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History written at the 2023 ECA Canoe Polo European Championships

History written at the 2023 ECA Canoe Polo European Championships 10.9.2023

What a final day of the 2023 ECA Canoe Polo European Championships the spectators have witnessed at the Beetzsee in Brandenburg an der Havel, Germany. Overtimes, emotions, loud fans and exciting goals have put mark on the last day of the championships where Germany celebrated gold medal in women's senior tournament and Denmark in men's senior part of the competition.


German team was considered one of the main favourites for the win both in women's and men's senior part of the tournament. German women's team was crowned European Champions after heart stopping final with Spain. It took four periods of overtime to get the champion in the penultimate match of the tournament - women's final - where two equal teams were facing each other.
 
Germany took an early lead in women's final, when Leonie Wagner scored in the first shot of the match, just 30 seconds into the game, and brought 1-0 lead to Germany. This was also the result after the first ten minutes of the play. Five minutes and 14 seconds before the end of the second half, Beatriz Carmona Quevedo brought Spain back to the game, scoring for the 1-1. Less than two minutes after, Germany again came into the lead thanks to Hannah Kunz who scored second German goal of the final match. However, Spanish team did not surrender and Beatriz Carmona Quevedo scored for the second time in the match for the 2-2. Three seconds before the end of the regular playtime, a winning goal by Germany was almost scored, but the ball just missed the goal, and it was time for the overtime and the golden goal.
 
The overtime was again very equal and none of the teams managed to score a goal that would bring the European Champion title. Until Jill Rutzen took matters into her hands and scored the golden goal a minute into the fourth period of overtime. The celebration of host nation began after the hard 3-2 win over Spain.
 
This is the seventh European Champion title for women's senior team, and they are now tied with Great Britain who also has seven European Champion titles in this event. Last year it was France who won the gold medal.
 
French women's team reached the podium also this year, after the 3-1 win in the bronze medal match with Great Britain. Laura Salion and Marion Robert scored for the French 2-0 lead, and Bethan Littlewood scored for Great Britain and 1-2 score. Just before the end of the match Britons made a mistake and Clotilde Lemasle was successful in the counterattack, just 35 seconds before the end of the match that France won 3-1.  
 
 
The new European Champion was crowned in men's senior final. In another exiting match Denmark celebrated their first ever Canoe Polo European Champion title after 2-1 win against the host nation and defending champions from Germany. Denmark was the last team that managed to defeat Germany, it was last year at the European Cup, and they repeated the big success now in Brandenburg.
 
Germany was looking to write history by winning three consecutive European Champion titles in men's senior event, but were left emptyhanded and disappointed after the overtime, when Denmark scored the golden goal.
 
The start of the gold medal match was going according to the German plans as Rene Kirchhoff scored after a minute of play. The 1-0 lead for Germany was lasting for most of the match. Denmark managed to score a goal and tie the result (1-1) just two minutes and 13 seconds before the end of the regular playtime. It was Nils Thorborg that brought Denmark back into the game.
 
As the regular playtime of the match ended with a tie, it became clear that in men's tournament, too, the golden goal will decide the champion. The winner of the match was known soon. Mathias Jensen surprised German players and supporters by scoring the golden goal just 35 seconds into the overtime.
 
This is the first Canoe Polo European Champion title for Denmark's senior men's team. Germany is still the most successful with six European Champion titles in this event, France won three times, Netherlands twice, while Denmark now joined Great Britain, Italy and Spain who all have one title each so far.
 
In a bronze medal match Italy outplayed Great Britain 5-3. It was Great Britain that took the lead thanks to Shivan Mccutcheon, but Andrea Bertelloni and Gianmarco Emanuele scored to bring the lead to Italy. Caleb Bowden tied the result to 2-2, but Andrea Silvio Costagliola and Edoardo Corvaia again brought Italy the confident lead. Two and a half minutes before the end of the match Shivan Mccutcheon scored another goal for British chance to win a medal. However, Fabrizio Massa scored 14 seconds before the end of playtime and secured Italian team the bronze medal.
 
 

 

 

Livestream: https://www.youtube.com/CanoeEurope

 

Results: https://www.tournifyapp.com/live/poloeca2023org

 

Website: https://poloeca2023.org/#home

 

 

Photo: Facebook Herrelandsholdet i kajakpolo

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