IHF Women’s World Championship, which is scheduled to take place in Denmark, Norway and Sweden between 29 November and 17 December, will herald a new era in the world handball flagship competition. 

A new perpetual trophy, commissioned by the International Handball Federation, will be introduced, its form inspired by the dynamic and the greatness of handball. Developed by renowned international designer Lena Bergström and created in partnership with the Swedish glassworks company Kosta Boda, which is also the national supplier for the Swedish World Championship organisation, the trophy will be awarded to the winners of the competition in Herning on 17 December.

“The International Handball Federation appreciates this important gesture by the three hosting nations and its significance for international women’s handball. We have also noted the artistry of this work, designed by Lena Bergström and produced by the renowned Swedish glassworks company Kosta Boda. We are delighted that women's handball now has a trophy for future championships,” says Dr Hassan Moustafa, President of the International Handball Federation.

The new trophy will herald a new era for the IHF Women’s World Championship, the iconic competition organised under the aegis of the International Handball Federation, creating even more magic on the court with the 32 participating teams striving now for both the coveted title of world champions, as well as having the right to display the new trophy for the generations to come.

Weighing approximately 10.1 kilograms, the new trophy consists of four individual parts, all made of glass, with every piece being individually crafted with different techniques in order to create a true masterpiece, encompassing all the symbols of handball – the ball, the shooting technique and the dynamic of the sport.

A gruelling, but rewarding process, which saw the trophy sit 22 hours in the hot shop, 116 hours in the grinding department, five hours in the painting department and 10 hours for blasting, gluing and mounting, taking the overall finishing time to over six days, created a new symbol of the IHF Women’s World Championship.

The oval base is handmade, cut to perfection and hand painted with 21-carat gold paint and is also exchangeable to ensure a unique engraving process for the future winners. The arm extending from the base was mouth-blown to achieve a shape that aesthetically and dynamically symbolise the strength and movement found in handball. 
 
The stylised hand, which also represents the most important part of the body for a handball player, was cast in glass, hand-cut and painted in 21-carat gold, while the ball was mouth-blown and hand-cut to create the perfect hexagonal panels found in handballs. The final touch of the trophy is the reinforced gold-painted IHF logo.

“When we were asked by the IHF to present a proposal, we were naturally both honoured and delighted. It is especially exciting that our championship will be held at the birthplace of our perpetual trophy, which will be passed on through future championships,” says Anita Kristiansen, event manager for the Danish Handball Federation.

The 26th IHF Women's World Championship is the first-ever edition of the world handball flagship competition to be co-hosted by three countries – Denmark, Sweden and Norway. As part of the increased focus on international women's handball, this spectacular trophy will be donated to the International Handball Federation by the Danish, Norwegian and Swedish Handball Federations.

The new trophy will become the perpetual award for the IHF Women’s World Championship, being handed over to the winners of the competition from this edition onwards. The original trophy will be kept at the IHF Head Office in Basel, Switzerland, while the reigning champions will receive a replica which they will keep.

The unveiling ceremony for the trophy will take place at the opening match in the DNB Arena in Stavanger on 29 November. The new official IHF Women’s World Championship trophy will be awarded to the winning national team after the big final, scheduled in Herning, Denmark, on 17 December. 



About the new Perpetual Trophy 

This magnificent trophy designed by Lena Bergström and Kosta Boda consists of four individual parts – all made of glass, and each piece has been individually crafted with different techniques and applications:

• The striking oval base was meticulously hand-cut to precisely reproduce Bergström’s world-famous Carat pattern, which was then hand-painted with 21-carat gold paint. The base is exchangeable to ensure unique glass grinding processes for future world championships.
• The arm extending from the base was mouth-blown to achieve a shape that dynamically depicts both strength and movement. This is presented in olive-gold.
• The seamlessly integrated hand was cast in glass, which was then hand cut and polished to ensure the perfect shape, and then painted in 21-carat gold.
• The ball was elegantly mouth-blown and later hand-cut to emphasise the characteristic hexagonal panels. 
• The IHF logo and other text was first blasted and then reinforced in gold paint to ensure that even the most minute details meet the stringent quality requirements for an outstanding trophy.
• Production time in the hot shop: 22 hours; production time in the grinding department: 116 hours; production time in the painting department: 5 hours; production time for blasting, gluing and mounting: 10 hours

About Lena Bergström

Lena Bergström (b. 1961 in Umeå) has studied in Japan, Finland, Belgium and England, as well as the Konstfack University of Arts, Crafts and Design in Stockholm. Bergström started her own design studio in 1989 and has been a prominent designer and artist for Orrefors and Kosta Boda since 1994.

Bergström’s works and products are exhibited in places such as the National Museum in Stockholm, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Cleveland Art Museum, and the Röhska Museum in Gothenburg. In addition, Lena Bergström's work has been temporarily exhibited in countless museums and galleries around the world, and her work for Orrefors and Kosta Boda has won numerous Scandinavian and international awards.

Lena Bergström has also been involved in and completed several interior design assignments such as the crystal reception desk at the Clarion Hotel Post in Gothenburg, the Swedish Embassy in Tokyo, and the Glass Bar made of Orrefors crystal at the Kosta Boda Art Hotel.

A selection of projects and designs for Orrefors and Kosta Boda include Carat (ELLE Interior Design Award 2010), Planets (ELLE Decoration UK Design Award 2002), Squeeze (Excellent Swedish Design 1997) and Puck (Excellent Swedish Design 1999).

About Kosta Boda

Kosta Boda was founded in 1742 and offers contemporary utility and interior design products, as well as glass art with origins in traditional Swedish design. Its product range focuses on the modern lifestyle and a bold, progressive expression in a premium position. Learn more about Kosta Boda at www.kostaboda.se.