ODESA, JULY 5th, 2012, CONTEXT-PRICHERNOMORIE ― Olga Blanutsa of Odesa has been recognised the best scorer of the European Sevens Championship, Context-Prichernomorie correspondent reports.

Spkesman of the Rugby Federation of Ukraine Yuri Platika stated today, 5 July, during a press conference.

“The captain of Ukraine’s female national rugby-7team, the player Odesa RC Otrada, Olga Blanutsa became the top scorer of the European championship after two stages. After earning a total of 85 points (11 attempts and 15 implementations), she is 5 points ahead of the English Joann Watmore and received the title of the Eurosevens top Scorer. After the first phase of the European Championship, which took place in the Dutch city of Ameland, Olga led the scorers list, gaining 59 points (7 tries and 12 implementations). While in the 2nd round in Moscow Blanutsa was only the tenth (26 points ― four attempts and three implementations), this did not prevent the Ukrainian national team captain to be the most productive player on the results of two phases”, said Yuri Platika.

the top 30 of scorers included two Ukrainian women ― Mariia Bondar (RC Otrada) and Violetta Ocheretiana.

INFORMATION: The European Sevens Championship is an annual competition organised by FIRA – Association of European Rugby, the governing body of European rugby union. In 2002―2010 a number of qualifying tournaments lead up to a finals tournament, which functions as the European championship and, in 2008, also as the qualifying stage for the Sevens World Cup. The first European Championship was held in 2002 in Heidelberg, Germany, and was won by Portugal, the team that won every men's championship since except 2007 and 2009, when Russia won. In 2003, the tournament was again held in Heidelberg and, in 2004, Palma de Mallorca, Spain was the host. From 2005 to 2007, Moscow was the host of the tournament. Hanover held the tournament for the first time in 2008 and did so again in 2009. In 2010, the tournament return to Moscow. In 2011, the format of the competition changed. The twelve best teams meet on several tournaments, following the model of the IRB Sevens World Series. The name also changed, the European Championship is now known as Sevens Grand Prix Series.