PAWI:PL

After a 2021 edition with the registered teams that could almost be counted on the fingers of one hand, the 2022 edition which started a slow recovery, and the last event which showed glimmers of improvement, the 2024 edition could mark the return to the glories of the best times regarding what will be the XXIII Edition of the international Beach Handball tournament "Calise Cup".

From the numerous requests received shortly after the registration of the event on the EBT (European Beach Handball Tour) website, we could already foresee something positive but from words we moved on to actions and in the last days there have been numerous registrations; just to name a few, there was registration by the French team of Easg, the Latvians of C4H10 Melluzhi, the Cypriots of Apoel Nicosia, the Portuguese of Esfera Andebol Masters, greek boys of Team Ameakides, up to the Niteroi team which will participate in the next EBT Finals which will take place will be held in Lacanau (France) from 13 to 16 June; without forgetting the Dutch friends of Tilburg, present in Gaeta since 2004 and of course italian teams..

Everything is going well therefore, until 11 June that will be the closing of registrations with the registered teams that are above expectations and the work behind the scenes that continues incessantly despite some bureaucratic difficulties, resolved thanks to the collaboration of the Administration of the city of Gaeta and Local Authorities, mainly in the person of Mayor Cristian Leccese and Education Councilor Gianna Conte.

The recognition of the institutions confirms the goodness of the initiative, in addition to the patronage of the National CONI, the Confcommercio Lazio Sud, the Municipality of Gaeta and Lazio Region.

In the "Trofeo Cerbone", reserved for the Senior men's category, 14 teams from France, Cyprus, Lithuania, Netherlands, Portugal,Greece, Poland and obviously several Italian teams including the 10-times Italian Champions of Grosseto Handball have registered; and there are still teams interrsted to registration from Great Britain, Spain and Denmark.

While in the "Ulda Trophy", reserved for the senior women's category, teams from Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Ireland are currently represented, as in the Under 18 category with various teams from Italy, Greece, Portugal and Spain involved.

The real success with the "Integration and Inclusion Project" among the children of the Cooperativa La Valle with disabled athletes and the under 12s and Under 10s of the Don Bosco Gaeta, Flamingo Fitness and Aiperon Summer Camps and many of the under 13, who graduated as Regional Category Champions with the right to participate in the final phase of the Italian National Championship.

"What makes us proud is that we have managed - declares the organizing staff - for the first time to also organize the Under 14 category."

At the moment it is perhaps the most important tournament organized in recent years because, between referees, delegates and teams, there will be 15 nations represented.

The sponsorship campaign is also going well with two new sponsors appearing for the first time in supporting the Calise Cup, namely AMSPEC and LATERWOOD.

As well as with the "support the Calise Cup" campaign thanks to which the commercial fabric of the city is responding very well thanks to the many friends who in 35 years of activity have been involved either as players or as supporters and new supporters who see the importance of the event, which brings prestige, tourism and vitality to the city.

We are also doing a job of dissemination and involvement in both sport and tourism with the production of videos and live streaming on the "Calise Cup" Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/calisecup) and flooding the network and social media for news and photos on teams and sponsors, which will certainly amplify everything."

The president of CUS Cassino Carmine Calce follows: "the thing that encourages us to do better and better is that a small city like Gaeta organizes a tournament of such importance. This is why I feel the duty to thank in advance all those who they have always put up with us and supported us and in particular the Aurora, Miramare, Selene and Serapide beach venues, as well as all the others on the Serapo beach coast which have embraced, since 1989, the Francesco Calise Memorial, making it available, free of charge, their structures and their great availability towards our event, it is thanks to them that our tournament has become among the best known in Europe".

"Seeing, in the morning before 9am and in the evening after 9pm - continues Calce - groups of kids in the streets of the city returning to their accommodation, such as schools, holiday homes, B&B and Hotel, after spending a day on the Serapo beach between matches, swimming, parties and tourism, without integration problems, without thinking too much about sport results whether it be a victory or a defeat, without any communication barrier, all together with the same spirit of being there, socializing and having fun is truly an immense joy; a true Sports Festival".

Not to be forgotten are the Lazio Region, the Province of Latina School Sector, the I Circolo Didattico, the "Giosuè Carducci" Polycomprehensive Institute, the Giovanni Caboto Nautical Institute and the Enrico Fermi Scientific High School in the figure of their school directors, who every year, they take on big responsibilities and allow us to host many teams in schools.

We also thank the Medical Assistance who have always watched over, are watching over and will guarantee the safety of the athletes, the Nautical School of the Guardia di Finanza for their availability, the Hotels, B&Bs and AirBnBs which are allowing us to accommodate over 500 athletes and this makes us more than happy because for us the Calise Cup is first and foremost promotion of the territory and tourism.

I must thank all the athletes of the Polisportiva Gaeta 1931 and Gaeta Handball '84 who sacrifice themselves in this period, transforming themselves from athletes to organizers together with the students of the Department of Human, Social and Health Sciences of the University of Cassino and southern Lazio".

See you from 21 to 23 June 2024 on the golden beach of Serapo for three days of Beach Handball, tourism, fun, integration, inclusion, healthy competitive spirit, music, animation, entertainment and much more.