Marta Tomac's return adds to Vipers' optimism

Last year the debut season of Vipers Kristiansand in the Women’s EHF Champions League ended after the group matches. They still reached the EHF Cup Final, but the ambitious club from Norway’s fifth largest city is eager to make it at least one step further in the Champions League this season.

The return of centre back Marta Tomac, who missed the entire 2017/18 season due to a knee injury, certainly feeds the optimism at the Norwegian side.

Three questions before the season:

- Can Vipers reach the main round this season?

There are no guarantees but they have every reason to believe in improvement. Not only does their squad appear to be a bit deeper than last season, the vast majority of their players can now also benefit from the experience they gained in last season’s Champions League adventure. With CSM Bucuresti, FTC-Rail Cargo Hungaria and qualifier SG BBM Bietigheim as opponents, the main round should be within reach.

This is also the first objective for head coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad: “We want to qualify for the main round. CSM are obviously one of the favourites for the title, and a very strong team, while FTC have undergone some changes and are hard to judge.” Bietigheim have already been opponents of Vipers in last season’s group matches, when the German side won both at home and away.

- Which impact has playmaker Marta Tomac’s return from a year-long injury break?

Back after tearing ligaments in her knee, Tomac will mean a tremendous reinforcement. Assistant coach Kristine Lunde Borgersen did a great job as she came out of retirement and pulled on the jersey again last season, but the veteran player could not fill out the position full-time, and the team was short on qualified replacements.

- How will they compensate the loss of Norwegian international Kari Brattset on the line?

Hanna Yttereng has been brought in from league rivals Byasen as a replacement. But even though the 27-year-old line player has international experience from German side Bietigheim and Hungarian outfit Kisvardai, she is in for some kind of a challenge.

Self esteem

Vipers make no secret of their ambitions for the season. As coach Gjekstad puts it: “We want to win the Norwegian titles (league, play-off and cup) and reach the main round of the Champions League. To us, the Champions League is a chance for development as we face the best teams and players in the world, and we can present our supporters with some great highlights.”

Under the spotlight: Silje Waade

The 24-year-old right back, who made her national team debut under Thorir Hergeirsson at the EHF EURO 2016, has been brought in from Byasen as a replacement for Kristin Nørstebø. It will be interesting to see how she will continue her development while partnering with Linn Jørum Sulland on the right back. If that works out well, she will be a great asset to Vipers.

What the numbers say

No less than 13 years of Larvik dominance came to end last season when Vipers defeated the record Norwegian champions in the finals of the play-offs. For Vipers, it was their first ever domestic championship.

Fun fact

New Vipers coach Ole Gustav Gjekstad is returning after three years away from top handball. When he waved goodbye temporarily in 2015, he did so by leading Vipers’ domestic rivals Larvik to the final of the Women’s EHF Champions League 2014/15.

Vipers Kristiansand (NOR)

Qualified for Women’s EHF Champions League 2018/19 season: Norwegian champions

Newcomers: Henny Reistad (Stabæk), Josefine Intelhus (Stabæk), Hanna Yttereng (Byåsen), Silje Waade (Byåsen), Albertina Kassoma (Angola), Carolina Morais (Angola), Sunniva Andersen (Youth IK Våg)

Left the club: Kari Brattset (Györ), Sakura Hauge (Nykøbing Falster), Kristin Nørstebø (Tertnes), Pernille Wang Skau (Oppsal), Kristine L. Borgersen (retired)

Coach: Ole Gustav Gjekstad (since 2018)

Team captain: Katrine Lunde

Women’s EHF Champions League records:

Participations (including 2018/19 season): 2
Group Matches (1): 2017/18

Other EC records:

EHF Cup:
Final: 2017/18, Semi-final: 2003/04, Last 16: 2004/05

Cup Winners’ Cup:
Quarter-final: 2015/16

Norwegian league:
1 title (2018)

Norwegian cup:
1 title (2017)