2023–24 LEN Women's Challenger Cup
LeagueLEN Women's Challenger Cup
SportWater polo
Duration19 October 2023 – 26 November 2023
Number of games35
Number of teams14
Finals championsTurkey Izmir BB GSK (1st title)
  Runners-upSerbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda

The 2023–24 LEN Women's Challenger Cup was the inaugural edition of the new water polo competition organised by the Ligue Européenne de Natation (LEN). It acted as the third tier, below the LEN Women's Champions League and the LEN Women's Euro Cup.[1] Izmir BB GSK won the inaugural competition, beating ZVK Crvena Zvezda 10–9 in the final. Izmir BB GSK became the first Turkish club to win a European club water polo competition.[2][3][4]

Introduction

A year after the men's competition started, LEN decided to inaugurate a women's version. Similar to the men's tournament, the LEN Women's Challenger Cup was designed to help developing countries and clubs grow and play more European club games.

Format

15 teams are separated into three groups of five. Each group is held at one club. The top 2 from each group advance to the Final Six. The final six, the six teams club are pooled into two groups of three where the two group winners advance to the final, while the two runners up play for third. Like the previous round, the final six is held at one club.

Rankings

Only teams below the top 6 can enter the competition.

  1. ↑ Israel originally entered a club in the competition, but withdrew just before the tournament started

Teams

Only countries below the top 6 in the LEN women's club rankings can enter teams into this competition.[6]

Participating teams
Bulgaria Kvt Lokomotiv-N.Nanov Czech Republic Asten Johnson Fezko Strakonice Croatia ŽAVK Mladost Croatia Jadran Split
Israel Hapoel Emek Hayarden United Kingdom Otter Swimming Club United Kingdom City Of Manchester Water Polo Club Malta Sirens ASC
Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense Serbia VK Vojvodina Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda
Sweden Järfälla Turkey Izmir BB GSK Turkey ODTU Sport Club

Schedule

Rounds and dates

PhaseRound date
Qualification round19–22 October 2023
Final six24–26 November 2023

Draw

The draw was on 11 September 2023. H indicates which club is hosting the groups.[7][8][9] Teams in bold advanced to the final six. The seeding was decided by as follows:

  • The new LEN club rankings.[10]
  • LEN country club rankings.[5]
  • LEN women's national team rankings.[11]
Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Pot 5

Malta Sirens ASC
Croatia ŽAVK Mladost
Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica

Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense
Israel Hapoel Emek Hayarden
Croatia Jadran Split

Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda
Serbia VK Vojvodina (H)
Turkey Izmir BB GSK

Turkey ODTU Sport Club
Czech Republic Asten Johnson Fezko Strakonice (H)
United Kingdom Otter Swimming Club

United Kingdom City Of Manchester Water Polo Club
Bulgaria Kvt Lokomotiv-N.Nanov (H)
Sweden Järfälla

Qualification round

Group A

Held in Novi Sad, Serbia

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Croatia JAD Croatia MLA Serbia VOJ United Kingdom MAN Turkey ODT
1 Croatia Jadran Split 4 3 0 0 1 67 45 +22 9[lower-alpha 1] Final six — 17–12 — 12–10 26–10
2 Croatia ŽAVK Mladost 4 3 0 0 1 78 37 +41 9[lower-alpha 1] — — — 16–8 —
3 Serbia VK Vojvodina (H) 4 3 0 0 1 56 38 +18 9[lower-alpha 1] 13–12 11–14 — 14–7 18–5
4 United Kingdom City Of Manchester Water Polo Club 4 1 0 0 3 42 47 −5 3 — — — — 17–5
5 Turkey ODTU Sport Club 4 0 0 0 4 21 97 −76 0 — 1–36 — — —
Source: Report
(H) Host
Notes:
  1. 1 2 3 Head-to-head goal difference: Jadran Split +4, ŽAVK Mladost −2, VK Vojvodina −2. Head-to-head result: VK Vojvodina 11–14 ŽAVK Mladost.

Group B

Held in Strakonice, Czech Republic

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Turkey IZM Portugal BEN Sweden JÄR Czech Republic STR Israel HAP
1 Turkey Izmir BB GSK 3 3 0 0 0 64 24 +40 9 Final six — — 21–3 — Canc.
2 Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica 3 2 0 0 1 44 41 +3 6 10–19 — 17–9 — Canc.
3 Sweden Järfälla 3 1 0 0 2 25 50 −25 3 — — — — Canc.
4 Czech Republic Asten Johnson Fezko Strakonice (H) 3 0 0 0 3 36 54 −18 0 11–24 13–17 12–13 — Canc.
5 Israel Hapoel Emek Hayarden 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Withdrew Canc. Canc. Canc. Canc. —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Group C

Held in Burgas, Bulgaria

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Serbia CRV Portugal FLU Malta SIR Bulgaria LOK United Kingdom OTT
1 Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda 4 4 0 0 0 62 31 +31 12 Final six — — 19–12 17–3 —
2 Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense 4 3 0 0 1 38 33 +5 9 8–14 — — — 12–7
3 Malta Sirens ASC 4 2 0 0 2 47 47 0 6 — 5–8 — — 14–10
4 Bulgaria Kvt Lokomotiv-N.Nanov (H) 4 1 0 0 3 34 50 −16 3 — 7–10 10–16 — —
5 United Kingdom Otter Swimming Club 4 0 0 0 4 32 52 −20 0 8–12 — — 7–14 —
Source: Report
(H) Host

Final six

There was originally going to be a home and away final to decide the champions.[6] But due to the unexcepted amount of clubs entering the competition, the water polo committee altered the format to introduce a final six tournament.[12]

Draw

The draw took place on 24 October in Barcelona.[12] Pots 1 and 2 consist of the teams that finished first and second in the previous round respectively. The only restriction was that clubs from the same group in the previous round could not be drawn against each other.

Pot 1 Pot 2

Croatia Jadran Split
Turkey Izmir BB GSK
Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda

Croatia ŽAVK Mladost
Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica
Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense

Host

The tournament was announced to be held in the Croatian capital, Zagreb, by ŽAVK Mladost, on 6 November.[13][14][15]

Group A

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Serbia CRV Portugal BEN Croatia JAD
1 Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda 2 1 0 0 1 20 19 +1 3[lower-alpha 1] Final — 13–10 —
2 Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica 2 1 0 0 1 22 21 +1 3[lower-alpha 1] Third place match — — 12–8
3 Croatia Jadran Split 2 1 0 0 1 17 19 −2 3 Fifth place match 9–7 — —
Source: Report
Notes:
  1. 1 2 ZVK Crvena Zvezda 13–10 Sport Lisboa e Benfica
24 November
20:30		 Report ZVK Crvena Zvezda Serbia 13–10 Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica Mladost pool
Referees:
Nikolett Sajben (HUN), Ralf Mueller (GER)
Score by quarters: 4–1, 3–5, 3–2, 3–2
Lukic 5 Goals Pereira da Mata 4
25 November
12:00		 Report Sport Lisboa e Benfica Portugal 12–8 Croatia Jadran Split Mladost pool
Referees:
Peter de Jong (NED), Martina Kunikova (SVK)
Score by quarters: 1–4, 4–1, 4–1, 3–2
Perez 4 Goals Butic, Jankovic 3
25 November
19:30		 Report Jadran Split Croatia 9–7 Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda Mladost pool
Referees:
Marta Cabanas (ESP), Nikolett Sajben (HUN)
Score by quarters: 1–4, 2–1, 2–1, 4–1
Butic 3 Goals Diaz Mesa 3

Group B

Pos Team Pld W PSW PSL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification Turkey IZM Croatia MLA Portugal FLU
1 Turkey Izmir BB GSK 2 2 0 0 0 30 17 +13 6 Final — 12–9 —
2 Croatia ŽAVK Mladost (H) 2 1 0 0 1 26 21 +5 3 Third place match — — 17–9
3 Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense 2 0 0 0 2 17 35 −18 0 Fifth place match 8–18 — —
Source: Report
(H) Host
24 November 2023
19:00		 Report Izmir BB GSK Turkey 12–9 Croatia ŽAVK Mladost Mladost pool
Referees:
Marta Cabanas (ESP), Martina Kunikova (SVK)
Score by quarters: 4–3, 6–0, 1–3, 1–3
Kus 5 Goals Rozic 3
25 November 2023
10:30		 Report ŽAVK Mladost Croatia 17–9 Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense Mladost pool
Referees:
Ralf Mueller (GER), Ioana Prodan (ROU)
Score by quarters: 3–3, 2–1, 5–3, 7–2
Brnetic 5 Goals Santos 5
25 November 2023
18:00		 Report Clube Fluvial Portuense Portugal 8–18 Turkey Izmir BB GSK Mladost pool
Referees:
Ioana Prodan (ROU), Peter de Jong (NED)
Score by quarters: 1–8, 0–7, 3–3, 4–0
three players 2 Goals Dabbag, Kus 4

Knockout stage

 
Fifth place match
 
  
 
November 26
 
 
Croatia Jadran Split18
 
 
Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense11
 
 
Third place match
 
  
 
November 26
 
 
Portugal Sport Lisboa e Benfica13
 
 
Croatia ŽAVK Mladost14
 
 
Final
 
  
 
November 26
 
 
Serbia ZVK Crvena Zvezda9
 
 
Turkey Izmir BB GSK10
 

Fifth place match

26 November 2023
10:00		 Report Jadran Split Croatia 18–11 Portugal Clube Fluvial Portuense Mladost pool
Referees:
Nikolett Sajban (HUN), Ioana Prodan (ROU)
Score by quarters: 5–1, 4–5, 6–1, 3–4
Jankovic 6 Goals Montero de Andrade 5

Third place match

26 November
11:30		 Report Sport Lisboa e Benfica Portugal 13–14 Croatia ŽAVK Mladost Mladost pool
Referees:
Martina Kunikova (SVK), Ralf Mueller (GER)
Score by quarters: 1–4, 0–2, 6–4, 6–4
Perez 8 Goals four players 4

Final

26 November
13:00		 Report ZVK Crvena Zvezda Serbia 9–10 Turkey Izmir BB GSK Mladost pool
Referees:
Marta Cabanas (ESP), Peter de Jong (NED)
Score by quarters: 3–3, 1–3, 2–2, 3–2
Radonjic 4 Goals Kus 4

See also

References

  1. ↑ Spencer-Boyce, James (June 2, 2023). "Changes to European competitions reinforced in Belgrade".
  2. ↑ "Water Polo Challenger Cup Women: Convincing wins for Izmir and Zvezda in the F6 openers - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. November 24, 2023.
  3. ↑ "Water Polo Challenger Cup Women: Zvezda and Izmir to go for gold - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. November 25, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Water Polo Challenger Cup Women: Izmir makes history - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. November 26, 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 "Women Clubs Country Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Big changes in European water polo club competitions - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. June 2, 2023.
  7. ↑ "Draws for Euro Cup and Challenger Cup - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 8, 2023.
  8. ↑ "LEN Qualifying Round Draws: 2023/2024 Euro Cup Men, Challenger Cup Men and Women - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. September 11, 2023.
  9. ↑ Curcic, Ivan (September 11, 2023). "Plenty of national clashes in Euro Cup qualifications; Vasas starts title defense from Budapest".
  10. ↑ "Women Club Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Women Country Ranking - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. February 20, 2023.
  12. 1 2 "Water Polo Challenger Cup Men and Women: draw and changes - LEN - European Aquatics". www.len.eu. October 23, 2023.
  13. ↑ Krstičević, Leo (November 6, 2023). "Zagreb domaćin Final 6 turnira Challenger kup". Hrvatski vaterpolski savez.
  14. ↑ Krstičević, Leo (November 20, 2023). "Završnica Challenger kupa ovog tjedna u Zagrebu". Hrvatski vaterpolski savez.
  15. ↑ "Zagreb domaćin Final 6 turnira Challenger kup". ZDPT. November 17, 2023.
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