07.10.2010, 11:16
Double CL feature

EHF Women’s Champions League countdown, part 15: IK Sävehof (SWE)

Double CL feature

Metalurg (FYR Macedonia) and KIF (Denmark) also tried it, but failed. So IK Sävehof from Sweden is the only club in the current EHF Champions League with two participating teams, one in the men’s and one in the women’s competition.

As the men were directly qualified for the VELUX EHF Champions League, it was a long and hard way for the women from the city of Partille to be part of the Group Stage.

But six victories in six games at the two qualification tournament rounds clearly underline their success.

Round 1 seemed easy going for Sävehof, but they were not favourites in Round 2, played in Skopje. Their opponents were the top class teams from Skopje, the Norwegian runners-up from Trondheim and the Romanian runners-up from Cluj.

But thanks to their absolute will to win, their highly talented young players and their experience, Sävehof took those three hurdles.

The club is well known for their youth programme. Three players of the Sävehof team were participating at the Juniors World Championship in Korea.

Additionally the Swedish youth team took advantage from Sävehof players at the Youth World Championship in the Dominican Republic, when the Swedes won the Gold medal for the first time ever.

The squad of coach Magnus Johansson consists of several very young players, three of them were brought up from Sävehof's own junior team. Another club principle: only Swedish players in the team.

Now Sävehof will face world class in Group A of the EHF Champions League including reigning champion Viborg from Denmark, a strengthened team from Buducnost (Montenegro) and Russian champion Dinamo Volgograd.

So coach Johansson is highly excited before the start of the season: "We are very pleased to have qualified for the EHF Champions League. We are in a very tough group, where every game is a big challenge for us. We look forward to a glorious autumn with educational games."

For Sävehof it’s the second time after 2007 to be part of the EHF Champions League Group Stage, three times they played in the EHF Cup before.

Now they’re totally happy to have both teams in the CL, especially as the club celebrates its 60th anniversary this year. For this reason playmaker and captain Isabelle Gulldén will play with jersey number 60.

Key facts

Newcomers: Frida Toveby (from Aalborg DH, DEN), Sofia Milding (from Önnereds HK), Linn Blohm, Julia Lathi, Jenny Skogberg (all from IKS Juniorteam)

Left the club: Caroline Jönsson (end of career), Linnéa Aruvald (to BK Heid), Charlotte Brandt (to Kroppskultur U), Ulrika Ågren (to Esbjerg, DEN)

Coach: Magnus Johansson (SWE, since 2008)

Find more information here.

TEXT: Björn Pazen