NF1 PREVIEW 2007 -2008

The season tips off this weekend and will be the centre of attention domestically as the Women's European Championship only start at the end of September while the LFB season begins the last weekend of October.

There is a slight change in the rules this year when two teams will be promoted to the LFB at the end of the season: the winner of the regular season and the winner of the NF1-final-four play-off.

The sixteen teams are: Armentières, Basket Landes, Charleville, Dunkerque, Etoile de Voiron, Limoges, Lot et Garonne UST, Lyon, Marseille, Nice, Pleyber Christ, Avenir de Rennes, Rezé Nantes, Roche Vendée Basket Club, RC Strasbourg and CFBB.

The competition started already in their preparation with the team from Voiron reporting back to duty at the end of July while in contrast the young ladies from the CFBB only reported back at the end of August.

If the pre-season friendly results are to be used as a form guide then Charleville, Basket Landes, Nice and Rezé Nantes already appear to be serious contenders for the championship.

Last season was full of twists and turns for most of the teams where the race for the title went down to the wire.

The recruitment by most of the teams for 2007-2008 demonstrates more and more that NF1 is no more an amateur league. The fight for the title and the play-off spots should be interesting.

The pre-season favourites to gain promotion are Nice, relegated from LFB last season and Charleville.

Nice is actually a new club, a fusion of the two big clubs in the city which allows them to have a budget that can support six full-time professional players and its team have managed to keep some elements from last season. Furthermore they recruited well and are really expected to return straight back to the LFB.

Last season Charleville were given the favourite tag based on the roster which was impressive. Unfortunately the team did not travel well and dropped crucial points on the road. The roster this year contains players of experience and if they overcome difficulties on the road, they should be challenging for the title.

It will be interesting to see how Dunkerque do this season, as their home form cost them a possible promotion last year. Rasa Zemantauskaité is currently away with Lithuania which will leave Dunkerque short handed for the first three weeks of the season.

Nantes Rezé, Basket Landes and Limoges are teams to watch out for: Basket Landes were the surprise packet last season. All three teams have what it takes to challenge for the playoffs.

Armentières, Lyon, Strasbourg and Voiron are teams that will quickly need to establish themselves if they hope to be contenders for the playoffs.

The remaining clubs Pleyber Christ, Roche Vendeé, Marseille, Rennes and Lot et Garonne UST are not viewed as teams that will challenge for a play-off spot but are teams that the favourites will not like to visit.

The CFBB is the only team that cannot be promoted or relegated and will find the going tough again this year.