Germany and Spain winners of the 2024 ECA Canoe Polo European Cup in France
24.6.2024
Saint Omer, a traditional French venue of the major international canoe polo tournaments, once again turned into the capital of European canoe polo this weekend. The 2024 ECA Canoe Polo European Cup welcomed teams from 13 European countries, and the wins went to Germany in both senior categories, while Spain dominated in the U21 part of the tournament.
Ten teams took part in women’s senior tournament of the 2024 ECA Canoe Polo European Cup in Saint Omer, about 70 kilometres west-northwest of Lille. It was Germany who won in the final against Netherlands 2:1. Germany came to lead with 1:0 after the goal of Katharin Grünwald who scored six minutes into the game. Netherlands managed to tie the result (1:1) a less than a minute and a half before the end of the regular time thanks to captain Linda Van As, but German team scored their winning goal less than a minute after that. It was Leonie Wagner who brought the win to the German team.
In women’s senior tournament Italy won third place in a match against the French team with 2:0 win. Spain finished the tournament in fifth place after their 2:1 win against Great Britain, Switzerland beat Ireland 5:3 to take the seventh place, Denmark was ninth and Poland tenth.
Men’s senior final also concluded with a 2:1 win for Germany, in a final of the two teams that have numerous medals from major international canoe polo tournaments, such as European and World Championships. Emanuele Gianmarco brought the lead for Italy with a goal in a first half of the match. Germany’s Arne Beckmann managed to score just minutes and 14 seconds before the end of the regular play time. In a very tight match Germany came out as a winner after the winning goal of Rene Kirchhoff for 2:1 win in an exciting final match.
The third place went to European Champions from Denmark, who won in a match full of goals against Great Britain with a score 7:4. France took the fifth place after their 2:0 win against second British team, Spain beat Sweden 5:2 for seventh place, Netherlands finished ninth after 4:1 win against Switzerland and Poland was eleventh after beating Belgium 3:1.
The women’s U21 final concluded with celebration of Spanish team who won 4:3 in a match against France. It was the host nation who came into the lead after less than three minutes of play after a goal of Juliette Grimaux. Ana Sanjuan Gonzalez scored for Spain and the 1:1, and Marta Canosa Maceiras brought the lead to Spain (2:1). Two minutes and 22 seconds after the start of the second halve Juliette Grimaux with her second goal of the match tied the result and brought France back into the game. However, just a minute later the host nation was again behind, after Rocio Bodi Torne brought the Spanish team back into the lead (3:2). Just five seconds later the score was again tied, Marie Abellard scored the third French goal of the final match. Less than a minute and a half before the end of the match Valentina Nogueira scored for Spain for the final result 4:3.
German women’s U21 team took third place after 2:1 win against Netherlands, Great Britain was fifth after 3:1 win against Poland, Czechia won 4:1 against Great Britain’s B team for seventh place, Switzerland finished ninth and Ireland tenth.
Men’s U21 Spanish team also recorded a win in an exciting final match against Great Britain where spectators saw many goals. The final match concluded with a result 6:5 for Spain. The first halve concluded with a tie 2:2. Toby Marlow scored the first goal in a match, but Jesus Luis Aguilar tied about three and a half minutes later. A minute after that Spain was in a lead thanks to Javier Jesus Saborido Ruiz, but Great Britain tied (2:2) just 14 seconds later thanks to Jake Searle. Half a minute into the second halve Josep Murilli Tarrega scored for Spain, then Antonio Romero Mesa and Jose Luis Aguilar scored for a comfortable 5:3 lead. British team however did not surrender. Captain Angus Boyle and Jake Searle brought Great Britain back into the game (5:5). In a action packed final Antonio Romeo Mesa scored the winning goal for Spain (6:5).
Third place in men’s U21 tournament went to Germany who beat Poland 3:1. France was fifth after their 4:3 win against Belgium, France B team was seventh after 5:1 win against Nethelrands, Denmark beat Switzerland 4:2 in a match for ninth place, and Sweden finished eleventh after 7:6 win against Czechia.