Danish League – TSS back on track

The Danish league is now well under way, with one round to go before the end of the first stage. Skovshoved is yet unbeaten with 8 victories in 8 matches, but Peter Gade’s former team of Team Skaelskor Slagelse – now led by Vittinghus is not far behind, while Odense and Solrod Strand are the current other teams leading the Danish league which has changed its rules to make it TV friendly

By Raphael Sachetat. Photos : Badmintonphoto

Thanks to two tight victories from Li Wenyan and Kim Bruun in three games on top of easier successes from HK Vittinghus and the duo Mateusiak/Zieba, Team Skaelskor Slagelse is now right behind Skovshoved, the leader, who was not far from conceding a draw against  Aarhus AB as Jan O Jorgensen gave his team the winning point by edging India’s Pawar 21-8, 20-22, 21-17. The surprise of the day had been the earlier defeat of Kolding/Houmann against Bonde/Kjaersfeld.

Odense, featuring stars like Nathan Robertson, Carolina Marin, Viktor Axelsen and Matthias Boe beat Greve, led by players like Jonas Rasmussen, Christina Pedersen, Joachim Persson, Kamilla Rytter Juhl and Linda Zetchiri. Marin beat Zetchiri in three tight games which gave the advantage to her team, now in the third position in the general standing.

Matches from Dec 3^rd

TSS beat Genofte: 4/2
Skovshoved beat Aarhus AB: 4/2
Odense beat Greve: 4/2
Solrod Strand beat Vaerlose: 4/2
Vandsyssel  beat Lillerod: 4/2

Full season results HERE

Next stage about to start

The second stage of the Danish league is a bit complicated but will eventually end up in crowning the best team of the season. It will start after the top 8 teams have been decided from the last round robin match on December 18^th.

According to the ranking on December 18^th, the top 8 teams will continue for the second stage of the season, starting in January. The top 4 teams will go in group A and the team 5-8 in group B. The teams play opposite home and away during a preliminary round

The highest placed team in each group get 4 points, the second highest team gets 3 point, third gets 2 points and last gets one point. The top two teams of group A will be qualified automatically for the semi-finals, while the teams finishing 3^rd and 4^th of group B are disqualified.

The quarter finals are then being played between 3^rd of group A against 1 of group B and 4^th of A and 1^st of B in order to meet the two teams already qualified. The finals will be played on April 18^th 2013 with the final winner representing Denmark in the European Club championships to be held in Beauvais, France, on May 28^th – June 1^st.

Last match of the season is December 18th

Standing after 8 rounds (with points)
1. Skovshoved (23)
2. TSS (18)
3. Odense (15)
4. Solrod Strand (15)
5. Vaerlose (12)
6. Greve (11)
7. Vendsyssel (10)
8. Gentofte (9)
9.Aarhus AB (7)
10. Lillerod (0)

(Rule for points : 3 points for victories 6/0, 5/1 or 4/2)
2 points for victories 4/3 (Golden set)
1 point for defeat ¾ (Golden set)
0 points for defeats 0/6, 1/5, 2/4)

The first 4 teams will be featured in next stage’s group A, while teams 9 and 10 will have to play against 1st division teams in order to stay in the Elite division.