Larvik want the trophy back

Successful signings and players returning from pregnancy have made Larvik HK keen on avenging last season’s final defeat to Györ in the Women´s EHF Champions League.

A stronger and broader squad this season has increased the optimism in the town in the southeast of Norway. This season could be the season when Larvik take back the title of Europe’s best team.

So far, the results in the test matches have been impressive – with one exception. First, Challenge Cup winners Banik Most from the Czech Republic were sent home from Norway with a 37:21 defeat.

Then the squad travelled to Budapest for the Gyula Elek Cup. Larvik opened with a 31:26 win against Russian side Rostov-Don, who are potential opponents in the Group Matches stage of the Women’s EHF Champions League. This was followed by a 40:33 win against Hungarian team Siofok.

However, the final game ended in a 34:22 defeat to home side FTC Rail Cargo Hungaria, a result which surprised many.

“12 goals were bit too much. In fact, our attacking play was okay, but our defence showed a lot of shortcomings which we will have to work on,” explained Larvik´s head coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad.

One of Gjekstad’s coaching staff, Tor Odvar Moen, was less skeptical about the defeat when offering his explanation.

“Due to that fact that FTC are going to play in the Champions League qualification tournament in September, they had obviously got further in their preparations than us.

“Furthermore, we changed almost out entire team for that match and you also have to bear in mind that did not have Cecilie Leganger, Lene Rantala or Tonje Larsen with us in Hungary.

“Lene is still bothered by the injury she sustained while warming up before the second leg of the Champions League final last season, while we expect to have Cecilie back before the start of the group matches in October.

From then on, I also expect to have Tonje Larsen back at full strength, which will mean that we can make use of her at both ends of the court, unlike last season,” Tor Odvar Moen told ehfCL.com.



Promising signings and ambitious mothers

The absence of Leganger and Rantala has made way for one the new signings for this season – 24-year-old goalkeeper Alam Hasanic who joined from league rivals Glassverket at the end of last season.

Along with the other newcomers, left winger Jeanett Kristiansen, also from Glassverket, and line player Lise Løke from Storhamar, Hasanic has made a fine impression already.

“She has done very well in goal, and Jeannett Kristiansen, who was actually brought in as a left winger, has proved quite useful in the backcourt as well,” Tor Odvar Moen said.

Besides the new signings, the Larvik squad has also been bolstered by backcourt players Tine Stange and Tine Rustad Kristiansen returning to action after having children.

“We expect quite a lot from Tine Stange from the start of the season, while it may take a little longer with Tine Rustad Kristiansen, as she only gave birth in June,” said Moen, who is in no hurry to get the team in top shape.

Due to the fact that Larvik are practically unchallenged in the Norwegian league year after year, it comes as no surprise that their preparations are mainly directed towards October, when the first games in Europe throw-off.

Expect to be in the mix

The Norwegian champions are in Group D along with Spanish champions Balonmano Bera Bera, Croatian champions HC Podravka Vegeta and the winner of Qualification Group 4, consisting of Rostov-Don, WHC Vardar SCBT from FYR Macedonia, Italian side Jomi Salerno and French league runners-up Fleury Loiret Handball.

“Vardar must be favourites to join our group. We are very content with that group and after that we will have to see what comes.

“Anyway, we see our squad as being stronger and deeper than last season’s, so we should definitely at least be among the two or three teams in the final battle for the title,” a confident Tor Odvar Moen concluded.

Larvik HK´s preparation matches:
Larvik HK-Banik Most 37:21
Larvik HK-Rostov-Don 31:26
Larvik HK-Siofok 40:33
FTC -Larvik HK 34:22
August 22 Larvik HK-Team Tvis Holstebro
August 24 Larvik HK-Team Tvis Holstebro
August 28 Larvik HK-Glassverket