Vammalan Lentopallo
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| Full name | Vammalan Lentopallo |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1978 |
| Ground |
VeXve Arena Vammala, Finland |
| Capacity | 1500 |
| Chairman | Arto Satonen |
| League | SM-liiga |
| 2011-2012 | SM-liiga 1st place |
Vammalan Lentopallo — Valepa is a volleyball team in southwest Finland founded in 1978. It is based in the Vammala district of the town of Sastamala, in the Pirkanmaa Region. Valepa plays in the highest level in Finland. VaLePa Sastamala is ranked 32nd (as of October 2016) in the men's European clubs ranking.[1]
History
Vammalan Lentopallo was founded 1978, with the club's first season in SM-liiga in 1980-1981.
VaLePa is known to be a good place for young players. Many of the club's own juniors have reached professional level and other young talents have made their pro-level debut in the club. Some of the best known of them are Olli-Pekka Ojansivu, Olli Kunnari, Mikko Oivanen and Matti Oivanen.
The team's best result to date is the national champion title, which it won twice (in the 2011-2012 and 2013-2014 seasons. In 2012, it also won the Finnish Cup.
European competitions
Valepa played in the CEV Challenge Cup in the 2008-2009 season, where it lost both the home match (1-3) and the return match in Burgas (3-0) to the Bulgarian Neftehimik team. In 2012-2013 VaLePa played in the CEV Cup. The first round was against the Estonian team of Selver Tallinn. VaLePa won through golden set after both teams had won a match (Selver - VaLePa 3-2, VaLePa - Selver 3-0). In the second round, VaLePa faced the Italian Andreoli Latina, which was stronger in the golden set (VaLePa - Latina 3-1, Latina - VaLePa 3-0).
New Arena
Season 2012-2013 was a big change for the club. Old small homeground Sylvää was abandoned for new bigger VexVe Arena. The team sometimes still train in Sylvää and second team also plays there some of their games.
Achievements
- Finland league bronze 1992, 2008,2013 and 2014
- Finland league silver 2011
- Finland league champion 2012 and 2014
- Finnish Cup winner 2012
- Finnish Cup runners-up 2013 and 2014
Team
Season 2015-2016
- Setters
- Antti Esko
- Mikko Esko
- Arttu Lehtimäki
- Middle-blockers
- Eduard Venski (BLR)
- Joonas Oksala
- Andriy Levchenko (UKR)
- Anssi Vesanen
- Wing-spikers
- Olli Kunnari
- Timo Jokinen
- Elvis Krastins
- Toni Vahela
- Opposite
- Jesus Chourio (VEN)
- Urpo Sivula (injured)
- Stanislav Neviadomskyi (UKR)
- Libero
- Jarmo Korhonen
- Headcoach
- Ugis Krastins
- Assistant coach
- Hannu Hautamäki
- Club chairman
- Arto Satonen — also a member of the Parliament of Finland.