Vistal Laczpol Gdynia are ready

Polish champion Vistal Laczpol Gdynia can look back on an impressive season 2011/12, having won the national league for the first time in the club's history.

This achievement gives them the possibility to participate in one of the Women’s EHF Champions League Qualification Tournaments. The team from Poland will take part in the qualification tournament in Denmark together with Balonmano Bera Bera, LC Brühl Handball and the host Viborg HK.

“The upcoming season won't be easy for us because seven players left our team,” said Patrycja Kulwinska, Vistal Laczpol Gdynia's line player.

There have been a lot of changes in the squad over the summer. Coach Thomas Orneborg and Karolina Szwed moved to Odense HK (DEN), Karolina Siodmiak went to Fleury Loiret HB (FRA), Patrycja Mikszto joined TuS Weibern 1920 (GER), Urszula Lipska, Dominika Brzezinska, Aleksandra Jedrzejczyk and Monika Głowinska will play in a domestic league.

Andrzej Nierzawa, who worked as the women's junior national coach, is the new coach of Vistal Laczpol. “Our new coach faces a difficult task since Thomas raised the bar for his followers over the last season,” explained Kulwinska.

However, the club also signed some new players. Beata Kowalczyk from MKS Piotrcovia (POL), Natasa Krnic from C.B. Mar Alicante (ESP), Ana Petrinja from C.B. Remudas (ESP) and junior national team player Aleksandra Zych play for Vistal Laczpol in the upcoming season.

In the semi-final match of the Qualification Tournament, Vistal Laczpol face the Spanish team, Balonmano Bera Bera.

“I think it will be a tough game and before we start thinking about the final, we want to win our semi-final. Only the best team of the tournament qualifies for the Women’s EHF Champions League,” said Kulwinska.