Four glorious teams, Viborg, FCK Handbold, Itxako and Nimes, celebrate at the end of the 2008/09 women's season.
Celebration for top women's teams
On 16-17th May 2009 in venues across Europe, the 2008/2009 Women’s European handball season came to a spectacular end. All four winning teams showed handball at its best! The final weekends saw high quality matches and record interest from the fans elevating the high standards of women’s club handball.
Women’s EHF Champions League – Viborg strike back
The Danish Viborg HK returned to the throne of the Women’s EHF Champions League since their first victory in 2006. The Danes defeated Hungarian Győri AUDI ETO KC in a packed Veszprém Aréna by 26:23 and claimed the trophy with a 50:49 aggregate victory. Though the Hungarians were close to equalising at the very end of the game, Viborg made use of their enormous experience in addition to having in their squad some of the biggest stars in women’s handball.
Viborg’s Grit Jurack can also be proud of scoring 113 goals in the 2008/09 season taking the honour of the top scorer title.
EHF Women’s Cup Winners’ Cup – FCK’s first title
The ambitious Danish club, FCK Handbold A/S, including international top players such as Leganger, Krause, Turey and Savic reached the first European Cup title in their history. The team of former player legend and successful coach Anja Andersen defeated the Norwegian champion Larvik by 25:21 in Denmark which was enough for the title after a two-goal Larvik success a week earlier.
Women’s EHF Cup – Itxako reach the top
The Spanish top team S.D. Itxako stepped on top of the podium at last! After failing in the Final a year ago, this time they took their chance against HC Leipzig in the fantastic settings of the Leipzig Arena. Over 7,000 fans cheered for the hosts as they won the second leg by 26:25; nevertheless, the Spaniards took the title with a 52:45 aggregate result.
EHF Women’s Challenge Cup – Nimes back on top
Handball Cercle Nimes claimed the Challenge Cup title after eight years as the French team beat the German club Thüringer HC both at home and away. The second leg over the weekend was played in Erfurt and despite the efforts of the German crowd the French celebrated at the end of a spectacular game.
TEXT:
Eurohandball.com