1981 Women's European Volleyball Championship

The European Women's Volleyball in 1981 took place from September 19 to 27 held in Bulgaria. The matches were played in Sofia and Pernik. The hosts ended the winning streak of the Soviet Union and won the title for the first time.

Mode

The twelve participants were divided into the first round in three groups of four. The group winners and runners-up were summarized in the final round to a group. In the mode " all against all " they determined the tournament winner. The remaining teams played to the ranks of seven to twelve. Results from teams that already clashed in the first round were incorporated into the final round.

Schedule

Preliminary round

Final round

The Federal Republic of Germany played with Christa Schubert, Sigrid Terstegge, Gudrun Behrens, Gabi Lorenz, Marina Staden, Renate Riek, Silvia Meiertöns, Ruth Holzhausen, Marlis Kerstiens, Regina Vossen, Marion Manke, Regine Bracht and Angela Liebelt.

Full Time

Qualification

Bulgaria was set as host. The top five teams in the European championship in 1979 were also automatically qualified. These were the Soviet Union as the defending champion, the second GDR, Hungary Fourth, the Fifth and the Sixth Romania Netherlands.

Six other teams reached the final on qualification tournaments, which were held in May. In Group A, who played in Rheine, the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia and prevailed against Sweden, Norway and Israel. The group B in Rome won the Czechoslovakia and Italy against Finland and England. In Group C, Poland and Turkey against France, Belgium and Switzerland were successful.