http://www.efsc2014.com/a-szocsi-teli-o ... k/?lang=enSochi’s top European medal favourites preparing for Budapest Between 13-19 January 2014 European Figure Skating and Ice Dance Championships will be held in Budapest – already for the seventh time in history (1895, 1909, 1955, 1963, 1984, 2004, 2014).
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The organisers announced at the official Press Conference on 5 December in the Lions Garden Hotel that all European Sochi’s medal favourites will compete in Budapest before the Winter Olympic Game in February. If we see the history of the European Championships after the World War II., the fans in Budapest could be happy, because out of 15 champions 6 Budapest Gold medal winners were able to win the Olympic gold medal on the following Winter Game sas well:
Women: Sjoukje Dijkstra (NED) 1964, Katerina Witt (GDR)1984
Pairs: Elena Valova és Oleg Vasziljev (URS) 1984, Tatjana Totmiania és Maxim Marinin (RUS) 2006
Ice dancing: Jayne Torvill és Christopher Dean (GBR) 1984, Tatjana Navka és Roman Kosztomarov (RUS) 2006
(It is interesting to know, that for men victory in Budapest does not mean luck, because so far no one of them could win at the following Winter Olympic Games also.)
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In September 2006 at the opening of the Syma Hall, during the gala-performance of star skater, Plushenko, maybe nobody thought that 7,5 years later this Hall would be the home of the European Championships.
„It is true, the venue is a challenge for us but the Syma Hall has been the home of several prestigious international sport events so far, skating will debut here in January. The capacity of the Syma is 7000, from 36 countries 180 skaters will arrive to Budapest (final entries are closed on 23 December).
We would like to create a wonderful, memorable championships in the Syma Hall, for the 1200 accredited guests, for the spectators and of course, for the people in front of the televisions, who can enjoy the event all around the world in HD quality. So far more than 10 European TV-staffs announced they were going to broadcast, according to media accreditation, 150 media representatives have accreditated, (the deadline is 11 December). The event’s host broadcaster is the MTVA, which plans 25 hours broadcast of the Europeans. Their works is also not so easy, they will have 15 cameras, and have to focus on the lighting and 1600 lux is necessary for the ice” – explained Mr. Sallak.
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The ice will be produced by the Austrian company, AST, well-known by the ISU. With the cooperation of the technical staff of Városligeti Ice Skating Venue they are going to start to create the venue in the Syma on 3 January.
Organisers also announced that ticketing is open, the 1/3 of the tickets were sold (mainly for foreign fans), tickets can be bought:
www.ticketpro.huWith Balázs Havasi’s masterpiece, ’Storm’, the opening ceremony is also in planning, this will be full with skating history, modern show elements etc. and of course, starring with Júlia Sebestyén, European Champions, 2004.
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