GB KICK STARTS EURO TITLE DEFENCE CAMPAIGN
Date:
23 March 2008
Press
contact: Andrew St Ledger 07779 322630 andrew.stledger@tagb.org.uk
Great
Britain today began training to defend its European tchoukball title. Training
for the 2008 European Tchoukball Championships kicked off for the men’s,
women’s and U18 squads in Liphook, Hampshire.
Great
Britain won gold in the men’s and U18 championships in 2006 whilst taking a
hard-fought silver in the women’s competition. All three teams are aiming to
top the leader board when they travel to Ústí nad Labem in the Czech Republic
in July 2008.
The
squads will take on opposition from France, Italy, Austria, Poland, Romania, the
Czech Republic and close rivals Switzerland.
There
is an additional incentive to do well in the competition this year as the top
teams automatically qualify for the 2009 World Games in Taiwan - the first time
tchoukball has been part of this high-profile international sports event.
All
three squads have new and experienced senior coaches taking the reins.
The
GB coaching staff are:
Clifford
Jenner - Men’s squad
Robert
Starkings - Women’s squad
John
Tubby - U18 squad
Hoping
to coach the women’s squad to the same gold medal status as their male and U18
counterparts, Robert Starkings said:
“GB
tchoukball has always been played with an ‘every point matters’ attitude.
Fitness and strength are key to winning a dynamic sport like tchoukball. We are
working on increasing the versatility of our squads and their belief that they
can win.
“We
have some excellent new and more experienced squad members this year and will be
looking to bring home all three trophies.”
Great
Britain squad training sessions in advance of the 2008 championships are as
follows:
23/03/08
- Bohunt School, Liphook
06/04/08
- Bohunt School, Liphook
13/04/08 - Flegg High School, Martham
04/05/08 - Sudbury Sports Centre, Suffolk
25/05/08 - Bohunt School, Liphook
22/06/08 - Flegg High School, Martham
29/06/08 - Bohunt School, Liphook
Notes
to editors
1)
Tchoukball, a cross between handball and volleyball, is a fast-paced team sport
that can be played all year round - indoors, on grass or on the beach. Teams
compete against each other by rebounding the ball off a tightly-sprung trampette
at either end of the court. Defenders try to catch the ball before it hits the
floor and if they don't, a point is scored. What makes Tchoukball truly unique
is that both sides can score at either end of the court. Tchoukball is
non-contact and there is no interception.
2)
The 2008 European Tchoukball Championships will be held in Ústí nad Labem
(90km North of Prague) in the Czech Republic from Thursday 10 July – Sunday 13
July 2008. The top teams from the competition will automatically qualify for the
2009 World Games in Taiwan. The European Tchoukball Championships is an
International Tchoukball Federation (FITB) hosted event.
3)
Photographs attached:
a)
Great Britain squad 2006
b)
2006 trophies – 2 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze
4) For more information about the 2009 World Games, visit http://www.worldgames2009.tw/english/index.asp
Pictures:
