Issue 172 June 1 2011
GB v Finland Tops the Bill at Festival of Handball GREAT Britain Women will be hoping to repeat their 2009 victory over Finland when they play them again - twice - in the qualifying stages of the 2012 European Championship this weekend. GB won both legs of their Euro 2010 tie, culminating in a thrilling first home victory for the British team at the Echo Arena in Liverpool two years ago to make it through to the group stages (pictured left), and will be aiming to do the same again on Friday and Saturday night. But this time both matches are at home - at Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London to be exact - and this time there is a host of other handball action Finland v GB Women to keep spectators well entertained. Hawks The first match is on Friday Warrington Wolves v NE Manchester evening at 7.30pm, while the second is exactly 24 hours NE Manchester Hawks v Olympia Cannock later. But in between there are Olympia v Ruislip Eagles four EHA Cup finals, showcasing the best domestic handball talent Ruislip Eagles v Great Dane from across the country. Warrington Wolves take on GB Women v Finland the North East Manchester Hawks in the EHA Girls Cup £3/£1 es EHA matches free entry, Euro 2012 match
final at 12noon, and that is followed by the Boys final at 1pm, featuring North East Manchester Hawks and Olympia Cannock. Unbeaten all season in the league, Ruislip Eagles take on Olympia in the EHA Women’s Cup final at 2pm, followed by the Men’s final at 4pm which sees league champions Great Dane and runners-up Ruislip Eagles.
Eager It looks set to be a busy day for GB Team Manager Mel Chowns, who is also head coach for Ruislip Eagles Women and will be eager to see her domestic team complete the league and cup double, while also ensuring that Great Britain go through to the next stage of Euro 2012. Should GB beat Finland on aggregate over the two legs, they will go into Group Three with Russia, Montenegro and Poland. The finals of the competition will be held from December 2-16 2012 in the Netherlands.
GB Player Update: Bobby White “Since my hip surgery on 29th December 2010 I have been back in Milton Keynes working hard in the gym and against the clock to be fit for the summer training period with GB. “Interspersed with my training at home, I have had four week-long visits to the BOA Intense Rehabilitation Unit at Bisham Abbey. “I had expert treatment and guidance to ensure I not only rehabilitate my injured hip, but they also highlighted other areas that I could focus on while I was still taking it easy on my legs. “I have recently spent a week at the Sports Academy in Aarhus, Denmark, where I under-
took my first handball training sessions for over four months. “I was training alongside a few other GB players out there so it was great to meet up with them again. It was a great feeling to be back on court and it means I won’t be going straight into the next GB camp with no Handball under my belt. “I am feeling in good condition and very much looking forward to the next training period with GB!”
Handball News is produced by Snowdon Sports Media Partners Ltd for the British Handball Association For more details please contact 0845 230 0803 or log on to BritishHandball.com or EnglandHandball.com
Issue 172 June 1 2011
Finland Clash Marks Debut Chances THE clash against Finland on Friday evening could mark a first official international cap for two members of the team - Yvonne Leuthold and Dani Sposi. The pair have been involved with the GB set-up for many years, having played in unofficial internationals and attended many training camps around the world. Leuthold is now eligible to play after a three-year wait for her clearance to come through. And after several years of living in London, Sposi has also finally received a British passport. It may also mark an GB international debut for Charlotte Le Blanc, a welcome new
addition to the team who plays her club handball with HC de Belley in France. But of course the match is being played in familiar surroundings for much of the team, who are settling into their new homes in the Crystal Palace area as part of British Handball’s exciting link-up with GLL who run a number of sporting venues around the capital, including the National Sports Centre at Crystal Palace. GLL are providing help with accommodation, training facilities, jobs and a host of other areas, and we are indebted to them for their expert assistance.
Finland
Great Britain No
Player Name
Pos
Caps
Goals
1
Sarah Hargreaves
GK
32
0
2
Marie Gerbron
RB
10
17
3
Holly Lam-Moores
LW
33
92
4
Zoe Van Der Weel
RW
20
30
5
Nina Heglund
CB
6
Amondine Webb
7
Lynn McCafferty
8
Louise Jukes
RB
The last time Finland and GB met over two legs was in the 2010 European Championships, where the top-scorers were Britt Goodwin and Holly Lam-Moores with eight each, while Annette Tallquist was Finland’s best, also bagging eight goals. Tallquist scored five goals for Finland in their 25-25 draw against Portugal in the 2011 World Championship qualifying stage, a result which was to provide their only points of the championship. But GB fared better, beating Slovakia and Cyprus to finish third in their group and only narrowly miss out on reaching the next stage.
No
Player Name
Pos
Caps
1
Sonja Koskinen
GK
21
Goals 0
5
Silja Borgarsdottir Sandelin
LW
19
41
3
Katri Koskela
PV
37
75
4
Linda Cainberg
LB
26
39 37
8
Sara Jantti
RW
19
20
Sanni Kunnas
CB/LB
6
0
13
Anna Lindahl
LW
7
12
22
29
PV
17
17
10
Alexandra Roos
RB/RW
25
108
CB
37
71
11
Carolina Von Veh
LW
20
40
33
30
12
Mette Froberg
GK
0
0
14
Kathlen Ax
RW
0
0
21
Malin Sandberg
PV
28
52 151
9
Britt Goodwin
LB
37
123
10
Kelsi Fairbrother
RW
36
91
23
Annette Tallqvist
CB/LB
39
11
Lyn Byl
PV
31
63
24
Annamari Jaaskelainen
RW/LB
9
9
13
Yvonne Leuthold
RB
0
0
19
Linda Olin
CB/LB
25
85
14
Heidi Moeller Jensen
PM
12
4
22
Annika Lindstrom
GK
7
0
9
Inka Jantti
RW/RB
6
1
16
Laura Innes
GK
16
0
6
Charlotte Von Numers
LB/RB
2
0
17
Ewa Palies
LB
18
45
2
Betina Lillqvist
LB/RB
6
9
21
Kathryn Fudge
LB
21
27
25
Maria Barck
LB
0
0
27
Charlotte Le Blanc
RB
0
0
16
Emma-Lotta Nordstrom
GK
0
0
26
Hanna Wilkman
PV
0
0
28
Daniela Sposi
LB
0
0
27
Kesia Backman
LB
0
0
29
Jeanett Andersen
PV
19
19
28
Victoria Berg
LB
0
0
66
Jane Mayes
GK
12
0
7
Anna Lindholm
RW
0
0
18
Sara Lobbas
PV
0
0
15
Johanna Hilli
LB/CB
0
0
17
Annika Narakka
LW
0
0
Sponsored by Handball News is produced by Snowdon Sports Media Partners Ltd for the British Handball Association For more details please contact 0845 230 0803 or log on to BritishHandball.com or EnglandHandball.com