The first big news today was that team Krk, the current Croatian winner, couldn´t make it to the Vir – to the Croatian final (health problems). So everything changed in the blink of the eye. Other teams received a gift – an open way to win the final and to become a team who will represent Croatia in international semi-final. Two teams were much better than others from the beginning and in the end the luckiest were team Ploče, Plina Istočna, while the second placed Šibenik, Šubićevac, which brought many spectators from Šibenik, were totally happy about their result, because all they wanted tonight was having fun. The bronze went to the team which successfully replaced Krk – Karlobag, Cesarica.
Even Karlobag had great support, despite they were informed only few hours before the final to compete in Vir. It was six games that was played in the final – flying water polo, sea alka, tourist rescuing, prosciutto, sea basket and paddle.
In flying water polo the result was very tight between all teams. 10 points took Ploče for the result of 194 points, 8 points deserved Karlobag – 174 points, while 6 points won Šibenik (Šubićevac). It was again very tight in sea alka, where Ploče again took 10 points (10), Šibenik (Šubićevac) 8 points (7), while the third place was shared between three teams – Vir, Šibenik (A je to) and Karlobag (4). Šibenik (Šubićevac) then rescued their tourists the fastest and got close to the leading team, while Karlobag was still close enough to both of the leading teams to come to the top.
Very interesting was prosciutto, where five teams came within two and a half seconds. The luckiest in this game of milliseconds were the borrowed player that competed for Ploče, but his victory was really the lucky one. Šibenik Šubićevac was very close behind, the same as young talented player with big potential from Valpovo. Sea basket was not played perfectly for no one, while many players missed the basket in hurrying up too much. We also have to congratulate to many girls swimmer that competed really good. One of those was Iva Grivičić, which competed in European and World Championships in swimming in the past. The seconds were again lucky for Ploče, Šubićevac took 8 and Karlobag 6 points.
In the last game paddle everything was still possible, but Ploče showed their great experience and took all 15 points which brought them the first Croatian title and ticket to the international semi-final, that will take place in the end of August in Biograd na Moru. Ploče is the forth team to qualify – first three were Kragujevac (Serbia), Herceg Novi (Montenegro) and Trebinje (BiH). But we have to mention that the competition in the final was not as strong as it could be – Pag didn´t compete this year at all, while Krk couldn´t make it to the final. Also Komolac showed they are very perspective team so in the future Croatia will have many excellent teams and will be for sure even closer to win the international title again after many years.
PLOČE, Plina Istočna: ˝After many years we finally made it. Today´s victory was well deserved, I think that from the first game there were no proper competition for us. I don´t know what would happen if Krk was here, I believe we would have win anyway. It is hard to say what will happen in the final, because it is a new level of competition there, only best teams compete. We will try our best and see what happens.˝
ŠIBENIK, Šubićevac: ˝As we already said before, we wanted to have fun and to give our best. We did that and it is awesome. We didn´t expect to be so good. When Krk didn´t come, some options have revealed and it was really super event for us. Our team was excellent, our spectators were fabulous. Ploče was better today and we congratulate them for winning and we wish them all the best in Biograd.˝
KARLOBAG, Cesarica: ˝We are satisfy, we have to admit the first two teams were much better so I honestly congratulate them. We came a little out of form (as always), but with some training I believe we could be in much higher level. But we gave our best, we left the heart in the sea and we repeated last year´s third place so we cannot be unsatisfied. I am very proud of my team and our spectators. I told them today we will play in the final and the whole village immediately sat in the cars and come here to cheer for us. It is what makes us so special, the whole village support us. So it is not six-packs that make us good (because we don´t have it), it´s our heart. And heart is the strongest muscle.˝
RESULTS:
1st place: PLOČE, Plina Istočna – 63 points (yellow)
2nd place: ŠIBENIK, Šubićevac – 49 points (blue)
3rd place: KARLOBAG, Cesarica – 29 points (green)
4th place: VIR, Vir – 24 points (dark blue)
5th place: ŠIBENIK, A je to – 22 points (orange)
6th place: VALPOVO, Žabari – 14 points (red)
Foto: Jan Mastrović
