Casablanca Hosts Third FIVB Satellite Stop

Italians will be seeking their third-straight gold medal finish in Casablanca after capturing the first two Moroccan satellite events in 2004 and 2005.  Italian men captured four of the 15 FIVB Challenger/Satellite stops in 2005, including a Casablanca gold medal for Diego Nota and Giorgio Domenghini.  Eugenio Amore and Riccardo Fenili won three Challenger/Satellite stops for Italy in 2005.  Casablanca is a city in western Morocco, located on the Atlantic Ocean.  With a population of 2.95 million and with a developing tourism industry, Casablanca is Morocco's biggest city; also it is the chief port, and is thus considered the economic capital, although Morocco's official capital and seat of government is Rabat.  The area which is today Casablanca was settled by Berbers by at least the seventh century.  In the 19th century, the area's population began to grow as Casablanca became a major supplier of wool to the booming textile industry in Britain and shipping traffic increased (the British, in return, began importing Morocco's now famous national drink, gunpowder tea).  Casablanca was an important strategic port during World War II and hosted the Anglo-American Summit in 1943.  Morocco gained independence from France on 2nd March 1956.  In 1958, Casablanca hosted a round of the Formula One world championship at the Ain-Diab circuit. In 1983, Casablanca hosted the Mediterranean Games.

Year - Casablanca gold medal, Casablanca silver medal, Casablanca bronze medal

2004 - Paolo Ficosecco/Giorgio Domenghini, Italy / Magne Kobbevik/Bjorn Ingeborgrud, Norway / Ihsane / Boukhare/Karim Ourhdach, Morocco

2005 - Diego Nota/Giorgio Domenghini, Italy / David Wenger/Philip Gabathuler, Switzerland / Damien Quoirin/Gregory Gagliano, France