Eurolanche

Invasion X: Interview with Ivan

Ivan Riska, 31, hails from Trnava, Slovakia. He’s been an Avalanche fan ever since the franchise’s relocation to Denver in 1995. Ivan has been a Eurolanche member for a year now. He works at the Central IT Support department of the Slovak national postal service and this will be his first trip to the US.

Why did you choose to go to Colorado?

As an Avs fan, I’ve always wanted to go to Denver to see my favorite team play in person, but my dream seemed impossible back when I was still a student. After I found out about Eurolanche, the idea of travelling to Denver came back to me after I saw everything the participants of previous Invasions experienced. That’s why I chose to go on this adventure and to see everything with my own eyes.

What are you looking forward to the most?

That’s tough to say, but I’m looking forward to everything connected with Invasion X – from the games to all the scheduled activities and trips.

What are your expectations from the trip?

I’m expecting that it’ll be an experience that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.

Did you follow previous Invasions? If so, what stood out the most for you and what would you like to experience as well?

I’ve followed them, but each Invasion was unique. There was something during each previous Invasion that I’d like to see and visit myself, yet the thing I want to experience the most is the atmosphere in the stands of an NHL game.

You’ll attend a total of seven games. What record will the Avs have in those games and what game are you looking forward to the most?

I’d love for the Avs to win all seven games, but all of them will be tough ones against very good teams. Realistically, I’m expecting 4 wins and 3 losses. I can’t wait for the game against Calgary, as the Flames are my brother’s favorite team and I really hope that it’ll be a W for the Avs.

Have you ever travelled so far, or participated in an event like this before? How do you feel just a couple of weeks away from the trip?

I’ve never travelled so far, nor have I participated in a similar event before, which is why I can’t wait for Invasion X to begin. I couldn’t possibly describe my feelings with words, I feel like a little kid, whose dream of seeing the Avs play in person will finally come true.

Basic information about the Eurolanche Invasion project, as well as information about the previous nine trips are available at Invasion.Eurolanche.com. If you’re considering taking part in a future Invasion and have any questions, please send them to us via eurolanche@eurolanche.com. Registration will be made available at a later date and every Fan Club member, who provided his email address in the signup form, will be notified via the provided email address.

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