(JAN 13) The European Women's Amateur circuit held one of its most popular early season tournaments this weekend in Borås , Sweden where some 114 boxers took part in this year’s Golden Girl BC Box Cup in the town’s Boråshallen.

For those who do not know the region well, Borås is a locality and the seat of Borås Municipality, in Västra Götaland County boasting some 66,273 inhabitants in the 2010 census. The Golden Girl Tournament was first held there in 2009 when 70 of the best female boxers in Europe came to fight for the title "GOLDEN GIRL" – an award that went to England’s Hannah Beharry. By 2011 some 80 boxers took part in the tournament organised by the local club’s Ray Husac and Lina Erlandsson.

The 2013 edition which ended Sunday (13th January) had in excess of 114 competitors taking part in 81 bouts in all grades for this is a tournament that caters for all categories, from Youth and Junior to Senior Elite category and attracts competitors from most of Northern Europe, some from Russia and several from Great Britain and from Ireland.

Last year’s overall Golden Girl was Norwegian, Marielle V Hansen of whom the judges said:

“She is one the fastest boxers we have seen in an amateur ring. With a style that reminds us of legends like Sugar Ray Leonard and Roy Jones jr. She moves in and out in any direction, she nails every punch by tricking her opponent to open up their defense”.

No Olympic Games of course in 2013 but a busy year for European women nonetheless with the European Union Championships being held in Keszthely, Hungary whilst later in the year the European Championships will be held, exact location still to be finalised but may well be

Dublin since the Irish Amateur Boxing Association was the only bidder.Among those bidding for titles there will be current Olympic Gold medallists Nicola Adams and Katie Taylor though neither was present in Boras this weekend.

This weekend in Boras, was therefore the start of the long campaign leading to the European Championship finals. The Gold medal at 48 kg went to Ireland’s Lynne O’Shea who as Lynne McEnery was European and World Kick Boxing champion a few years back.

Lynne will be seeking another Irish Elite title when their Senior championships begin in Dublin’s National Stadium next month so this was ideal preparation. She took the Gold medal with a convincing 13-3 win over the host nation’s Amie Ramstedt today.

Marielle Hansen again annexed the 54kg crown as she proved much too strong for all comers including fellow country woman, Veronica Losvik 18-3 in the final. At 60 kg lightweight, the gold went here to the Finn, Mira Potkonen who is a much improved boxer and was awarded a 12-9 verdict over Ireland’s Kelly Harrington from the Corinthians club in Dublin, albeit the verdict was greeted by some surprise and not only by the Irish delegation.

Harrington, making a welcome return to top form, and to the international circuits, following illness and injury had scored a comprehensive win over Russia’s Anastasia Gorazhdantseva in Saturday’s semi-final on the score line 22-9. She will most probably compete at 64kg in next month’ Irish Elite Championships.

One of Europe’s best up and coming boxers, Sweden’s Love Holgersson took Gold in the 75kg division defeating Russian challenger Lyuboy Pashina 13-10 in a closely contested battle. Germany took two titles through Annamarie Stark at 51kg and Janine Hofmann at 69 kg, both at the expense of Swedish opponents.

The Senior Boxer of the Tournament award went to Lynne O’Shea from the St Paul’s Club in Waterford, winner of the 48kg title in Boras.

Senior Elite Semi-Finals 12th January

48kg Lynne McEnery-O’Shea IRL Lotta Loikkanen FIN 18:15
48kg Amie Ramstedt SWE Elin Roennlund SWE 16:13
51kg Norah Guzlander SWE Hanne Ulvund NOR 25:18
51kg Annamarie Stark GER Ulyana Koshkarova RUS 12:6
54kg Veronica Losvik NOR Amanda Loughlin IRL 16:13
54kg Marielle V. Hansen NOR Nina Smith ENG 21:12
57kg Cecilia Nilsson FIN Juliana Soederstroem SWE 20:16
57kg Helena Envall SWE Britt Jane Mardal NOR 20:9
57kg Linnea Strandell SWE Caroline Laurell SWE 23:13
57kg Emilia Skriko FIN Valerian Spicer ENG 9:6
60kg Kelly Harrington IRL Anastasia Gorazhdantseva RUS 22:9
60kg Mira Potkonen FIN Fam Elgan NOR 12:7
64kg Gabriella Saliba SWE Anna Lindqvist SWE 26:19
64kg Josephine Marass Haegg SWE Camilla Skov Jensen DEN 19:14

69kg Janine Hofmann GER Shaghayegh Ashkari DEN 18:12

Senior Elite Finals 13th January

48kg Lynne McEnery-O’Shea IRL Amie Ramstedt SWE 13:3
51kg Annamarie Stark GER Norah Guzlander SWE 16:7
54kg Marielle V. Hansen NOR Veronica Losvik NOR 18:3
57-2 kg Cecilia Nilsson FIN Helena Envall SWE 19:17
57-1kg Linnea Strandell SWE Emilia Skriko FIN 22:12
60kg Mira Potkonen FIN Kelly Harrington IRL 12:9
64kg Gabriella Saliba SWE Josephine Marass Haegg SWE 18:17
69kg Janine Hofmann GER Malena Hede SWE 18:12
75kg Love Holgersson SWE Lyubov Pashina RUS 13:10
 

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