Pre-season tournament “Latvian Open 2020”
The traditional pre-season test floorball floor “Latvian Open 2020”, which took place for the fourteenth time at the end of August in Valmiera and Kocēni, ended on Sunday. The winners of the men’s Elite group won the title “FBK Valmiera” for the second time in a row, the women’s Elite group champion trophy was won by Kocēni “Rubene” after a three-year break, but the strongest in the men’s Open category turned out to be guests from Kurzeme – “FK Kuldīga”. This year’s tournament brought together 25 teams, among which for the first time there was no foreign unit due to travel and quarantine restrictions in the world.
Eight members of the Men’s Elite team group applied. The winner was “FBK Valmiera”, which beat the Latvian champion “Lielvārde / FatPipe” 3: 0 in the final match. The third place was won by Kocēni team “Rubene”.
The symbolic team of the men’s Elite category included: goalkeeper Reinis Kirilko (“Lielvārde / FatPipe”), defenders Ritvars Bērziņš (“Rubene”) and Lauris Alvis Stiprais (“FBK Valmiera”), attackers Niks Blumfelds (“Lielvārde / FatPipe”), Pāvels Semjonov (“FBK Valmiera”) and Ingars Matisons (“Rubene”).
Six units competed in the Women’s Elite group. The main prize went to the floorball players of Kocēni “Rubene”, who defeated “FK Ķekava” 2: 1 in the principal final game, but the third place was won by the combined “Ķekavas Bulldogs / NND” team.
The symbolic selection of the Women’s Elite category included: goalkeeper Sintija Bāliņa (“Rubene”), guards Viktorija Kuročkina (“FK Ķekava”) and Samanta Bērziņa (“Rubene”), attackers Anna Ankudinova (“Ķekava Bulldogs / NND”), Simona Grāpēna ( “Rubene”) and Aurēlija Zariņa (“FK Ķekava”).
11 teams started in the men’s Open category. The final of this group, where Ogre’s “FK Metēji” and “FK Kuldīga” met, was full of dramatic changes. The champion was determined only in the series of post-match throws, in which the people of Kurzeme were superior, celebrating the victory in the game with 5: 4. The honorable third place was won by the representatives of “FK Kalsnava”.
The men’s Open category symbolic team included: goalkeeper Valdis Ezeriņš (“FK Kalsnava”), defenders Andis Blinds (“FK Kuldīga”) and Jānis Hartiks (“FK Tērvete”), forwards Edgars Gailums (“FK Kalsnava”), Rūdolfs Ķīvītis ( “FK Kuldīga”) and Kristers Januševskis (“FK Throwers”).
Within the framework of the tournament, several educational events will take place, in which recognized foreign and local specialists gave lectures – a seminar for coaches, a seminar for floorball judges and a seminar “Communication of sports clubs on social networks”. Thomas Anderson, an international judge from Sweden, gave an online lecture at the judges’ seminar. The communication seminar was led by Olga Kazaka, Doctor of Science.
The time of the 15th anniversary tournament planned for next year – “Latvian Open 2021” will take place from 18 to 22 August has already become known.
The Latvian Open is a summer elite tournament recognized by the International Floorball Federation (IFF). The tournament was organized by the association “Latvian Floorball Union” and the association “Floorball Center” in cooperation with Valmiera City Municipality, Kocēni Municipality and Vidzeme Olympic Center.
Game results, statistics and photos: www.latvianopen.com
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