Handball Info

2009 Women’s World Championship in China
QUALIFICATION EUROPE

DRAW RESULTS from 22 July 2008

The draw for the 2009 Women’s World Championship (CHN) – Qualification Europe took place in the EHF Office / Vienna, Austria today. Below you will find the results of this draw:

Group 1 Group 2 Group 3
1 NED ITA POL
5 LTU MNE ISL
6 CZE SLO SVK
2 TUR AZE LAT
3 GRE BUL SUI
4 GBR FIN -

German Club Rhein Neckar Löwen has announced another spectacular transfer: Right winger Jan Filip from HSG Nordhorn will play for the Löwen for the next two seasons. Manager Bernd Rigterink from Nordhorn announced the transfer on Monday. The right winger had signed a contract until 2012 with Nordhorn but will nevertheless leave. “We have not progressed with our budget to the point that we can achieve all our players”, said Rigterink. The Czech national team player won the EHF-Cup with Nordhorn in the last season, and now he will play in the Champions League with the Rhein Neckar Löwen. “It appeals to me to play in the Champions League”, said Filip.

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Danish national team player Joachim Boldsen revealed a surprise today…The backcourt player signed a contract with the top Spanish team FC Barcelona. Boldsen, who transferred from SG-Flensburg to the Danish side AaB before the start of the 2007-2008 season, said: “Everyone has treated me fairly and the prospects for the next season were good”, he told TV2.dk. “It was my ultimate dream to play for Barcelona. As Barcelona fulfilled all obligations made by my club AaB Handbold, there was no doubt for me.” In Barcelona Boldsen will play with compatriots Kasper Hvidt and Jesper Noddesbo.

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Tonci Valcic is the first new player in the left back position. He will arrive from Ademar Leon where he played a great season. His shots will help a lot.

The Slovenian international, Ognjen Backovic, was also signed. He is coming from Teucro as one of the best scorers in the Asobal league.

Zagreb are still negotiating with Ivano Balic and Mirko Alilovic.

In the meanwhile the club season is over. Since majority of the Zagreb players are also in the Croatian NT (with the same coach, Lino Cervar) they focus on the Olympic qualifications and on the 2009 World Championship in Croatia.

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This was the third Norwegian success for the team of Ole Gustav Gjekstad. Their biggest success was winning City Cup in 1996. This time they defended domestic title for the first time in the club’s history, which means that Drammen ensured their place in the CL for the second time in a row.

At the end of the season an all-star team was voted:

Goalkeeper
Ras Bloch (Bodø)
Right wing
Rune Skjærvold (Stord)
Right back
Thomas Drange (Fyllingen)
Pivot
Andreas Gjeitrem (Fyllingen)
Playmaker
Glenn Solberg (Drammen)
Left back
Frode Hagen (Drammen)
Left wing
Thomas Skoglund (Haslum)

Coach: Ole Gustav Gjekstad (Drammen)

Glenn Solberg (Drammen) was chosen best player in 2008, while Steffen Stormo Stegavik (Elverum) was the best scorer of the Norwegian league with 163 goals scored.

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With 43 points out from 22 matches, Larvik won the Norwegian Championship easily. Despite many injury problems and tough opponents, such as Byasen Trondheim, the victory was never at stake.

Prizes were also awarded to the best players for their performance during the entire season.

Best line-up of Norwegian league:

Goalkeeper
Lene Rantala (Larvik)
Right wing
Inga Berit Svestad (Byasen)
Right back
Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth (Larvik)
Line player
Marit Malm Frafjord (Byasen)
Playmaker
Tonje Larsen (Larvik)
Left back
Izabela Duda (Storhamar)
Left wing
Kari Mette Johansen (Larvik) 

Coach
Geir Oustorp (Byasen)

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Lino Cervar and his team dominate in Croatia. With the Croatian championship title and the Croatian Cup trophy in their hands, they are looking forward to the new CL season.

Zagreb did better than expected in the CL this year. They were very close to the semi-finals, but finally they failed to reach it. The Croatians are not discouraged, however. The club is working on building an even stronger team.

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Nürnberg are German women’s champions again, Nikola Karabatic was voted “Player of the Season” and HSV Hamburg have a great balance of the season.

Nikola Karabatic was awarded “Player of the Season” in the German Bundesliga again. In a voting carried out by all coaches and team captains in the league the key player of the German champion and CL finalist THW Kiel won clearly.

Ademar Leon confirmed the signings of Damir Bicanic from Zagreb Croatia osiguranje and Igor Kos from Celje Pivovarna Lasko. Both players signed for a period of three years.

The Croatian international goalkeeper, Valter Matosevic, will leave Portland after a season. Ciudad Real’s coach, Talant Dujsebaev, has confirmed that Matosevic will play for Ciudad Real next year to help Sterbik and Hombrados. The place of Valter will be taken by Danjel Saric in Portland.