Linda Bolder strengthens champions of Galatarasay

The Turkish women’s team of Galatasaray will defend its European Club title this Saturday in Vienna. The Turkish star team will this time unveil another surprise. The Israelian input is doubled by Linda Bolder. The winner of the Grand Prix in Samsun and Zagreb this year will replace British Sally Conway in the weight category U70kg.

Bolder: "I was invited by the coach of Galatasaray Ercan çakıroğlu. Yarden was already in the team, so I’ll do my best. If I’m going to win the Golden League, then it is Saturday!”

Of course 2013 World Champion Yarden Gerbi will fight in the team U63kg and the division U52kg will have Majlinda Kelmendi as fixed member of the Turkish team. The Turkish will miss Ebru Sahin though who’s recovering from an injury after the Grand Slam in Tokyo.

Yarden Gerbi previews: “All the teams are strong, this year it's interesting because there are some new teams that come from the European Club Championships last year now fighting in the Golden League so I'm very excited! I love this competition, I want to keep our title from last year, it will be hard but I believe in my team. Every fight will be hard from top level athletes where the team is in fact the same, but indeed Linda will fight for us now.”

The Turkish contributions will come from Ilayda Seyis. Nora Gjakova of Kosova was always in the team in the category U57kg as well. The heavyweight +70kg will be Belkis Zehra Kaya who won bronze in 2012 and 2013 but finally won the Golden League title last year in Samara.

Busy weeks for Galatasaray who are fighting in the Turkish league, as usual at the last Sunday of December, next week. The men aren’t competing in Georgia, only the women’s team of Trabzonspor will be fighting in Tbilisi at the European Club Championships.

Teams

Galatasaray S.K. Istanbul TUR

Cafe & Co Vienna Samurai AUT

Judo Club Pontault Combault FRA

Red Star Club de Champigny FRA

Sainte Genevieve Sports FRA

Judo-Sportverein Speyer 1959 e.V. GER, winner ECC 2014

Yawara-Neva Saint Petersburg RUS

Judo Club Cortaillod SUI