The first ever EEVZA U-18 championship kicked off in Yantarny!

A day after the end of the second stage of the Russian national tour in
Kaliningrad region starts next of three scheduled for this week tournaments
- Eastern European Volleyball Zonal Association (EEVZA) championship for
players under 18 years.
It was decided for the first time to hold this youthchampionship, and the
organization was entrusted to the Russian Volleyball Federation. The venue
is the city of Yantarny, located in the Kaliningrad region. Tournament in
Russia will be a main repetition for young athletes before the start of CEV
European championship U-18 in Porto.

Among participants of the competition had accumulated five girls' teams
and six boys' teams. Apart from Russia there are Estonia, Belarus and
Latvia. According to the formula,boys and girls will play one round robin,
then matches for the gold and bronze medals will be held. On July 21 will
be known all the medalists of the first ever Youth EEVZA Championship .

On Tuesday, each team spent two or three matches. To the delight of the
local audience, the leaders after the first games  day were representatives
of Russian team. 100-percent result were able to show Kiriyenko and
Andrianov, as well as girls Narmania-Poltoranina - they also won three
games. Two another couples has also shown not a bad results - boys
Korovka-Zhirkov and women's Sorokina-Dabija. Both teams added to their
score two victories and one defeat. The same results  have Latvians
Pekmanish-Natrinsh. Baltic athletes beat their partners from national team
Buyvids-Andersons, as well as the Estonian team Soo-Järv, loosing only to
the leaders Kiriyenko-Andrianov.

The most interesting match of the day was the battle of Ekaterina Narmania
and Ksenia Poltoranina against the Latvians Tetera-Lece. The Russians lost
the ending the first set with 19:21, and then were able to equalize the
situation, defeating rivals in the second set 21:15 and on a tiebreaker it
was absolutely an equal fight. Young athletes were not coping with nerves
and pressure, but ultimately more successful were girls from the Russian
team - 17:15. Unfortunately, the ending of the game day was marred by
injury of Estonian boy. A pair had to withdraw from the tournament.

- I think it's a good idea - to hold such a tournament - said a
participant of Russian tour stages Ekaterina Narmania. - It will be useful
for us in the run-up to the European Championship U-18. It is a pity that
so few teams have arrived here, but I hope that in future such events will
be more and more popular. I'd like to win, yet the victory in any
tournament is pleasant. Today it was a tough match against Latvia. Great,
that we managed to win it. We will try to show a good result tomorrow.

On Wednesday the championship will be completed with the last round-robin
games and matches for the medals.