ŽRK Vardar

This article is about the women's handball club. For other uses, see RK Vardar.

ЖРК Вардар WHC Vardar
Full name	Женски ракометен клуб Вардар Скопје (Ženski rakometen klub Vardar Skopje)
Founded	1961
Arena	Jane Sandanski Arena
Capacity	6,000
President	Gordana Naceva
Head coach	Indira Kastratović
League	Skopsko Super League
2021-22	4th
Club colours
Home Away
Website Official site

ŽRK Vardar (Macedonian : ЖРК Вардар) is a Macedonian women's handball club from Skopje, North Macedonia. The team currently competes in the Macedonian women's First League of Handball, Women's Regional Handball League and used to be a top competitor in the Women's EHF Champions League.

History

Legendary Goal Keeper Inna Suslina Champion league match 2014

• The Beginning

WHC Vardar was founded in 1961, as part of the Vardar Sports Club in Skopje, which had been founded in 1947.

WHC Grafichar Skopje club was established in 1948, and it was the top quality team at the time. They won many titles including the last one in 1960 before the fusion. In 1961 Grafichar renamed itself to Vardar and almost the entire team of the club Grafichar joined the team. WHC Vardar started with winning the championship in 1961. The next few seasons they played in a higher rank including playoffs for the Federal First Division. In 1963 after the earthquake, the Vardar team was dismissed and they didn't compete for many seasons until 1970. Most of the players joined HC Rabotnicki and Metalurg Skopje.

• New Come Back

In the year 1970 after the financial situation got better they started to compete in Macedonian league again. They won 4 championships in a row from 1971 until 1974 and played qualification for the higher rank Federal Division. They didn't manage to get to higher rank losing tight barrage games with 1 or 2 goals difference in aggregate. In 1976 and 1977 they won the Macedonian championship again and next year they qualified for the second Division Federal League. They won the Second Division in 1978 and reached the play-offs for top flight federal division, but lost in aggregate 1 goal difference. In the next years they got back in the Macedonian league again. They won the title in 1983 .They played in the Macedonian league until 1992. After 1992 Macedonian league became the top flight league where they had tough competition in newly rising club Kometal GP Skopje.

Tatyana Khmyrova Champions league match 2014

• First league days

Until Kometal Gjorče Petrov officially stopped working, Vardar was the only other club to win any title in any of the competitions in Macedonia by winning the 1994 Macedonian Cup. In the 2012/2013 season with the arrival of the new sponsor and sporting director Sergey Samsonenko along with some new players, the team started to achieve more positive results and won its first league title.

Jane Sandanski Arena

Maja Zebich Champions league match 2013

• Stardom Days

Vardar got back on the champions track in the beginning of 2011 when their financial situation became great again. They brought many new top class players and started making champions team. With all those new super star players coming each year, Vardar started winning many championships and cups plus Regional League. They played with great success in the Women's Champions league beating the best clubs in the world and bringing Glory to Skopje fans. In the year 2012 the new Sports center Jane Sandanski was built which became handball temple of Glory . Since 2013, the team had three 3rd-place finishes in the EHF Champions League and two 2nd-place finishes in the seasons 2016–17 and 2017–18 being the only team that competed in the all EHF Final Four Tournaments.

• Recent rank

Earlier in 2018 the president of the club, Gordana Naceva, announced the breakup of the team made up from world class players and added that they will focus on young players. In the season 2019 and 2020 Vardar finished 3 rd in the Macedonian league. They didn't play in the Champions league any more after they've decided that their team is not strong enough for the competition.

Arena information

Unlike the usual situation in handball of clubs renting halls from municipalities or private owners, HC Vardar itself is the owner of the Jane Sandanski Arena where they play all their home matches in the Women's EHF Champions League, the Women's Regional Handball League and in the domestic competitions.

Accomplishments

Domestic competitions

• Macedonian First League:

Winners (6): 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18

• Macedonian Cup

Winners (6): 1994, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

European competitions

• EHF Champions League:

Runner-up: 2016–17, 2017–18

Third placed: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16

Other competitions

• Women's Regional Handball League :

Winners: 2016–17, 2017–18

Runner-up: 2013–14

• Bucharest Trophy :

Third placed: 2015

• Vardar Trophy :

Winners: 2015

Runner-up: 2017

Kits

HOME
2017–18

AWAY
2017–18

Team

Current squad

Squad for the 2021–22 season

WHC Vardar 1961

Goalkeepers 01 Jovana Trajkoska 12 Simona Grujovska 16 Andrea Ilić Right Wingers 28 Sara Minovska 40 Iva Jakovchevska 74 Mirjana Petkovska Left Wingers 08 Stefanija Gjeorgievska 21 Ivona Trpevska 26 Bojana Dinevska Line players 93 Katerina Damjanoska Left Backs 03 Marija Gocevska 31 Andrea Sedloska 97 Milica Nikolić Central Backs 10 Ana Marija Božinovska 14 Keti Angelovska 23 Angela Grozdanovska 33 Ana Marija Kolarovska 51 Marija Galevska Right Backs 24 Angela Kostović

Staff

Professional staff Position Name Head coach Dragana Pecevska Ristova Assistant coach Biljana Crvenkoska Goalkeeping coach Aleksandar Carchev Conditioning coach Marija Lojanica Physiotherapists Bojana Božinovska

Management Position Name Owner Mihajlo Mihajlovski President Gordana Naceva Executive director Davor Stojanovski Operative manager Ana Stojkov Sporting director Eduard Koksharov

Former club members

Notable former players

• Julija Nikolić
• Marija Shteriova
• Dragana Pecevska
• Biljana Crvenkoska
• Andrea Beleska
• Ivana Sazdovski
• Robertina Mečevska
• Dragana Petkovska
• Sara Ristovska
• Mirjeta Bajramoska
• Teodora Keramičieva
• Ivana Gakidova
• Simona Stojanovska
• Sara Mitova
• Jovana Micevska
• Leonida Gičevska
• Jovana Sazdovska
• Inna Suslina
• Polina Kuznetsova
• Tatiana Khmyrova
• Olga Chernoivanenko
• Nigina Saidova
• Ekaterina Kostyukova
• Alena Ikhneva
• Olesya Kiriy
• Ekaterina Lubyanaya
• Oksana Orekhova
• Anastasia Svetlova
• Anna Vinogradova
• Olga Vinogradova
• Evgenia Zhulkina
• Andrea Lekić
• Dragana Cvijić
• Marija Petrović
• Sanja Damnjanović
• Marija Lojpur
• Marina Dmitrović
• Tatjana Trbovic
• Andrea Klikovac
• Jovanka Radičević
• Ana Đokić
• Itana Grbić
• Allison Pineau
• Siraba Dembélé
• Amandine Leynaud
• Alexandra Lacrabère
• Andrea Penezić
• Andrea Čanađija
• Maja Sokač
• Barbara Lazović
• Tamara Mavsar
• Dayane Pires da Rocha
• Mayssa Pessoa
• Begoña Fernández
• Dziyana Ilyina
• Anja Althaus
• Camilla Herrem

Notable former coaches

• Indira Kastratović (2012–2015) ^[1]
• Ace Stankovski
• Sime Simovski
• Jan Pytlick (2015–2016)
• Kim Rasmussen (2015)
• David Davis (2016–2017)
• Roberto García Parrondo (2018–2019)
• Eduard Koksharov (2016)
• Irina Dibirova

Kit manufacturers

• Hummel International

European competitions record

EHF Champions League Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate 2013–14 Q2-SF Jomi Salerno 35–16 Q2-F Fleury Loiret Handball 33–25 GM (Group D) Larvik 27–27 31–29 1st Balonmano Bera Bera 30–20 23–19 RK Podravka Koprivnica 39–26 35–17 MR (Group 1) FC Midtjylland 24–23 24–25 1st Thüringer HC 31–25 24–24 IK Sävehof 24–18 27–27 SF (F4) Budućnost 20–22 3rd (F4) FC Midtjylland 34–31 2014–15 GM (Group C) Budućnost 24–24 17–23 2nd Podravka Koprivnica 35–25 27–26 Thüringer HC 26–21 20–21 MR (Group 1) Dinamo-Sinara 28–27 25–33 2nd HC Leipzig 26–20 23–26 RK Krim 41–30 47–29 QF Győri ETO KC 24–18 27–27 51–45 SF (F4) Budućnost 17–27 3rd (F4) Dinamo-Sinara 28–26 2015–16 GM (Group C) FC Midtjylland 33–24 25−15 2nd Hypo Niederösterreich 37−25 38–25 Győri ETO KC 22–27 27−28 MR (Group 2) CSM Bucharest 22−21 30−25 3rd Budućnost 26−24 19−31 IK Sävehof 37−25 29−26 QF Larvik 34–20 26–28 60–48 SF (F4) CSM Bucharest 21–27 3rd (F4) Budućnost 30–28 2016–17 GM (Group B) Ferencvárosi TC 27–27 37–24 1st HC Astrakhanochka 39–25 31–26 HC Leipzig 41–24 45–22 MR (Group 1) Metz 23−21 28−42 1st Budućnost 28−31 31−28 Thüringer HC 36−26 31−29 QF FC Midtjylland 26–24 28–26 54–50 SF (F4) CSM Bucharest 38–33 F (F4) Győri ETO KC 30–31 (ET) 2017–18 GM (Group C) Ferencvárosi TC 34–31 29–28 1st Larvik 30–27 31–19 Thüringer HC 29–21 29–21 MR (Group 2) Metz 29−23 22−24 1st SG BBM Bietigheim 30−22 38−26 Budućnost 31−24 30−25 QF FC Midtjylland 32–25 24–23 56–48 SF (F4) Rostov-Don 25–19 F (F4) Győri ETO KC 26–27 (ET)

EHF Cup Season Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Aggregate 2002–03 R2 Duvanska Industrija Nis 11–45 14–33 25–78 2003–04 R2 O.F.N. Ionias 21–28 12–30 33–58 2011–12 R32 Békéscsabai ENKSE 20–39 20–40 40–79 2012–13 2Q Patras 28–19 27–16 55–35 R16 Kuban Krasnodar 30–28 17–22 47–50 Challenge Cup Season Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Aggregate 1999–00 1/16 Eastcon AG Vilnius 15–35 13–35 28–70 1994–95 1/16 ATV Basel 24–16 23–23 47–39 1/8 TV Mainzlar 20–31 24–24 44–54 1995–96 1/16 Austria Tabak 15–24 11–21 26–45 2001–02 R3 RK Skopje 18–20 16–14 34–34 R4 CD Gil Eanes-Lagos 13–25 31–26 44–51 2008–09 R3 Cankaya Beld 30–33 32–32 52–55 Regional Handball League Season Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Placement 2012–13 MR ŽRK Zaječar 25–28 32–29 5th ŽORK Jagodina 36–26 24–22 Budućnost 21–26 21–41 ŽRK Biseri Pljevlja 31–24 37–20 RK Lokomotiva Zagreb 21–23 25–28 Podravka Koprivnica 23–25 22–25 ŽRK Metalurg 16–25 14–23 2013–14 MR ŽRK Danilovgrad 33–13 25–16 2nd Budućnost 20–24 28–32 RK Krim 26–22 CAN RK Zagorje 35–27 33–22 RK Lokomotiva Zagreb 16–14 21–25 Podravka Koprivnica 28–28 29–24 ŽRK Metalurg 35–26 29–22 2016–17 MR Budućnost 29–30 28–27 1st Podravka Koprivnica 30–19 35–18 RK Krim 38–29 27–26 SF Podravka Koprivnica 29–16 F Budućnost 27–25 2017–18 MR Budućnost 24–22 31–24 27–26 21–20 25–25 1st RK Krim 30–27 25–24 29–34 32–29 32–31

European competitions record (WHC Vardar SCJS)

EHF Cup

Season	Round	Club	1st leg	2nd leg	Aggregate
2014–15	R3	Dunaújvárosi KKA	20–28	15–30	35–58

Challenge Cup

Season	Round	Club	1st leg	2nd leg	Aggregate
2015–16	R3	London Angels HC	27–14	35–17	62–31
	L16	Minaqua Vojvodina	26–24	31–27	57–51
	QF	HC Karpaty Uzhhorod	22–19	17–28	39–47
2016–17	R3	HC Svilengrad-PU	24–17	29–22	53–39
	1/8	H 65 Höör	13–26	20–26	33–52

Statistics

All–time Top 10 Scorers in the EHF Champions League As of 2017–18 season Rank Name Seasons Goals 1 Andrea Penezić 4 371 2 Andrea Lekić 5 335 3 Jovanka Radičević 5 293 4 Barbara Lazović 4 144 5 Alexandra Lacrabère 2 114 6 Siraba Dembélé 3 113 7 Tatyana Khmyrova 5 105 8 Maja Sokač 3 95 9 Anja Althaus 3 90 10 Dragana Cvijić 1 55

Most appearances in the EHF Champions League As of 2017–18 season Rank Name Seasons Appearances 1 Jovanka Radičević 5 77 2 Amandine Leynaud 5 75 3 Andrea Klikovac 5 74 4 Inna Suslina 5 73 5 Andrea Lekić 5 70 6 Tatyana Khmyrova 5 63 Andrea Penezić 4 63 Barbara Lazović 4 63 9 Siraba Dembélé 3 46 10 Maja Sokač 3 45 Anja Althaus 3 45

Individual awards in the EHF Champions League

Season	Player	Award
2013–14	Ana Đokić	All–Star Team (Best Line Player)
	Jovanka Radičević	All–Star Team (Best Right Wing)
2014–15	Andrea Penezić (shared with Cristina Neagu)	Top Scorer (102 goals)
	Siraba Dembélé	All–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
2015–16	Jovanka Radičević	All–Star Team (Best Right Wing)
2016–17	Andrea Penezić	Top Scorer (98 goals)
	Camilla Herrem	All–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
2017–18	Dragana Cvijić	All–Star Team (Best Line Player)
	Amandine Leynaud	MVP of the Final 4

References

1. "ZRK Vardar sack Indira Kastratovic". Handball Planet. 2016-10-17. Retrieved 2021-05-02.

External links

• Official website
• ŽRK Vardar on Facebook