13.06.2017, 04:24
Dubrava unseat perennial champions Zagreb

REVIEW: The Ivanic Open saw Zagreb finish second for the first time in the ebt 2017 season, while the Netherlands and Sweden national sides travelled to Poland for the PGNiG Summer Superliga.

Dubrava unseat perennial champions Zagreb

The European Beach Tour 2017 saw five beach handball events in five different countries over the weekend, with ebt registered teams on the sand in Spain, Poland and Croatia while non-ebt sides competed in the Prague Open and the HVB Beachhandball Open in Berlin.

Only a week before the U17 Beach Handball EURO begins in Zagreb, Croatia hosted their third ebt event of the season, the Ivanic Cup. For the first time since the start of the season at the end of April, men’s side Detono Zagreb did not claim the trophy, after winning the Jarun Cup, the Zapresic Open and the ebt Finals 2017. Instead Zagreb ranked second while BHC Dubrava celebrated the title and BHC Sesvete finished third.

In the women’s tournament WBHC Kontesa Nera placed first, with BHC Dubrava second and Detono Zagreb claiming third.

“We won the Ivanic Open for the first time and, after a long wait overall, we won a tournament. The final match was a low scoring one – both goalkeepers and defence were great,” said Kontesa Nera’s Lucia Lesac.

“We made mistakes in offence, our realisation wasn't on a high level. But, after all, we were luckier and won this tournament. It will be interesting and exciting to see the next tournament, the Zagreb Open.”

The PGNiG Summer Superliga continued in Poland with the third tournament of the season, this time in Jablonki. For the first time the competition welcomed teams from outside Poland, with national sides from the Netherlands and Sweden participating.

The Netherlands won the women’s tournament, ranking first ahead of BHT GRU Piotrkow Trybunalski in second and the Netherlands U17 side in third. Sweden were the victors in the men’s competition, with BHT GRU Piotrkow Trybunalski finishing second and Netherlands coming in third.

The ebt 2017 opened in Spain with the III Torneo Balonmano Playa Basauri Arena 500, where Movex Handball Platja Granollers won the men’s trophy and Las Petit Morcillet claimed the women’s. Super Pantxitas finished second in the women’s event as BLCBU ranked third, while BMP Raqueros placed second in the men’s competition and Balonmano Barakaldo Mekema were third.

All proceeds from the III Torneo Balonmano Playa Basauri Arena 500 were donated to the Association Against Breast Cancer.

Preview photo: Kacper Kirklewski / PGNiG Summer Superliga

TEXT: Courtney Gahan