In Finland several forms of Finnish Championships in Floorball were played during the summer when the normal Floorball season is on holidays.
The 4th Finnish Championships in Beach Floorball took place in Kalajoki on 6th of June. Altogether 24 teams and around 200 players were fighting for the Championship title. The team Restaurant Dyyni has participated since the beginning of the Beach Floorball history and they managed to win the crown for the first time as they beat the last year´s champion Tommi and Boys after a penalty shot by 4-3. Dirlandaa fought their way to third place by beating Son of the Beach by 7-1.
In the Beach Floorball there are no goalkeepers and the small (40 x 60 cm) goal cages are used. The size of the rink is 20 x 10 m. Players are bare feet. There are no penalties, but a free hit is given when there is a mistake. The organiser provided free protection goggles for all participants, so that the flying sand doesn´t harm the eyes of the players.
“It´s not all about the skills, but the team spirit and the fighting will are more important when it comes to find the winner in Beach Floorball”, says the organiser Jani Koivisto from Nibacos Kokkola.
The 11th Swamp Floorball Championships took place in Leivonmäki in 25th of July. The tournament is played on a scuttling swamp in a rink of 25 x 15 m. There are 3 field players and a goalkeeper in each team at the same time inside the rink. Goal cages are big 2 x 4 m. In this form of Floorball there are two opponents; the opponent team and the playing field: scuttling swamp.
The winners of this year´s Swamp Floorball were in men´s category: 1. Love United, 2. Marjoniemen Muskettisoturit and 3. Pyry, and in women´s category: 1. TurMio, 2. Keräily Erä and 3. Leidit Suolla. Alltogether 27 women teams and 39 men teams participated to this tournament.
The Street Floorball Finals are played in the heart of Helsinki, Narinkka market square on Sat 29th of August. The winners of the 18 tournaments played around Finland are qualified to the Finals. The championships are played in following series: Men, Women, Men U16, Women U16, Company and Mixed teams.
Source and pictures: Finnish Floorball Federation
