Women’s footvolley is growing fast in Europe and this season there’s been 21 different players from 8 nations playing 54 games. A lot has happened in just a few years. Netherlands and Italy have had their share of good players for many years, but out of nowhere come two twin sisters from Norway and they end up winning all four tournaments of the European Footvolley League 2019.
The qualification
The first qualification tournament of the year was played in Graz, Austria and we all expected it to be a clash between the old foes Netherlands and Italy. In stead we had a surprise final between Norway (Pernille Ingvaldsen Smith and Henriette Ingvaldsen and Germany (Rebecca Gabriel and Stefanie Mohr) with Norway winning the close game in three sets 18-13 13-18 15-13. In Schwäbisch Gmünd, Germany the Dutch ladies began the tournament by beating Norway 18-13 in the first group game. Netherlands were back and surely the Norwegians winning in Graz was just a fluke. Or was it? Norway fought their way back from the bad start, first by beating a strong Italian team with the equally talented newcomers Sara Cupellini and Francesca Roma and then also Germany. They beat Germany again in a very close semi final 11-18, 18-12, 16-14 and were ready to face Netherlands in the final. Norway won in two sets 12-18, 15-18 and could lift the trophy ones again. Truth be told, this year Evelyn Dobbinga had to let go of her Dutch partner Nicoline Birza and played the Tour with 2 different, but equally experienced, partners Lotte Wiekamp and Nynke Karrenbeld. The third and final qualification was held on the sunny beach of Albufeira, Portugal, and this time the Dutch ladies were not able to attend. This was a great opportunity for the Italian girls to step up - which they did. Sara and Francesca from Italy, but living and playing in Valencia, Spain, have improved a lot this season and ended up in the final against Norway. This again really intense final ended with the Norwegian twins beating the Italians 13-18, 18-12, 15-17. A hat trick from the Norwegian women.
Who are these girls from the north?
The twins from Norway
Pernille Ingvaldsen Smith and Henriette Ingvaldsen are twins born in 1992, growing up in Sarpsborg - a small city of about 55.000 people located at the idyllic coast of Norway. Now they both live and work in Oslo - the capital of Norway. They are both newly educated doctors. And they have both played football all their life, and even represented Norway in the under 19 national team. And they both do football freestyle (ask them to show you a trick next time you see them). And they are both Norwegian ping pong champions. And now they both play footvolley. In other words; they are used to taking on any challenge together and they are used to winning. We are surprised they are not both playing on the right side of the court, but that would just not work :)
But back to the big final in Lucerne.
RESULTS: See all the results from the championship
VIDEO: See the final at the bottom of the article
The crowning of the European Champions in Lucerne
Three in a row and now the Norwegians had to handle the pressure of being the favourites. This pressure has been on the Dutch ladies the last couple of years as they have won almost all tournaments. At first Pernille and Henriette came out hot and showed no mercy against the Dutch beating them 18-12 in the group stage. In the mountains of Switzerland the women’s footvolley competition really got what it deserved: High-quality semi finals between the top 4 female teams. Germany and Italy did not make it and Germany won the bronze. In the final Norway and Netherlands met again and Nynke and Evelyn were ready for some revenge. But it was not enough. Norway is crowned European Footvolley Champions 2019 by beating the Dutch 18-15, 18-15.
After 54 games Norway sits on top, but right behind them there are a lot of talented women ready to knock them down. The pressure is on. Who will be on top in 2020?
TEAM INFORMATION: See all the teams playing in Lucerne
