13.06.2016, 12:47
Plenty of action and five winners at EHF Masters

Teams from Russia, Ukraine and Hungary climbed to the very top when the EHF Masters were played in Poreč over the weekend

Plenty of action and five winners at EHF Masters

While the fun was clearly in the focus at the EHF Masters, there was no lack of competition either as 61 teams in five different age categories took to the court in the Croatian city of Poreč from Friday to Sunday.

Hungarian teams were dominating overall as they entered the top of the podium in three from five events, the remaining two were won by teams from Russia and Ukraine.

It was in particular Angyalok from Hungary who proved unbeatable. Their women's 33+ team won the final against Grane Arendal from Norway 20:17, while only hours before also the Angyalok 43+ team had won their event following a 15:9 in the final against Byaasen, also from Norway.

It must been said however, that there were some high profile names in the Angyalok squad. 35-year-old former Hungarian international and 2008 EHF Champions League top scorer Timea Toth took to the court for the 33+ side and played a considerable part in her team's success that also earned herself the MVP award. The honour for the best goalkeeper went to Line Dalen Sörenssen of Grane Arendal.

It was the other way round in the 43+ women's event in which an Angyalok player, Andrea Farkas, was named best goalie, while Byassen's Marit Moe became the MVP.

In the men's events Russia won the 35+ category, the Budapest Old Boys from Hungary topped the podium in the 45+ category and Odessa from Ukraine won the 50+ event.

Russia beat RK Velika Nedelja Old Bulls from Slovenia 18:10 in the final, and another sign of their dominance was that Igor Levshkin was named best goalkeeper and Vitalii Ivanov the category's MVP.

The Budapest Old Boys in the 45+ men's event also had the best players in their ranks. Following the team's 22:10 against Danish Kolding IF in the final, Tamas Zsembery was named best goalkeeper and Istvan Pasztor MVP.

In the 50+ men's event Roma Handball made it all the way to the final against Odessa, but eventually the Ukrainian side took the 20:16 victory. Roma's Massimo Douere was slightly consoled by being named best goalkeeper, while the MVP award went to Odessa's Valeris Gopin.

An overview of all results can be found on the event website ehfmasters.com.

TEXT: EHF / ts