A n estremely strong team is surely Croatia, country that hosted the previous Euro-African Spearfishing Championship in 2017, in Mali-Losinj.
We interviewed Mislav Calo, Captain of Croatia.
ApneaPassion: Euro-African 2019: special situation with non-traditional fishing compared to warmer waters and also fishing starting from the shore…how did you choose the team and please present briefly each athlete?
Mislav Calo: In Croatia we have ranking list where athletes collecting points from results on national and international competitions in last two years. At the end of calendar year first six from that list become team for next year. In a case that someone can’t go then next in the row get in. As captain Branko Ikic couldn’t go I was choosen from Federation as replacement. True last two month I was in contact with all athletes. On my proposal they trained during summer swimming and fishing with buoy so they are in good fisical shape. They don’t know me well so we will get to know each other during preparations.
AP: Expectations for this competition?
MC: Expect good fight and that they give their best. We have young team, but not because age. Some of them are young even by age but I mean young in experience on competing at international level. It was very importan to bring two, three young athletes in national team so we can start built future as we had very drastic shift of generations. I hope in next time that some of them will return, specially Antonio Buratovic and Stjepko Kesic. Buratovic would be worth gold, with his knowledge, experience, attitude to competition and with him we could built very strong and powerfull national team.
AP: Key elements to be strong in this competition? (physical, tactical, experience in these waters..)
MC: Hunting intelligence and instinct, of course physical shape, number of minutes underwater and tactic – how much time loosing on swim and transport from spot to spot. Possibility of quick adaptation and changing fishing technics in a second.
Croatian spearos are in advantage when comes to instinct because in past time we always had ten times less preparation time compering to other strong counttries so we needed to learn how to improvise. We are learning fast and we have that hunting instinct strong. I swimed a lot during my spearfishing career so understand what we are facing in Denmark.
AP: Strongest teams and athletes to look at?
MC: Croatian team is only what I am interest about. In Denmark there won’t be favourites in usual way, every athlete can be first and last. Scandinavian teams are at home so for sure they have big advantage speacially in their way of thinking, mentality but maybe they will be to sure in their domination. Technical and tactical infront everyone are always Spain, Croatia, Italy and Greece.
