9th Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball EURO
B ea c h H a n d ba l l is a b o ut …
LLORET DE MAR 2015
European Handball Federation
Beach Handball Commission
October 2015
Contributors Contributors (con·trib′u·tors, kənˈtrɪbjʊtəs): Persons who submit material for publication EDITOR:
George S. BEBETSOS PHOTOGRAPHS: Axel HEIMKEN
www.axelheimken.com TEXTS:
George S. BEBETSOS, Thomas SCHÖNEICH, Peter FRÖSCHL GRAPHIC DESIGN - GD ATELIER:
Elina CHRISTOFOROU www.gdatelier.gr
WEBARTING - INTERNET SERVICES: Zisis LYROPOULOS
www.webarting.org Copyright © EHF, 2015. All rights reserved. Hoffingergasse 18 1120 Vienna Austria Tel. # +43-1-80 151 /0 Fax # +43-1-80 151 /149 E-mail: office@eurohandball.com URL: www.eurohandball.com Produced: Athens, October 2015
…Table of contents Contents : (con·tents, kŏn′tĕnt′s): A list of divisions (chapters or articles) and the pages on which they start Contributors
CHAPTER I.
CHAPTER II.
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3
Introduction Beach Handball is about…
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…far from being just some nice holidays!
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…the President’s message
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…foreword
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…the EHF Beach Handball Commission
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The Beach Handball EURO Beach Handball is about…
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…the Beach Handball EURO history
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…the venue
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…teams and athletes
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…spectacle
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…moments
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…officials
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…triumph and disaster
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…fans
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…winners
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Introduction (in·tro·duc·tion, ĭn′trə-dŭk′shən): A preliminary part, as of a book, leading up to the main part
CHAPTER I. ...Book introduction
…Far from being just some nice holidays
Back in June and July this year Lloret de Mar on Spain’s Costa Brava was the
age reached hundreds of thousands. The women's bronze medal match be-
Barcelona hosted the ninth edition of the European Championships. Lloret de
men's final between defending champions Croatia and Spain. A peak had been
“place to be” for Europe’s beach handball circus, as the city just north of
Mar? Yes, Lloret which is arguably better known for being a very popular tourist destination proved that it can also be the home of outstanding sport events!
reached already the day before when 318,000 people watched the women’s semi-final between Spain and Norway.
And no doubt, what the stars of the sport showed on the sandy courts was
The championships also saw an increase of numbers of people following the
six days vied for the prestigious championships plate, and their performance
Axel Heimken. The European Handball Federation had hired the experienced
holiday adventure. And eventually, after more than 100 matches had been
ble. And while some examples of his work were already featured on channels
nothing short of truly spectacular action. 12 men’s and 14 women’s teams over
indicated that for all of them the trip to Lloret was far from being just a nice
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tween Spain and Italy was watched by 244,000, while 226,000 stayed for the
played in both events, two teams, two true powerhouses of beach handball, topped the podium. In the men’s event Croatia won for the fourth consecutive
time, while in the women’s event Hungary successfully defended the title they
had won in Randers two years ago.
And Lloret 2015 was not only a hit from the sport’s point of view, but also when it came to the attention from outside. Spanish sports channel Teledeporte broadcast the semi-finals and finals with Spanish participation, and the cover-
event on social media, which was also partly due to the work of photographer
sports photographer to specifically showcase the sport in the best light possisuch as Facebook and Flickr, the full extent can only be found in this exclusive book.
We hope you will enjoy it!
CHAPTER I. ...Book introduction
…The President’s message Message (mes·sage, mĕs′ĭj): The points conveyed
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Dear Friends, Over the past sixteen years, the European Handball Federation and the Beach Handball Commission have taken the sport of beach handball to new heights. Since the introduction of the European Championships in 2000, followed by the ebt Finals in 2004, the youth championships in 2008, and the Champions Cup in 2014; we have enjoyed countless events in Italy, Spain, Turkey, Germany, Norway, Croatia, Denmark, Hungary, Georgia, Greece, and Portugal. With much pride, beach handball continues to develop and we continue to be rewarded with the unremitting growth in popularity is a testament to the engagement of everyone involved in the sport. Within the European Handball Federation, the summer belongs to beach handball and all its activities; and once again Spain was the setting for the 9th edition of the Men’s and Women’s European Beach Handball Championships. With the conclusion of the exciting EHF Beach Handball European Championships and as the winners celebrate, not only their win and the golden championship plate, but also their automatic entry to the final tournament of the 2016 Beach Handball World Championship, we present to you this event chronicle. From 30 June to 5 July, the coastal town of Lloret de Mar played host to the top
men’s and women’s national beach handball teams. Across the six playing days a total of 127 matches were played across three courts where many examples of tremendous athleticism was witnessed. We watched as the teams gave their all in every single match that left thousands of spectators on the edge of their seats in anticipation. Through the speed of the spectacular actions, we saw awesome victories and touching defeats; and for a most exciting event, I take this moment to thank all the participating players for making the 9th European Beach Handball Championships an event to remember and I seize the opportunity to extend my gratitude to the Royal Spanish Handball Federation for the flawless organisation of the championships. As the sun sets on six glorious days in the town of Lloret de Mar, you are invited to turn the page and reminisce on the pure enjoyment that was the 2015 Men’s and Women’s European Beach Handball Championship. Best wishes, Jean Brihault EHF President October 2015
CHAPTER I. ...Book introduction
…Foreword Foreword (fore·word, fôr′wərd): An introductory note for a book, by a person other than the author
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They were the ninth European Beach Handball Championships that were thrown off in Lloret de Mal, last July. 15 years ago, in 2000, the first Beach Handball EURO was staged in Italy and while we all acknowledge that the sport has come a long way since, I would like to stress at the same time that there is still plenty of room for improvement. The Beach Handball EURO is being taken very seriously, and the standards have also increased. I can see that we have more and more nations joining the Beach Handball family. The basics have been laid, we are at a good stage and we are ready to take the next huge step: The Olympic Games! In one way or the other, more TV coverage and more sponsors are a quest. If you can generate more money, you can also develop the sport further. One of the positive signs in the lead-up to the EURO was the return of several countries to the sand, and newcomers as well. We will continue to demonstrate - through strategic planning and support of Europe-wide Beach Handball events - our continued long-term commitment to the creation of new forms of competition and quality event infrastructure.
We are a young sport in Europe and in many countries, but we are developing rather fast. There are more and more events, and in EHF we are working on some more projects so we can continue to increase the number of teams and players involved in Beach Handball. We are taking more space on the European handball map and the future looks rather bright for us! Our efforts are inspired by the long-term and futuristic vision of the European Handball Federation in seeking to solidify our sport’s position as a continental trend, recognizing the importance of partnerships with key handball stakeholders across the Continent.
Ole R. Jorstad EHF Executive Committee, member Beach Handball Commission, Chairman
CHAPTER I. ...Book introduction
…The EHF Beach Handball Commission Commission (com·mis·sion, kə-mĭsh′ən): The act of granting authority to undertake certain functions
Marco TRESPIDI (ITA) Events & Competition
The EHF Beach Handball Commission (BC) regards itself as an initiator of projects in order to develop Beach Handball as an independent sport discipline within the European Handball family. Furthermore, the BC supports the National Federations in order to promote Beach Handball in their counties. The main target: To lay down the foundation to become an Olympic discipline! Both the EHF Beach Handball Commission and the EHF Office Business Unit Beach Handball further develop the product “Beach Handball” as well as adapt the relationships to external partners in Beach Handball – in particular concerning TV and internet live streaming - to the needs of our times regarding their daily business in order to make the product fit for the market in cooperation with the EHF Technical Commissions and the EHF Executive Committee.
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Peter FRÖSCHL EHF Office Gabriella HORVATH (HUN) Officiating
Ole JORSTAD (NOR) Chairman
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Nicole RABENSEIFNER EHF Office Sinisa OSTOIC (CRO) Game Design & Coaching
George BEBETSOS (GRE) Development & Promotion
History (his·to·ry, hĭs′tə-rē): : A chronological record of events, as of the development of the sport
B ea c h H a n d ba l l is a b o ut …
CHAPTER I I. ...The Beach Handball EURO History
…The Beach Handball EURO history The Beach Handball EURO is the official competition for the men’s and women’s national Beach Handball teams of Europe, taking place biannually. It was first organized by the EHF in 2000. In addition to Croatiawning the
European champions, the tournament also serves as a qualifying tournament for the World Beach Handball Championships and the World Games.
Summary
Men’s tournament
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Table of medals
LLORET DE MAR 2015 - The final ranking
Nation
Place
Men
Women
1
Croatia
6
2
2
10
1
Croatia
Hungary
2
Russia
4
5
3
12
2
Spain
Norway
3
Spain
2
2
1
5
3
Ukraine
Italy
4
Hungary
2
1
2
5
4
Hungary
Spain
5
Germany
1
3
1
5
5
Russia
Poland
Year
Host
2000
Gaeta, Italy
Byelorussia
Spain
Ukraine
2002
Cadiz,Spain
Spain
Russia
Byelorussia
6
Italy
1
2
0
3
6
Serbia
Netherlands
2004
Alanya, Turkey
Russia
Germany
Turkey
-
Ukraine
1
2
0
3
2006
Cuxhaven, Germany
Spain
Hungary
Turkey
7
Norway
Russia
2007
Misano Adriatico, Italy
Russia
Croatia
Hungary
8
Byelorussia
1
1
0
2
8
Germany
Ukraine
2009
Larvik, Norway
Croatia
Russia
Hungary
9
Norway
0
2
2
4
9
Poland
Croatia
2011
Umag, Croatia
Croatia
Russia
Spain
10
Denmark
0
2
1
3
10
Denmark
Switzerland
2013
Randers, Denmark
Croatia
Russia
Denmark
11
Turkey
0
1
2
3
11
Italy
Serbia
2015
Lloret De Mar, Spain
Croatia
Spain
Ukraine
12
Yugoslavia
0
0
1
1
12
Switzerland
Sweden
Women’s tournament Year
Host
2000
Gaeta, Italy
Ukraine
Germany
Russia
2002
Cadiz, Spain
Russia
Turkey
Yugoslavia
2004
Alanya, Turkey
Russia
Croatia
Germany
2006
Cuxhaven, Germany
Germany
Russia
Croatia
2007
Misano Adriatico, Italy
Croatia
Germany
Norway
2009
Larvik, Norway
Italy
Norway
Croatia
2011
Umag, Croatia
Croatia
Denmark
Italy
2013
Randers, Denmark
Hungary
Denmark
Norway
2015
Lloret De Mar, Spain
Hungary
Norway
Italy
13
Germany
14
Montenegro
19
CHAPTER I I. ...The Beach Handball EURO History
Beach Handball EURO (2000- 2015, 9 events) – The total participation by National Federations
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Venue (ven·ue, vĕn′yo): The scene or setting in which something takes place
Photo courtesy: City of Lloret De Mar
B ea c h H a n d ba l l is a b o ut …
CHAPTER III. …The venue
Photo courtesy: City of Lloret De Mar
A place of leisure, fun and sports, located in the town of Lloret de Mar was the EURO’s competition venue. An enclosure of 7500 m2, offering a new concept of entertainment, a combination of beach sports and fun.
Photo courtesy: City of Lloret De Mar
Located in the heart of the Costa Brava, set among beautiful natural surroundings, next to the sea and close to the mountains, Lloret de Mar is a destination to fall in love with. Nature, culture, fun, idyllic beaches and hidden coves, concerts, festivals and the best of Mediterranean cuisine are just some of the elements that made Lloret de Mar the chosen destination for the 2015 Beach Handball EURO.
Photo courtesy: City of Lloret De Mar
Sanddance Pool Club, the event site
Photo courtesy: City of Lloret De Mar
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Lloret de Mar, the city
Photo courtesy: City of Lloret De Mar
…The venue
Teams (tēms): Groups of players forming one of the sides in a sporting contest Athletes (ath•lete, ˈæθ lits): Persona trained (or
gifted) in exercises or contests involving physical agility, coordination, stamina, or strength
CHAPTER IV. …Teams and athletes
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CHAPTER IV. …Teams and athletes
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CHAPTER IV. …Teams and athletes
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CHAPTER IV. …Teams and athletes
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CHAPTER IV. …Teams and athletes
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CHAPTER IV. …Teams and athletes
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CHAPTER IV. …Teams and athletes
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Spectacle (spec·ta·cle, spĕk’tə-kəl): Athletic performance on a large or lavish scale.
CHAPTER V. …Spectacle
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Moments (mo·ments, mō′mənts): Points in time that are noteworthy
CHAPTER VI. …Moments
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Photo: Jozo Cabraja
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CHAPTER VI. …Moments
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Officials (of·fi·cials, ə-fĭsh′əls): Referees or umpires
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CHAPTER VII. …Officials
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CHAPTER VII. …Officials
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CHAPTER VII. …Officials
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CHAPTER VII. …Officials
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Photo: Jozo Cabraja
CHAPTER VII. …Officials
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CHAPTER VII. …Officials
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Triumph (tri·umph, ˈtrīəmf): A great victory
Disaster (dis·as·ter, dəˈzastər): A calamitous event
CHAPTER VIII. …Triumph and disaster
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CHAPTER VIII. …Triumph and disaster
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CHAPTER VIII. …Triumph and disaster
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CHAPTER VIII. …Triumph and disaster
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Fans (fﾄハs): Ardent devotees; enthusiasts
CHAPTER IX. ...Fans
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CHAPTER IX. ...Fans
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CHAPTER IX. ...Fans
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Winners (win·ners, wĭn′ərs): The victors in sports
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CHAPTER X. …Winners
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9th Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball EURO
B ea c h H a n d ba l l is a b o ut … LLORET DE MAR 2015
European Handball Federation Beach Handball Commission October 2015