Empowerment Program Propels Beach Volleyball Teams to Zonal Podium Finishes

Last week, several national teams supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, including those from Andorra, Austria, Czechia, Germany, Iceland, and Switzerland, achieved podium finishes at various zonal beach volleyball tournaments across Europe. Additionally, Cape Verde’s U16 boys` beach volleyball team made history at the CPLP Games, also thanks to the program`s support.

MEVZA Beach Volleyball Tour: Kranj, Slovenia

At the MEVZA Tour event in Kranj, Slovenia, both silver medals were secured by teams supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment initiative: Veronika Kleiblova & Miroslava Dunarova of Czechia, and Thomas Kunert & Lorenz Petutschnig of Austria. Gold went to Slovakia`s Barbora Tokosova & Martina Terenova and Martin Melmuka & Matyas Jezek. The bronze medalists were Tjasa Kotnik & Maja Marolt from Slovenia (women`s) and Krystof Jan Oliva & Vaclav Kurka from Czechia (men`s).

The Czech Volleyball Federation has significantly benefited from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, receiving $168,000 for women`s beach volleyball coach support and an additional $24,000 for national team coach development programs. Argentinean coach Sebastian Menegozzo provides expert guidance to their women`s teams. Veronika Kleiblova & Miroslava Dunarova exemplified this support by reaching the Kranj final with a four-match winning streak, including a decisive 2-1 (22-24, 22-20, 15-9) semifinal victory against top-seeded Slovenian duo Tjasa Kotnik & Maja Marolt, securing their medal.

Slovakia`s Barbora Tokosova & Martina Terenova demonstrated remarkable resilience, recovering from an initial loss to embark on a five-match winning streak, culminating in the title. Their path included a hard-fought 2-1 (21-17, 9-21, 15-13) semifinal win over Slovenia`s Ziva Javornik & Tajda Lovsin, where they dropped their only set of the run. In the final, they secured the gold medal with a dominant 2-0 (26-24, 21-16) victory against Kleiblova & Dunarova. In the all-Slovenian bronze medal match, Kotnik & Marolt defeated Javornik & Lovsin 2-0 (21-16, 31-29).

Women`s Results and Standings

Austria`s beach volleyball program has received $84,000 in coach support and an additional $6,000 for national team coach development through the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program. Under the guidance of Greek coach Georgios Kotsilianos, Austria`s men`s national duos have thrived. Thomas Kunert & Lorenz Petutschnig notably advanced to the men`s final in Kranj after achieving four consecutive wins, including a 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-12) semifinal victory over Czechia`s Krystof Jan Oliva & Vaclav Kurka.

Two other Czech teams also reached the semifinals. Martin Melmuka & Matyas Jezek secured an undefeated run to the gold medal, winning their final match 2-0 (21-17, 21-17). Unfortunately, their teammates Jan Dumek & David Westphal forfeited both their semifinal and the third-place match, which resulted in Oliva & Kurka claiming the bronze medal.

Men`s Results and Standings

A total of 56 teams (28 women`s and 28 men`s) from Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Slovakia, and Slovenia participated in the MEVZA Tour event in Kranj.

WEVZA U18 Beach Volleyball Championships: Bilthoven, Netherlands

At the WEVZA U18 Beach Volleyball Championships, all men`s medalists and the women`s champions were teams supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program. Switzerland`s Livio Friedli & Martin Odermatt claimed the men`s gold, with Germany`s Jonathan Bungert & Filo Wust earning silver, and Ben Bockfeld & Luk Hansen taking bronze. The women`s title was won by Germany`s Anna-Chiara Reformat & Rika Dieckmann. Belgium`s Lente Thant & Simone Vervloet and the Netherlands` Jara Both & Matilda de Groot completed the women`s podium.

Swiss Volley`s beach volleyball division has received significant investment from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, with $366,000 allocated for coach support, enabling their youth teams to benefit from the expertise of coach David Scheidegger. Similarly, the German Volleyball Federation`s beach volleyball program has been granted $168,000 in coach support, leading to the appointment of Fabian Tobias as National Coach for Science for their men`s and women`s teams.

Switzerland`s Livio Friedli & Martin Odermatt showcased an impeccable performance in Bilthoven, winning all six of their matches. Their path to gold included a 2-1 (21-9, 18-21, 15-13) semifinal victory against Germany`s Ben Bockfeld & Luk Hansen, followed by a 2-0 (21-18, 22-20) win over fellow German duo Jonathan Bungert & Filo Wust in the final. Bungert & Wust had also been undefeated entering the final, securing their spot with a 2-0 (21-13, 22-20) semifinal win against France`s Quentin Hypolyte & Adrien Bezu. In the bronze medal match, Bockfeld & Hansen added to Germany`s medal count by defeating Hypolyte & Adrien Bezu in a hard-fought 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 16-14) contest.

Men`s Results and Standings

Germany`s Anna-Chiara Reformat & Rika Dieckmann dominated the women`s championship, losing only one set throughout their six matches. This occurred in the 2-1 (21-15, 20-22, 15-12) final against Belgium`s Lente Thant & Simone Vervloet. Earlier, Reformat & Dieckmann secured their final spot with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-16) semifinal victory over top-seeded Dutch duo Jara Both & Matilda de Groot. Thant & Vervloet advanced by defeating another German pair, Annalena Richter & Sandra Otte, 2-0 (23-21, 21-8). The bronze medal match was a close three-set affair, with Both & De Groot prevailing 2-1 (17-21, 21-14, 17-15) over Richter & Otte.

Women`s Results and Standings

The WEVZA U18 Beach Volleyball Championships in Bilthoven saw participation from 15 men`s and 13 women`s pairs, representing Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.

SCA U17 Beach Volleyball Championships: Encamp, Andorra

At the SCA U17 Beach Volleyball Championships in Encamp, Andorra, teams benefiting from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program achieved notable success. Four Icelandic teams and one from host nation Andorra earned medals. The women`s final was an all-Icelandic affair, with Anika Gautadottir & Thorbjorg Emilsdottir defeating Katla Valsdottir & Kara Arnadottir. Andorra`s Naran Casamajor & Aina Garcia secured the women`s bronze. In the men`s competition, Iceland`s Agust Sigurfinnsson & Markus Arnarsson claimed gold, and Hakon Arnarson & Eirikur Baldvinsson took bronze, while Scotland`s Aaron Gillies & Gabriel Caesar earned the silver medal.

The Icelandic Volleyball Association has received substantial support from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, totaling $94,500 for coach support across their national volleyball and beach volleyball teams (both genders), plus $35,000 for volleyball equipment and $6,000 for beach volleyball equipment. Their teams are guided by the expertise of Spanish coach Borja Gonzalez. Similarly, Andorra`s beach volleyball program has been allocated $84,000 in coach support for its pairs and $6,000 for beach volleyball equipment, with Spanish coach Genildo Cassiano da Silva working with the Andorran duos.

Iceland`s Anika Gautadottir & Thorbjorg Emilsdottir and Katla Valsdottir & Kara Arnadottir had an impressive run to the women`s final in Encamp, winning all three of their preliminary matches without dropping a single set. In the semifinals, Gautadottir & Emilsdottir convincingly defeated Andorra`s Georgina Aller & Amaya Besnie 2-0 (21-5, 21-12), while Valsdottir & Arnadottir secured a 2-0 (21-11, 21-19) victory over Naran Casamajor & Aina Garcia, also from Andorra. The all-Icelandic final saw Gautadottir & Emilsdottir triumph 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-8). In the all-Andorran bronze medal match, Naran & Garcia won 2-1 (21-10, 17-21, 15-12).

Women`s Results and Standings

In the men`s tournament, Iceland`s Agust Sigurfinnsson & Markus Arnarsson had an unblemished record, winning all four of their matches without dropping a set. They secured a 2-0 (21-9, 21-19) semifinal victory over fellow Icelanders Hakon Arnarson & Eirikur Baldvinsson. The other semifinal saw Scotland`s Aaron Gillies & Gabriel Caesar defeat Faroe Islands` Kass Henriksen Johan & Oli Hvitklett 2-0 (21-13, 21-19). Sigurfinnsson & Arnarsson then delivered a dominant 2-0 (21-11, 21-13) performance in the gold medal match against Gillies & Caesar. Arnarson & Baldvinsson added another medal for Iceland by winning the bronze medal match 2-0 (21-13, 23-21) against Johan & Hvitklett.

Men`s Results and Standings

The SCA U17 Beach Volleyball Championships in Encamp featured seven women`s and seven men`s pairs from Andorra, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Ireland, and Scotland.

BVA Beach Volleyball Club Balkan Championships: Bucharest, Romania

Bucharest, Romania, hosted the inaugural BVA Beach Volleyball Club Balkan Championships last week, featuring six men`s and four women`s club teams. Turkiye`s TVF Lisesi Ankara made history by winning the men`s title, defeating Moldova`s DOR Chisinau in both matches of the final tie. In an all-Romanian bronze medal match, CSU Resita narrowly beat Diamond Bucharest in a golden set. Two other Romanian teams, EX 4 Volei Bucharest and Pro Volei Arad, finished tied for fifth place. The women`s competition, played in a single round-robin format, saw Romania`s CSM Bucuresti Bucharest claim the title undefeated. Compatriots CSU ASE Bucharest earned silver with a 2-1 record, and Turkiye`s TVF Lisesi Ankara took bronze with a 1-2 record. Bulgaria`s Dunav Ruse finished fourth.

CPLP Games Beach Volleyball: Dili, Timor-Leste

Cape Verde, a nation supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, celebrated a historic achievement by securing a podium finish in the men`s beach volleyball tournament at the CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) Games. This multi-sport U16 event, also known as the Lusofonia Youth Games, concluded last week in Dili, Timor-Leste.

Cape Verde`s beach volleyball program has received substantial backing from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, including $147,000 in coach support and $6,000 for beach volleyball equipment. The team greatly benefits from the expertise of Brazilian coach Marcio Araujo, a celebrated athlete who was a 2005 world champion and a 2008 Olympic silver medalist.

Denzel Ramos & Micael Barbosa of Cape Verde advanced to the boys` final in Dili, earning a silver medal after a 2-0 (21-4, 21-11) defeat to Portugal`s Tito Oliveira & Luis Filipe.

Portugal also secured the gold medal in the girls` beach volleyball event, defeating Timor-Leste 2-0 (21-18, 21-13) in the final.