Sliema ASC will be participating in the LEN Challenger Cup today as waterpolo champions. In their first encounter, they will be facing off against ASA Tel Aviv at 1945CET. Earlier, Carouge Nation from Switzerland will be playing against Club Fluvial Portuense from Portugal.
Tomorrow, Sliema ASC Frank Salt Real Estate will be playing against the Portuguese side at 1945 whilst on Sunday they will face the Swiss at 1100CET. All matches will be played at the National Pool.
LEN Challenger Cup: exciting steps forward for local waterpolo
In an exciting step forward for Maltese water polo, three local clubs–Sliema ASC, Sirens ASC, and Sliema ASC Women–are set to represent the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta in this year’s LEN Challenger Cup. With tournament draws confirmed at the LEN Aquatics Office, Maltese clubs are now primed to make their mark on European waters in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
Traditionally, Malta’s national team competed under the name Valletta in past LEN Challenger Cup tournaments. Last year, they reached an impressive milestone by advancing to the quarter-finals, only to fall to Turkey’s powerhouse, Galatasaray. This year, however, sees a shift to club representation, demonstrating a renewed ambition among Malta’s clubs to face top-level European opposition.
ASA president Karl Izzo expressed his enthusiasm for the clubs’ participation, stating, “Having three teams in the LEN competition is a great achievement for Malta. This exposure to European competition is vital for growth, and I believe we’ll see even more teams representing Malta in the Challenger Cup, Europa Cup, and eventually the Champions League.”
Challenger’s Cup mens competition this weekend, women’s next week
The action will kick off in Malta, with the ASA hosting three qualification groups. Between November 1 and 3, reigning men’s champions Sliema ASC will host their group, facing off against Switzerland’s Carouge Natation, Israel’s ASA Tel Aviv, and Portugal’s Clube Fluvial Portuense. The National Pool will also welcome Group A, which includes Portuguese side Vitoria Sport Clube, Finland’s Cetus Espoo, the Netherlands’ GZC Donk, and Welsh Wanderers.
In the women’s competition, scheduled for November 7-10, Malta champions Sirens ASC will go up against Montenegrin team ASC Jadran, Germany’s Blau-weib Bochum, and Israel’s Hapoel Emek Hayarden on home soil. Meanwhile, Sliema ASC Women will head to Serbia to face hosts Vojvodina, Turkey’s Izmir BSB, and City of Manchester from England.
With an increased presence on the European stage, Malta’s water polo clubs are setting new standards and aiming to raise the profile of the sport locally and internationally.
Sports Editor
Veteran Journalist
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