The Danish Women's Handball League (Danish: Damehåndboldligaen) is the top professional league for Danish women's clubs. It is administered by the Danish Handball Federation, and the winners are recognized as Danish champions. Since January 2009, the league is officially called GuldBageren Ligaen for sponsorship reasons.[1] It was previously known as TOMS Ligaen. The current title holder is Viborg HK. The Danish league is widely recognized as the strongest women's handball league in the world over the last 10-15 years, with Danish clubs having won several international trophies.
Competition format[]
The Danish Women's Handball League shares the season style with the men's league. It consists of 12 teams, each playing 22 regular season games. The six teams with most points at the end of the regular season advance to the play-offs. They are divided into two groups of three, based on their placement. The composition of the groups has changed since the first season it was used. In 2009/10 Group A was formed by 1, 3 and 6 while Group B was 2, 4 and 5. It was changed in 2010 to the following: Group A formed by 1, 4 and 6, Group B has 2, 3 and 5. Four matches are played in each group, in home and away form. Teams ending first and second at the regular season start with one bonus point. The two group winners advance to the championship finals, while the runner-ups will play for the bronze medal. Both the finals and the bronze matches are played as a "best of three" series.
The lowest placed team of the regular season is directly relegated to the second-best division, and replaced by the winner of this. The teams finishing 7 to 11 will together with number 2 to 4 from 1st division be divided into two groups of four teams. Group A is formed by: 7 from the league (2 bonus points), 9 from the league (1 bonus point) and number 2 and 4 from the 1st division. On the other hand, Group B has: 8 from the league (2 bonus points), 10 from the league (1 bonus point), 11 from the league and number 3 from the 1st division.
The group winners and the runner-ups will qualify for the league in the next season. The teams placed third in each group will meet each other in up to three games to play for the last spot in the league. The loser of this matches and number four in each group will play the 1st division the following season.
Previous format[]
Before the 2008/09 season, the four best teams of the regular season would advance to the playoffs, semi-finals and finals. Both the semi-finals and the finals were played as a "best of 3" series of matches.
Teams[]
The twelve teams of the 2009/10 season[2] are:
- Aalborg DH
- FCK Håndbold
- FC Midtjylland Håndbold
- Odense GOG
- Horsens HK
- KIF Vejen
- Randers HK
- SK Aarhus
- Team Tvis Holstebro
- SønderjyskE
- Team Esbjerg
- Viborg HK
Champions[]
The complete list of champions since 1936[3]:
| Season | Gold | Silver | Bronze |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1935–1936 | K.I. | ||
| 1936–1937 | K.K.G. | ||
| 1937–1938 | K.I. | ||
| 1938–1939 | R.H. 33 | ||
| 1939–1940 | K.K.G. | ||
| 1940–1941 | K.K.G. | ||
| 1941–1942 | AGF | ||
| 1942–1943 | K.I. | ||
| 1943–1944 | K.I. | ||
| 1944–1945 | Didn't take place | ||
| 1945–1946 | K.K.G. | ||
| 1946–1947 | K.I. | ||
| 1947–1948 | K.I. | ||
| 1948–1949 | AGF | ||
| 1949–1950 | K.I. | ||
| 1950–1951 | H.G. | ||
| 1951–1952 | V.R.I. | ||
| 1952–1953 | H.G. | ||
| 1953–1954 | K.I. | ||
| 1954–1955 | USG | ||
| 1955–1956 | FIF | ||
| 1956–1957 | H.G. | ||
| 1957–1958 | H.G. | ||
| 1958–1959 | FIF | ||
| 1959–1960 | H.G. | ||
| 1960–1961 | Svendborg HK | ||
| 1961–1962 | FIF | ||
| 1962–1963 | Helsingør IF | ||
| 1963–1964 | H.G. | ||
| 1964–1965 | H.G. | ||
| 1965–1966 | FIF | H.G. | IK Skovbakken |
| 1966–1967 | FIF | H.G. | IK Skovbakken |
| 1967–1968 | H.G. | FIF | K.I. |
| 1968–1969 | H.G. | FIF | K.I. |
| 1969–1970 | H.G. | FIF | Glostrup IC |
| 1970–1971 | FIF | H.G. | Glostrup IC |
| 1971–1972 | FIF | Glostrup IC | Hørsholm-Usserød IK |
| 1972–1973 | FIF | Funder GF | Næstved IF |
| 1973–1974 | FIF | H.G. | Glostrup IC |
| 1974–1975 | H.G. | FIF | Helsingør IF |
| 1975–1976 | FIF | AIA-Tranbjerg | H.G. |
| 1976–1977 | H.G. | FIF | Svendborg HK |
| 1977–1978 | FIF | AIA-Tranbjerg | Svendborg HK |
| 1978–1979 | Svendborg HK | FIF | AIA-Tranbjerg |
| 1979–1980 | FIF | Helsingør IF | Greve IF |
| 1980–1981 | FIF | IF Stjernen | Svendborg HK |
| 1981–1982 | AIA-Tranbjerg | Svendborg HK | FIF |
| 1982–1983 | Helsingør IF | Holstebro KFUM | FIF |
| 1983–1984 | Helsingør IF | AIA-Tranbjerg | Rødovre HK |
| 1984–1985 | FIF | Helsingør IF | IF Stjernen |
| 1985–1986 | IF Stjernen | Rødovre HK | GOG |
| 1986–1987 | Rødovre HK | Lyngså BK | NNfH Lemvig |
| 1987–1988 | Lyngså BK | Rødovre HK | GOG |
| 1988–1989 | FIF | AIA-Tranbjerg | GOG |
| 1989–1990 | GOG | FIF | Lyngså BK |
| 1990–1991 | GOG | Viborg HK | FIF |
| 1991–1992 | GOG | Viborg HK | FIF |
| 1992–1993 | GOG | Viborg HK | FIF |
| 1993–1994 | Viborg HK | GOG | Ikast FS |
| 1994–1995 | Viborg HK | GOG | Ikast FS |
| 1995–1996 | Viborg HK | GOG | Ikast FS |
| 1996–1997 | Viborg HK | Frederikshavn fI | GOG |
| 1997–1998 | Ikast FS | Viborg HK | FIF |
| 1998–1999 | Viborg HK | Ikast FS | Frederikshavn fI |
| 1999–2000 | Viborg HK | FIF | Ikast-Bording EH |
| 2000–2001 | Viborg HK | GOG | Ikast-Bording EH |
| 2001–2002 | Viborg HK | Ikast-Bording EH | Randers HK |
| 2002–2003 | Slagelse FH | Ikast-Bording EH | GOG |
| 2003–2004 | Viborg HK | Slagelse FH | Ikast-Bording EH |
| 2004–2005 | Slagelse DT | Aalborg DH | Ikast-Bording EH |
| 2005–2006 | Viborg HK | Slagelse DT | Aalborg DH |
| 2006–2007 | Slagelse DT | Viborg HK | Aalborg DH |
| 2007–2008 | Viborg HK | Ikast-Bording EH | FCK Håndbold |
| 2008–2009 | Viborg HK | Aalborg DH | FCK Håndbold |
Medal table[]
The DHF gives each club tree points for a gold medal, two for a silver and one for a bronze.[4] Thus, the all-time medal table as of May 2008 is as follows:
| Team | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Pts. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FIF København | 12 | 8 | 6 | 58 |
| Viborg HK | 11 | 5 | 0 | 43 |
| GOG | 4 | 4 | 5 | 25 |
| HG København | 5 | 4 | 1 | 24 |
| Ikast-Bording EH | 1 | 4 | 6 | 17 |
| Slagelse DT | 3 | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| IF AIA-Tranbjerg | 1 | 4 | 1 | 12 |
| Helsingør IF | 2 | 2 | 1 | 11 |
| Rødovre HK | 1 | 2 | 1 | 8 |
| Svendborg HK | 1 | 1 | 3 | 8 |
| IF Stjernen | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Lyngså BK | 1 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Glostrup IC | 0 | 1 | 3 | 5 |
| IK Skovbakken | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| Frederikshavn f.I. | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Funder GF | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Holstebro KFUM | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| K.I. København | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Aalborg DH | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| Randers HK | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Hørsholm-Usserød IK | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Næstved IF | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Greve IF | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| NNfH Lemvig | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| FCK Håndbold | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Top scorers[]
The following list shows the top scorers from recent seasons[5]:
- 2000/01: Mette Vestergaard, FIF (133)
- 2001/02: Camilla Andersen, Slagelse FH (181)
- 2002/03: Camilla Andersen, Slagelse FH (215)
- 2003/04: Bojana Petrović, Slagelse FH (175)
- 2004/05: Bojana Popović, Slagelse FH (174)
- 2005/06: Tanja Milanović, Ikast-Bording EH (172)
- 2006/07: Mette Sjøberg, FCK Håndbold (167)
- 2007/08: Nadine Krause, FCK Håndbold (153)
- 2008/09: Grit Jurack, Viborg HK (125)
References[]
- ↑ Bagerkæde sponsor for dameligaen. (in Danish). TV 2 Sporten. 30 December 2008.
- ↑ GuldBageren Ligaen. (in Danish). Danish Handball Federation.
- ↑ Tidligere DM-vindere - Damer. (in Danish). Danish Handball Federation. 09-07-2008.
- ↑ Medaljefordeling gennem tiden (Damer). (in Danish). Danish Handball Federation.
- ↑ Topscorere siden 1965 - Damer. (in Danish). Danish Handball Federation. 09-07-2008.
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