Miha Šantak: “In Rovinj, we want to continue our unbeaten run”
After a break of just over two months, the Alpe Water Polo League (AWL) will resume this weekend with its fifth tournament, taking place on Saturday and Sunday in Rovinj. A total of nine matches are scheduled, including two all-Slovenian clashes. On Saturday, Calcit Water Polo from Kamnik will face Branik Maribor, while on Sunday the Maribor side will also take on Ljubljana Slovan. Koper-Hanna will play Ströck Wien on Saturday and the host team Delfin Rovinj the following day. Calcit will also meet Torpedo Sarajevo, while Triglav Kranj will go up against Jadran Kostrena.
After eight rounds, Branik Maribor are the only unbeaten team in the league and have already secured their place at the Final Tournament with two tournaments still to be played. At the end of the regular season, the top six teams will advance to the Final Tournament. The top two teams will qualify directly for the semifinals, while the remaining four will compete in the quarterfinals. Alongside Maribor, Opatija, Mladost and Ljubljana Slovan have all but secured qualification, while Jadran Kostrena, Triglav Kranj and Ströck Wien are battling for the remaining two spots.
Ahead of the tournament in Rovinj, we spoke with 19-year-old Slovenian national team player Miha Šantak from Nova Gorica, a member of the reigning Slovenian champions Branik Maribor.
Let’s start with the recent European Championship in Belgrade. Slovenia finished the tournament in 15th place, their third consecutive European Championship appearance. Was that a realistic outcome?
“Going into the European Championship, we were without my club teammate Jurij Seljak, who will be sidelined for some time due to injury, and we were also missing a few other players. Personally, I’m not satisfied with 15th place. We only beat Slovakia, and more than the loss to Malta, the match against Israel hurts the most, as we were all expecting a win there. If we draw a line under it, this was Slovenia’s third consecutive European Championship appearance, which does mean something after a few years of stagnation. New challenges await us already in April, and that’s when we’ll have to show that we’re moving in the right direction. It’s good that the national team is active and that there are more competitions, which is also positive for young players looking to prove themselves and break into the team.”
Now your focus shifts to the AWL tournament in Rovinj. What are your expectations?
“Even though we’ve practically secured our place at the Final Tournament, we want to finish the regular season in first place and continue our unbeaten run. We’re aware that this can’t last forever, but we’re not putting pressure on ourselves. We’re taking it match by match and trying to play our best water polo every time.”
How important is your starting position at the Final Tournament?
“It’s definitely important, mainly because of the opponents on the road to the final. Finishing first brings certain advantages — if nothing else, direct qualification to the semifinals. With the second round of the Challenger Cup qualifiers coming up in mid-February, potential new victories would have a positive impact on our form and mentality. It’s easier to play when you know you’re at the top rather than under pressure from slipping down the standings. If we manage to hold on to first place until the Final Tournament, that would be excellent, although we know it won’t be easy.”
On Saturday you face Calcit, and on Sunday there’s the derby against Ljubljana Slovan, whom you played against in last season’s national championship final.
“A derby is always something special. Ljubljana have very high-quality players, which we could also see at the European Championship — Čanč, Lipnik, Potočnik and, of course, the best Slovenian goalkeeper, Jure Beton. At this moment, they might even be the best team in Slovenia. That said, we also have a strong squad and believe in ourselves. Our goal is to give everything we have and win the match. I’m expecting a very tough, physically demanding and high-quality game, and I hope it goes our way.”
Last season your team did not compete in the AWL but focused on the regional league. How beneficial is playing in the AWL for Slovenian clubs?
“Last season was extremely demanding for us — we played around 50 matches, and there will be plenty this season as well. Playing in the AWL is very beneficial for all of us, especially for younger players who get the chance to face international opponents. I think Slovenian water polo is progressing. This year we had two representatives in European competitions, and last season the regional league was also very useful for us. All of this can only be positive.”
What about the visibility of water polo in Slovenia?
“Our club is the only sports team from Maribor with a national championship title, yet this isn’t reflected in match attendance. One of the biggest problems is the lack of media exposure, as water polo, unlike ice hockey, basketball or handball, is not present on television. A positive exception is the AWL, where matches are streamed on YouTube, but it would still be very important for at least the national championship finals to be broadcast on TV. There’s still a lot of work to be done in terms of recognition, but the key thing is that water polo doesn’t fade away — it has to keep progressing.”
Match schedule – 5th AWL Tournament, Rovinj
Saturday, January 31
12:30 – VK Jadran Kostrena vs Opatija
14:00 – Calcit Water Polo vs Branik Maribor
15:30 – KoperHanna vs Ströck Wien
17:00 – Torpedo Sarajevo vs Delfin Rovinj
Sunday, February 1
09:30 – Triglav Kranj vs Calcit Water Polo
11:00 – Opatija vs Ströck Wien
12:30 – Branik Maribor vs Ljubljana Slovan
14:00 – Delfin Rovinj vs KoperHanna
15:30 – Jadran Kostrena vs Triglav Kranj
Alpe Water Polo League standings (AWL)
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Branik Maribor – 24 points (8 matches)
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Opatija – 21 points (8 matches)
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Mladost – 21 points (9 matches)
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Ljubljana Slovan – 20 points (7 matches)
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Jadran Kostrena – 15 points (8 matches)
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Triglav Kranj – 13 points (7 matches)
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Ströck Wien – 12 points (8 matches)
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Koper-Hanna – 6 points (7 matches)
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Medveščak – 3 points (6 matches)
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Delfin Rovinj – 3 points (8 matches)
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Calcit Water Polo – 0 points (7 matches)
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Torpedo Sarajevo – 0 points (9 matches)
Author: Miha Štamcar for AWL
Photo: Aleksander Sokler for ZVDS
