The Euro Hockey League is pleased to announce the teams that will participate in the 2011-2012 edition of the EHL.
24 teams from 12 countries have made the cut, with 15 sides from last season’s event re-qualifying for the 2011-2012 competition. There are three first time participants joining the tournament next season, with Germany’s Uhlenhorst Mülheim and Irish duo Banbridge and Cookstown making their debut appearances when the tournament gets underway in October.
Six other teams return for another crack at the EHL following a period of absence: Amsterdam H&BC (NED), H.C. Rotterdam (NED), Der Club an der Alster (GER), Dinamo Elektrostal (RUS), AHTC Wien (AUT), Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia (UKR) and Rotweiss Wettingen (SUI).
The top four ranked nations will each have three teams competing in the tournament. The Netherlands is top of the ranking pile, with Taeke Taekema’s Hoofdklasse champions Amsterdam H&BC being joined by 2009 winners HC Bloemendaal and H.C. Rotterdam, the 2010 runner’s up. Amsterdam and Rotterdam re-join the EHL following a one season absence, earning the right to play in the competition with strong performances in the 2010-11 Edition of the Dutch National League. They replace Oranje Zwart and HGC, the reigning Euro Hockey League champions who failed to qualify due to a ninth place finish in their domestic league.
Spain is second in the rankings and will be represented by the same teams as last year: Atlétic Terrassa (1), EHL 2010-11 finalists Club de Campo (2) and Real Club de Polo de Barcelona (3). England is third in the rankings, and like Spain will also see the same representation with Beeston (1), East Grinstead (2) and EHL 2010-11 Bronze Medallists Reading HC (3).
Fourth-ranked Germany will be represented by two new teams, with league champions Der Club an der Alster and second placed Uhlenhorst Mülheim joining ever-present two times champions UHC Hamburg. Alster and Mülheim replace Mannheimer HC and Rot-Weiss Köln in next season’s Euro Hockey League.
For the second successive season, Belgium will be represented by KHC Dragons and Racing Club de Bruxelles, although the EHL will be blessed by two new teams from Ireland with Banbridge and Cookstown making their first appearances. WKS Grunwald Poznan and Pomorzanin Torun have qualified to represent Poland, while Russia’s Dinamo Kazan and Dinamo Elektrostal will also feature.
The line up for the 2011-2012 tournament will be completed by CA Montrouge (France), AHTC Wien (Austria), Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia (Ukraine) and Rotweiss Wettigen (Switzerland).
Rank Nation Club 1 Club 2 Club 3
1 NED Amsterdam H&BC HC Bloemendaal HC Rotterdam
2 ESP Atletic Terrassa Club de Campo Real Club de Polo
3 ENG Beeston HC East Grinstead HC Reading HC
4 GER Der Club an der Alster Uhlenhorst Mülheim UHC Hamburg
5 BEL KHC Dragons Racing Club de Bruxelles
6 IRL Banbridge Cookstown
7 POL WKS Grunwald Pomorzanin Torun
8 RUS Dinamo Kazan Dinamo Elektrostal
9 FRA CA Montrouge
10 AUT AHTC Wien
11 UKR Olimpia Kolos Sekvoia
12 SUI Rotweiss Wettingen
Source: Euro Hockey League
