The Swedish captain Daniel Berlin and Russia’s Dmitry Savelyev are aiming for gold when the World Championship tournament Group A starts today. The tournament also starts with a major meeting between the reigning world champion Russia and the 2017 winning team Sweden. At present, it is impossible to tell the outcome of the tournament. We also look forward to several new game layouts. The players get a rest day between each game, which all players probably appreciate. Quarterfinals have been removed. The winning team in the group table and the second team goes directly to the semi-final while the third and fourth team in the A-pool meet the two best teams in the B-pool in a qualifying game. The winners of these games then go to the semi-finals.
– A great honor to be the Swedish team captain, says Daniel Berlin. To push the teammates to constantly do their best is perhaps my main task.
-This time, we want a better finish on the tournament than in 2013 when the World Championship was settled in Vänersborg last time,” says Daniel Berlin. However, nothing is clear in advance. Finland’s team is probably one of the best Finland ever put up with, continues Daniel Berlin.
-When we were here in Vänersborg last time we were not favorites, the Swedes were convinced that they would win at home, says Dmitry to the Russian Bandy Federation’s website. Remember, we are world champions and come to win, continues Dmitry Savelyev.
Will the team that wins the first game get an advantage for the rest of the tournament?
-To some extent, I think so, but it’s not a fact. A victory in the first game is always good, but if you lose, you can learn some and that will succeed later in the tournament, concludes Dmitry Savelyev.