Budućnost go rafting

Budućnost took the opportunity to enjoy some team building over the weekend away from the hard work in the training hall.

The Montenegrin champions spent two days in Rudinice, Piva, which is an extremely mountainous area on the north of Montenegro.

The most attractive part of the star was the rafting on the Tara river canyon, the deepest river canyon in Europe.

The players and coaching staff enjoyed an adrenalin filled 18 km long route with plenty of rapids to keep them busy.

“It was my first time to try river rafting. It was a great day with my new teammates.

“It was fun and difficult at the same time and the weather was perfect.

“The Tara river is very beautiful. Everybody should see this river. The water is so clean and the nature is so fantastic,” Dane Camilly Dalby, one of new arrivals, told ehfCL.com.

"This is a great way to start preparing. The team has changed a lot, so this is a good opportunity to be in nature, surrounded by beauty and tranquility to get to know each other,” said Biljana Pavićević.

Good omen

Interestingly, Budućnost previously had a rafting trip on the Tara river before the 2011/12, the season which ended with Dragan Adžić and his team capturing the Women’s EHF Champions League title.

“You never know, maybe history will repeat itself. Who would not want that to happen,” said last season’s top scorer Milena Knežević.

This part of preparation is very important for Budućnost, as part of so cold “teambuilding”.

“We all feel good after that excursion, because we had a chance to create a team atmosphere and familiarise ourselves with the new players and I'm pleased with that part,” explained coach Dragan Adžić.

"The coach, the girls and the whole team is great. All of them are helping me. As for Montenegro, it’s a really nice place; there is a sea, mountains and cheerful people,” said new arrival Irina Nikitina.

Six players, who recently played at the Mediterranean Games in Mersin (Turkey), Montenegro’s Milena Knežević, Majda Mehmedović and Radmila Miljanić, Serbian Dragana Cvijić, Croatian Katarina Ježić and Macedonian Elena Gjeorgjijevska missed the first week of preparation while they recoved from the event.

They all return to training and the team set up camp at Brzeće in the Kopaonik mountain range in Serbia for physical preparation until 7 August.

“So far we have done very well, we have conducted the necessary testing and I am satisfied how the players have worked.

“Now we begin the serious work, all the girls are aware that we are facing strenuous training.

“Big challenges lie ahead as the team changed and expectations are high. I believe this part of the preparation we will do in the best way,” concluded Adžić.

Enjoy the entire gallery of Budućnost's adventure on the EHF Champions League Facebook page.