Mannheimer HC capped a near-perfect autumn season in the German women’s Bundesliga with a victory in Düsseldorf in the final round before the winter break.

Mannheim – who will play Reading in the EHL FINAL12 next Easter – have amassed 35 out of a possible 36 points after winning their match against Düsseldorf HC.

Ines Wanner put MHC ahead with a penalty corner; immediately after halftime, the Rhinelanders equalised through Sara Strauss and that was how it remained until the end of the third quarter.

Stine Kurz – the league’s top scorer – duly got the key goal for a 2-1 final result in the 46th minute from a set piece, an outcome which gives Mannheim a five-point lead at the head of the table above Der Club an der Alster.

Düsseldorf will spend the winter break in third place with 23 points where they are level with two other teams including the other EHL-bound side, Harvestehuder THC.

In the Hamburg derby against Großflottbeker THGC, the HTHC women – who are the defending national champions – thought they had secured a narrow victory after Katharina Bauer’s late goal.

But the visitors also converted a penalty corner in the final minute when Paula Velmans leveled the score at 1-1 for Flottbek, forcing a shootout, where Izzy Petter, Katharina Kiefer, and Katharina Bauer secured the extra point for HTHC.

The German competition now switches indoors for the winter with the second phase of the outdoor competition returning on March 22nd, 2026.

Three stars who are set to light up next Easter’s Euro Hockey League FINALS in Den Bosch have been included on the FIH Stars shortlists announced this morning.

SCHC’s Xan de Waard, Gantoise’s Alix Gerniers and Old Georgians’ James Mazarelo have all been nominated following their performances on the international stage in 2025.

For de Waard and Gerniers, they are both on the women’s player of the year shortlist along with China’s Li Hong.

Mazarelo, meanwhile, is on the men’s goalkeeper of the year shortlist following his heroics with OGs at the EHL KO16 in Barcelona. He is up against Germany’s Jean-Paul Danneberg and Argentina’s Tomás Santiago for this award.

* James Mazarelo after a player of the match performance at the EuroHockey Championships in August. Picture: Ewoud Pahud de Mortanges/World Sport Pics

The list of nominees was also released for the men’s player of the year and women’s goalkeeper of the year with Den Bosch’s Thierry Brinkman, AH&BC Amsterdam’s Anne Veenendaal and Royal Léopold’s Tom Boon, one of the EHL’s all-time top goalscorers.

The shortlists were established by an Expert Panel composed of players, coaches and tv commentators selected by the FIH.

The expert panel was provided access to match data from all international matches held in 2025, including Test Matches, Continental Championships, FIH Hockey Pro League, FIH Hockey Nations Cups and the FIH Hockey Nations Cup 2 before establishing the final list of nominees.

The voting process is now open! National Associations – represented by their respective national teams’ captains and coaches -, fans, players, coaches, officials and media can register their vote until 16 November.

Fans can cast their votes here.

FIH Player of the Year Award – Nominees:

Women: Xan de Waard (NED), Alix Gerniers (BEL), Li Hong (CHN)

Men: Tom Boon (BEL), Nicolás Della Torre (ARG), Thierry Brinkman (NED)

FIH Goalkeeper of the Year Award – Nominees:

Women: Anne Veenendaal (NED), Liu Ping (CHN), Grace O’Hanlon (NZL)

Men: James Mazarelo (ENG), Jean-Paul Danneberg (GER), Tomás Santiago (ARG)