Event like a royal wedding

Twice 19,750 fans in the sold-out LANXESS arena, the most thrilling final ever in the history of the event and a perfect atmosphere on and off the court: The VELUX EHF FINAL4 in Cologne has again made history.

When EHF President Jean Brihault handed over the trophy of the fourth edition to Pascal Hens, team captain of HSV Hamburg, the curtain fell, but the preparations for the 2014 VELUX EHF FINAL4 will be already in full swing in the next weeks.

Brihault – for whom it was the first final weekend of the club season as the EHF President - was fully excited about last days in Cologne.

“The VELUX EHF FINAL4 was a celebration of handball, from competition side, but also from the organisational point of view. The world of handball gathered in Cologne and made the tournament to become something very special again. It was like a royal wedding,” Brihault said.

He especially pointed out the great atmosphere among the spectators. “It was pure harmony, they celebrated together, a perfect business card for our sport,” he added.

Besides the four matches, several meetings and the EHF Conference of Presidents were part of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 weekend in Cologne. “I am fully satisfied, and what I heard from all participants, they are fully satisfied, too,” said Brihault, for whom those discussions on the fringes of the event meant “a positive step for the future in all departments”.

The 2014 edition of the VELUX EHF FINAL4 will be staged in Cologne again, until then the venue for the sixth edition will be decided. “The procedures for this decision will be implemented soon,” Brihault indicated.

“We have a fantastic cooperation with the city of Cologne and the local organisers, we have fantastic spectators from all over Europe here and we are bearing this in mind, when deciding the future venue,” he underlined.

EHF Secretary General Michael Wiederer was “highly impressed and highly satisfied” by the VELUX EHF FINAL4. “The very thrilling matches, the opening ceremony, the show, the entertainment – everything was perfect and we again improved in all matters.”