Handball Club Rabotnichki is a handball club from Skopje.[1] It was established in 1948 as a section of the Sports Association Rabotnichki.[2] HC Rabotnichki is a member of VIP Super Liga, the top men's handball competition organized by the Handball Federation.[3]
Rabotnichki, together with the team of HC Vardar, are the oldest handball clubs in Macedonia. On 1 July 1945, in the Working Hall in Skopje, a Sports Department Rabotnichki was founded, with Aleksandar Canko Hristov as its founding president. Afterwards, many sports sections merged with Rabotnichki.[4] Besides football, the Rabotnichki sports department also organized the first volleyball match following the Second World War, as well as a ski club and athletic club. A few months later, a basketball club for Rabotnichki was also founded. The Handball Club was established in 1948. It became one of the best teams in Skopje. They won the league several times in the 50s.[citation needed] The team won its first one in 1950, and its fourth in 1958. The club repeated its success in 1963, winning its 5th title. HC Rabotnichki won the Cup two times, first in 1960 and then again in 1977. In the mid and late '70s, Rabotnichki experienced a crisis and decreased in professional standing.
In August 2013, on the occasion of the club's 65th anniversary, a beach handball tournament was held in Skopje as part of its celebration ceremony. In July 2015, for the new season, the then-current president of the club, Risto Cokrev, announced bigger reinforcements to make the club a formidable competitor in the Super League. Shortly afterwards, new reinforcements arrived, including several members of the national team. During the 2015/16 season, Rabotnichki reached the playoffs and finished in sixth place.[5] HC Rabotnichki received serious reinforcement in players and coaching staff.[6] According to the mutual agreement, next season, Rabotnichki team players would play in a VIP Super Liga.[7] Coach Stojan Petrushevski and the assistant Pepi Manaskov became a part of the team. Besides Petrushevski and Manaskov, a dozen handball players joined the team, participating in the strongest competition.[8] The team moved to a new arena and now serves as a host at Jane Sandanski Arena.[9] On 9 January 2021, HC Rabotnichki made history and played its first international match against the national team of Chile, at Jane Sandanski Arena. Skopje finished: HC Rabotnichki vs. Chile, 29:29.
HC Rabotnichki currently plays its League Matches at Jane Sandanski Arena, an indoor sports arena located in the Aerodrom Municipality of Skopje, with a capacity of 7,500, named after the revolutionary Jane Sandanski. The sports complex includes a 5-star hotel with a spa center, swimming pool and a sky bar. In addition, the complex also contains tennis courts, a fitness center and club headquarters, as well as an aerobics center, tennis and table tennis courts, playground for children and an exclusive HUMMEL sports store and fan shop.[citation needed]
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Vlatko Nedelkovski & Aleksandar Miloshevski
