Rabita BAKU - Early Champion! Fifth title in a row! Felicia Lokomotiv !

The second day of the Baku Final Four of the Azerbaijani Super league clearified only the name of the champion and put into disorder the ranking for the rest of the teams.
The first match between Lokomotiv and Azerrail was the 7th match of these teams against each other in this season. Two of these matches were the finals of the Challenge Cup where Azerrail defeated the rivals and became the champion. But the rest three matches were also finished with the success of Azerrail.
So,yesterday`s match was the last chance for Loko girls to take revenge and keep their chance not only for the medals but even for silver medals of the Super league. Lokomotiv bravely fought against their rivals and gained a very important victory and showed its ambitions to the medals. Azerbaijani National team member,middle blocker Kseniya Kovalenko- Poznyak was the best player of the match scoring 13 points ( 8 attacks 89% and 5 blocks) showing great performance especially at the most important moments.
This victory also deprived Azerrail of the title hope.
So, after this vicotry of Lokomotiv Rabita became an early Champion of the Azerbaijani Superleague season 2010/11. This is the fifth title of Rabita Baku in a row.
The second match lost its meaning for Rabita but not for Igtisadchi Baku, on the contrary it extended Igtisadchi`s motivation and chances for Silver medals. Rabita played with main squad trying to celebrate the championship title with a victory,but Igtisadchi`s girls did not let them do that. After quite interesting match Igtisadchi defeated Rabita in four sets. Japanese libero Yuko Sano showed something unbelievable on the court making the match very interesting with her amazing digs and was the best player of the macth for the second time in the Finals.

6 May

16.00. “Azərreyl” - “Lokomotiv” – 2:3 (18:25; 25:20, 20:25, 25:18; 13:15)

Final Round results

“Lokomotiv” – “Azərreyl” - 1:3 (25:18, 19:25, 21:25; 15:25)
“Azərreyl” - “Lokomotiv” – 3:0 (25:16; 25:22; 25:20)

Regular season results

“Azərreyl” – “Lokomotiv” – 3:0 (28:26, 25:13, 27:25)
“Lokomotiv” - “Azərreyl” - 0:3 (13:25, 12:25, 22:25)

MVP: Kseniya Kovalenko- Poznyak

Statistics:

18.30. “Rabitə” – “İqtisadçı” - 1:3 (25:19, 26:28, 17:25, 23:25)

Final Round results

“Rabitə” – “İqtisadçı” - 3:1 (25:19, 25:16, 22:25, 25:18)
“İqtisadçı” - “Rabitə” – 2:3 (25:27, 25:18, 25:20, 22:25, 16:18)

Regular season results

“İqtisadçı” – “Rabitə” - 0:3 (14:25, 27:29, 19:25)
“Rabitə” - “İqtisadçı” - 0:3 (24:26, 23:25, 22:25)

MVP: Yuko Sano

Rabitə	8	6	2	21-13	14
Azərreyl	8	4	4	18-15	12
İqtisadçı	8	3	5	16-18	11
Lokomotiv	8	3	5	12-21	11

Rabita wins, Azerrail follows

The first day of the last Final Four of Azeri Super league took place in Baku Sport Palace with the match Lokomotiv - Rabita.

Rabita needed to win this match to keep its superiority as losing the following matches can change all the ranking list. Lokomotiv started match showing its ambitions to win the match leading 7 points in the first set but Rabita with excellent Mammadova and Golubovic broke this serie and won the first two sets. But in the third set Lokomotiv fought till the end and pinched the set. Natalya Mammadova got an injury during the third set but played the set till the end scoring 20 points. Olga Ativi replaced her in the fourth set where Rabita outclassed Lokomotiv.

The central match of the tour between Azerrail and Igtisadchi Baku was also very important for both teams. As winning this match Azerrail could hope to think about title again,so Polina Rahimova & Co defeated Igtisadchi that still keeps chances to be the second of the Super league raking.

5 may

16.00. “Rabitə” – “Lokomotiv” - 3:1 (25:23; 25:14; 22:25; 25:15)

Statistics : http://sbvolley.ru/files/docs/2011/2011-aze-final-07-01.pdf

MVP: Natalya Mammadova

Regular season matches results

“Rabitə” - “Lokomotiv” - 2:3 (25:23, 25:21, 21:25, 18:25, 12:15)
“Lokomotiv” - “Rabitə” - 1:3 (14:25, 25:13, 17:25, 25:27)

Final Round matches results

“Rabitə” – “Lokomotiv” - 2:3 (25:22; 25:16; 21:25; 22:25; 17:19)

“Lokomotiv” - “Rabitə” - 0:3 (21:25, 16:25, 24:26)

18.30. “İqtisadçı” – “Azərreyl” - 1:3 (23:25, 25:22,17:25, 21:25)

Statistics : http://sbvolley.ru/files/docs/2011/2011-aze-final-07-02.pdf

MVP: Polina Rahimova

Regular season matches results

“İqtisadçı” - “Azərreyl” - 2:3 (25:27, 14:25, 25:22, 26:24, 12:15) “Azərreyl” - “İqtisadçı”- 2:3 (23:25, 25:17, 27:25, 18:25, 12:15)

Final Round matches results

“İqtisadçı” – “Azərreyl” - 1:3 (18:25; 25:22; 19:25; 22:25) “Azərreyl” - “İqtisadçı” - 1:3 (14:25, 25:20, 18:25; 21:25)

Rabitə	7	6	1	20-10	13
Azərreyl	7	4	3	16-12	11
İqtisadçı	7	2	5	13-17	9
Lokomotiv	7	2	5	9-19	9

Thanks to Artem Borisenko from Rabita for statistics

Minister Ali Abbasov receives Rabita Baku

The Minister of Information and Technology Ali Abbasov received the team Rabita Baku.

Ali Abbasov congratualted his team Rabita with great performance both in European and in the local arena. He called Rabita`s Champions League Silver medal as the greatest achievement of Azeri club volleyball and also spoke about the joy Rabita presented to all the Azeri volleyball lovers and falk.

The Minister also talked about the State President Ilham Aliyev`s attention and care to all Azerbaijani sport, including volleyball that the President of the country loves so much.

At the end of the visit Ali Abbasov wished luck and new victories to his team and showed his satisfaction with the team`s performance.

Italian Eleonora Lo Bianco and Antonella del Core come to Russian Fakel

Italian Setter Eleonora Lo Bianco and Attacker Antonella Del Core in May can sign contracts with Russian clubs. Two stars of the National Team Italy won in composition in two European Championships, World Cup champion, and with Foppapedretti from Bergamo, two Champions League (2009/10 and 2006/07) are in talks with two clubs of Super League.

At Del Core, according to the SE, claiming Dinamo Kazan and Fakel. In the New Urengoy want to create an Italian couple, signed best receiving League Champion-2009/10 and best setter League champion-2009/10 and 2006/07, Euro 2009 and 2005, Grand Prix -2006. Lo Bianco is a key player in one of the Italian team.

Del Core this season playing in Turkey, becoming the owner of the Cup of the country with Eczachibashi, and in Italy until her departure in Istanbul acted for the best clubs Series A – Foppapedretti, Scavolini and Perugia.

Fakel not included in this year’s playoffs, wants to get a place in European competition, replacing the Challenge Cup, Zarechie Odintsovo, won the right to sports principles. In the New Urengoy retained the leader Daria Pisarenko to renew the contract with the club. Fakel in the new season going to fight for the medals and the sponsor are willing to expand the budget. Team in the summer should move from Moscow, where she lived during the season, in Moscow, while making its training base CSKA.

Source: russiavolley.com and vertexvolley.com

Schedule of the last Final Four in Baku.

The last Final Four round of the Azerbaijani Super league 2010/11 season takes place in Baku Sport Palace in 5-7 May.

After two played Final Four tournaments in Mingachevir and Masally cities Rabita leads the ranking with 11 points. Azerrail has 9 points while Igtisadchi and Lokomotiv sharing the third and fourth places with 8 points. Rabita is very close to the third Champion title in a row, but any of these teams can change the final raking and will fight till the last breath to win as high colibre of medal as possible. After this tournament everything can change,so there will be very interesting matches in Baku.

The matches will be broadcatsed by "Idman Azerbaycan TV" LIVE as always.

The link to watch all the matches online: http://www.yildiz.tv/?act=dvr&chan=idmanaz

5 may

16.00. “Rabitə” – “Lokomotiv”

18.30. “İqtisadçı” – “Azərreyl”

6 may

16.00. “Lokomotiv” – “Azərreyl”

18.30. “Rabitə” – “İqtisadçı”

7 may

14.00. “İqtisadçı” – “Lokomotiv”

16.30. “Azərreyl” – “Rabitə”

Rabitə	6	5	1	17-9	11
Azərreyl	6	3	3	13-11	9
İqtisadçı	6	2	4	12-14	8
Lokomotiv	6	2	4	8-16	8

Young President governs Turkish Federation in combination with Children Festival

27.04.2011

Ankara, Turkey, April 27, 2011. As the week of “national sovereignty” is being celebrated in Turkey, this festivity is being accompanied by the so-called Children Festival whereby all public authorities are “ceding” their seats to some young kids also to openly demonstrate their hope for a bright future of this country. Mr. Erol Ünal Karabiyik, President of the Turkish Volleyball Federation, was also briefly “replaced” by a 5-year young pupil, Baris Eskigülek, who has been totally fond of Volleyball already since a couple of years.

This young boy stunned all officials with his deep knowledge of the sport. He said: “Your facilities are cool” after being briefed by Mr. Karabiyik about the current state and the plans for the future. Baris added that sports lessons are his favorite classes and he personally asked Mr. Karabiyik to help for the inclusion of Volleyball in his educational program.
The young “President” also submitted his demand to work out a special website specifically conceived for young kids interested in Volleyball where a cartoon shall be placed to make them familiar with the sport. “In the sports hall there should be a separate tribune for families that are coming to watch the games along with their children. Kids shall get some presents and bad words are to be completely prohibited in all Volleyball competitions” he stressed. Baris asked Mr. Karabiyik to send as often as possible the members of the national teams to the primary schools, in order to attract many pupils to Volleyball. His last, but not least, request was the provision of Volleyball equipment for the handicapped children attending the “Atasehir” Lions School.

Interview with Logan Tom

Do you have any goals that you want to accomplish still? Like the Olympic gold medal?
Tom: No. I’m happy with where I am and what I am doing right now. Obviously, it would be nice to have it (the Olympic gold medal). But I don’t know what I will do with the national team right now. Everything is up in the air.

Have you lost some of your passion for the game after playing for so many years?
Tom: Everyone has different stages of passion. You cannot maintain that early feeling after doing it for a long time. When you get older, you change with time.

You are determined and even aggressive on the court. But off the court you hang around to shake hands with your opponents and have pictures taken with fans for as long as they want. There seems to be a contrast there?
Tom: The players are worth a lot of respect. When you are on the court, you try as hard as you can to win. But when it’s finished, it’s finished. I just think it’s a good ending that way. For the fans, they support me a lot. They cheer for me and they cheer for my team. That’s the best I can do. People just judge the players by how they react on the court. Of course, during the match I always try my best, I don’t like losing and that’s why I may appear aggressive.

Your grandfather was from China and you won the silver medal at the Beijing Olympics, fans here like you very much. How do you like the connection to China?
Tom: I have to say that before the Beijing Olympics we hadn’t spent much time in China. We had Chinese food growing up. I’ve been here pretty much for volleyball and, like I said, I enjoy staying here. It is a very fast-growing country. People work very hard here. It’s an upcoming country.

What do you do in your leisure time?
Tom: Play cards, lots of reading. I bought a guitar but have never really played it. When I am home I like to go on road trips.

Source: vertexvolley.com

Polina Rahimova: One-legged attack from back-row