The 2017 ITTF European Championships Qualification Draw was conducted in Luxembourg today
European champions from Ekaterinburg team of Austria will start their journey in the qualifications toward 2017 ITTF European Championships against Hungary and Denmark. After the 2017 ITTF European Championships Qualification Draw was conducted in Luxembourg today reigning champions in Women’s Team’s Event team of Germany will play against Slovenia and England.
Austrian team rewrote the history books in Russia taking for the very first time the title in Men’s Teams Event at Old Continent. In the final of the 2015 LIEBHERR ITTF European Championships Robert GARDOS Stefan FEGERL and Daniel HABESOHN beat Germany 3:2 hence they must be considered as clear favourites in their qualifying group.
“The draw is very hard with Denmark and Hungary we have very strong teams in our Group. However we are European champions and we have to accept the challenge ” stated Robert GARDOS.
His teammate Stefan FEGEREL added:”The draw is very hard for us. Denmark and Hungary are good Teams with also strong and dangerous players. It will not be easy but our goal is first place in the Group.”
The nation that holds position no. two at the seeding Germany will play against Serbia and Switzerland. DTTB Sports Director Richard PRAUSE did not want to underestimate the future adversaries.
“We shall not underestimate Serbia. The team has three equally strong players. After recovering from the injury Aleksandar KARAKASEVIC is back to his old shape. Against Serbia we have to be much focused.”
Switzerland has worked hard year after year. The team currently occupies position no. 42 of the ITTF World Team Ranking. Young hope is the 19-year-old European-Games participant of 2014 Elia SCHMID. “With a good junior-high performance sports concept the Swiss try and bring their young players to a higher level. This has already worked out in some areas ” says PRAUSE.
France Italy and Finland are in the Group C. In Group D are: Belarus Croatia and Israel. In Group E are: Sweden Slovakia Estonia. In Group F: Portugal Ukraine Lithuania. In Group G are: Greece England Netherlands. In Group H: Poland Belgium Slovenia. In Group I are: Russia Spain Bulgaria. In Group J: Czech Republic Romania Turkey.
In top Group in Women’s Team Championships Division Germany will meet Slovenia and England.
“Of course we are favorites against both teams ” says German women’s national coach Jie SCHÖPP who will probably compete in the European Championship Qualification event with a mix of established and young players on her team. “We have not played against Slovenia and England for quite a while. We will observe their players in the following months so that we are not blindsided in the qualification matches. One thing is for sure: We will not underestimate them”.
Further in group B are: Romania Netherlands Greece. In group C are: Russia Belarus and Bulgaria. In Group D: Ukraine Croatia and Finland. In Group E: Poland Spain Switzerland. In Group F: Austria Luxembourg Kosovo. In Group G: Czech Republic Serbia and Lithuania. In Group H: Portugal Turkey Azerbaijan. In Group I: France Slovakia Italy. In Group J: Hungary Sweden Belgium.
The Group stage starts on September 27th 2016 with clashes between teams on position one and three. The duel between second vs. first team in the group will be played on November 1st. On November 22nd the third team will meet the second and on December 13th third will play against first.
You can see the laola video on demand here
Draw documents here
