Welcome
Dear friends,
It is with honor and great pleasure that we invite you to the 2008 European Figure Skating Championships in Zagreb, Croatia’s capital, which will take place from January 21 – 28, 2008. We are eagerly awaiting the chance to show all our dear guests just how hospitable we can be. The City of Zagreb and its people have always had a special bond wuth athletes and sport fans, going above and beyond the call of duty to make them all feel like this is their home away from home. We know that this is going to be a special event and we hope that you will all cherish the memory of it for a long time.
These Championships will be an opportunity to show once again the beauty of this sport which brings skaters together from all over the Europe, and connects countries both off and on the ice. It will also be an opportunity for the people of Zagreb to show what good hosts they can be, and for spectators to show once again their support and enthusiasm.
Greetings
Zagreb and Croatia have gladly accepted the duty of hosting the European Figure Skating Championships under the honorary patronage of the President of the Republic of Croatia, Mr. Stjepan Mesić. Zagreb is a city with a long tradition in organizing important athletic events and figure skating has 130 years of history as an organized sport in our country. During the duration of the Championships Zagreb will host over 150 skaters from 41 countries.
The first European Figure Skating Championships held in Zagreb took place in 1974. Organized by our sport workers and enthusiasts, it was a success and Zagreb was given the honor to organize it again in 1979. The year 2008 marks the third occasion that the city of Zagreb will organize the European Figure Skating Championships.
I am convinced that sport advocates many values, primarily international cooperation and I know that the European Figure Skating Championships will promote them. This remarkable and important competition will provide many thrills and accomplishments for skaters and audience alike and we hope that Zagreb will remain a pleasant memory to all the teams and our dear guests.
To all the skaters, coaches and judges I wish to achieve success and prove that hard work, knowledge, consistency in following rules and fair play are always rewarded.
I believe that the organizers, the Croatian Skating Federation and all its volunteers, will work hard to maintain the high level of this competition further improving Zagreb's international reputation.
I would like to welcome skaters to the European Figure Skating Championships in January and wish them good results and successful performances.
Morana Paliković Gruden
President of the Organizing Committee
European Figure Skating Championships
January 21 – 27, 2008.
President of the Croatian Skating Federation