17.08.2012, 04:31
French reinforcement for Viborg

Cléopatra Darleux won the French championship twice in a row – with Metz and with Arvor 29 – and last season she was awarded best goalkeeper in the French league

French reinforcement for Viborg

The Women´s EHF Champions League winner from 2006, 2009 and 2010, Viborg HK, have signed a two year contract with French international goalkeeper Cléopatre Darleux.

In spite of being only 23 years old, Darleux has already played more than a hundred international matches for her country. She contributed to the French silver medals at the World Championships in 2009 and 2011 and was a part of France´s Olympic team in London this summer.

After the last season, Viborg lost both goalkeepers; Danish national team keeper Christina Pedersen moved back to Copenhagen and the league club FIF while former national team keeper Louise Bager Due ended her career.

Earlier this summer Viborg signed Swedish international Cecilia Grubbström from IK Sävehof as well as the promising young keeper Søs Søby from Aalborg DH. However that was not enough to satisfy the ambitions of the club and therefore Monday Cléopatra Darleux was also added to the squad on Monday.

“I was very happy when Viborg asked me if I would like to play for them. It is a big club which people talk about a lot in France, and who has had French players in their team before, such as Valerie Nicolas and Leila Lejeune.

"Joining Viborg is the best choice I could make when it comes to my further development and I am really looking forward to playing for the club. I hope to do well and get a good experience in Denmark,” said Darleux on Monday evening when she was introduced in Viborg.

Great potential

“Cléopatre Darleux is a very flexible goalkeeper with a technically good style and at the same time she is physically strong,” said Viborg´s sports director Susanne Munk Wilbek – former national team goalkeeper herself – about the club´s new keeper.

“She is a consistent all-round goalkeeper without any obvious shortcomings and she can stand behind defensive as well as more offensive defences. She has got far already at the age of 23 years, and considering her continuous potential for further development, we can hope for even more,” Susanne Munk Wilbek added.

In their efforts to qualify for the Group Matches of the Women’s EHF Champions League, Viborg will have to get past Polish champion Vistal Laczpol Gdynia, Spanish Balonmano Bera Bera and LC Brühl Handball from Switzerland in the Qualification Tournament played in Viborg on 22 and 23 September.

TEXT: Peter Bruun