REVIEW: For the first time, two Spanish teams have won the EHF Beach Handball Champions Cup on Gran Canaria. Club BM Playa de Malaga won the men's event, while Deporte y Empresa Clinicas Rincon triumphed in the women's competition
The EHF Champions Cup trophy stays in Spain
For the first time in the history of the EHF Beach Handball Champions Cup, two teams from the same nation topped the podium in the men's and the women's event.
In the finals on Sunday, first Club BM Playa de Malaga beat 2014 and 2015 winners "Ekaterinodar" Krasnodar in the men's competition, then Deporte y Empresa Clinicas Rincon beat defending women's champions Multichem Szentendrei to claim the trophy.
In the men's event Orosházi FKSE Hír-Sat won bronze, while BHC Dubrava came third in the women's event.
Both finals were true advertisement for beach handball with brilliant action and great suspense as only the shoot-out decided both games.
In the men's final "Ekaterinodar" had taken the first set comfortably 28:17, but Malaga struck back in the second set (22:20) and eventually also won the shoot-out 6:4.
In the women's final Deporte y Emprese Clinicas Rincon won the first set 15:12 and recovered in the shoot-out after they had lost the second set 23:19.
All-stars awarded
Following the finals, the All-stars for both competitions were named. In the men's event, Roman Kalashnikov from second placed "Ekaterinodar" became the tournament's MVP.
Jörn Wolterink from German side BC Sanddevils was the top scorer with 123 points, while Malaga's Manuel Fernandez was awarded best goalkeeper.
The best player in the women's event played for the winners as Rincon's Jennyfer Gutierrez took the honour. Multichem Szentendrei's Agnes Kokai became the best goalkeeper, while BHC Dubrava's Lucija Kelava was the top scorer with 120 points.
The Fair Play awards went to Pallamano Grosseto in the men's event and to the Beachqueens from Switzerland in the women's competition.
TEXT:
EHF / ts