Archive footage - photo: facebook.com/calisecup

The 21st edition of the international and EBT Beach Handball tournament closes the curtain and does so going beyond the expectations of the organizers, who have gone from a last edition difficult to manage due to the Covid emergency, the numerous swabs carried out and the low number of adhesions (thanks again to the clubs present, especially the Croatian friends of the BHC Zagreb and Slavonski Brod from last year, seen a long trip) to an edition with rediscovered freedom, the joy of returning to live, dance, sing and have fun inside and outside the "golden" rectangle.

On the beach of Serapo there have been numerous competitions held in a three day made of scorching heat, rediscovered exultations, hugs, disco evenings, tourist visits, new friendships that are born, summer crushes, why not, union between peoples of different nationalities and cultures but above all, the rebirth of a sporting discipline that, combined with tourism, has become a must of the Gaeta summer, namely the Beach Handball with its Calise Cup and the 33rd Memorial dedicated to the unforgettable Francesco Calise.

After two intense days of Seniors and youth matches, Sunday 3 July the level rises considerably and the balance on the pitch for the semifinals and finals reigns.

In the first men's semifinal the Dutch team Camelot Handball Tilburg got the better of the Handball Lanzara bells respecting the odds while in the other semifinal the clash was won by the Gaeta Handball 1984 who had to sweat against the Greek AEP Panorama difficulties.

To win the third step of the men's podium, on the field there are Handball Lanzara 2012 and the Greek guests of the AEP Panorama, who give life to a truly exciting 3 / 4th place final and won with pride and character by the Hellenic boys of Alexandros Vrachiolodis.

Finally winning the final is the quoted Camelot Handball Tilburg by Bas Van Den Dungen (since 2004 in Gaeta many times and now ambassador in the Netherlands) which has the better against a never tamed Gaeta and which unfortunately wasted in the last part of the second set despite +8, to be recovered and overcome at the end.

In the women's semifinals to prevail are Blue Teame and Camelot Handball Tilburg 2 respectively against Handball Grosseto and Camelot Handball Tilburg, both 2-0.

Final of the 3rd-4th place truly thrilling and engaging, also thanks to the countless saves of the far defender Sara Fontani, flawless in numerous situations and also in the shoot - out as after the first two sets ended at 1-1, it was decided everything in the lottery of penalties in motion, won by the Dutch team.
In the final, Dani Lara Cobas' blues manage the match well, play calmly and at the sound of the siren it is 2-0 for Bertolino and teammates and the party can begin on the pitch.

The Calise Cup ends with group dances that once again demonstrate the philosophy of this discipline, or Fair Play. The Dutch girls kick off the now famous ballet to the tune of Links Rechts and the party is unleashed on the pitch.

Then between raggaeton, thanks to Diana Kobilica who directs the blue band, the awards ceremony decorated by a more than jovial atmosphere and the sirtaki of the Greek team of the AEP Panorama also closes the 2022 edition of the Calise Cup and we meet at the 2023 between greetings, some also moved given the beautiful air breathed, hugs and promises to meet again in the various cities and next year in Gaeta, and the international Beach Handball tournament puts the second for the return to normality with the hope of meshing the third in 2023 and then restart with the turbo like the past editions in which in Gaeta were present in the same year formations and referees from numerous nations of Europe and sometimes even the world.