Partille World Cup’s competition management had prepared for the worst, and it was a good thing they did. The rain has been pouring down on Thursday, which affects the players the most.
– You have to be very close to each other. Long passes don’t work, says Siri, 15, to GoHandball.
The weather in Gothenburg has not started the day on its best side and the meteorologists were right. The rain has poured down over the entire city and those who might be most affected by the weather are the city’s handball players.
As frequently as the drops fall, matches are also being played in the Partille World Cup, under much more difficult conditions than in previous days. Some who played during the worst downpour were RP Linköping’s Girls 15 team.
– It was very difficult to grip the ball, but it went as it went and in the end, we won, says Siri, one of the players on the team.
The team was here last year and even then had to play in the wet, but the rain was never at this level.
– It is very difficult to play, but extremely fun, says Axelina, Siri’s teammate. She continues:
– Above all, passing is very difficult. So, it’s important to keep moving.
RP Linköping is far from the only team affected by the rain. The Spanish team AT Basauri also played a match in the wet, something the team is fine with.
– We live in the Basque Country, in northern Spain, and it rains all the time there, says Nekane under an umbrella.
The players say that the team usually trains outdoors, even when it rains, so they have developed their tricks to cope with it.
– You just have to try to keep your hands dry somehow. Clapping your hands makes some water go away and keeps them warm, says Lucia.
The girls from Linköping also try this tactic.
– You try to stay warm all the time and warm up properly, concludes Axelina.