Download PDF - Air Greenland

It was totally
fabulous
The Danish Golden Girls were
received with so much warmth in
Greenland that the inland
ice almost melted
Text and photo: John Jakobsen, AG
Only 24 hours after the Danish
national women's handball
team won an Olympic
gold medal in Athens by
beating Korea after a thriller
of a match, wealthy Svend
Junge from Nuuk was ready
with an invitation to the
Golden Girls to visit Greenland,
where handball is one
of the most popular sports.
Junge had done the same10
years ago, when the Golden
Girls won the European
Championship for the first
time – something they have
done a couple times since.
It was no easy task and
many pieces of the puzzle
Suluk # 02•2005 50
had to fit into place. The Danish
Handball Federation was
positive about the invitation,
but initially said that it would
not be possible to make the
visit until May-June 2005.
In December 2004, shortly
before the Danes were about
to leave for the European
Championships in Hungary, a
training tournament was cancelled
– and things got busy.
Suddenly, it was possible for
the Golden Girls to visit Greenland
at the end of November.
Air Greenland was the
main sponsor along with
Pilersuisoq. A committee was
set up – and suddenly there
were 25 handball players
and10 leaders in Greenland
plus a flock of reporters.
Blustery weather
The Golden Girls started their
visit in Nuuk, where the
weather was blustery for the
two days they were in town.
- We were so pleased to
be invited to Greenland,
even though we have to use
our five days in Greenland
both to prepare for the
European Championships
and at the same time have a
good experience with this
adventure, says coach Jan
Pytlick.
The Golden Girls also experienced
a rare defeat when
they lost to Greenland's U/18
national men's team in the
packed Inussivik multi-hall.
- It was a very even and
exciting match which we unfortunately
lost. But the boys
from Greenland deserve a lot
of praise, they played a really
good match, continues Jan
Pytlick.
The days in Nuuk were
also spent on training – together
with a little sightseeing.
The weather was not at
its best, yet the guests did
manage to experience many
things.