HaBaWaBa, finally!
After the cancellation of 2020 the biggest youth waterpolo event in the world is back on Sunday in Lignano: 59 teams registered, 698 players
We are still here. The coronavirus pandemic has put sport in its knees worldwide, but it has not managed to kill that dream called HaBaWaBa: after the cancellation of 2020, Sunday, August 29th, HaBaWaBa International Festival and HaBaWaBa PLUS 2021 will start at Bella Italia & EFA Village in Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy.
In the last two years Waterpolo Development has always believed to be able to organize again both the two main HaBaWaBa events: it was a long and hard wait due to the pandemic, the difficulties faced by clubs and families, the closure of pools in several countries of the world.
However, while we at WPDWorld have never stopped working for HaBaWaBa, many little waterpolo players around the world have kept alive their own HaBaWaBa dream: thanks to their passion, the willingness of their parents and the commitment of clubs and coaches and that the 13th edition of HaBaWaBa International Festival and the 5th edition of HaBaWaBa PLUS will become true. Also the help of our sponsors Turbo, Compact, Ossidabile and Cag Chemicals was crucial, as well as our institutional supporters: FINA, LEN, FIN, COMEN, CONI.
In order to bring to the HaBaWaBa events even the young waterpolo players who were supposed to participate in 2020, Waterpolo Development changed the tournaments’ categories: this year HaBaWaBa International Festival is reserved for U10 and U12 players (not U9 and U11) and HaBaWaBa PLUS will have U14 teams (not U13).
Starting Sunday to September 5th 698 young players will become protagonists of the two events: the participating teams are 59, below you can find the complete list. Those numbers are obviously lower than the last editions - in 2019 HaBaWaBa International Festival and HaBaWaBa PLUS Lignano hosted more than 2,200 players - but that still represents a huge success for the first post-pandemic editions of both the two events. For obvious security reasons there will be a Covid protocol to be respected, however we are sure that the magic of HaBaWaBa will remain intact. In fact, after this long wait and so much trouble, the joy for "the game of ball in the water" will explode louder than ever.
Long live waterpolo, long live HaBaWaBa. Now more than ever.
However, while we at WPDWorld have never stopped working for HaBaWaBa, many little waterpolo players around the world have kept alive their own HaBaWaBa dream: thanks to their passion, the willingness of their parents and the commitment of clubs and coaches and that the 13th edition of HaBaWaBa International Festival and the 5th edition of HaBaWaBa PLUS will become true. Also the help of our sponsors Turbo, Compact, Ossidabile and Cag Chemicals was crucial, as well as our institutional supporters: FINA, LEN, FIN, COMEN, CONI.
In order to bring to the HaBaWaBa events even the young waterpolo players who were supposed to participate in 2020, Waterpolo Development changed the tournaments’ categories: this year HaBaWaBa International Festival is reserved for U10 and U12 players (not U9 and U11) and HaBaWaBa PLUS will have U14 teams (not U13).
Starting Sunday to September 5th 698 young players will become protagonists of the two events: the participating teams are 59, below you can find the complete list. Those numbers are obviously lower than the last editions - in 2019 HaBaWaBa International Festival and HaBaWaBa PLUS Lignano hosted more than 2,200 players - but that still represents a huge success for the first post-pandemic editions of both the two events. For obvious security reasons there will be a Covid protocol to be respected, however we are sure that the magic of HaBaWaBa will remain intact. In fact, after this long wait and so much trouble, the joy for "the game of ball in the water" will explode louder than ever.
Long live waterpolo, long live HaBaWaBa. Now more than ever.
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