EHF EURO host cities - part 2: Aalborg

Aalborg, Denmark´s fourth largest city with a population of more than 200,000, has been known for successful sports teams for many years and in recent years for their successful handball teams in particular.

It started with the women of the club Aalborg DH who reached the semi-finals of the EHF Champions League in the 2005/06 season and the quarter-finals the following year.

The handball men of Aalborg soon followed the women´s achievements, to some extent at least. In 2010, AaB Håndbold won the Danish championship for the first time and qualified for the VELUX EHF Champions League Group Phase, but did not go any further than that.

In 2012, Aalborg Handball brought the second men´s championship to the city, and at present, they are on the way to a better achievement than AaB in 2010, lying in third position in Group D of Europe’s elite competition and well on their way to the knock-out matches.

So far, no men´s team in Aalborg has made as far in the EHF Champions League as the women of Aalborg DH did, but Aalborg Handball still have the chance to emulate that achievement this season.

Aalborg – a Champions League city

The handball teams have not been alone when it comes to representing Aalborg in the Champions League. The men´s football team of AaB has been in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League no less than three times, and in the 2008/09 season, they were only a penalty shootout away from eliminating no other than Manchester City in the round of the Last 16 of the UEFA Cup.

More European football adventures may be waiting in Aalborg, as AaB are currently number two in the Danish Superligaen.

Ice hockey has also been a big sport in Aalborg for many years, and at the moment, Aalborg Pirates are among the top teams in Denmark.

Gigantium

Gigantium in the southern outskirts of Aalborg is a multi-event arena, consisting of a hall for sports, concerts and other events, an ice arena with two skating courts, as well as a swimming hall and a wellness center.

Gigantium is the home ground for the ice hockey team of Aalborg Pirates as well as Aalborg Handball who play their home matches in the VELUX EHF Champions League as well as in the Danish league in the arena which was also the venue of Aalborg DH´s triumphs in their European campaigns.

For handball matches, the arena can house almost 5,000 spectators and there is no doubt that the atmosphere will be intense, when Norwegian, Hungarian, Icelandic and Spanish handball fans meet there for Group B in January.

At least two of the Norwegian players will feel at home in Gigantium which is the daily home court for the Aalborg players Ole Erevik and Håvard Tvedten. Another Norwegian, Kristian Kjelling will also have happy memories from Gigantium, as he played for Aalborg before joining Bjerringbro-Silkeborg ahead of this season.

In the Spanish team, though, Albert Rocas, may not return to the arena with happy feelings. His latest visit to Gigantium, with his Danish team KIF Kolding København in December ended with a 33:28 defeat to Aalborg Handball in the Danish league.

Photo credit: visitaalborg.com