Ater 381 games, the 18th edition of the Jarun Cup has completed in Zagreb, Croatia with Westsite Amsterdam and BHC Zagreb taking the women’s and men’s senior titles respectively.
2024 winners power back to top of women’s podium again
The women’s competition saw all ranking positions confirmed on the final day, but it was the top four which provided the most interest.
Westsite Amsterdam continued their unbeaten run, defeating OVB Beach Girls 2-0 (23:22, 25:11) in their semi-final, while AD IASPORTS saw off The Danish Beach Handball Dream 2-1 (15:20, 11:6, SO 7:6) in the other final four match.
In the final, Westsite Amsterdam from the Netherlands defeated Portugal’s AD IASPORTS 2-1 (25:10, 16:22, SO 6:4), while the Danes got back on track in their bronze medal match, defeating OVB Beach Girls 2-1 (24:21, 17:20) after a shoot-out.
And Marit Van Ede could not hide her delight about winning the title with Westsite.
“At the beginning of the tournament, we didn’t expect to win. We’re here every year first to have fun, enjoy the sport, and I must say, the organisation this year is on a top level,” she said. “There were so many great teams, but when we reached the quarter-finals we secretly hoped for a medal and now I’m the happiest person in the world.
“We played a great first set with control in our hands. In the second, we got a little lost, our opponents were much faster and we had problems in the game which made us nervous also later in the shoot-out, but I think the audience watched a very interesting game which fortunately went in our favour.”
“Westsite is a very good team, they know each other and communicate well on the field. It was difficult against them, although we showed in the second set that we can do better,” said AD IASPORTS’ silver medallist Giovanna Trumbach. “I’m sad that we didn’t take the shoot-out better, we wanted to win gold because of our quality, but silver isn’t bad either.”
“It was a very difficult match and we unfortunately lost the second set,” said The Danish Beach Handball Dream’s Dina Guldfeldt Madsen about her bronze medal match. “I was a little afraid because the shoot-out can go either way, but we put our heads together and knew we can win. The Beach Girls were very good and I congratulate them on a great match but I’m very happy my team has a bronze medal.”
Men’s competition
Local team BHC Zagreb, fresh from playing five games across 12 hours yesterday, won both of their games on the final day to take gold. Both were against Danish opposition – first, they defeated Aarhus Beach 2-1 (16:27, 23:22, SO 7:6) in the semi-finals and then HEI Beach Handball 8:6 via shoot-out in the final.
“At the beginning, they scored a few quick goals, we missed, and that’s how they managed to win the first set,” explained Zagreb’s Josip Leko. “We knew we could do better, and we showed that later in the second and through the shoot-out. Anyone who knows the history of our club, knows how many gold medals we have and what kind of team we are. This time also we wanted to be winners, and we achieved it.”
“This is beach handball,” said Joel Pascual Cantador from silver medallists HEI Beach Handball. “You can be a little bit on top, a little bit on the bottom. Zagreb is a great team who doesn’t forgive mistakes and they punished us quickly. We started great, but got lost in the second half and then the shoot-out was a game of luck. At the end of the tournament I can say that we are happy with second place.”
Aarhus returned to winning ways in the bronze medal match, defeating Club Balonmano Playa Algeciras 2-1 (19:14, 26:28, SO 6:0). “At the end of the game when it came to a shoot-out, our coolness won,” said Aarhus Beach player Dines Peter Fink Kjeldgaard. “We practiced a lot and were really confident in ourselves. We played a great game, everyone gave their best, but our middle guy was so good and safe in his choices, he has a thousand assists today.”
More to come….
Interviews/quotes by Tea Šeparović.
Rankings
Men’s competition
1 BHC Zagreb
2 HEI Beach Handball
3 Aarhus Beach
Women’s competition
1 Westsite Amsterdam
2 AD IASPORTS
3 The Danish Beach Handball Dream
Results
Men’s Competition
Semi-Final: Aarhus Beach v BHC Zagreb 1-2 (27:16, 22:23, SO 6:7)
Semi-Final: Club Balonmano Playa Algeciras v HEI Beach Handball 0-2 (22:27, 24:30)
Bronze medal match: Club Balonmano Playa Algeciras v Aarhus Beach 1-2 (14:19, 28:26, SO 0:6)
Gold medal: HEI Beach Handball v BHC Zagreb 1-2 (SO 6:8)
Women’s Competition
Semi-Final: Westsite Amsterdam v OVB Beach Girls 2-0 (23:22, 25:11)
Semi-Final: AD IASPORTS v The Danish Beach Handball Dream 2-1 (15:20, 11:6, SO 7:6)
Bronze medal match: OVB Beach Girls v The Danish Beach Handball Dream 1-2 (21:24, 22:17, SO)
Gold medal match: Westsite Amsterdam v AD IASPORTS 2-1 (25:10, 16:22, SO 6:4)