Baltic Sea Cup (handball)
The handball tournament for the Ostseepokal (also known as the Ostseecup and later the Baltic Cup ) was held from 1968 to 1989. Before the founding of the European Handball Federation (EHF) in 1991 and the introduction of the European Championships in 1994, it was the largest European tournament for men's national teams and at the same time the only one that took place in different countries. It can therefore be seen as the unofficial forerunner of the EM.
For the first time the Baltic Sea Cup was held in Sopot (Poland) in 1968 . This event took place on the small field, since the following year in the hall. The name goes back to the organizers; Participants were also handball nations of the then European top performers that did not border the Baltic Sea , such as Romania, Hungary and Iceland.
There were and are even other regular tournaments for national teams ( Carpathian Trophy in Romania , tournaments of the German Handball Association (DHV) of the GDR , Zarya Vostoka or Tbilisi Cup in what was then still the Soviet Union corresponding Georgia , the Supercup the former world champion and Olympic champion in of the Federal Republic of Germany ). These tournaments took place or are always taking place in the same country and the number of participants usually did not exceed six teams.
Competition mode
As a rule, eight teams took part in the Baltic Sea Cup ( six in 1969 and 1971 and 1985 to 1987 , five in 1970). In 1970 and 1985 to 1987 , “everyone against everyone” was played in a simple round, in the other years accordingly in two preliminary round groups, followed by placement games: the group first for 1st and 2nd place, the second for 3rd and 4th etc. until 1974 the last two of each group in a consolation round for places 5 to 8 and the first two of each group in a final round for places 1 to 4 - again "everyone against everyone".
In contrast to an official championship, it was common for the host country to compete with two teams (A and B teams, I and II or seniors and juniors).
Period
The tournament took place annually from 1968 to 1981 - except in 1975 and 1978 - and only four times thereafter: The last event took place in 1989 in northern German cities (group stage) and in Dortmund (placement games).
winner
year | host | 1st place | place 2 | place 3 |
1968 | Poland | Romania | Hungary | Poland A |
1969 | Sweden | GDR | Poland | Soviet Union |
1970 | GDR | GDR A | Sweden | Poland |
1971 | Denmark | GDR | Soviet Union |
Poland / FR Germany |
1972 | Soviet Union | Soviet Union A | BR Germany | GDR |
1973 | BR Germany | Soviet Union | GDR | Federal Republic of Germany A |
1974 | Poland | GDR | Soviet Union | Poland A |
1975 | not carried out | |||
1976 | Sweden | Soviet Union | GDR | Poland |
1977 | GDR | GDR A | Soviet Union | Poland |
1978 | not carried out | |||
1979 | Denmark | GDR | BR Germany | Soviet Union |
1980 | BR Germany | Soviet Union | GDR | Federal Republic of Germany A |
1981 | Soviet Union | GDR | Soviet Union A | Poland |
1982-84 | not carried out | |||
1985 | Poland | Soviet Union | Poland A | GDR |
1986 | Denmark | GDR | Soviet Union | Denmark A |
1987 | GDR | Soviet Union | GDR | BR Germany |
1988 | not carried out | |||
1989 | BR Germany | Soviet Union | Federal Republic of Germany A | GDR |
Note: In 1971 the game for third place ended in a draw 24:24 a.d., so the organizers awarded it to both teams.
Medal table
rank | country | gold | silver | bronze |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | GDR | 8th | 4th | 3 |
2 | Soviet Union | 7th | 5 | 2 |
3 | Romania | 1 | 0 | 0 |
4th | BR Germany | 0 | 3 | 4th |
5 | Poland | 0 | 2 | 7th |
6th | Sweden | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Hungary | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
8th | Denmark | 0 | 0 | 1 |
literature
- Yearbooks of the German Handball Federation 1972, 1978, 1978/79, 1979/80, 1980/81 (each copy of the corresponding pages)
- DSV Deutscher Sportverlag GmbH (publisher): Handball week No. 6/1985, 6/1986, 5/1987, 3 and 4/1989