Sociedad Deportiva Itxako, known as Asfi Itxako for sponsorship reasons, was a Spanish women's handball team from Estella-Lizarra, Navarre. Itxako were four times Spanish league winners and the EHF Women's Champions League runners-up.
History Itxako Reyno de Navarra is the professional top level women's team of the S.D. Itxako (, Itxako Sports Society). The S.D. was founded in 1972. The women's handball department started in 1990 with a young age category team. Ten years later, in 2000, the senior team won the promotion to the top division for women's clubs in Spain, Honor Division ().
Itxako's first appearance in a European competition was the Women's EHF Cup 2003/04. They were defeated at the eight-finals by Győri Audi ETO KC. In 2008 they finished second in the Spanish league, tied in points with the winner Elda Prestigio. Also during that season Itxako reached the finals of the EHF Cup but lost the title to Russian club HC Dinamo Volgograd. 2009 brought the first title of the club when Itxako secured the first place at the Spanish league. The success was doubled when they won the EHF Cup against German club HC Leipzig.
The club didn't enrolled any handball team for 2013–14 season as they are experiencing serious financial problems from 2011 after losing main sponsor Asfi.Itxako ceases sport activity Noticias de Navarra, August 23, 2013 (in Spanish) Finally, on 17 October 2013, the club was liquidated by a court order.Itxako, liquidated by court order Noticias de Navarra, 17 October 2013 (in Spanish)
Trophies Spanish League (Liga ABF): Winner (4): 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 Runner-up: 2008 Queen's Cup (Copa de S.M. la Reina) Winner (3): 2010, 2011, 2012 Supercopa de España Winner (3): 2010, 2011, 2012 Spanish Cup (Copa ABF) Runner-up: 2004, 2008 Semifinalist: 2008 EHF Champions League Runner-up: 2011 Cup Winners' Cup Quarter-finalist: 2006 EHF Cup Winner (1): 2009 Finalist: 2008
Season to season SeasonTierDivisionPos.Notes1998–993 Segunda Nacional1st (Sector A)Promoted1999–002 Primera Nacional1st (Group B)Promoted2000–011 División de Honor9th2001–021 División de Honor7th2002–031 División de Honor4th2003–041 División de Honor5th2004–051 División de Honor4th2005–061 División de Honor4th SeasonTierDivisionPos.Notes2006–071 División de Honor4th2007–081 División de Honor2nd2008–091 División de Honor1stLeague champion2009–101 División de Honor1stLeague/Cup champion2010–111 División de Honor1stLeague/Cup champion2011–121 División de Honor1stLeague/Cup champion2012–131 División de Honor11th2013–14— DNP—
13 seasons in División de Honor
Notable former players
Macarena Aguilar Nely Carla Alberto Jessica Alonso Leire Aramendia Alexandrina Barbosa Andrea Barnó Svetlana Bogdanova Marion Callavé Oana Şoit Verónica Cuadrado Véronique Démonière Naiara Egozkue Begoña Fernández Deonise Fachinello Simona Gogîrlă Lee Sang-eun Vera Lopes Carmen Martín Mirjana Milenković Silvia Navarro Nerea Pena Elisabeth Pinedo Anett Sopronyi Raphaëlle Tervel Emiliya Turey Marieke van der Wal Maja Zebić
Notable coaches Ambros Martín
Stadium Name: Polideportivo Municipal Tierra Estella - Lizarrerria City: Estella-Lizarra, Navarre, Spain Capacity: 2,000 seats Address: La Merindad, s/n
References
External links Official website European Handball Federation – S.D. Itxako