosts of top-class LEN Events. “We are glad to return to Rijeka, this great city on the Adriatic coast. The LEN Family has plenty of fond memories from the venue, the organisation and the hospitality, as well as the sport-loving Croatian people.”
It’s also a historical occasion since this is going to be the first men’s Super Final in the Europa Cup. Once more, President Barelli highlighted the value of LEN’s new competition for national teams: “The preliminaries have already shown that the Europa Cup is a truly premium water polo event featuring the best teams of the world. In April we’ll see all medal winning teams from the previous years’ Olympic Games, World and European Championships. LEN and its National Federations are committed to lift water polo into a new dimension and the Europa Cup is a fine tool to reach this goal.”
On the 10th anniversary of the inauguration of the wonderful Kantrida Pool, located right on the Adriatic coast, top-level aquatic action will return to the Croatian city which already hosted several high profile LEN Events. A decade ago Rijeka staged the European Short-Course Swimming Championships, right in the next year the Champions League Final Four tournament visited the complex, then in 2011 the European Men’s Junior Water Polo Championships was held there.
The Super Final will produce hotly contested battles as Group A features the Mediterranean ‘super trio’, 2016 Olympic silver medallist Italy, 2015 World Championship bronze medallist Greece, former Olympic and World Champion Spain plus the 9-time Olympic champion, 2017 World silver medallist Hungarian team. Group B clashes might be even more exciting with the three neighbours coming together, host and reigning World Champion Croatia, Olympic and European title-holder Serbia, European silver medallist and Olympic 4th Montenegro plus the surprise Rio qualifier, France.
The first three days of the round robin competition will rather bring the excitements of a knockout phase since there is no semi-finals. Thus, one loss might diminish any team’s chances to make the final as the top ranked sides shall play for the title and the winners’ cheque of €20,000 on Day 4. LEN offers a total sum of almost €150,000 in prize money and travel contribution for the participants of the men’s and women’s competitions.
The women’s Super Final will be held in Pontevedra (ESP) on 22-24 March (one day earlier than originally planned, due to the request of the host broadcaster, see the timed schedule below) – it promises similar thrills as the men’s event.
Men’s Europa Cup Super Final, Rijeka (CRO) – Schedule
Day 1, 5 April (Thursday)
Group A
Hungary v Greece
Italy v Spain
Group B
Serbia v Montenegro
France v Croatia
Day 2, 6 April (Friday)
Group A
Hungary v Italy
Spain v Greece
Group B
Serbia v France
Croatia v Montenegro
Day 3, 7 April (Saturday)
Group A
Hungary v Spain
Italy v Greece
Group B
Serbia v Croatia
France v Montenegro
Day 4, 8 April (Sunday)
Game for places 7-8
Game for places 5-6
Bronze medal game
Europa Cup Final
Exact timing will be available after the approval of Eurovision and the Host Broadcaster.
After the round robin, group winners will play for the trophy, second seeded teams will play for the bronze medal.
Women’s Super Final, Pontevedra (ESP) – Timed schedule
Day 1, 22 March (Thursday)
17.00 Netherlands v Italy
18.45 Hungary v Russia
Day 2, 23 March (Friday)
17.00 Game for places 5-6th
Semi-finals
18.45 NED/ITA v Greece
20.30 HUN/RUS v Spain
Day 3, 24 March (Saturday)
12.00 Bronze medal game
14.00 Europa Cup Final
26 February 2018