2024 CALISE STORY

The XXXV edition of the Memorial Francesco Calise “XXIII Stage of the European Championship, reserved for Club teams (beach handball champions league), Cerbone men's trophy and Ulda Memorial women's trophy, Marco Gianni Inclusion Trophy organized in collaboration with the La Valle Cooperative, has also concluded. The reactions of the participants, on social media and in the media, were above expectations, thanks to the sponsorship of the National CONI, the FIGH, the Lazio Region, the University of Cassino and the Southern Lazio Department of Human Sciences, Confcommercio, and organized by the CUS Cassino with the collaboration of the Polisportiva Gaeta 193 and Gaeta Handball 1984 we managed to complete what was planned. Having then exceeded the number of nations represented and the EBT points (503 points) was very important and unexpected, and yet once again we achieved the goal. Sixteen nations represented, 33 senior and youth teams, 5 different tournaments and a match dedicated to the integration between athletes of the Cooperativa La Valle and the under 15 boys of Gaeta handball 1984, “thanks to the boys”, 4 fields used, 3 for playing and one for training, it gratified us and not a little. The Calise Cup is a solid and consolidated reality in the context of European and national beach handball and for the beginning of the Gaetana Summer. This edition has exceeded the rosiest expectations, - about 100 matches played in 2 and a half days, about 400 people accommodated, and the participation of teams at the top of the European rankings. In the under 14 male category there was the great surprise of the victory of the boys of H.C. FONDI. In the under 18 category, the tournament was dominated by the Grosseto Handball and Handball & Beach Messina teams and after a heated final, the Messina boys prevailed in the Shoot Out by just one point. As for the Senior women's category, as expected, it saw a fratricidal clash between the Brazilians, who play for the Irish Federation, of NITEROY RUGBY FC and the Portuguese of AD IASPORTS, who easily reached the final, which saw the Brazilians prevail at the end of a match that remained in the balance until the last seconds. More hard-fought and unpredictable is the senior category, Senior Male, where already in the semifinals the Hungarians of Gyor had to show all their proverbial grit and experience to get the better of the Cypriots of Apoel while in the other semifinal between the Irish of Niteroy Rugby FC who beat the Portuguese of ESFERA ANDEBOL MASTERS more clearly than expected. In the final the very strong boys of Niteroy got the better of the Hungarians of Gyor. In the meantime we will never stop thanking all those who have allowed this event to continue this year: As usual, a special thanks goes to the association Stabilimenti Balneari di Serapo who allowed the athletes to use their spaces, with umbrellas, sunbeds and deckchairs, during the intervals of the matches. The Shoot Out and the All Star Game that took place on Saturday evening were a great success with the public, with great fun by the athletes selected by two of the most accredited coaches of the participating companies. At the end of the event, hot, we can say that Calise has returned to being one of the most sought-after tournaments on the EBT circuit by clubs, both for the numerous points it offers, as well as for the hospitality, the sea, the beach and the city of Gaeta is able to offer on this occasion. A general thank you to everyone, really everyone who even for a single moment contributed to the success of the event. The president of CUS Cassino Carmine Calce says "for this success we must thank, in addition to our determination to ensure that the City of Gaeta remains at the top and in the history of Italian, European and World beach handball, mainly, the Municipal Administration in the persons of the Mayor Dr. Cristian Leccese, the deputy mayor Gianna Conte and the delegate for sport Francesco Di Fonzo, the President of Confcommercio Lazio Sud with delegation to Lazio, Giovanni Acampora, with the local representative Anthony Reale and the president Nicola Ciano of Gaeta Handball 84 true promoters of the event, the dance group of the Centro del Movimento di Gaeta but All this was possible thanks to the collaboration of the Province School Sector, and the G. Caboto Secondary School Institutes and the Comprehensive Institute without which we could not have accommodated the majority of the participating teams, and the Apeiron Summer Camps, Don Bosco Gaeta Summer Camp and Flamingo Sport Campus and the La Valle Cooperative who organized an Open day, with free participation, which saw the presence of over 200 children, mainly children aged 08 to 14; - at the “CaliSound “ 2 Dancing shows under the stars at the Miramare and Selene establishments,
- to “TUTTI IN SPIAGGIA “ thanks to the Bathing Establishments adhering to the Serapo Bathing Establishments Association and to the Elio Mari, CAB, Sirio, Lido, Serapide, Oriente, Aurora, Miramare, Caribe beach and Selene beaches;
- we thank the Sponsors in the person of our Honorary President, Lino Persico who has shared the philosophy of calise since he was very young, as an athlete and today is always close to us to help us find collaborations, in addition to the Calise and Di Schino and Gianni families who are close to us and help us as they can.
- this year we want to thank First of all the Main Sponsor CERBONE, present for the occasion at the awards ceremony, AMSPEC, LATER WOOD and all the others, STUDIO POLLINO, OSTERIA GAETANA, VILLA IRLANDA, LA BOTTEGA DELLE CARNI, PUNTA STENDARDO, ACCETTA COSTRUZIONI, PREMIUM FORTE, CLANIS, DAMICO GROUP, BAR TRIESTINA, CISMO, LAUDROMAT, RENDEZ VOUS, BRUCI SRL, AGRIGARDEN, CASA VINICOLA CICCARIELLO, USO DI MARE, TAVERNA DI MINO, THE DUTCH, PALUMBO ORTOPEDICA, RE FERDINANDO, PUNTA STENDARDO, for all the others you can see them around YOU on the playing fields and on social media.
In 35 years of activity, the Memorial Francesco Calse, continues the president Carmine CALCE has made "fairness and sports loyalty its primary objective so much so that FAIR PLAY is the guiding spirit of beach handball, a fundamental thing for Gianni Buttarelli and Franco Schiano, unfortunately deceased and at COBH, have worked so that beach handball from 1992 to 1996 established itself in Italy, Europe and the world and it is thanks to this commitment that the City of Gaeta was linked to the birth of HANDBALL BEACH ".
All of the above has allowed us to host 20 delegates and referees of world-class caliber, and it was thanks to their professionalism that the technical machine had no delays and everything ran smoothly without problems. But what struck the participants was the atmosphere that reigned everywhere and this was thanks to the small sponsors and the citizens and the Police, who know the spirit of Calise and who, surely, in these 35 years have experienced it first as an athlete or participant and now as a commercial operator, who welcomed with friendship and sympathy all the participants "who felt at home",

Here are the winning teams of the various prizes awarded to the protagonists: