Gabriella Horváth: Beach EURO 2025 leaves huge legacy

The curtain has closed on the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2025 in Alanya, Türkiye. Did Alanya live up to expectations?

Gabriella Horváth: Definitely. I think that we celebrated the Beach Handball EURO in a compact and appealing venue, making it a very enjoyable experience for the spectators and the teams. We received a lot of positive feedback for the venue, which is essential because, in beach handball, we have to create the venue for the event.

The teams also came very well prepared. We saw some great plays, spectacular goals, fabulous saves and acrobatic moves, starting with the younger age category tournament, the YAC 17 EHF Beach Handball EURO. I found it very enjoyable to watch, and the number of spectators, which reached around 2,000 in evening sessions, shows that we could fill the arena, and many of the people who came on the first day returned.

What kind of feedback has the EHF received so far? How satisfied are the national federations with the organisation of the tournament?

Gabriella Horváth: I got a lot of good feedback and compliments on the venue and the event itself. It is always a crucial point where we play, because it's a sacred place for the players. They said that it was probably the nicest venue they played at. All four courts were easily accessible and well-equipped, and they all looked very good. Teams appreciated the playing schedule with the midday break. They are also very happy with the image we create and our strong presence across all digital channels. We offer a wide range of media services, which are always very much appreciated because they help to promote beach handball.

How would you assess the tournament from an organisational perspective? What were the biggest highlights, but also challenges, you encountered when organising the event?

Gabriella Horváth: This is not the first time that we partnered with the Turkish Handball Federation, and I can say that they have proved to be reliable partners, which is always very important for such an event. When you have 32 teams participating, there will always be some minor issues to be solved on site, but what I liked was that the organisers responded very quickly whenever this happened. So, apart from building the entire venue, they cooperated really well with us. Together, we could find quick and suitable solutions to any challenges we might have faced, and the main challenges were the weather conditions.

On the other side, the highlights are almost always the final stages of the tournaments, and it was no different this time. Exciting and spectacular matches in a fully packed arena created a fantastic atmosphere and a striking image.

Alanya records an average temperature of 33ºC in July, with some peaks closer to 40ºC, which can affect athletes’ performance. How big of a challenge were high temperatures and humidity?

Gabriella Horváth: This was challenging, but it was also something that we expected for both the YAC and senior tournaments. I believe that we found the right solution by adapting the match schedule so that the morning sessions finished around noon local time, and the evening sessions started no earlier than 17:00 local time. This was better for the teams and spectators alike, with more people keen to come in the evening.

It was also a good opportunity to study how the players perform in such hot conditions. Together with Aspetar, a Qatari-based orthopaedic and sports hospital, and EHF Methods Commission member Carmen Manchado, we conducted a research project during the YAC event to understand how the body of an athlete copes with the heat and how this affects their performance. I think it allows us to learn more about beach handball. The more we know, the better prepared the coaches and teams will be for the next tournament. I'm really looking forward to seeing the analysis.

You stated in earlier interviews that whenever EHF organises Beach Handball EURO in a specific country, it leaves a legacy of beach handball behind. What are the positive aspects of organising the EURO in Alanya this year?

Gabriella Horváth: It’s certainly the newly built venue. It will remain for not only beach handball events, but also other beach sports as well, and contribute to the development of beach handball in the future. Alanya can host many sports events using its excellent new facility, and this is also a tourism opportunity for them. And we do our best to have an impact on the local community and help the organizing and participating national federations to further promote handball and beach handball.

Are there any lessons from the 2025 edition that will influence the planning and execution of future beach handball events?

Gabriella Horváth: We always learn something from every event. When we review the reports and analyse what happened, we will certainly consider things for the next events. For example, since the last EURO two years ago, we adapted the match schedule. We will see how we can do things better in the future. There are always things we can improve.

How do you want the EHF Beach Handball EURO 2025 to be remembered?

Gabriella Horváth: I would like it to be remembered for a great tournament with beautiful matches, fair play, superb performance from the players and lots of spectators. I also hope that those who experienced beach handball for the first time here, perhaps by chance while on holiday, will continue to be interested in it, as will the TV viewers. I hope that it will have an impact and promote the sport further — we need that.

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