Niterói Rugby FC Handebol

After their presence and victory of EBT Calise Cup 2024, in the end of final game against the portuguese team of Ad Iasports, we will have again the pleasure to host the girls of Niterói Rugby FC from Brazil.

They are a team full of young players with huge talent and already playing with youth and senior national team, mixed with more expert and legend players that are helping them to improve and grow up.

In 2024 they got the bronze medal in the end of game against OVB Beach Girls and they had the reveange because one week before they lost against hungarian girls in the end of 3rd – 4th place final at EBT Lacanau Beach Handball Xperience 2024, so they won 2 bronze in a row in one week.

While last year they improved their position and they won the silver medal at EBT Finals 2025 in Trapani, reaching an historical final against the very strong Spanish team of CATS A.M. Team Almeria. After a spectacular and very intense match, Niterói only lost in the shootout 2-1 (set scores: 14:27, 20:18, SO 4:6), becoming runner-up of the EBT Finals 2025. They also had the Best Goalkeeper of the tournament because Thais Petrucci Negocio Montenegro won the award as Best Goalie.

At Ebt in Lacanau they won the tournament against the french team of Brest and in Netherlands at EBT Camelot they got the bronze medal winning against Dutch girls of Kras Volendam.

Based in Brazil, but proudly competing under the Irish flag since 2023. This team’s journey is a testament to dedication, strategic thinking, and a drive to elevate beach handball on the global stage.

Beach handball has seen significant growth in Europe, but other regions, particularly South and Central America, have faced substantial challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic severely disrupted sports activities, leading to a sharp decline in active teams in Brazil. Despite these setbacks, the Niterói Beach Handball team’s involvement in European tournaments stands out as a symbol of passion and resilience.

Niterói was established in 1973 as a rugby team. In 1981, they expanded to include their first indoor handball team, comprising athletes who played both rugby and handball. The club has won six national indoor championships, across senior and youth categories, for both men and women.

Until 2007, the club participated in beach handball, but only gathered to play in tournaments rather than training as a dedicated team.

In 2007, they began treating beach handball as a distinct sport, separate from indoor handball. By 2009, they had introduced specialized training sessions and coaches, although many athletes continued to compete in both sports.

Girls of coach Luiz Roberto Luika and manager Renan Pinheiro Carvalho will come in Gaeta also to prepare the next EBT Finals, that will be held the weekend after Calise Cup (18-21 June in Trapani) and will see the brazilians playing under the Irish flag in the group with Hiekka Hauskaa from Netherlands, hungarians of CYEB Budakalász BH (previously Multichem Szentendrei NKE) and team from Switzerland of Wasserschloss Beachqueens.