Larvik hang on to two stars and sign young talent

The past week has been one of good news for Norwegian women's champions Larvik HK.

Not only have they qualified for the semi-finals in the Women’s EHF Champions League, thanks to a 31:26 win against Randers, but they have also extended the contracts of Norwegian national team players Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren and Karoline Dyhre Breivang.

28-year-old right winger Linn-Kristin Riegelhuth Koren has extended her contract for another three years, so that it is now valid until the summer of 2016.

“I am really happy to have got this settled. I feel very well on and off the court. Here I can develop further,” Riegelhuth Koren told Larvik HK´s website.

“For my overall situation, this was the best possible choice I could make, and I am looking very much forward to the future. I give full priority to the club team as well as to the national team,” she added.

“We are talking about a highly professional player and the club’s all-time leading scorer,” Larvik´s head coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad said.

“Linn-Kristin always goes forward at training, and she is constantly looking for new inputs in order to become an even better athlete,” he added.

Riegelhuth-Koren has been with Larvik since 2002, except for the one season she spent with Danish side FCK Håndbold in 2009/10.

Another key player, Karoline Dyhre Breivang, extended her contract with Larvik for another two years, until the summer of 2015.

“I still find handball to be great fun. I have had eight fine years in the club, and I see absolutely no reason to leave the club or the town, where I feel very well,” said the 32-year-old back court player who has been with the 2010 Women’s EHF Champions League since 2005.

“Karoline has been an extremely important part of our team, and she still is. She is a solid team player who takes all the roles she gets in the team very well,” Gjekstad said, as the extension of Breivang´s contract was confirmed.

While Larvik have managed to hang on to two of their established stars, they have also been looking towards the future.

20-year-old left winger Jeanett Kristiansen is joining from Norwegian league rivals Glassverket Drammen at the end of this season.

“Everything is settled, but it has been a difficult choice, and I had to think a lot, but Larvik is a team I have always dreamt of playing for,” Jeanett Kristiansen told the Norwegian newspaper Østlands-Posten.

“If you want to get far, this is the kind of step you have to take, and I think it is going to be really great,” she added.

Larvik conclude the Women’s EHF Champions League Main Round with a home game against Budućnost on Saturday, 16 March before they proceed to the semi-final of the competition.