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

History

RK Kvarner The club was founded 27 February 1963, 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.

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.

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 SeasonTierDivisionPos.19633 Rijeka Zone League 4th1963–643 Regional League of Rijeka and Karlovac 1st1964–653 Regional League of Croatia (primorje)1st1965–663 Regional League of Primorje and Karlovac2nd1966–673 Regional League of Primorje and Karlovac1st1967–683 Regional League of Primorje and Istra1st1967–683 Regional League of Primorje and Istra1st1968–693 Regional League of Primorje and Istra1st1969–702 Croatian Unique League1st1970–711 Yugoslav First League12th1971–721 Yugoslav First League12th1972–731 Yugoslav First League12th1973–741 Yugoslav First League13thSeasonTierDivisionPos.1974–752 Yugoslav Second League (West)1st1975–761 Yugoslav First League 12th1976–772 Yugoslav Second League (North)4th1977–782 Yugoslav Second League (North)3rd1978–792 Yugoslav Second League (North)5th1979–802 Yugoslav Second League (North)3rd1980–812 Yugoslav Second League (North)8th1981–823 Yugoslav Second League (West)10th1982–833 Yugoslav Second League (West)12th1983–844 Primorje and Istra Regional League 2nd1984–853 Croatian League (West) 9th1985–864 Primorje and Istra Regional League 2nd1986–874 Primorje and Istra Regional League 5thSeasonTierDivisionPos.1987–884 Primorje and Istra Regional League 9th1988–894 Primorje and Istra Regional League 10th1989–904 Inter-Municipal League 5th1990–914 Inter-Municipal League 6th1992–933 2.HRL (West)4th1993–943 2.HRL (West)1st1994–952 1.B HRL (South)12th1995–964 3. HRL (West)4th1996–974 3. HRL (West)1st1997–983 2. HRL (West)1st1998–992 1.B HRL (South)11th

Kvarner Kostrena seasons SeasonTierDivisionPos.2001–023 3.HRL (West) 5th2002–033 3.HRL (West) 1st2003–043 2.HRL (West) 8th2004–052 2.HRL (West) 4th2005–062 2.HRL (West)11th2006–073 3.HRL (West)11th2007–083 3.HRL (West)11th2008–093 2.HRL (West)8th2009–103 2.HRL (West)9th2010–113 2.HRL (West)9th2011–123 2.HRL (West)12th

Honours Yugoslavia Yugoslav Second League – West (1): 1974–75 Croatian Handball Champion (2): 1969, 1970 Croatian Unique League (1): 1969–70 Regional League of Primorje and Istra (3): 1966–67, 1967–68, 1968–69 Regional League of Rijeka and Karlovac (2): 1963–64, 1966–67 Regional League of Croatia (primorje) (1): 1964–65

Croatia 2.HRL – West (2): 1993–94, 1997–98 3.HRL – West (2): 1996–97, 2002–03

Friendly tournaments Republic day & youth day tournament (1): 1965Youth Yugoslav U-21 Championship Third (2): 1973, 1976 Croatian U-21 Championship (2): 1975, 1979 Croatian U-23 Championship (1): 1979 Memorial Zvonimir Škerl (1): 2002

Veterans 18th memorial veterans tournament (1): 2012 Memorial Zvonimir Škerl (1): 1997

Notable former players

Marijan Glavan Simeon Kosanović Željko Kosanović Perica Vukičević Ivan Munitić Božidar Peter Zdenko Hibšer Roberto Sošić Vlado Vukoje Darko Drobina Zdravko Rađenović Ratko Gobo Boris Komucki Jurica Lakić Boris Milevoj Franko Mileta Vjekoslav Mitrović Ivica Pezelj Marijan Seđak Goran Turkalj Ivica Rimanić Stipe Crnković Drago Žiljak Tomislav Kruljac Marko Kosanović Damir Čavlović Tomislav Čavlović Dragan Straga Dubravko Konjuh Darko Srdoč Branko Crnković Stipe Crnković Mićo Bjelovuk Alfred Franković Branko Milošević Duško Milošević Robert Živković Milan Uzelac Adnan Kamberović Dalibor Prokopić Nikola Kosanović Josip Crnić Filip Briški Antonio Pribanić

Coaches

1963 – Eduard Domazet 1963–1965 – Romeo Frnić 1965–1966 – Božidar Peter 1966–1967 – Josip Božić 1967–1970 – Božidar Peter 1970–1973 – Vlado Stenzel 1973–1975 – Ivan Munitić 1975 – Jurica Lakić 1975–1978 – Božidar Peter 1978–1979 – Ivan Munitić 1979–1980 – Božidar Peter 1980–1982 – Marijan Seđak 1982–1983 – Ivica Pezelj 1983–1988 – Bojan Skomina 1988–1989 – Branimir Čutić 1989–1992 – Zvonko Ugrin 1992–1993 – Duško Milošević 1993–1994 – Zdenko Hibšer, Duško Milošević & Marko Kosanović 1994–1995 – Marko Kosanović 1995–1999 – Josip Božić 2001–2002 – Esad Subašić & Damir Čavlović 2002 – Esad Subašić 2003–2007 – Ivan Munitić 2008–2009 – Mladen Prskalo 2009–2011 – Drago Žiljak 2011–2012 – Ivan Munitić

Presidents

1963–1965 – Đuro Blim 1965 – Nedjeljko Funduk 1965 – Igor Štefanović 1965–1969 – Ivo Baretić 1969–1971 – Nikola Mikuličić 1971–1974 – Nikola Samardžija 1974–1977 – Ivan Oštarić 1977–1979 – Ivan Pilepić 1979–1982 – Rade Škorić 1982–1986 – Dean Baki 1986–1988 – Branko Rumora 1988–1990 – Graciano Vorić 1990–1992 – Edi Franković 1992–1996 – Jurica Vukić 1996–2000 – Vladimir Cipović 2001–2008 – Marko Kosanović 2008–2013 – Nikola Kosanović

References

External links Petar Orgulić – 50 godina rukometa u Rijeci (2004)