Radio România Internațional

Tag: training

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend



    Head-coach Dan Petrescus contract with CFR Cluj has been terminated, by mutual consent. We recall that, with Dan Petrescu at the helm, in recent years CFR Cluj has dominated Romanian football. However, In 2023, CFR came in 3rd in the Superleague and had to play a playoff game against FC U Craiova to secure a ticket for Europa Conference League. The Italian Cristiano Bergodi is the favourite for the position of head-coach. We recall Bergodi had been at the helm of CFR Cluj before, for the 2006-2007 competition season.



    A training stage is underway for Romanias national football team, in Mogosoaia, nearby Bucharest, ahead of the EURO 2024 preliminaries. On Saturday, the national squad plays a friendly game against a team that has been freshly promoted to the second League, CS Tunari, Then the national team travels to Pristina for a friendly against Kosovo on June 16. On June 19, the national squad plays an away game against Switzerland, in Lucerne. Following the national squads wins, in March 2023, in the games against Andorra and Belarus, Romania is the runner-up team in Group I as part of EURO 2024 preliminaries, with six points, on a par with Switzerland.



    In news from volleyball, Romanian teams these days play their fixtures in the Golden League European competition. In Pitesti on Thursday, in the Leagues Group B, our womens national team sustained a 1-3 defeat by the team of the Czech Republic. The latter team is at the top of the table in group B, with six points in two wins and one defeat. Slovakia follows suit, with three points in one win and one defeat. Romania is third-placed also with tree points in one win and two defeats. On June the 14th, Slovakia goes against the Czech Republic, while on June 17th Slovakia takes on Romania. However, Romania doesnt stand much of a chance to be placed in one of Group Bs first two places and qualify to the competitions semi-finals.



    In mens volleyball, this coming Saturday in Brasov and also in the Golden league, Romania plays Turkey in Group A. After three fixtures, our national squad is 4th-placed in the group, with one away win against the previous editions vice-champion, Turkey, and two defeats, in Portugal and Denmark. The Romanian national squad next takes on Denmark this coming Wednesday and Portugal, on Sunday, June 18th.




  • January 20, 2023 UPDATE

    January 20, 2023 UPDATE

    ECONOMY
    Romania’s economy will be, this year as well, influenced by global
    uncertainties triggered by inflation, the escalation of the war in Ukraine, the
    energy crisis and problems in supply chains. This is one of the conclusions of
    a report on financial stability, made public by the National Bank of Romania. The
    report also mentions a systemic risk entailed by delays in reforms and in
    spending EU funds. On the other hand, the central bank calls on Romanians to be
    cautious with respect to residential real estate loans, as the high inflation
    triggers risks of default.


    PHARMACEUTICALS Romania obtained from Brussels a 3-month suspension of
    exports for certain drugs, particularly in the antibiotics and oral antipyretic
    categories. According to Bucharest, the measure is designed to ensure the
    availability of such medication for Romanian patients, as the country is
    struggling with a wave of viral respiratory infections.


    MILITARY Over 100
    troops from the US 1-26 Infantry Battalion are training with Romanian troops
    from the Sf. Andrei 300 Infantry Battalion in Galaţi until March this year. According
    to the Romanian defence ministry, the US troops were deployed late last year to
    the Mihai Kogălniceanu air base, and as of this week they were relocated to Galaţi.
    The goal of the joint training scheme is to practice working techniques,
    tactics and procedures, and to enhance interoperability in line with NATO
    requirements.


    DAVOS The international community cannot afford a strategic
    ambiguity regarding the war in Ukraine, the Romanian foreign minister said at
    the World Economic Forum in Davos. He mentioned the seriousness of the security
    crisis and the main risks and challenges for the international system, and
    emphasised the need to maintain a world order based on rules, supporting peace
    and facilitating solutions to global problems. The Romanian official also
    highlighted Romania’s efforts to support Ukraine, such as receiving over 3.3 million
    refugees and the transit of over 11 tonnes of Ukrainian grains and agricultural
    products, as well as the need to continue supporting this country. Mr. Aurescu had
    a number of meetings with representatives of the business communities in Canada
    and Portugal, with whom he discussed issues related to the energy sector in
    particular. (AMP)

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    Romania’s women’s volleyball champion team,
    Volei Alba Blaj Alba Blaj, on Tuesday grabbed their first win in the Champions
    League’s Group B. In Kutna Hora, the Czech Republic, Alba Blaj defeated Ukraine’s
    Prometey Dnipro, 3-nil. At the top of the table in the group are Vero Volley Milan,
    winners of the two group fixtures they have played so far. Alba Blaj are
    the runner-up team and their next scheduled match is this coming Wednesday’s
    confrontation against Vero Volley Milan.


    A first-timer in the Champions League, CSM
    Târgovişte have succeeded their first group win as part of the the competition.
    In a Group E fixture on Wednesday, CSM Targoviste grabbed a 3-nil away win against
    Bulgarian opponents Maritza Plovdiv. With three wins so far, Turkey’s Eczacibaşi
    Istanbul are at the top of the table, followed by Polish team Chemik Police,
    with two wins. 3rd-placed are CSM Târgovişte and their next scheduled fixture
    is the match against Polish side Chemik Police, to be played in Szczecin.


    In men’s volleyball, in a fixture counting
    towards the first leg of the CEV Cup’s playoff stage, Arcada Galaţi sustained a
    nil-3 home defeat by Italian opponents Piacenza. In the first leg as part of the Challenge Cup’s quarterfinals, Steaua
    Bucharest sustained a 1-3 away defeat by Olympiakos Piraeus.
    The second leg is scheduled on January 26 in Bucharest.


    In men’s basketball, this past Wednesday
    holders U-BT Cluj-Napoca sustained a 79-88 home defeat by French opponents Bourg-en-Bresse,
    in a fixture counting towards EuroCup’s Group A. After 10 games played, U-BT
    Cluj-Napoca are 9th-placed in the group, the last-but-one-position,
    with 3 wins and 7 defeats on their record sheet. U-BT Cluj-Napoca this coming
    Wednesday take on bottom-of-the-table opponents, Slovenia’s Olimpija Ljubljana,
    away from home.


    In a Group L fixture as part of FIBA Europe
    Cup, in Nicosia, CSM CSU Oradea sustained a 75-77 defeat by Cypriot team Keravnos.
    In was CSM CSU Oradea’s second consecutive defeat, in the wake of their debut fixture
    group win. CSM CSU Oradea are the bottom-of-the-table team in the group. Their next scheduled game is the home match
    against German opponents Brose Bamberg.


    In news from football, holders CFR Cluj
    this past Wednesday, in Spain’s Oliva Nova, drew against second-tier German team
    Holstein Kiel, 1-all. In their second match as part of CFR’s training stage in
    Spain, on Friday, they will go against another second-tier German team, Darmstadt.(EN)

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash

    Romania’s women’s volleyball champion team,
    Volei Alba Blaj Alba Blaj, on Tuesday grabbed their first win in the Champions
    League’s Group B. In Kutna Hora, the Czech Republic, Alba Blaj defeated Ukraine’s
    Prometey Dnipro, 3-nil. At the top of the table in the group are Vero Volley Milan,
    winners of the two group fixtures they have played so far. Alba Blaj are
    the runner-up team and their next scheduled match is this coming Wednesday’s
    confrontation against Vero Volley Milan.


    A first-timer in the Champions League, CSM
    Târgovişte have succeeded their first group win as part of the the competition.
    In a Group E fixture on Wednesday, CSM Targoviste grabbed a 3-nil away win against
    Bulgarian opponents Maritza Plovdiv. With three wins so far, Turkey’s Eczacibaşi
    Istanbul are at the top of the table, followed by Polish team Chemik Police,
    with two wins. 3rd-placed are CSM Târgovişte and their next scheduled fixture
    is the match against Polish side Chemik Police, to be played in Szczecin.


    In men’s volleyball, in a fixture counting
    towards the first leg of the CEV Cup’s playoff stage, Arcada Galaţi sustained a
    nil-3 home defeat by Italian opponents Piacenza. In the first leg as part of the Challenge Cup’s quarterfinals, Steaua
    Bucharest sustained a 1-3 away defeat by Olympiakos Piraeus.
    The second leg is scheduled on January 26 in Bucharest.


    In men’s basketball, this past Wednesday
    holders U-BT Cluj-Napoca sustained a 79-88 home defeat by French opponents Bourg-en-Bresse,
    in a fixture counting towards EuroCup’s Group A. After 10 games played, U-BT
    Cluj-Napoca are 9th-placed in the group, the last-but-one-position,
    with 3 wins and 7 defeats on their record sheet. U-BT Cluj-Napoca this coming
    Wednesday take on bottom-of-the-table opponents, Slovenia’s Olimpija Ljubljana,
    away from home.


    In a Group L fixture as part of FIBA Europe
    Cup, in Nicosia, CSM CSU Oradea sustained a 75-77 defeat by Cypriot team Keravnos.
    In was CSM CSU Oradea’s second consecutive defeat, in the wake of their debut fixture
    group win. CSM CSU Oradea are the bottom-of-the-table team in the group. Their next scheduled game is the home match
    against German opponents Brose Bamberg.


    In news from football, holders CFR Cluj
    this past Wednesday, in Spain’s Oliva Nova, drew against second-tier German team
    Holstein Kiel, 1-all. In their second match as part of CFR’s training stage in
    Spain, on Friday, they will go against another second-tier German team, Darmstadt.(EN)

  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club



    Headline-hitting these days is the ongoing Football World Cup in Qatar. Surprises have been quick to appear already. Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina, while the refereeing assistance technology has sparked controversies. Representing Romania in Qatar is a crew of three referees. Istvan Kovacs has already been the fourth official referee in the match pitting Qatar against Ecuador. Ovidiu Mihai Artene was a back-up assistant referee for the same match. Linesman Vasile Marinescu is also a member of the referees crew on the job at the World Cup. We recall that the Romanian Ioan Igna was the last official to have been the main referee in a World Cup final tournament, in Mexico, in 1986. A linesman in a final tournament was Nicolae Grigorescu in France, in 1998. However, the Romanian veteran referee was Nicolae Rainea, a three-time delegate in final tournaments. Rainea was a World Cup referee in 1974, in Germany, in 1978, in Argentina, and in 1982, in Spain.



    We need to be honest and say that Romanias national team has been constantly wasting the opportunity to make headway to seniors versions of final tournaments. However, Romanian national teams run in the U-21 version of the final tournament was way above par. We recall that in 2019 Romania reached as far as the semi-finals of the European Championship. In 2023, the European U-21 Championship will be jointly hosted by Romania and Georgia, so our U-21 team will qualify be default.



    Head-coach Emil Sandois trainees have recently played two training matches. They defeated second-league leader, Steaua, 4-2, and were held to a 2-all draw by League One team FC Argeş. In March 2023, Romanias U-21 national team will play two friendly matches, against Portugal and Germany. Romania will be joining Spain, Ukraine and Croatia in the 2023 edition of the European U-21 Championship. (EN)




  • Radio Romania International Sports club

    Radio Romania International Sports club



    Headline-hitting these days is the ongoing Football World Cup in Qatar. Surprises have been quick to appear already. Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina, while the refereeing assistance technology has sparked controversies. Representing Romania in Qatar is a crew of three referees. Istvan Kovacs has already been the fourth official referee in the match pitting Qatar against Ecuador. Ovidiu Mihai Artene was a back-up assistant referee for the same match. Linesman Vasile Marinescu is also a member of the referees crew on the job at the World Cup. We recall that the Romanian Ioan Igna was the last official to have been the main referee in a World Cup final tournament, in Mexico, in 1986. A linesman in a final tournament was Nicolae Grigorescu in France, in 1998. However, the Romanian veteran referee was Nicolae Rainea, a three-time delegate in final tournaments. Rainea was a World Cup referee in 1974, in Germany, in 1978, in Argentina, and in 1982, in Spain.



    We need to be honest and say that Romanias national team has been constantly wasting the opportunity to make headway to seniors versions of final tournaments. However, Romanian national teams run in the U-21 version of the final tournament was way above par. We recall that in 2019 Romania reached as far as the semi-finals of the European Championship. In 2023, the European U-21 Championship will be jointly hosted by Romania and Georgia, so our U-21 team will qualify be default.



    Head-coach Emil Sandois trainees have recently played two training matches. They defeated second-league leader, Steaua, 4-2, and were held to a 2-all draw by League One team FC Argeş. In March 2023, Romanias U-21 national team will play two friendly matches, against Portugal and Germany. Romania will be joining Spain, Ukraine and Croatia in the 2023 edition of the European U-21 Championship. (EN)




  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    Romanian men’s basketball team U-BT Cluj Napoca as an
    absolute first has advanced to the Champions league’s quarterfinals. Also a
    first-timer in the League, U-BT Cluj Napoca came in first at the top Group K,
    with 7 points. Following in descending order were Spain’s Unicaja Malaga, with
    6 points and Belgian team Filou Oostende, with 5 points. In their most recent fixture-BT
    secured an 85-74 win in Oostende. The quarterfinal draw will
    be held on March 25th.


    Also in news from basketball, The International University
    Sports Federation has extended an invitation to Romania’s women’s and men’s
    national teams for their participation this summer to the World University
    Games in Chengdu. 1981 was the year when the Romanian women’s and men’s national
    basketball teams last competed in the University Games, back then hosted by the
    Romanian capital city Bucharest. We recall that in 1981 the women’s basketball team
    stepped onto the third step of the podium, while the gold medal went to then the
    USSR; the USA won silver. At the 1983 edition of the World University
    Games in Edmonton, Canada, Romania’s women’s national squad succeeded a career-best
    win, walking away with the silver medal they won after a 61-83 defeat by the
    USA. In the group stage, Romanian had defeated the USA, 85-71. In the men’s
    version of the World University Games, after 1990, Romanian national squad’s
    best result occurred in Kazan, in 2013, when Romania came in 6th. The
    Universiade in Chengdu will be held over June 26 and July 7. Initially scheduled for 2021, the competition saw a one-year delay
    because of the Covid-19 pandemic.


    In news from football, Romania national team on Friday
    plays a friendly game against the similar team of Greece in Bucharest. It will
    be the national team’s debut training game ahead of the new competition season,
    where attention-grabbing is the 2022 edition of the Nations League. Then on Tuesday, Romania takes on Israel in Natanya. Romania’s national
    team head-coach Edward Iordanescu has summoned 25 footballers for the two friendly
    games. Of them, three footballers are national squad first-timers. One of them
    is Farul Constanta goalie Marian Aioani. The other
    one is center-back Radu Drăguşin, signed up by Juventus from Turin but currently
    on loan to Salernitana, while the third one is midfielder Octavian Popescu of FCSB.


    (EN)

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    Romanian men’s basketball team U-BT Cluj Napoca as an
    absolute first has advanced to the Champions league’s quarterfinals. Also a
    first-timer in the League, U-BT Cluj Napoca came in first at the top Group K,
    with 7 points. Following in descending order were Spain’s Unicaja Malaga, with
    6 points and Belgian team Filou Oostende, with 5 points. In their most recent fixture-BT
    secured an 85-74 win in Oostende. The quarterfinal draw will
    be held on March 25th.


    Also in news from basketball, The International University
    Sports Federation has extended an invitation to Romania’s women’s and men’s
    national teams for their participation this summer to the World University
    Games in Chengdu. 1981 was the year when the Romanian women’s and men’s national
    basketball teams last competed in the University Games, back then hosted by the
    Romanian capital city Bucharest. We recall that in 1981 the women’s basketball team
    stepped onto the third step of the podium, while the gold medal went to then the
    USSR; the USA won silver. At the 1983 edition of the World University
    Games in Edmonton, Canada, Romania’s women’s national squad succeeded a career-best
    win, walking away with the silver medal they won after a 61-83 defeat by the
    USA. In the group stage, Romanian had defeated the USA, 85-71. In the men’s
    version of the World University Games, after 1990, Romanian national squad’s
    best result occurred in Kazan, in 2013, when Romania came in 6th. The
    Universiade in Chengdu will be held over June 26 and July 7. Initially scheduled for 2021, the competition saw a one-year delay
    because of the Covid-19 pandemic.


    In news from football, Romania national team on Friday
    plays a friendly game against the similar team of Greece in Bucharest. It will
    be the national team’s debut training game ahead of the new competition season,
    where attention-grabbing is the 2022 edition of the Nations League. Then on Tuesday, Romania takes on Israel in Natanya. Romania’s national
    team head-coach Edward Iordanescu has summoned 25 footballers for the two friendly
    games. Of them, three footballers are national squad first-timers. One of them
    is Farul Constanta goalie Marian Aioani. The other
    one is center-back Radu Drăguşin, signed up by Juventus from Turin but currently
    on loan to Salernitana, while the third one is midfielder Octavian Popescu of FCSB.


    (EN)

  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    The Doha tennis tournament, with 2,600,000 USD in
    prize money has no Romanian tennis players left in the competition. The last Romanian
    tennis player to have competed in the women’s singles, Jacqueline Cristian, sustained
    a second-round defeat as she abandoned the confrontation with Russian opponent Daria
    Kasatkina. Having won the first set, 6-2, in the second set Cristian sustained a
    right-knee injury and was taken away from the court in a wheelchair.


    The Romanian team Volei Alba Blaj this past Wednesday
    in Targu Mures sustained a nil-3 defeat by Turkish opponents, Eczacibaşi Istanbul,
    in a match counting towards the first leg of women’s volleyball CEV Cup semifinals.
    Romania’s vice-champion team Volei Alba Blaj conceded
    defeat after only one hour and 22 minutes of play. Volei Alba Blaj are highly unlikely
    to advance to the competition’s final. The second leg of the tie is scheduled
    on March the 1st in Istanbul.


    Eczacibaşi is one of Turkey’s best teams, whose record
    is impressive, including the winning of the Champions League in 2015 and of the
    CEV Cup in 1999 and 2018.


    In news from men’s volleyball, Arcada Galaţi and Steaua
    Bucharest this past Wednesday have qualified for Romanian Cup’s Final Four tournament.
    Arcada Galați defeated holders Dinamo Bucharest 3-nil, having secured a first-leg,
    3-1 away win. Steaua succeeded a 3-nil win against Olimpia Titanii Bucharest.
    In the first leg Steaua had also won, 3-1. The Final Four tournament also
    includes SCM ”U” Craiova, who outclassed Ştiinţa Baia Mare, 3-nil and 3-1,
    respectively, and SCM Zalau, a team that outperformed Explorari Baia Mare,
    3-nil and 3-2, respectively.


    In a friendly game held in Spain’s Marbella, Romanian women’s national
    football team defeated the team of Northern Ireland, 1-nil. The game’s only
    goal was scored by Diana Marcu on 63 minutes. According to the FIFA rankings,
    Romania is 42nd-placed, while Northern Ireland is 46th.


    In the debut game as part of the training stage in Spain,
    Romania sustained a 1-6 defeat by Austria. Romania’s national women’s football
    team on April 8th takes on Switzerland at home, while on April 12,
    Romania faces Croatia, away. Both fixtures count towards the 2023 World Cup
    preliminaries.

    (EN)



  • Sports flash

    Sports flash


    The Doha tennis tournament, with 2,600,000 USD in
    prize money has no Romanian tennis players left in the competition. The last Romanian
    tennis player to have competed in the women’s singles, Jacqueline Cristian, sustained
    a second-round defeat as she abandoned the confrontation with Russian opponent Daria
    Kasatkina. Having won the first set, 6-2, in the second set Cristian sustained a
    right-knee injury and was taken away from the court in a wheelchair.


    The Romanian team Volei Alba Blaj this past Wednesday
    in Targu Mures sustained a nil-3 defeat by Turkish opponents, Eczacibaşi Istanbul,
    in a match counting towards the first leg of women’s volleyball CEV Cup semifinals.
    Romania’s vice-champion team Volei Alba Blaj conceded
    defeat after only one hour and 22 minutes of play. Volei Alba Blaj are highly unlikely
    to advance to the competition’s final. The second leg of the tie is scheduled
    on March the 1st in Istanbul.


    Eczacibaşi is one of Turkey’s best teams, whose record
    is impressive, including the winning of the Champions League in 2015 and of the
    CEV Cup in 1999 and 2018.


    In news from men’s volleyball, Arcada Galaţi and Steaua
    Bucharest this past Wednesday have qualified for Romanian Cup’s Final Four tournament.
    Arcada Galați defeated holders Dinamo Bucharest 3-nil, having secured a first-leg,
    3-1 away win. Steaua succeeded a 3-nil win against Olimpia Titanii Bucharest.
    In the first leg Steaua had also won, 3-1. The Final Four tournament also
    includes SCM ”U” Craiova, who outclassed Ştiinţa Baia Mare, 3-nil and 3-1,
    respectively, and SCM Zalau, a team that outperformed Explorari Baia Mare,
    3-nil and 3-2, respectively.


    In a friendly game held in Spain’s Marbella, Romanian women’s national
    football team defeated the team of Northern Ireland, 1-nil. The game’s only
    goal was scored by Diana Marcu on 63 minutes. According to the FIFA rankings,
    Romania is 42nd-placed, while Northern Ireland is 46th.


    In the debut game as part of the training stage in Spain,
    Romania sustained a 1-6 defeat by Austria. Romania’s national women’s football
    team on April 8th takes on Switzerland at home, while on April 12,
    Romania faces Croatia, away. Both fixtures count towards the 2023 World Cup
    preliminaries.

    (EN)



  • Radio Romania International Sports Club

    Radio Romania International Sports Club


    A new edition of the Winter Olympics Games has recently drawn to a close. This year, the competition was rather unusual because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new restrictions that have been put in place for the safety of the participants. Nonetheless, the sporting show was there and so were the controversies. All things considered, it was an exceptional event that brought together the winter sports elite at world level.



    Romania was represented by a 22-strong delegation, whose members competed in seven disciplines: luge, bobsleigh, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, biathlon and speed skating. The most audacious objectives have been set by the Romanian Bobsleigh and Luge Federation. Among them, the winning of a medal, a feat that would have come as a premiere since 1968. However, performance failed to meet expectations, to that effect. Romanian delegation’s best result in the Beijing Winter Olympics was the luge relay crew’s coming in 9th. The athletes were Raluca Strămăturaru, Valentin Creţu and the pair made of Marian Gîtlan and Darius Şerban. Then Andra Grecu was 12th placed in the monobob event. 13th-placed was the 4-man bobsleigh crew made of Mihai Tentea, Raul Dobre, Ciprian Daroczi and Cristian Radu. Romania’s 2-man luge crew made of Marian Gîtlan and Darius Şerban came in 14th in the event.



    As soon as the delegation returned to Romania, the President of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Mihai Covaliu, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Romanian delegation’s below-par run in the Olympics. Covaliu said that the special efforts made in certain disciplines did not translate into high-level performance. Among other things, Covaliu made mention of the fact that the bobsleigh crews had their training sessions in Germany. Mihai Covaliu went on to say that it was not okay for the Romanian athletes to train jointly with the German team, to have good training facilities, to succeed in a similar number of downhill races and then, at the Olympics, to have so poor a timing that they could not explain it themselves. The Romanian Sports Minister, Eduard Novak, added the Romanian athletes would have the chance to win Winter Olympic medals in 10 or 20 years’ time, provided investments are being made in infrastructure and coaches for the next four years.


    (EN)






  • Radio Romania International Sports Club

    Radio Romania International Sports Club


    A new edition of the Winter Olympics Games has recently drawn to a close. This year, the competition was rather unusual because of the COVID-19 pandemic and the new restrictions that have been put in place for the safety of the participants. Nonetheless, the sporting show was there and so were the controversies. All things considered, it was an exceptional event that brought together the winter sports elite at world level.



    Romania was represented by a 22-strong delegation, whose members competed in seven disciplines: luge, bobsleigh, alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, biathlon and speed skating. The most audacious objectives have been set by the Romanian Bobsleigh and Luge Federation. Among them, the winning of a medal, a feat that would have come as a premiere since 1968. However, performance failed to meet expectations, to that effect. Romanian delegation’s best result in the Beijing Winter Olympics was the luge relay crew’s coming in 9th. The athletes were Raluca Strămăturaru, Valentin Creţu and the pair made of Marian Gîtlan and Darius Şerban. Then Andra Grecu was 12th placed in the monobob event. 13th-placed was the 4-man bobsleigh crew made of Mihai Tentea, Raul Dobre, Ciprian Daroczi and Cristian Radu. Romania’s 2-man luge crew made of Marian Gîtlan and Darius Şerban came in 14th in the event.



    As soon as the delegation returned to Romania, the President of the Romanian Olympic and Sports Committee, Mihai Covaliu, expressed his dissatisfaction with the Romanian delegation’s below-par run in the Olympics. Covaliu said that the special efforts made in certain disciplines did not translate into high-level performance. Among other things, Covaliu made mention of the fact that the bobsleigh crews had their training sessions in Germany. Mihai Covaliu went on to say that it was not okay for the Romanian athletes to train jointly with the German team, to have good training facilities, to succeed in a similar number of downhill races and then, at the Olympics, to have so poor a timing that they could not explain it themselves. The Romanian Sports Minister, Eduard Novak, added the Romanian athletes would have the chance to win Winter Olympic medals in 10 or 20 years’ time, provided investments are being made in infrastructure and coaches for the next four years.


    (EN)






  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    Winter training sessions are underway for several
    Romanian football teams, ahead of the season scheduled to kickstart next week. Holders
    CFR are in Spain with a couple of friendly matches on schedule. In Oliva Nova
    on Thursday, Dan Petrescu’s trainees grabbed a 1-nil win against 4th-tier
    Spanish team La Nucia. CFR’s Gabriel Debeljuh succeeded the only goal of the
    game. CFR’s games against Swiss teams St. Gallen and C Lugano, as well as the match
    against Hungarian side Ferencvaros have been cancelled by the latter clubs. On Saturday,
    holders CFR play another Spanish lower-echelon team, Alzira.


    With its training session in Turkey’s
    Antalya in progress, FC Botosani sustained a 2-3 defeat by Polish
    opponents Lechia Gdansk. Scoring for Marius Croitoru’s trainees were Congolese
    footballer Hervé Kage on 15 minutes and Albanian footballer Enriko Papa in minute
    53. This coming Sunday, FC Botosani take on Hungary’s Paksi and the National
    team of Uganda.


    In Melbourne, Romanian tennis player Irina
    Bara this past Friday sustained a 2-6, 1-6 defeat by Bulgarian opponent Viktoria
    Tomova, in the final round of the Australian Open qualifiers. Coming straight from
    the qualifiers, five Romanian tennis players will be included in the tournament’s
    women’s singles main draw. They are Simona Halep, Sorana Cîrstea, Irina Begu,
    Jaqueline Cristian and Gabriela Ruse.


    Fixtures counting towards the Champions League
    in women’s handball are to be resumed at the weekend. In Montenegro, CSM
    Bucharest play Buducnost Podgorica. Cristina Neagu’s team is 5th-placed
    in Group A, with 4 wins and four defeats on its record sheet, while Buducnost is
    7th-placed in the group.


    Matches counting
    towards the 2nd round of the European League’s group stage are also
    scheduled at the weekend. In Group B on Saturday, Minaur
    Baia Mare take on German team Bietigheim, while in Group C Măgura Cisnădie travel
    to Denmark for their match against Herning-Ikast. In Group D, this coming Sunday,
    SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea play a home fixture against Hungarian team Vac.


    (EN)

  • Sports weekend

    Sports weekend

    Winter training sessions are underway for several
    Romanian football teams, ahead of the season scheduled to kickstart next week. Holders
    CFR are in Spain with a couple of friendly matches on schedule. In Oliva Nova
    on Thursday, Dan Petrescu’s trainees grabbed a 1-nil win against 4th-tier
    Spanish team La Nucia. CFR’s Gabriel Debeljuh succeeded the only goal of the
    game. CFR’s games against Swiss teams St. Gallen and C Lugano, as well as the match
    against Hungarian side Ferencvaros have been cancelled by the latter clubs. On Saturday,
    holders CFR play another Spanish lower-echelon team, Alzira.


    With its training session in Turkey’s
    Antalya in progress, FC Botosani sustained a 2-3 defeat by Polish
    opponents Lechia Gdansk. Scoring for Marius Croitoru’s trainees were Congolese
    footballer Hervé Kage on 15 minutes and Albanian footballer Enriko Papa in minute
    53. This coming Sunday, FC Botosani take on Hungary’s Paksi and the National
    team of Uganda.


    In Melbourne, Romanian tennis player Irina
    Bara this past Friday sustained a 2-6, 1-6 defeat by Bulgarian opponent Viktoria
    Tomova, in the final round of the Australian Open qualifiers. Coming straight from
    the qualifiers, five Romanian tennis players will be included in the tournament’s
    women’s singles main draw. They are Simona Halep, Sorana Cîrstea, Irina Begu,
    Jaqueline Cristian and Gabriela Ruse.


    Fixtures counting towards the Champions League
    in women’s handball are to be resumed at the weekend. In Montenegro, CSM
    Bucharest play Buducnost Podgorica. Cristina Neagu’s team is 5th-placed
    in Group A, with 4 wins and four defeats on its record sheet, while Buducnost is
    7th-placed in the group.


    Matches counting
    towards the 2nd round of the European League’s group stage are also
    scheduled at the weekend. In Group B on Saturday, Minaur
    Baia Mare take on German team Bietigheim, while in Group C Măgura Cisnădie travel
    to Denmark for their match against Herning-Ikast. In Group D, this coming Sunday,
    SCM Râmnicu Vâlcea play a home fixture against Hungarian team Vac.


    (EN)

  • The history of the Romanian navy

    The history of the Romanian navy

    The Romanian military navy was established rather late, in the second half of the 19th century. We recall that back then the south-eastern province of Dobrogea was integrated into then the Romanian Kingdom in the wake of the independence war of 1877-1878. The Romanian navy evolved around an icon: the Mircea brig, designed and used, from the very beginning, as a training ship. The Mircea brig would soon become a legendary vessel. It sailed into the Romanian Black Seas territorial waters at a time when all the countrys institutions developed following a predominantly Western pattern, at once going through a process of modernization. And that included the Romanian navy.



    The legend of the Mircea brig, baptized with that name as a tribute to the medieval ruler Mircea the Elder, actually has two parts: there were in fact two vessels, which were iconic for two development stages in Romanian navy. The first ship, the original one, reached Romania in 1882. It was a brig in its own right. The second ship, which is functional to this day, was a bark-type sailboat. It was also known as Mircea, so the collective mindset associates the latter vessel with the original brig.



    Mircea Tarhoaca is the current commander of Mircea training ship.



    Mircea Tarhoaca:



    “The Mircea brig was a two-masted ship built in a shipyard nearby London. It had been used by the Royal Navy of that time as a training ship for the training of the new generations of naval officers. It was used until about the mid-1920s when those responsible realized the needs of the navy were sensibly greater, so a much bigger ship was needed, therefore todays Mircea brig was commissioned at the Hamburg shipyard, known as Blohm und Voss. The vessel is one of the four other sister ships that are still operational. Only one of them was turned into a museum, in a town in northern Germany. Each ship, that including the one were speaking about today, has had historical voyages. The present-day ship, in its 82-year old history, crossed the Atlantic Ocean three times. The first voyage was the one in 1976, when it participated in the United States Bicentennial, 200 years were celebrated since the United States Declaration of Independence had been signed. Then it was in 2004, while the last voyage we had was the one in 2009, when I took part in it myself, in my capacity as a training officer.”



    Todays training ship is a Class A bark-type sailboat. It is 43 meters tall, it has 23 sails with a spread of sails of 1,700 square meters all told. It was built between 1938 and 1939. May 17, 1939 was the day it sailed into the port of Constanta for the first time. Then, as well as now, the forepart of the ship had the image of Mircea the Elder, clad in a red blouse and a red cloak and wearing the princely crown. Generation after generation of cadets after the next has been trained on board this ship.



    Commander Mircea Tarhoaca:


    “It has been a training vessel since 1939. It saw better days, it saw worse days, sometimes, according to the course of events in history. For instance, in 1946, the ship was requisitioned by the Russians, but was given back later. It saw periods of time when it had undergone major repair and modernization works. For instance, in 1966 in the very ship yard where it was built, then in the year 2000, when repair works were performed in Braila shipyard. But each year, or something like that, the ship was placed in a shipyard and underwent modernization operations. We may be 82 years old, yet we have on-board modern equipment that meets the present demands of instruction and training for the Naval Academy students.



    The Mircea training ship has an accommodation capacity for a 200-strong crew, of which half can be cadets. In 2019, when it turned 80, the famous sailboat set sail on its initial historical voyage once again. However, this time the Mircea brig sailed from Constanta to the shipyard in Hamburg, where it was born.