The next beach handball generation takes to the courts

Three days jam-packed with beach handball are looming with the Men's 18 and Women's 18 European Beach Handball Championships taking place in Lorca, Spain from 11 to 13 July 2014.

This event is for the youngest European beach handball talents, the Men's 19 and Women's 19 European Beach Handball Championships usually taking place just ahead of the senior team's event in odd years.

Two years ago at the under-18 event in Batumi, Georgia there were Russia in the men's event and Hungary in the women's event winning the final tournament.

Both nations have entered teams again this year. In the men's tournament Spain, Romania, italy, Russia and Turkey have been seeded in Group A. Croatia, Portugal, Hungary, Switzerland and Ukraine have been seeded in Group B.

Following the group phase the first four teams from each group enter the quarter-finals which will be played on Saturday (12 July). The semi-finals and final are scheduled for 13 July.

In the women's event Hungary, Switzerland, Turkey and Croatia play in Group A. Russia, Italy, Romania, Spain have been seeded in Group B. All teams will definitely make it to the quarter-finals on Saturday when the first ranked team of Group A meets the fourth ranked from Group B and vice versa.

Semi-finals and the final will take place on Sunday.

Matches from the tournament will be streamed live and can be followed on www.weye.tv.

For more information on beach handball in Europe visit the official website and our Facebook page which will also feature photo galleries from the European Championships in Lorca.