Dunkerque go out in the sea

On Sunday morning, Dunkerque's summer preparation took an unusual turn. At 7 am the whole staff and all the players turned up on a beach on the city's outskirts. Their mission? To go to the sea and to walk along the shore in order to reach the city centre.

With water up their shoulders, it was good fun, as confirmed Baptiste Butto. "If you forget the fact that it's very early for a Sunday morning, it was very funny, and a great way to build team spirit!" the left winger of the reigning French champions said. The guys faced the freezing temperatures armed with moral strengths and some very welcome bathing suits.

After the first part of the the trip, they stopped to get some breakfast on the city centre beach, before making the trip back in groups of four. Far from being easy, with the streams fighting against them, the whole trip lasted more than two hours.

Dunkerque's coach Patrick Cazal made a point of taking part in the activity with his troops. "One of the danger in top-level sport is having habits. We decided to do it, just so the players could face something they're not used to. And it's a funny and harmless way the new players can get to know the older ones," coach explained why he wanted to give the players such an unusual time.

Speaking of new players, Dunkerque's fans will have to learn to know two next season, as Zarko Pejovic and Pawel Paczkowski have been engaged, the first one from Tatran Presov and the second one on loan from Kielce. The Polish youngster will meet Kielce in the VELUX EHF Champions League very soon, since the two clubs are bound to face each other again in the group phase.

Cazal has ambitions for this competition. "Well, let's say we took part last year, and learnt a lot. This time, we're aiming for a last 16 spot, maybe finishing third or fourth of our group."