Here are five facts and figures to sum up the beach handball season:
1. 422 matches, 113 teams
The four club and four national team competitions played in 2023 included a total of 422 matches, featuring 113 different teams.
2. 1,087 players
Thousand-eighty-seven! A huge number of players has taken part in the eight top-level beach handball events this year.
3. Germany first to win triple crown
What a year for German women’s national team! Already crowned European Champions in 2021, they won the World Championship in Heraklion (GRE) and The World Games in Birmingham (USA) to win the triple crown for the first time. On the men’s side, Croatia came close as they also won the world title and The World Games this year, but had lost the European championship final to Denmark in 2021
4. Double honours for Ivan Juric
Talking about Croatian men, Ivan Juric managed an unmatched feat as he was the only one to make the All-star Team at two events, named best defender at both the ebt Finals and Champions Cup as player of Spanish side CBMP Ciudad de Málaga.
5. New trophies for club events
To fittingly reward the achievements on the sandy courts, the EHF introduced all new trophies for both the ebt Finals and Champions Cup.