EN: LAPP Cup Down to Six Teams. Russian OK TULA Region Renounces

The LAPP Cup - Jaroslav Knedla Memorial tournament's organizers are forced to change the system of the tournament again, for the third year in a row already. While the Russian team Perspektiva Russia had to cancel two years ago and the German team Weserstars Bremen encountered the same issue last year, it is the Russian team OK TULA Region who had to cancel their participation this year. They sent an apology and a substantiation. 

"We are rather upset. Sadly, this is the third year in a row when a club impaired our tournament completely. It is too late now to search for other clubs. It is unrealistic", regrets Petr Julina, the tournament's CEO.

"Sadly, we had to cancel since we did not gather enough finances to participate in the tournament. We apologize for the issues caused," says the message from the involved Russian team.

Thus, only six team are to compete in the tournament, while the tournament system will be set to round-robin, with the game time will be 2 x 15 min in the regular rounds. Only the bronze and gold games are to be played normally in 3 x 15 min.

Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, Norway, Austria and Sweden, this is the list of the six european countries, from which sledge hockey teams arrive to compete for medailles in September.

For the first time in history, the Russian team will not win the tournament. Italian South Tyrol Eagles come to Zlin defend their last year's second place. A regular contestant FIFH Malmö, who reached for the bronze last year, arrives from Sweden. Home team SHK LAPP Zlín will try to improve their fourth places reached in the last three years. Austrian team Vienna Warriors arrives to rectify their last year's bottom place and no goal scored. LAPP Cup tournament invites also teams from Germany and Norway after a year-long pause. Team Wesserstars Bremen come from Germany and team Välerenga comes from Norway, along with their legendary coach Espen Hende.

LAPP Cup Zlín 2018 takes place in Zlín, Czech Republic, from 6th to 8th September, read the initial information here.
 

List of participants:

SHK LAPP Zlín (Czech Republic)
FIFH Malmö (Sweden)
Vålerenga Para Ice Hockey Club (Norway)
South Tyrols Eagles (Italy)
Weserstars Bremen (Germany)
Vienna Warriors (Austria)