Finland drawing in audience for 2014 Goalball Worlds

There will be 16 men’s and 12 women’s teams at the World Championships in total. The remaining places will be filled after the IBSA Regional Championships later this year.

A kick-off event was held in Espoo, Finland on Tuesday (17 September) to launch preparations for the 2014 IBSA Goalball World Championships.

Finland hosts the IBSA Goalball World Championships 2014 in Espoo from 26th June to 6th July. The project is well underway and the Kick-off event for the Games was held 17th September.

Finland have never hosted the World Championships in goalball before and will be the centre of the goalball world for the first time next year from 26 June – 6 July.

The European Championships were held in Finland in 1991, and the B-level European Championships in 2008.

Finland is the second most-decorated country on the goalball World Championship stage, and their men’s team are the reigning Paralympic champions.

“Our aim is to arrange the Games that make you feel like you just can’t miss this one. And after the tournament there will be tears of joy and affection in the cheeks of participants,” said Johanna Ikaheimo, the Chairman of the Organising Committee.

London 2012 Paralympic champion Erkki Miinala hopes his home audience in Espoo could produce something similar next summer to the atmosphere at last year’s Games.

“I’m the type of player that bursts into flames in front of big crowds,” she said. “I hope there will be a good show in Espoo,” he said.

Finland, Brazil, Turkey, Canada and the USA have already qualified for the men’s tournament in Espoo.

On the women’s side, Finland, Brazil, Japan, China, Sweden and the USA have secured their places.

There will be 16 men’s and 12 women’s teams at the World Championships in total. The remaining places will be filled after the IBSA Regional Championships later this year.