Handball International Championships, 2007

The 2007 edition of the Handball International Championships was the VII European Championship (in French "Championnat d’Europe des Jeux de Paume"), organized by the
International Ball game Confederation, and was held at the Belgian cities of Nivelles and Buizingen during September 21 and 23.

The playing countries were Belgium, France, Italy, Netherlands and the Valencian Pilota Squad representing Spain.

Each own has its local variety: Belgian Balle pelote, Dutch Frisian handball, French Longue paume, Italian Pallone, and Valencian pilota.

Belgian players are professionals of their sport. There are also professional Valencian pilotaris, but in Escala i corda and Raspall, not in Llargues.

The varieties of the Handball sports derived from the old Jeu de paume that were played were International fronton, International game and Llargues.

The matches of International International fronton (1-walled) were played at the "Turncentrum Start 65" of Buizingen, and the matches of International game and Llargues were played at the "Parc de la Dodaine" of Nivelles. Access to the matches was free.

International fronton

The International fronton was played by teams of 2 players (with 1 replace), players were allowed to strike the ball with the bare hand or using a glove without reinforce. Matches consisted on 2 sets (11 points each one), with a third set in case of a tie (7 points).

International game Classification

Champions

Best player

During the award ceremony the CIJB chose Dutch Johan van der Meulen as the Best player.

Absolute winner

The Absolute winner is the team who scored more points in the over-all classification according to this formula applied to the different varieties:
* Winner: 4 points.
* Runner-up: 3 "
* 3rd place: 2 "
* 4th place: 1 "
* 5th place: 0 points.

Since the Belgian and the Valencian Pilota Squad scored the same number of points (9), the next factor is the number of victories in all the varieties, but they both won the same number of matches (9 again), then another factor applied is the number of points acquired in every variety which resulted in a third draw (24 points)

So, the CIJB, in a meeting previous to the award ceremony decided the Valencian Pilota Squad to be the Absolute Champion.

Squads

Belgian squad

* [http://www.frnp-knk.be/Euro/galerie/photo/Autres/Equipe%20nationale.jpgPicture]

Coach:
* Jean-Luc Plaitin

Physician:
* Claude Wery

Referees:
* Daniel Cordier
* Eddy Peeters
* Johny Van Eesbeek

Players:
* Samuel Brassart
* Philippe Demil
* Ludovic Destrain
* David De Vits
* Benjamin Dochier
* Steve Dugauquier
* Guillaume Dumoulin
* Damien Famelart
* Geoffrey Frebutte
* Laurent Gobron
* Franck Van Den Bulcke
* Geert Vinck

Dutch squad

Coach:
* Pieter Tienstra

Physician:
* Piet van Assen

Referees:
* Peter de Bruin
* Sipke Hiemstra

Players:
* Johannes Boersma
* Marten Feenstra
* Robert Grovenstein
* Marten Hiemstra
* Pier Piersma
* Robert Rinia
* Johan van der Meulen, Best player
* Michel van der Veen
* Folkert van der Wei

French squad

Coach:
* Eric Midavaine

Referees:
* Jean-Pierre Charpentier
* Laurent Tollenaere

Players:
* Bruno Blanquet
* Andy Couteau
* Michaël Dhont
* Conrad Dubois
* Grégory Fontaine
* Laurent Joissains
* Nicolas Picry
* Loïc Potrich
* Florian Toubeaux

Italian squad

Coach:
* Sergio Corino

Physicians:
* Roberto Campini
* Sergio Giunta

Referees:
* Massimo Ardenti
* Roberto Ravinale

Players:
* Lorenzo Bolla
* Gianluca Busca
* Andrea Corino
* Oscar Giribaldi
* Paolo Neri
* Marco Ramazzotti
* Enrico Rinaldi
* Alessandro Simondi
* Marco Vero

Valencian squad

* [http://www.fpvllargues.net/Seleccion%20Valenciana/Absoluta/Galeria/Diada/Diada001.jpgPicture]

Coach:
* Pasqual Sanchis Moscardó, "Pigat II"

Physician:
* Jaume Martí Martí

Psychologists:
* Rocío Gómez Gómez
* Rafael Díaz Cortinas

Referees:
* Conrado Ferrando Borruel
* José María Cortell Chesa

Players:
* Álvaro of Tibi
* David of Petrer
* Ferdi of Godelleta
* Héctor of Meliana
* Jan of Murla
* Màlia I of La Vall de Laguar
* Mario of El Campello
* Martínez of El Campello
* Nacho of Beniparrell
* Pasqual II of La Pobla de Vallbona
* Santi of Finestrat

It should be noted that all of them, except Pasqual II, are amateur players.

Also, the main amount of them come from the Llargues competitions, except of Pasqual II from the Valencian fronto, and Ferdi, Héctor and Nacho from the Galotxa.

6 of the 11 players were debutantes, and 5 of them younger than 25 years old.

External links

*nl [http://www.frnp-knk.be/Euro/index.php Official webpage]
* [http://www.belsport.be/content/ballepelote/euro-2007-programme.htm Competition schedule]
* [http://seleccio.blogspot.com/ Tagarinet's weblog supporting the Valencian Squad at Belgium]
** [http://www.fpvllargues.net/diari.html Blog hosted at the FPV's webpage]