ŽRK Vardar (Macedonian: ЖРК Вардар) is a Macedonian women's handball club from Skopje, North Macedonia. The team currently competes in the Macedonian women's First League of Handball, Women's Regional Handball League and used to be a top competitor in the Women's EHF Champions League.

History

Legendary Goal Keeper Inna Suslina Champion league match 2014
  • The Beginning

WHC Vardar was founded in 1961, as part of the Vardar Sports Club in Skopje, which had been founded in 1947.

WHC Grafichar Skopje club was established in 1948, and it was the top quality team at the time. They won many titles including the last one in 1960 before the fusion. In 1961 Grafichar renamed itself to Vardar and almost the entire team of the club Grafichar joined the team. WHC Vardar started with winning the championship in 1961. The next few seasons they played in a higher rank including playoffs for the Federal First Division. In 1963 after the earthquake, the Vardar team was dismissed and they didn't compete for many seasons until 1970. Most of the players joined HC Rabotnicki and Metalurg Skopje.

  • New Come Back

In the year 1970 after the financial situation got better they started to compete in Macedonian league again. They won 4 championships in a row from 1971 until 1974 and played qualification for the higher rank Federal Division. They didn't manage to get to higher rank losing tight barrage games with 1 or 2 goals difference in aggregate. In 1976 and 1977 they won the Macedonian championship again and next year they qualified for the second Division Federal League. They won the Second Division in 1978 and reached the play-offs for top flight federal division, but lost in aggregate 1 goal difference. In the next years they got back in the Macedonian league again. They won the title in 1983 .They played in the Macedonian league until 1992. After 1992 Macedonian league became the top flight league where they had tough competition in newly rising club Kometal GP Skopje.

Tatyana Khmyrova Champions league match 2014
  • First league days

Until Kometal Gjorče Petrov officially stopped working, Vardar was the only other club to win any title in any of the competitions in Macedonia by winning the 1994 Macedonian Cup. In the 2012/2013 season with the arrival of the new sponsor and sporting director Sergey Samsonenko along with some new players, the team started to achieve more positive results and won its first league title.

Jane Sandanski Arena
Maja Zebich Champions league match 2013
  • Stardom Days

Vardar got back on the champions track in the beginning of 2011 when their financial situation became great again. They brought many new top class players and started making champions team. With all those new super star players coming each year, Vardar started winning many championships and cups plus Regional League. They played with great success in the Women's Champions league beating the best clubs in the world and bringing Glory to Skopje fans. In the year 2012 the new Sports center Jane Sandanski was built which became handball temple of Glory . Since 2013, the team had three 3rd-place finishes in the EHF Champions League and two 2nd-place finishes in the seasons 2016–17 and 2017–18 being the only team that competed in the all EHF Final Four Tournaments.

  • Recent rank

Earlier in 2018 the president of the club, Gordana Naceva, announced the breakup of the team made up from world class players and added that they will focus on young players. In the season 2019 and 2020 Vardar finished 3rd in the Macedonian league. They didn't play in the Champions league any more after they've decided that their team is not strong enough for the competition.

Arena information

Unlike the usual situation in handball of clubs renting halls from municipalities or private owners, HC Vardar itself is the owner of the Jane Sandanski Arena where they play all their home matches in the Women's EHF Champions League, the Women's Regional Handball League and in the domestic competitions.

Accomplishments

Domestic competitions

Winners (6): 2012–13, 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18

Winners (6): 1994, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018

European competitions

Runner-up: 2016–17, 2017–18

Third placed: 2013–14, 2014–15, 2015–16

Other competitions

  • Women's Regional Handball League:

Winners: 2016–17, 2017–18

Runner-up: 2013–14

Third placed: 2015

  • Vardar Trophy:

Winners: 2015

Runner-up: 2017

Kits

HOME
2017–18
AWAY
2017–18

Team

Current squad of the first team

Current squad

Squad for the 2021–22 season

WHC Vardar 1961
Goalkeepers 01 North Macedonia Jovana Trajkoska 12 North Macedonia Simona Grujovska 16 North Macedonia Andrea Ilić Right Wingers 28 North Macedonia Sara Minovska 40 North Macedonia Iva Jakovchevska 74 North Macedonia Mirjana Petkovska Left Wingers 08 North Macedonia Stefanija Gjeorgievska 21 North Macedonia Ivona Trpevska 26 North Macedonia Bojana Dinevska Line players 93 North Macedonia Katerina Damjanoska Left Backs 03 North Macedonia Marija Gocevska 31 North Macedonia Andrea Sedloska 97 North Macedonia Milica Nikolić Central Backs 10 North Macedonia Ana Marija Božinovska 14 North Macedonia Keti Angelovska 23 North Macedonia Angela Grozdanovska 33 North Macedonia Ana Marija Kolarovska 51 North Macedonia Marija Galevska Right Backs 24 North Macedonia Angela Kostović
Goalkeepers 01 North Macedonia Jovana Trajkoska 12 North Macedonia Simona Grujovska 16 North Macedonia Andrea Ilić Right Wingers 28 North Macedonia Sara Minovska 40 North Macedonia Iva Jakovchevska 74 North Macedonia Mirjana Petkovska Left Wingers 08 North Macedonia Stefanija Gjeorgievska 21 North Macedonia Ivona Trpevska 26 North Macedonia Bojana Dinevska Line players 93 North Macedonia Katerina DamjanoskaLeft Backs 03 North Macedonia Marija Gocevska 31 North Macedonia Andrea Sedloska 97 North Macedonia Milica Nikolić Central Backs 10 North Macedonia Ana Marija Božinovska 14 North Macedonia Keti Angelovska 23 North Macedonia Angela Grozdanovska 33 North Macedonia Ana Marija Kolarovska 51 North Macedonia Marija Galevska Right Backs 24 North Macedonia Angela Kostović

Staff

PositionName
Professional staff Position Name Head coach North Macedonia Dragana Pecevska Ristova Assistant coach North Macedonia Biljana Crvenkoska Goalkeeping coach North Macedonia Aleksandar Carchev Conditioning coach Serbia Marija Lojanica Physiotherapists North Macedonia Bojana BožinovskaManagement Position Name Owner North Macedonia Mihajlo Mihajlovski President North Macedonia Gordana Naceva Executive director North Macedonia Davor Stojanovski Operative manager North Macedonia Ana Stojkov Sporting director Russia Eduard Koksharov
Head coachNorth Macedonia Dragana Pecevska Ristova
Assistant coachNorth Macedonia Biljana Crvenkoska
Goalkeeping coachNorth Macedonia Aleksandar Carchev
Conditioning coachSerbia Marija Lojanica
PhysiotherapistsNorth Macedonia Bojana Božinovska
PositionName
OwnerNorth Macedonia Mihajlo Mihajlovski
PresidentNorth Macedonia Gordana Naceva
Executive directorNorth Macedonia Davor Stojanovski
Operative managerNorth Macedonia Ana Stojkov
Sporting directorRussia Eduard Koksharov

Former club members

Notable former players

Notable former coaches

Kit manufacturers

European competitions record

SeasonRoundClubHomeAwayAggregate
EHF Champions League Season Round Club Home Away Aggregate 2013–14 Q2-SF Italy Jomi Salerno 35–16 Q2-F France Fleury Loiret Handball 33–25 GM (Group D) Norway Larvik 27–27 31–29 1st Spain Balonmano Bera Bera 30–20 23–19 Croatia RK Podravka Koprivnica 39–26 35–17 MR (Group 1) Denmark FC Midtjylland 24–23 24–25 1st Germany Thüringer HC 31–25 24–24 Sweden IK Sävehof 24–18 27–27 SF (F4) Montenegro Budućnost 20–22 3rd (F4) Denmark FC Midtjylland 34–31 2014–15 GM (Group C) Montenegro Budućnost 24–24 17–23 2nd Croatia Podravka Koprivnica 35–25 27–26 Germany Thüringer HC 26–21 20–21 MR (Group 1) Russia Dinamo-Sinara 28–27 25–33 2nd Germany HC Leipzig 26–20 23–26 Slovenia RK Krim 41–30 47–29 QF Hungary Győri ETO KC 24–18 27–27 51–45 SF (F4) Montenegro Budućnost 17–27 3rd (F4) Russia Dinamo-Sinara 28–26 2015–16 GM (Group C) Denmark FC Midtjylland 33–24 25−15 2nd Austria Hypo Niederösterreich 37−25 38–25 Hungary Győri ETO KC 22–27 27−28 MR (Group 2) Romania CSM Bucharest 22−21 30−25 3rd Montenegro Budućnost 26−24 19−31 Sweden IK Sävehof 37−25 29−26 QF Norway Larvik 34–20 26–28 60–48 SF (F4) Romania CSM Bucharest 21–27 3rd (F4) Montenegro Budućnost 30–28 2016–17 GM (Group B) Hungary Ferencvárosi TC 27–27 37–24 1st Russia HC Astrakhanochka 39–25 31–26 Germany HC Leipzig 41–24 45–22 MR (Group 1) France Metz 23−21 28−42 1st Montenegro Budućnost 28−31 31−28 Germany Thüringer HC 36−26 31−29 QF Denmark FC Midtjylland 26–24 28–26 54–50 SF (F4) Romania CSM Bucharest 38–33 F (F4) Hungary Győri ETO KC 30–31 (ET) 2017–18 GM (Group C) Hungary Ferencvárosi TC 34–31 29–28 1st Norway Larvik 30–27 31–19 Germany Thüringer HC 29–21 29–21 MR (Group 2) France Metz 29−23 22−24 1st Germany SG BBM Bietigheim 30−22 38−26 Montenegro Budućnost 31−24 30−25 QF Denmark FC Midtjylland 32–25 24–23 56–48 SF (F4) Russia Rostov-Don 25–19 F (F4) Hungary Győri ETO KC 26–27 (ET)EHF Cup Season Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Aggregate 2002–03 R2 Serbia and Montenegro Duvanska Industrija Nis 11–45 14–33 25–78 2003–04 R2 Greece O.F.N. Ionias 21–28 12–30 33–58 2011–12 R32 Hungary Békéscsabai ENKSE 20–39 20–40 40–79 2012–13 2Q Greece Patras 28–19 27–16 55–35 R16 Russia Kuban Krasnodar 30–28 17–22 47–50 Challenge Cup Season Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Aggregate 1999–00 1/16 Lithuania Eastcon AG Vilnius 15–35 13–35 28–70 1994–95 1/16 Switzerland ATV Basel 24–16 23–23 47–39 1/8 Germany TV Mainzlar 20–31 24–24 44–54 1995–96 1/16 Austria Austria Tabak 15–24 11–21 26–45 2001–02 R3 North Macedonia RK Skopje 18–20 16–14 34–34 R4 Portugal CD Gil Eanes-Lagos 13–25 31–26 44–51 2008–09 R3 Turkey Cankaya Beld 30–33 32–32 52–55 Regional Handball League Season Round Club 1st leg 2nd leg Placement 2012–13 MR Serbia ŽRK Zaječar 25–28 32–29 5th Serbia ŽORK Jagodina 36–26 24–22 Montenegro Budućnost 21–26 21–41 Montenegro ŽRK Biseri Pljevlja 31–24 37–20 Croatia RK Lokomotiva Zagreb 21–23 25–28 Croatia Podravka Koprivnica 23–25 22–25 North Macedonia ŽRK Metalurg 16–25 14–23 2013–14 MR Montenegro ŽRK Danilovgrad 33–13 25–16 2nd Montenegro Budućnost 20–24 28–32 Slovenia RK Krim 26–22 CAN Slovenia RK Zagorje 35–27 33–22 Croatia RK Lokomotiva Zagreb 16–14 21–25 Croatia Podravka Koprivnica 28–28 29–24 North Macedonia ŽRK Metalurg 35–26 29–22 2016–17 MR Montenegro Budućnost 29–30 28–27 1st Croatia Podravka Koprivnica 30–19 35–18 Slovenia RK Krim 38–29 27–26 SF Croatia Podravka Koprivnica 29–16 F Montenegro Budućnost 27–25 2017–18 MR Montenegro Budućnost 24–22 31–2427–26 21–20 25–25 1st Slovenia RK Krim 30–27 25–2429–34 32–29 32–31
2013–14Q2-SFItaly Jomi Salerno35–16
Q2-FFrance Fleury Loiret Handball33–25
GM (Group D)Norway Larvik27–2731–291st
Spain Balonmano Bera Bera30–2023–19
Croatia RK Podravka Koprivnica39–2635–17
MR (Group 1)Denmark FC Midtjylland24–2324–251st
Germany Thüringer HC31–2524–24
Sweden IK Sävehof24–1827–27
SF (F4)Montenegro Budućnost20–22
3rd (F4)Denmark FC Midtjylland34–31
2014–15GM (Group C)Montenegro Budućnost24–2417–232nd
Croatia Podravka Koprivnica35–2527–26
Germany Thüringer HC26–2120–21
MR (Group 1)Russia Dinamo-Sinara28–2725–332nd
Germany HC Leipzig26–2023–26
Slovenia RK Krim41–3047–29
QFHungary Győri ETO KC24–1827–2751–45
SF (F4)Montenegro Budućnost17–27
3rd (F4)Russia Dinamo-Sinara28–26
2015–16GM (Group C)Denmark FC Midtjylland33–2425−152nd
Austria Hypo Niederösterreich37−2538–25
Hungary Győri ETO KC22–2727−28
MR (Group 2)Romania CSM Bucharest22−2130−253rd
Montenegro Budućnost26−2419−31
Sweden IK Sävehof37−2529−26
QFNorway Larvik34–2026–2860–48
SF (F4)Romania CSM Bucharest21–27
3rd (F4)Montenegro Budućnost30–28
2016–17GM (Group B)Hungary Ferencvárosi TC27–2737–241st
Russia HC Astrakhanochka39–2531–26
Germany HC Leipzig41–2445–22
MR (Group 1)France Metz23−2128−421st
Montenegro Budućnost28−3131−28
Germany Thüringer HC36−2631−29
QFDenmark FC Midtjylland26–2428–2654–50
SF (F4)Romania CSM Bucharest38–33
F (F4)Hungary Győri ETO KC30–31 (ET)
2017–18GM (Group C)Hungary Ferencvárosi TC34–3129–281st
Norway Larvik30–2731–19
Germany Thüringer HC29–2129–21
MR (Group 2)France Metz29−2322−241st
Germany SG BBM Bietigheim30−2238−26
Montenegro Budućnost31−2430−25
QFDenmark FC Midtjylland32–2524–2356–48
SF (F4)Russia Rostov-Don25–19
F (F4)Hungary Győri ETO KC26–27 (ET)
SeasonRoundClub1st leg2nd legAggregate
2002–03R2Serbia and Montenegro Duvanska Industrija Nis11–4514–3325–78
2003–04R2Greece O.F.N. Ionias21–2812–3033–58
2011–12R32Hungary Békéscsabai ENKSE20–3920–4040–79
2012–132QGreece Patras28–1927–1655–35
R16Russia Kuban Krasnodar30–2817–2247–50
SeasonRoundClub1st leg2nd legAggregate
1999–001/16Lithuania Eastcon AG Vilnius15–3513–3528–70
1994–951/16Switzerland ATV Basel24–1623–2347–39
1/8Germany TV Mainzlar20–3124–2444–54
1995–961/16Austria Austria Tabak15–2411–2126–45
2001–02R3North Macedonia RK Skopje18–2016–1434–34
R4Portugal CD Gil Eanes-Lagos13–2531–2644–51
2008–09R3Turkey Cankaya Beld30–3332–3252–55
SeasonRoundClub1st leg2nd legPlacement
2012–13MRSerbia ŽRK Zaječar25–2832–295th
Serbia ŽORK Jagodina36–2624–22
Montenegro Budućnost21–2621–41
Montenegro ŽRK Biseri Pljevlja31–2437–20
Croatia RK Lokomotiva Zagreb21–2325–28
Croatia Podravka Koprivnica23–2522–25
North Macedonia ŽRK Metalurg16–2514–23
2013–14MRMontenegro ŽRK Danilovgrad33–1325–162nd
Montenegro Budućnost20–2428–32
Slovenia RK Krim26–22CAN
Slovenia RK Zagorje35–2733–22
Croatia RK Lokomotiva Zagreb16–1421–25
Croatia Podravka Koprivnica28–2829–24
North Macedonia ŽRK Metalurg35–2629–22
2016–17MRMontenegro Budućnost29–3028–271st
Croatia Podravka Koprivnica30–1935–18
Slovenia RK Krim38–2927–26
SFCroatia Podravka Koprivnica29–16
FMontenegro Budućnost27–25
2017–18MRMontenegro Budućnost24–22 31–2427–2621–20 25–251st
Slovenia RK Krim30–27 25–2429–3432–29 32–31

European competitions record (WHC Vardar SCJS)

EHF Cup

SeasonRoundClub1st leg2nd legAggregate
2014–15R3Hungary Dunaújvárosi KKA20–2815–3035–58

Challenge Cup

SeasonRoundClub1st leg2nd legAggregate
2015–16R3United Kingdom London Angels HC27–1435–1762–31
L16Serbia Minaqua Vojvodina26–2431–2757–51
QFUkraine HC Karpaty Uzhhorod22–1917–2839–47
2016–17R3Bulgaria HC Svilengrad-PU24–1729–2253–39
1/8Sweden H 65 Höör13–2620–2633–52

Statistics

RankNameSeasonsGoals
All–time Top 10 Scorers in the EHF Champions League As of 2017–18 season Rank Name Seasons Goals 1 Croatia Andrea Penezić 4 371 2 Serbia Andrea Lekić 5 335 3 Montenegro Jovanka Radičević 5 293 4 Slovenia Barbara Lazović 4 144 5 France Alexandra Lacrabère 2 114 6 France Siraba Dembélé 3 113 7 Russia Tatyana Khmyrova 5 105 8 Croatia Maja Sokač 3 95 9 Germany Anja Althaus 3 90 10 Serbia Dragana Cvijić 1 55Most appearances in the EHF Champions League As of 2017–18 season Rank Name Seasons Appearances 1 Montenegro Jovanka Radičević 5 77 2 France Amandine Leynaud 5 75 3 Montenegro Andrea Klikovac 5 74 4 Russia Inna Suslina 5 73 5 Serbia Andrea Lekić 5 70 6 Russia Tatyana Khmyrova 5 63 Croatia Andrea Penezić 4 63 Slovenia Barbara Lazović 4 63 9 France Siraba Dembélé 3 46 10 Croatia Maja Sokač 3 45 Germany Anja Althaus 3 45
1Croatia Andrea Penezić4371
2Serbia Andrea Lekić5335
3Montenegro Jovanka Radičević5293
4Slovenia Barbara Lazović4144
5France Alexandra Lacrabère2114
6France Siraba Dembélé3113
7Russia Tatyana Khmyrova5105
8Croatia Maja Sokač395
9Germany Anja Althaus390
10Serbia Dragana Cvijić155
RankNameSeasonsAppearances
1Montenegro Jovanka Radičević577
2France Amandine Leynaud575
3Montenegro Andrea Klikovac574
4Russia Inna Suslina573
5Serbia Andrea Lekić570
6Russia Tatyana Khmyrova563
Croatia Andrea Penezić463
Slovenia Barbara Lazović463
9France Siraba Dembélé346
10Croatia Maja Sokač345
Germany Anja Althaus345

Individual awards in the EHF Champions League

SeasonPlayerAward
2013–14Montenegro Ana ĐokićAll–Star Team (Best Line Player)
Montenegro Jovanka RadičevićAll–Star Team (Best Right Wing)
2014–15Croatia Andrea Penezić (shared with Romania Cristina Neagu)Top Scorer (102 goals)
France Siraba DembéléAll–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
2015–16Montenegro Jovanka RadičevićAll–Star Team (Best Right Wing)
2016–17Croatia Andrea PenezićTop Scorer (98 goals)
Norway Camilla HerremAll–Star Team (Best Left Wing)
2017–18Serbia Dragana CvijićAll–Star Team (Best Line Player)
France Amandine LeynaudMVP of the Final 4

External links