27.09.2011, 03:30
Much more experience

EHF Women’s Champions League countdown, part 14: Byåsen Handball Elite (NOR)

Much more experience

The most Northern of all 16 participants of the EHF Women’s Champions League is aiming high this year.

After qualifying at the tournament at Skopje with a final victory over the hosting team Metalurg, Byåsen from Trondheim is participating in the EHF Women’s Champions League for the ninth time.

And the five times Norwegian champions have improved their squad by two internationally very experienced players from Norway.

Olympics and several times European champion Tonje Nostvold arrived from their first round opponent, Danish champions FC Midtjylland.

In addition the Norwegian goalkeeper Terese Pedersen came from Hypo Niederösterreich.

This duo shall now lead the young squad of the Norwegian ‘talent factory’ together with left wing Camilla Herrem, another Norwegian European champion.

The only international transfer was Marta Tomac, the Croatian arrived from Aarhus in Denmark.

On the other hand, Byåsen lost pivot Pernille Wibe to their biggest rivals from Larvik.

As Larvik HK won the EHF Champions League title last season, Norway received an additional allocated place for the Qualification.

Byåsen  as runners-up took the second place while Tertnes Bergen took the new third place to enter qualification.

And now the Norwegians have high hopes to – thanks to their strengthened team – reach the Main Round for the first time in their club history and to rank minimum second at the end of the Norwegian league season.

In 1997 and 1999 Byåsen were among the top eight teams as they reached the EHF Champions League quarter-finals.

But since the system was changed to a Main Round, they could never reach this stage even as they had been part of the Group Matches three times.

Coach Valery Putans, the former Norwegian junior’s national team coach who led his team to the gold medal at the world championship in Korea 2010, has long experience in integrating talents into the senior’s squad.

The new physical trainer Gunnvor Halmøy is responsible for the fitness that the players will need on international turf in the year when Byåsen celebrate their 90th anniversary.

Byåsen will be hosting top teams in the Group Stage: Danish champions Midtjylland, last season’s semi-finalists Buducnost and German champions Thüringer HC.

For manager Torbjørn Balstad "Buducnost is the big favourite, but we will fight for the second place."

In the season preparation Byåsen showed some great performances like winning a tournament in Germany by beating Oltchim Vâlcea in the finals.

Three questions to coach Valery Putans

Valery Putans: We have the same expectations as usual. We want to proceed to the next stage.

Valery Putans: We have a young team and we will get big experience by playing EHF Champions League.

Valery Putans: Györ are my favourites this season. They have reinforced the team with good players.

Club facts – Byåsen Handball Elite (NOR)

Newcomers: Tonje Nøstvold (Midtjylland/DEN), Terese Pedersen (Hypo/AUT), Marta Tomac (Århus/DEN), June Andenæs (Levanger) Marte Smistad (Utleira)

Left the club: Barbara Arenhart (Hypo/AUT), Maja Jakobsen (Storhamar), Pernille Wibe (Larvik)

Coach: Valery Putans, since 2010

Qualification for the 2011/2012 EHF Women’s Champions League season: Winner of Qualification Tournament 2, second ranked in Norwegian league

EHF Women’s Champions League records:
Participations (including 2011/2012 season): 9
Quarter-finals: 1996/97, 1998/99
Group Phase: 2005/06, 2006/07, 2009/10
Qualification: 2007/08, 2008/09, 2010/11

Cup Winners’ Cup records: Finalist 2006/07, Semi-finalist 1995/96
City Cup records: Semi-finalist: 1999/00

Norwegian champion: 1986/87, 1987/88, 1989/90, 1995/96, 1997/98
Norwegian cup winner: 1988/89, 1989/90, 1992/92, 2006/07
Eight times Norwegian junior cup winner (1986, 1995, 1996, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2010)

Further information

Find more information on Byåsen HERE.

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TEXT: Björn Pazen