Firefighters from the District Directorate of the Fire and Rescue Service (HaZZ) in Čadca are set to represent Slovakia at the international Odessos Cup tournament in Varna, Bulgaria. Joining them will be a women’s team from DPO Slovakia, both aiming to showcase Slovak colors on the international stage.
According to the official sports calendar of the city of Varna, the international firefighting sports tournament will take place from September 28 to October 3, 2026, at the Lokomotiv Sports Complex.
Čadca firefighters take on international rivals
For the team from Čadca, the Odessos Cup marks another opportunity to demonstrate their skills beyond their everyday emergency work.
Firefighting sports test speed, technical proficiency, strength, and precision. The Odessos Cup includes disciplines such as climbing with an assault ladder, the 100-meter obstacle run, the fire relay, and the combat deployment event.
Slovakia has had significant representation at other international events in this sport as well. Aktualizovane.sk recently reported on Slovak firefighters competing for European medals at the championship in Ostrava.
Slovakia to send a women’s team
Alongside the Čadca firefighters, Slovakia will also be represented by a women’s team from DPO Slovakia.
In recent months, women’s firefighting sports in Slovakia have delivered noteworthy results. Aktualizovane.sk previously reported on Veronika Kubicová from DHZ Hladovka, who became the Slovak national champion in the tower climb.
The Odessos Cup is among the longstanding international tournaments in the sport. In recent years, teams from Slovakia, Czech Republic, Romania, Croatia, Ukraine, and more have competed in Varna.
From emergency response to the sporting arena
For professional firefighters, this is more than a traditional sporting event.
The disciplines are closely related to activities critical to firefighters’ training—from working with technical equipment to the speed and coordination of team members.
The Čadca Fire and Rescue Service has also been in the spotlight for reasons beyond sports. One of its members, Captain Mgr. Štefan Belko, was recently honored for his role in saving a human life.
Now, the Čadca firefighters head to Bulgaria with a new mission: to deliver the best possible performance for Slovakia at an international level.
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Source: Fire and Rescue Corps – Žilina Region
This article was translated from the original Slovak version with the assistance of AI.
