On the initiative of the Honorary President of the Balkan Federation, Mr. Nenad Vuckovic, his brother Milan and with the immense support of IFBB President, Dr. Rafael Santonja, in Knjazevac, Serbia, on November 17th was held the First Open Balkan Cup, a competition which will become traditional next year, when the Second Open Balkan Cup will be held from 27th to 30th of June.
The reason to start with the organization of the First Open Balkan Cup in November, when IFBB Calendar was already full of big international championships, was the thirtieth anniversary of the formation of the Balkan Federation in Belgrade, 1988.
Although aware that the chosen term for this event will not guarantee a large number of participants, the organizer decided to risk, and as it turned out, they did not make a mistake, because the First Open Balkan Cup, by all participants, the audience, the media and officials from the City of Knjazevac, was rated as successful in every aspect.
With this rating, we are sure that the Second Open Balkan Cup will be even more successful and more massive, because at least 12 Elite Pro Cards will be awarded, instead of one that was awarded in Knjazevac to the overall winner at Men’s Bodybuilding, Pavel Cervinka from the Czech Republic.
Excellent form of competitors from Bulgaria, Poland, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Montenegro, Hungary, Croatia, Slovenia and Serbia, as well as excellent organization of the whole aspects of the competition, accommodation and banquet, have made us all convinced that IFBB now got one more important competition on the territory of the Balkans, and that the quality and massiveness of the Open Balkan Cup will grow from year to year, and be one of the key competitions for the promotion and prosperity of bodybuilding and fitness in the Balkan region and Europe.
