Women’s Baltic Sea Handball League – final weekend in Kauniainen on March 21-23

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he final weekend of the Women’s Baltic Sea Handball League (WBSHL) will take place in Kauniainen, Finland, this upcoming weekend, March 21–23. Eight teams from four different countries are participating in the league, and on Friday, all teams will gather in Kauniainen. 

The WBSHL is played as a single round tournament, where each team faces each other once. For GrIFK’s women’s team, the league began in November with a game against the other Finnish team, HIFK. GrIFK won the match convincingly, but the victory was later overturned to a 10–0 loss due to a protocol error. 

At the end of November and the beginning of December, tournaments were held in Lithuania and Estonia. GrIFK had a strong start to the weekend, securing victories against Estonian team Mistra and Latvian team Jēkabpils SS. However, the final match was a tough battle, where Vilnius Eglė ultimately won by just one goal. 

This means that GrIFK currently has four points and shares third place in the standings. The two Lithuanian teams, Cascada HC Garliava SM and Vilnius Eglė, lead the league with eight and six points, respectively. 

CURRENT STANDINGS 

Which teams are participating? Let’s take a closer look at each team. 

LITHUANIA 

This season, two teams from Lithuania are participating, both of which have experience from last season’s tournament. 

CASCADA – HC Garliava SM 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 1st  
  • Current standing in the Lithuanian league: 2nd  

Last season, the team finished third in the Baltic League. This year, the team’s top scorer has been left back Karolina Sparnauskaitė (#6), who has scored an impressive 33 goals in four matches and currently ranks third in the Lithuanian top scorers’ list. The second-best scorer on the team is center back Martyna Ustilaitė (#11), with 25 goals in four matches, placing her second in the Lithuanian scoring table. Right back Singrida Kulikovaitė (#19) has also demonstrated her goal-scoring ability, netting 23 goals in four matches. 

A player to keep an extra eye on is Mantė Voskresenskaja (#20), who plays on the right wing. She was selected for the All-Star Team as the best right-winger last season but played only one match in the Baltic League this fall. However, she has made a comeback in the Lithuanian league, playing nine matches and scoring 32 goals—a clear sign that she is back in top form. 

So far, the season has gone well for the team, although, like in any sport, there have been ups and downs. Their main goal remains to secure a top position. They aim to play fast-paced handball and finish the WBHSL strongly during the tournament weekend. The team is also looking forward to the final tournament in Finland and is excited to be one of the visiting teams. 

VILNIUS EGLĖ 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 2nd  
  • Current standing in the Lithuanian league: 1st 

Last season’s top scorer in the entire league, Gabija Pilikauskaitė (#88), transferred from VMSM Sostinės Tauras-VHC to Eglė ahead of this season. The 18-year-old has continued to impress, scoring 36 goals in four matches, making her the top scorer of the tournament. She also leads the domestic scoring chart. 

Eglė has a physically strong team with several tall players—most around 175 cm, with a few players exceeding 180 cm. Their goalkeepers, in particular, are tall and cover the goal well, making them difficult to outsmart. On the pivot position, they have a key player in Rita Rakauskienė (#8), who was selected for last season’s All-Star Team. This season, she has demonstrated high efficiency in the Baltic League, scoring 21 goals on 28 shots over four matches. 

The team states that they are pleased with their season results, as they are currently at the top of the standings, but every match remains a tough battle. They are primarily a defensive team, but they also have several individually skilled players who contribute to an entertaining style of play. Their goal is to perform at a high level and aim for the best possible results. 

Since the team is young, every international match provides valuable experience, especially since many of their players are also part of the Lithuanian national team. They are looking forward to the tournament and hope for a warm welcome in Finland. 

FINLAND 

Last season’s gold and silver medalists in the Finnish Aktialiiga qualified for the Baltic League, namely GrIFK and HIFK. 

GrIFK 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 3rd
  • Current standing in the Finnish Aktialiiga: 1st  

GrIFK is the defending champion in both the Baltic League and the Finnish League. The team’s top scorer in the Baltic League is Johanna Hilli (#7), who has scored 26 goals in four matches. Hilli also finished second in the Finnish league’s top scorer list during the regular season and won the Star Player League. The second-best scorer in the Baltic League for GrIFK is Ella Paukku (#12), who has scored 16 goals in four matches. 

In the Finnish Aktialiiga, GrIFK dominated the regular season and secured first place with a comfortable margin. After a few weeks’ break, the team is now ready for the semifinals, where they will face the fourth-seeded BK-46. 

The team’s coaches state that the season has been overall positive for the team, even though there have been some ups and downs in recent months. A major achievement was winning the regular season in the Finnish Aktialiiga, which granted them a direct spot in the semifinals—an important milestone that now sets the stage for upcoming challenges. 

The team aims to play an active and high-paced style of handball, with a strong defence as the foundation. Their goal is to defend aggressively, force opponents into mistakes, and quickly transition into attack. A disciplined defence and efficient fast breaks are key elements of their playing style. 

During the tournament weekend, GrIFK aims to win all their remaining matches and see how far they can go. At the same time, they want to use the weekend to further develop their game and fine-tune details before the upcoming Finnish league semifinals. 

Hosting the final tournament in Finland is something the entire team is looking forward to. It is an exciting opportunity to bring international handball to the home stage, and the goal is to attract a large crowd to the stands. 

HIFK 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 4th
  • Current standing in the Finnish Aktialiiga: 3rd  

HIFK is participating in the Baltic League for the first time, and they have already travelled to Lithuania for the first tournament. The team’s top scorer in the Baltic League is pivot player Ella Holopainen (#21), who has showcased her strength and skill, despite playing only three matches. In the Finnish Aktialiiga, center back Kira Härkönen (#9) has been particularly effective and won the regular season’s top scorer title. 

HIFK is a physically strong and relatively tall team that thrives best in a compact 6–0 defence formation. They have skilled players in all positions, but injuries have affected the team throughout the season. 

The coaching staff believes that the season has been challenging, as the team has rarely been able to play with a full squad. The hope is that all players will soon be able to perform at their full potential. 

The team builds its game around a strong defence, which has been their biggest strength so far. They strive to take advantage of this by playing aggressive defence and transitioning quickly into attacks. Their goal for the tournament weekend is simple—to win every match. 

HIFK sees it as a positive development that the final tournament is being held in Finland this year and considers it a great idea. At the same time, they believe that it would be beneficial if each participating country had the opportunity to host the final tournament on a rotating basis. 

LATVIA 

Reir / Dobele SS 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 5th  
  • Current standing in the Latvian league: 2nd  

The team’s top scorer in the Baltic League is Elīza Bilkšte (#10), who has impressed with 34 goals in five matches. She also tops the scoring charts in the Latvian domestic league. The team consists largely of young players, with many born between 2006 and 2009. 

Dobele also participated in last year’s edition of the Baltic League, where they finished second to last. 

SK Latgols 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 7th  
  • Current standing in the Latvian league: 1st  

Madara Cibuļska (#11) is the team’s top scorer in the Baltic League, having scored 25 goals in four matches, while Linda Krole (#21) leads the team’s internal scoring in the Latvian league. 

The team is a mix of young players born between 2007 and 2009, along with older, more experienced players, creating a balanced dynamic between eagerness and experience. 

The team management says that the team has had a strong season so far and that their goal is to compete for the Latvian championship. They strive to play fast and modern handball, but it is a challenge as this playing style requires high endurance. 

The ambition for the tournament weekend is to play fairly while collecting important points. It will also be a new experience for the team, as they have never played in Finland before – a challenge they look forward to. 

Jēkabpils SS 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 8th  
  • Current standing in the Latvian league: 3rd  

Right-winger Linda Kanepe (#20) is the team’s top scorer in the Baltic League, with 23 goals in five matches. In the domestic league, left back Vivita Pukinska (#7) leads the team’s internal scoring. 

The team management says that the season has been challenging, but the team spirit is strong. The players support each other, stick together, and learn from every match. The team looks forward to the upcoming challenges and is determined to finish the season in the best possible way. 

Jēkabpils strives for a structured and disciplined playing style, focusing on solid defence, patience in attack, and minimizing mistakes. 

For the tournament weekend, the team has several goals. First and foremost, they want to be competitive in every match and give their best effort. They also want to use the tournament as an opportunity to develop their younger players and provide them with valuable experience. Naturally, they also aim to win as many matches as possible. 

They look forward to facing strong opponents and gaining valuable experience that they can take back home. 

ESTONIA 

Mistra 

  • Current standing in the WBSHL: 6th  
  • Current standing in the Estonian league: 1st  

Mistra is the only Estonian team in the Baltic League, as only four teams participate in the domestic Estonian league. So far, they have earned their points through victories against the Latvian teams Reir/Dobele SS and Jēkabpils SS. 

The team’s top scorer in both the Baltic League and the domestic league is left back Maarja Treiman (#22), who has scored 29 goals in four matches. Treiman also has a connection to Finland and GrIFK, where she played during the 2011–2012 season alongside another Estonian player. Among her former teammates are Johanna Hilli and the team’s current goalkeeping coach, Bianca Eklundh. Together, they won silver in the Finnish league. 

The team’s head coach, Martin Kalvet, states that the season has been quite good so far. They aim to play a faster and more active style of handball, especially in defensive play. Ahead of the tournament weekend, their goal is to finish among the top five, but securing a top three spot would be an outstanding achievement. 

MATCH SCHEDULE – FINAL WEEKEND 

All matches will be played at Grankulla Sports hall. 

Friday, March 21, 2025 

  • 15:00 Jēkabpils SS (LAT) – HIFK (FIN) 
  • 17:00 GrIFK (FIN) – SK Latgols (LAT) 
  • 19:00 Vilnius Eglė (LTU) – REIR / Dobele SS (LAT) 
  • 21:00 Mistra (EST) – CASCADA – HC Garliava SM (LTU) 

Saturday, March 22, 2025 

  • 11:00 SK Latgols (LAT) – Vilnius Eglė (LTU) 
  • 13:00 CASCADA – HC Garliava SM (LTU) – Jēkabpils SS (LAT) 
  • 15:00 HIFK (FIN) – Mistra (EST) 
  • 17:00 REIR / Dobele SS (LAT) – GrIFK (FIN) 

Sunday, March 23, 2025 

  • 10:00 Vilnius Eglė (LTU) – HIFK (FIN) 
  • 12:00 GrIFK (FIN) – CASCADA – HC Garliava SM (LTU) 

Welcome to the Sports Hall in Kauniainen!

Tickets:

Adults: 10 euro
Day pass Sunday: 15 euro
Tournament pass: 35 euro

Children, students, youths, seniors, unemployed: 7 euro.
Day pass Sunday: 10 euro.
Tournament pass: 25 euro