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Bulgaria men & Poland women claim last of European Final Round tickets

Varna, Bulgaria, August 21, 2005 – Two intense final day encounters saw the Bulgarian men’s team and the Polish women’s side both claim a 2006 World Championships Final Round ticket after they won their deciding matches against Portugal and Bulgaria in their respective European play off tournaments which are being held in the Bulgarian seaside city of Varna.

In the men’s tournament, which consists of the Ukraine, Portugal, the Netherlands and the hosts, Bulgaria beat Portugal 3-0 (25-22, 25-21, 25-19) in a fully packed hall, in the presence of Bulgarian President Georgi Parvanov and former parliamentary speaker Ognyan Gerdzhikov, to record their third straight win from as many matches.

As the only unbeaten side and winner’s of the tournament, Bulgaria claimed the only Final Round spot on offer while Portugal finished second with a 2-1 win-loss record, followed by the Netherlands, who beat the Ukraine 3-1 (25-18, 25-21, 24-26, 25-20) on Sunday for their first win of the tournament, and the Ukraine.

In the women’s playoff, where Bulgaria, the Ukraine and Poland also played for one place in the Final Round, Poland beat Bulgaria in a five-set classic 3-2 (17-25, 16-25, 25-15, 25-20, 15-12) after both sides entered the match as the only two unbeaten teams.

Bulgaria finished second with a 1-1 win-loss record with the Ukraine third having failed to win a match.

All nine European men’s vacancies and seven European women’s vacancies in the 2006 World Championships Final Round have now been filled with Russia, Poland, Greece, Serbia & Montenegro, France, Czech Republic, Germany and Italy having already been confirmed in the men’s draw and Germany, Serbia & Montenegro, Azerbaijan, Russia, The Netherlands and Turkey already booked in the women’s competition.