2nd August 2013: The Euro Hockey League (EHL) and the European Hockey Federation (EHF) are delighted to reveal the teams that will compete in the next edition of the EHL, Europe’s pioneering and hugely successful club competition.
24 men’s teams representing twelve countries from across Europe will battle it out in what is widely recognised as the finest club hockey competition in the world.
As usual, the four highest placed nations in the EHL Rankings Table will each have three representatives in the competition, with two sides representing each nation ranked between five and eight. The nations ranked from nine to twelve will each have one representative.
The Netherlands currently stand at the summit of the EHL Rankings Table, with H.C. Rotterdam, MHC Oranje Zwart and SV Kampong being the Dutch representatives in the 2013-14 season. Rotterdam – lead by talismanic Dutch international striker and EHL all-time top scorer Jeroen Hertzberger – will come into the EHL determined to add Europe’s top prize to the Dutch league title they claimed this year, while Oranje Zwart and EHL first timers SV Kampong will be aiming to stamp their authority on the competition. Reigning EHL champions HC Bloemendaal finished fourth in the Dutch play-offs, meaning that they miss out on the chance to defend their title in the 2013-14 season.
As always, the Dutch clubs can expect a strong challenge from their German counterparts, a nation that also has three teams in the tournament thanks to currently sitting second in the EHL Rankings. German champions Rot-Weiss Köln will be hoping that ace Germany international marksman Christopher Zeller can fire them to glory during the 2013-14 season, while nine-times European Champions Uhlenhorst Mülheim have qualified for a third successive EHL tournament. The German contingent is completed by Harvestehuder THC, who will make their Euro Hockey League debut during October’s Round 1 events.
Belgium is the third placed nation in the EHL Rankings Table, and will be represented by Waterloo Ducks, Racing Club de Bruxelles and KHC Dragons. WatDucks come into the event as national champions, while the Racing Rats return to the EHL after a season’s absence. KHC Dragons complete the Belgian contingent and will be keen to add gold to the silver (2013) and bronze (2012) medals collected in recent seasons. However, they will have to do it without inspirational captain and Belgian international star Jeffrey Thys – a nominee for last season’s EHL Most Valuable Player Award – who has moved across the border to add extra quality to a H.C. Rotterdam side that has set its sights firmly on the title.
As usual, England will also have three representatives, with league champions Beeston HC heading the field ahead of EHL newcomers Surbiton HC of London. Surbiton have long been considered one of the most talented clubs in England and will certainly be keen to make their mark in Europe this season. Reading HC are the third ranked team from England and are one of a handful of EHL “ever-presents”, having played in every edition of the tournament since its inception at the start of the 2007-2008 season.
Real Club de Polo de Barcelona and Club de Campo de Madrid will represent Spain (EHL Ranking: 5) in this year’s competition, with Polo Club coming into the tournament as the top ranked team thanks to victory in the Spanish league. They will be joined by elite Russian (EHL Ranking: 6) outfits Dinamo Kazan and Dinamo Elektrostal. Kazan is a regular competitor in the EHL, while Moscow’s Elektrostal return to the competition after a one season absence.
Poland and France are respectively ranked seventh and eighth in the EHL Rankings and therefore also have two sides each in the tournament. WKS Grunwald Poznan and AZS Politechnika Poznanska will be aiming to do Poland proud, while French representatives St Germain and Lille MHC will bring flair and high fitness levels to this season’s competition.
Scotland’s Glynhill Kelburne, Austria’s SV Arminen, Belarus’s SK Stroitel Brest (BLR), and Cardiff & Met of Wales complete the line-up of what is expected to be yet another sensational competition.
Cardiff’s participation in the Euro Hockey League marks a little bit of history, as they are the first team from Wales to play in the competition. Recent strong performances from Welsh clubs in the EuroHockey Trophy and Challenge divisions has seen the nation move from 16th to 12th in the EHL Rankings Table, enough to earn a place amongst the European elite. By contrast, Ireland has dropped from 9th to 13th in the EHL Rankings, meaning that there will not be an Irish representative in this year’s competition for the first time.
Fourteen of the 24 teams that will take part in the 2013-14 edition of the Euro Hockey League were present in last year’s competition, with ten teams either making their EHL debuts or re-joining the competition after absence.
The Euro Hockey League Round 1.1 and 1.2 events will take place in October. Full details of the draw and venues for Rounds 1.1 and 1.2 will be announced in the coming weeks.
Euro Hockey League (Men) 2013/14: List of Entries
Rank | Nation | Club 1 | Club 2 | Club 3 |
1 | NED | HC Rotterdam | MHC Oranje Zwart | SV Kampong |
2 | GER | Rot-Weiss Köln | Uhlenhorst Mülheim | Harvestehuder THC |
3 | BEL | Waterloo Ducks | Racing Club de Bruxelles | KHC Dragons |
4 | ENG | Beeston HC | Surbiton HC | Reading HC |
5 | ESP | RC Polo de Barcelona | Club de Campo de Madrid | |
6 | RUS | Dinamo Kazan | Dinamo Elektrostal | |
7 | POL | WKS Grunwald Poznan | AZS Politechnika Poznanska | |
8 | FRA | St Germain HC | Lille MHC | |
9 | SCO | Glynhill Kelburne | ||
10 | AUT | SV Arminen | ||
11 | BLR | SK Stroitel Brest | ||
12 | WAL | Cardiff & Met |
Round 1: 11-13 October 2013 (R1.1) & 25-27 October 2013 (R1.2)
Venues and teams: To Be Confirmed.
The 24 clubs will play in 8 pools of 3, at 2 venues (4 separate pools in each venue). Over 3 days each club will play the other two, once. The top 2 clubs in each pool will progress to Round 2. The club finishing third in each pool will be eliminated from the competition. No clubs from the same country will play in the same pool in Round 1.
Source: Euro Hockey League
