The first-ever edition of the Romanian National Beach Handball Championship, which included seniors, youth and junior teams, took place in the crown jewel of the Romanian seaside, Mamaia, between 1 and 3 September 2022, with 36 teams at the start.

Over 400 players took up the sandy beaches of Mamaia and, despite a storm on the last day, everything went according to plan, with the deserving champions crowned at the end of a three-day beach handball bonanza with 109 games scheduled.

“Beach handball is a sport that has been getting more and more attention throughout the world in the past years and it was just high time that Romania tried to enter the fray and develop its players and competitions.

“The road is still very hard, but this is the only way we can grow, step by step, and create the proper environment for our teams to thrive in every age group,” says Tudor Marta, a beach handball afficionado and one of the volunteers that helped shape up this edition of the Romanian National Beach Handball Championship.

With plenty of players from indoor handball taking up beach handball, there was no surprise that the experienced teams, with skills already acquired, thrived in the competition.

Therefore, in the women’s senior competition, CSM Deva, a team that was relegated from the first flight of the Romanian club handball pyramid this summer, was crowned the champions, winning the final against CSU Neptun Constanța, the home side.

In the men’s senior competition, another team that has plenty of experience on the beach, coming from the seaside town CS Medgidia, won the gold medal, with CSU Galați and CSU Politehnica Timișoara completing the podium.

“There was quality beach handball played, the players had fun and competed until the end for the coveted gold medal and I hope everyone enjoyed the tournament, because this is the only way we can raise awareness over beach handball and create an interest in the sport,” adds Marta.

In the men’s tournaments, CSM Constanța were the champions in the junior and youth competitions, with a small side from the local province that hosted the tournament, CS Arrubium Măcin, clinching the first place in the cadets competition.

In the women’s competitions, CS Viitorul Cluj-Napoca were the junior champions, ACS Sporting Ghimbav finished as gold medallists in the youth tournament and CS Marta Baia Mare had the lion’s share in the cadets tournament.

 

 

“This tournament was a resounding success and, like I have told you before, this is the only way to make progress. It is very important to become more experienced, not only for players, but also for coaches, because we want to perform at the highest level.

“I know that beach handball can become an Olympic sport, therefore my personal ambition is to get there, because I know it is possible with the talent and the resources we have,” concludes Marta.

Romania are yet to take part in the IHF Beach Handball World Championship and have finished ninth at the Women’s EHF Beach Handball EURO 2022 and eighth at the Men’s EHF Beach Handball EURO 2022.

Photo: Romanian Handball Federation