The “Arena Team” for Debrecen

Tolentino, 13 December 2007 –12 Arena swimmers will be taking up the challenge of the European Short Course Championships in Hungary from 13 until 16 December.

12 champions will be diving off the blocks of the Sportuzoda in Debrecen to make a bid for the continental title: five foreigners, Laure Manaudou, Alena Popchanka, Laszlo Cseh, Otylia Jedrzejczak, Pawel Korzeniowski and Alexander Dale Oen, and six Italians, Filippo Magnini, Massimiliano Rosolino, Alessia Filippi, Emiliano Brembilla, Luca Marin and Federico Colbertaldo, at their third short course meeting of the season after the World Cup in Berlin and the Grand Premio in Italy.

Each one of them has set their sights on a good result regardless of what kind of medal they may win. “My objective here in Debrecen is to swim my best time” – says the home champion Laszlo Cseh – I’m not thinking so much about the final position as I am about a great time.” In the next lane will be his rival of always, Luca Marin, who just last year in Helsinki stole his European short course title for the 400 medley, which had been claimed by the Hungarian swimmer for three successive years in Trieste (2005) , Vienna (2004) and Dublin (2003). “I’ll be looking out for Luca, I reckon I can beat him here”- were Cseh’s determined words. After this meeting the 22-year-old Hungarian will continue with his training, but no longer focussed on short course but with one single objective in mind - that of the Olympics. “ Up till now I’ve been concentrating a lot on short course swimming. After Debrecen my only thought will be for Beijing and with that in mind I’m conscious that I have to improve my turn, on being able to turn more quickly.”

Luca Marin, on the other hand, will be concentrating his training more on long course. He says ”My preparation has focussed more on long course, considering that after these European Championships there will be the Italian Championships, another important test for us. I’ll be meeting Laszlo again and that will be important as it’s always a real stimulus to race against him!”.

Also in search of time rather than position is the swimmer Alessia Filippi. “At this point in the season we’re nowhere near our best form, but we’re still concentrated on this competition because it represents one more step nearer the big commitments of 2008: the European Championships in Eindhoven and, above all, the Olympic Games in Beijing. Personally – concludes the Roman star – I’m down to compete in four events (400, 800 fs, 100, 200 backstroke, 200, 400 medley ndr.) even I’ll decide to do them only when I’m sure about my form. I’ll definitely try to do well in the 400 medley".

Federico Colbertaldo, who just recently paid a visit to the Arena headquarters, also has expectations that are defined more in terms of times than of results. “I’m going to Debrecen to confirm my best levels – explains “Scienzy” – and possibly to improve on my records. I should add that the short course is not the best environment for my strengths, there are a lot of turns and that prevents me from establishing and imposing the rhythm that I’d like, especially in the 1500”.


Arena, founded in 1973 as a spin-off from Adidas, through strong market orientation and unquestionable flair for design, with product innovation and the use of the most sophisticated technology, was able to foresee the requirements of great swimming champions such as Matt Biondi, Alex Popov, Franziska Van Almsick, Filippo Magnini, Massimiliano Rosolino, Roland Schoemann, Ryk Neethling, Lazlo Cseh and Laure Manadou, by transferring the experience of success and the know-how gathered at competitions to products designed for all water sports enthusiasts.
The Arena Group has managed, in the space of a few years, to gain a position of consolidated leadership, obtaining second place in the world and in Europe in the Sports-Waterwear category, with respective value market shares of 12% and 16% (in Europe), and in 2005 reaching a turnover (retail price value) in excess of 350 million euros, of which about 40% generated in the Far East by the Descente Group.
Arena is present in more than 60 countries throughout the world. Further information is available on the site www.arenainternational.com

For further information and interviews with Elite Team athletes please contact
Press Office - Cristina Cantoni
mob. + 39 334 6879249
c.cantoni@arenaitalia.it