07.11.2013, 01:51
Semi-finalists from last season seeking more success

PREVIEW: Women's Challenge Cup starts with the first playing round without reigning winners, but with 2011 trophy holders. 18 teams will start in the Round 3, seven more outfits are directly seeded for the Last 16.

Semi-finalists from last season seeking more success

18 teams are ready to start the Women’s Challenge Cup in Round 3 – among those are one of last season´s semi-finalists and the winners from the 2010/11 season.

Round 3 is the first playing round of the new season and the only to be played before the end of the year. Seven more teams are seeded directly for the Last 16.

The new holders of the trophy will be determined in the two-legged final, which is scheduled for 3/4 and 10/11 May 2014. The reigning winners DHK Banik Most from the Czech Republic start in the EHF Cup this season.

Höör's ladies take first step against Westfriesland

Last season, H 65 Höör reached the semi-final of the Challenge Cup, where Fantasyland Samobor from Croatia sent the Swedish side out by 43:40 on aggregate. Now the Swedish ladies are back for more success in the tournament, where they aim to take the first step against Westfriesland  SEW from the Netherlands. Höör start at home in the Björkvikshallen Sunday in the early afternoon.

In 2011, Mios Biganos won the Challenge Cup, defeating Muratpasa Belediyesi from Turkey 61:55 on aggregate in the final. For this season the French team, who have added Begles to their name in the meantime, have been reinforced by French international Alexandra Lacrabere who has joined from Russian Zvezda Zvenigorod.

The skills of the experienced right back may be needed for the double header this weekend, as the opponents are the Polish team Vistal Gdynia, who were in the qualification tournament for the EHF Champions League last year. Mios Biganos-Begles will have the home advantage in both matches, though.

Three double-headers

From 1995 to 2001 GAS Anagennisi Artas were regular participants in the EHF Champions League. Those days are long gone, and now the Greek are chasing success in the Challenge Cup. Their first attempt will be this weekend’s double header at home against the Ukrainian quarter-finalists from the 2011/12 season, Dnepryanka Kherson.

This weekend contains a further double-header, as European debutants ZRK Krivaja from Bosnia travel to Portugal to meet Colegio de Gaia Friday and Saturday.

Finally, GAS Megas Alexandros Giannitson from Greece and ABU Baku from Azerbaijan wait until next weekend to decide their internal meeting with both matches being played in Baku.

Further information

Find the complete overview of the Round 3 fixtures here

TEXT: Peter Bruun / br