Women's Junior World Championship opens summer of YAC events

A jam-packed summer of Younger Age Category events is set to start this weekend with the Women's Junior World Championship taking place in Russia from 2 to 15 July 2016.

13 European teams are among the 24 nations that vie for the title, and chances are high that the trophy will stay in Europe.

Among the red-hot favourites are Denmark and hosts Russia who faced each other one year ago in the final at the Women's 19 EHF EURO 2015 in Spain, with the Danish team eventually taking a 29:26 victory and the gold medal.

Back then Sweden came third, and as it is the same generation of players that won the Women's 17 EHF EURO 2013, they can also be counted as one of the medal contenders.

Russia and Sweden will already meet in the preliminary round. Together with the Netherlands, China, Japan and Chile they were drawn to Group D. Russia vs Netherlands is also the tournament's opening match on 2 July at 17:30 hrs local time in Moscow.

Denmark are in Group A alongside Angola, Hungary, Norway, Montenegro and Uzbekistan. Group B consists of Korea, Brazil, Croatia, Tunisia, France and Austria, while Romania, Kazakhstan, Germany, Argentina, Spain and Egyot play in Group C.

The first four teams of each group qualify for the Last 16 which will be played on 11 July, followed by the quarter-finals on 12 July.

The semi-finals are scheduled for 14 July, the final for 15 July. For more information, visit the IHF website and download the playing schedule.

Other Younger Age Category events this summer include the Women's 18 European Open in Sweden from 4 to 8 July, the Women's Youth World Championship in Slovakia from 19 to 31 July, the Men's 20 EHF EURO in Denmark from 28 July to 7 August, the Men's 18 EHF EURO from 11 to 21 August and the Men's 18 EHF Championships from 15 to 21 August in Georgia, Bulgaria and Lithuania.