RK Kvarner

RK Kvarner Rijeka (Rukometni Klub Kvarner Rijeka) was a handball club from Rijeka, Croatia, formed in 1963. It was later reincarnation into Kvarner Kostrena.

RK Kvarner Kostrena
Full nameRukometni klub Kvarner Kostrena
Founded1963 (as RK Kvarner); 2003 (as RK Kvarner Kostrena)
Dissolved2003; February 2013
ArenaSD Kostrena
Capacity1,260
PresidentMarko Kosanović
Head coachIvan Munitić
League2. HRL
2011–1212th
Club colours   
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History

RK Kvarner

The club was founded 27 February 1963,[1] as RK Kvarner. The first ever players of Kvarner were: Simeon Kosanović, Zvonko Ugrin, Slobodan Petković, Vladimir Babić, Josip Božić, Jerolim Ostojić, Marijan Lučić, Davor Amančić, Marijan Glavan, Perica Vukičević and Ivan Munitić alongside coach Eduard Domazet. The initiators where: Đuro Blim, Nikola Mikuličić, Eduard Domazet, Mladen Kopajtić, Ivo Kreculj, Branko Komljenović, Petar Grabovac, Petar Orgulić and Rajko Plivečić.[2]

RK Kvarner logo

During the first ten year of the club moved up the ranks from Regional leagues to the Yugoslav First League. During their time in the First league Kvarner's coach was Vlado Stenzel who was at the time also the Yugoslavian national team coach. Stenzel's presence saw players like Zdenko Hibšer, Vlado Vukoje, Roberto Sošić and Zdravko Rađenović playing for Kvarner. These years where the highlight of Kvarner's history as they played in the Yugoslav first league. Kvarner was the first handball club in Rijeka to enter the first league. In 1969 and 1970 Kvarner was the champion of Croatia.

In 1973 Kvarner was relegated to the Second league with most of its players transferring to other clubs. The club bounced back to the First league the following season with mostly young player in the squad. These players where: Ivica Rimanić, Boris Komucki, Jurica Lakić,...

Kvarner dominated Zamet until 1977 when Zamet started to rise thru the ranks of Yugoslav handball.

Kvarner Zamet rivalry

During the 1960s a city rivalry came between RK Kvarner and RK Zamet the city's best handball clubs. Due to a lot of players moving throughout both clubs the rivalry became more serious. After nearly five years of intense matches finally in 1981 Kvarner signed defeat and gave Zamet the title of the best handball club in Rijeka. Kvarner also gave Zamet three of their best players: Boris Škara, Damir Čavlović and Drago Žiljak.

In later years Kvarner was no match for Zamet and they mostly played friendly matches since they weren't in the same league.

Hard times and financial troubles

During the 1980s Kvarner struggled eventually being relegated to regional leagues. In 1982 Kvarner was supposed to fuse with club Kozala forming RK Rijeka, but the fusing never happened. This later proved to be a big mistake. At the end of the decade Kvarner lost their dressing room to the basketball team of Kvarner. Not being able to live up to their previous results Kvarner stayed a low level club until the end of the Yugoslavian league.

With little progress made in the Croatian league in 1996 former players of the club came out of retirement, started playing for the club and eventually made it to the second division the 1.B HRL.

Kvarner Kostrena

In 2001 Marko Kosanović took over as president of the club who reinstated the club in the 3. HRL - West after nearly three years of absence. After entering 2. HRL - West the club move to Kostrena where they played in a newly built venue SD Kostrena and changed the club's name to Kvarner Kostrena. With many former players managing the club it survived for ten years playing in the third tier of Croatian handball. In 2011 due to financial problems Kvarner Kostrena dismantled their senior team wanting to focus more on their youth academy.[3]

Two years later in February 2013 Kvarner Kostrena announced the club would be closing

Venue

From the 1960s during the end of the 1980s Kvarner played on the court of Economics high school. For about a decade they used venues around Rijeka such as Dvorana Mladosti and Dvorana Kozala.

In 2003 they moved to Kostrena in newly built venue SD Kostrena (Sportska Dvorana Kostrena).

Seasons

Season Tier Division Pos.
1963 3 Rijeka Zone League 4th
1963-64 3 Regional League of Rijeka and Karlovac 1st
1964-65 3 Regional League of Croatia (primorje) 1st
1965-66 3 Regional League of Primorje and Karlovac 2nd
1966-67 3 Regional League of Primorje and Karlovac 1st
1967-68 3 Regional League of Primorje and Istra 1st
1967-68 3 Regional League of Primorje and Istra 1st
1968-69 3 Regional League of Primorje and Istra 1st
1969-70 2 Croatian Unique League 1st
1970-71 1 Yugoslav First League 12th
1971-72 1 Yugoslav First League 12th
1972-73 1 Yugoslav First League 12th
1973-74 1 Yugoslav First League 13th
Season Tier Division Pos.
1974-75 2 Yugoslav Second League (West) 1st
1975-76 1 Yugoslav First League 12th
1976-77 2 Yugoslav Second League (North) 4th
1977-78 2 Yugoslav Second League (North) 3rd
1978-79 2 Yugoslav Second League (North) 5th
1979-80 2 Yugoslav Second League (North) 3rd
1980-81 2 Yugoslav Second League (North) 8th
1981-82 3 Yugoslav Second League (West) 10th
1982-83 3 Yugoslav Second League (West) 12th
1983-84 4 Primorje and Istra Regional League 2nd
1984-85 3 Croatian League (West) 9th
1985-86 4 Primorje and Istra Regional League 2nd
1986-87 4 Primorje and Istra Regional League 5th
Season Tier Division Pos.
1987-88 4 Primorje and Istra Regional League 9th
1988-89 4 Primorje and Istra Regional League 10th
1989-90 4 Inter-Municipal League 5th
1990-91 4 Inter-Municipal League 6th
1992-93 3 2.HRL (West) 4th
1993-94 3 2.HRL (West) 1st
1994-95 2 1.B HRL (South) 12th
1995-96 4 3. HRL (West) 4th
1996-97 4 3. HRL (West) 1st
1997-98 3 2. HRL (West) 1st
1998-99 2 1.B HRL (South) 11th

Kvarner Kostrena seasons

Season Tier Division Pos.
2001-02 3 3.HRL (West) 5th
2002-03 3 3.HRL (West) 1st
2003-04 3 2.HRL (West) 8th
2004-05 2 2.HRL (West) 4th
2005-06 2 2.HRL (West) 11th
2006-07 3 3.HRL (West) 11th
2007-08 3 3.HRL (West) 11th
2008-09 3 2.HRL (West) 8th
2009-10 3 2.HRL (West) 9th
2010-11 3 2.HRL (West) 9th
2011-12 3 2.HRL (West) 12th

Honours

Yugoslavia

Croatia

Friendly tournaments

  • Republic day & youth day tournament (1): 1965

Youth

Veterans

  • 18th memorial veterans tournament (1): 2012 [4]
  • Memorial Zvonimir Škerl (1): 1997

Notable former players

Coaches

Presidents

References

  1. "Rijeka history". formula (in Croatian).
  2. "Historical sports stories". croinfo.net (in Croatian).
  3. "Kvarner Kostrena dissolved senior team". SportCom.hr (in Croatian).
  4. "Veterans in action". rkmaksimir-pastela.hr (in Croatian).
  • Petar Orgulić - 50 godina rukometa u Rijeci (2004)
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