Beach season heats up with Continental, Zonal and National tour events

A number of beach volleyball tournaments at various levels across the world took place over the weekend. While Cuba hosted a North, Central America and Caribbean Volleyball Confederation (NORCECA) Beach Tour continental event and France welcomed a Western European Volleyball Zonal Association (WEVZA) Tour event, Belgium and Japan organised the second stops of their national tours. Germany also launched its 2023 domestic circuit.

NORCECA

16 teams representing 15 countries took part in the men’s tournament at the NORCECA Beach Tour stop in Varadero, Cuba. In Sunday’s final, Lazaro Portes and Daniel Martinez from the host country battled it out with Troy Field and Tucker Silila for the gold, defeating the Americans 2-1 (21-18, 19-21, 15-10). Cuba also pocketed the bronze after Noslen Diaz and Jorge Luis Alayo (pictured in action in the main photo, credit: norceca.net) produced a 2-0 (21-16, 21-18) shutout of Mexico’s Jorge Barajas and Gabriel Cruz in the third-place match.

Men’s main draw results and standings

Representatives of 13 different countries made up the 16-team women’s main draw in Varadero. Teegan Van Gunst and Katie Lindstrom of the United States grabbed the gold after a 2-0 (21-16, 21-19) shutout of Mexico’s Susana Torres and Atenas Gutierrez in the final. Another American pair, Geena Urango and Carly Skjodt, completed the podium, following a 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) sweep of the bronze medal match against Canada’s Ruby Sorra and Lea Monkhouse.

Women’s main draw results and standings

WEVZA

Swiss and Belgian pairs joined 10 French duos in the main draw of the women’s WEVZA tour event held in Ile de Re, an island off the west coast of France. In a tight all-French final, Aline Chamereau and Clemence Vieira fought back from a set down to claim a 2-1 (14-21, 21-18, 16-14) victory over Elsa Descamps and Marine Kinna. Switzerland’s Shana Zobrist and Muriel Bossart ensured there was an international presence on the podium by earning a 2-1 (21-18, 16-21, 15-7) win over France’s Pia Szewczyk and Saofe Duval for third place.

The men’s 12-team main draw line-up was made up of teams from Belgium, France, Italy and Spain, but three home duos made up the podium. In the final, Tom Altwies and Elouan Choikh squeezed out a 2-1 (21-16, 17-21, 17-15) victory over Arthur Canet and Teo Rotar, FIVB Beach Volleyball U19 World Championship gold medallists in 2021 and bronze medallists in 2022. In the bronze medal match, Maxime Capet and Julien Legrand defeated Spain’s Oscar Feltrer and Pablo Perez 2-1 (17-21, 21-15, 15-10).

Belgium

The second stop on the 2023 Belgian national tour took place in Hechtel-Eksel over the weekend. Just like a week earlier in Haacht, Britt Ruysschaert and Els Vandesteene claimed gold in the women’s tournament. This time, Lisa Van den Vonder and Louka Maertens settled for silver, while the bronze medals were shared by Jade Van Deun and Youne Coens, and Fleur Baens and Birthe Wittock.

Dennis Deroey and Seppe Baetens topped the men’s podium in Hechtel-Eksel. Gorik Lantsoght and Jeroen Oprins claimed the silver, and Lars Maddens and Ward Van Dyck, and Seppe De Keyser and Jente De Keyser finished in joint third place.

Germany

Chenoa Christ and Kim van de Velde celebrated as the first women’s gold medallists on the 2023 German National Tour. In Sunday’s final of the event in Bremen, they delivered a spectacular 2-0 (21-18, 16-21, 20-18) victory over Rio 2016 Olympic champion Kira Walkenhorst and her current partner Anna Behlen. The third place was shared by Leonie Kortzinger and Lea Kunst, and Sandra Ferger and Nele Schmitt.

Twin brothers Bennet Poniewaz and David Poniewaz topped the men’s podium in Bremen, also after a three-set battle in the final. They claimed a 2-1 (21-15, 18-21, 15-10) victory over Jannik Kuhlborn and Eric Stadie. The pairings of Manuel Harms and Nico Wegner, and Yannick Harms and Jonas Reinhardt shared the bronze.

Japan

16 teams per gender participated in the second event of this year’s Japanese national tour, held in Hiratsuka. The men’s tournament was won by Takumi Takahashi and Yuya Ageba, who produced a 2-0 (21-17, 21-15) shutout of Shiro Furuta and Hiroki Kurokawa Dylan in Sunday’s final. Kensuke Shoji and Jumpei Ikeda took the bronze after a 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) sweep of Hiroyuki Seki and Yu Takuma in the third-place game.

Meanwhile, in the men’s event, Akiko Hasegawa and Akiko Yurika earned a 2-1 (21-15, 19-21, 15-13) victory over Ren Matsumoto and Non Matsumoto for the gold, while Sayaka Yamada and Takemi Nishibori managed a 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 15-11) comeback against Miyu Sakamoto and Mayu Sawame for the bronze.

All main draw results and standings

【大会結果発表】#マイナビジャパンビーチバレーボールツアー 2023
第2戦 平塚大会 ガラナ・アンタルチカ杯
女子は、
🏆長谷川暁子/坂口由里香が優勝🏆
平塚大会ガラナ・アンタルチカ杯はなんと3連覇✨
2位 松本恋/松本穏
3位 山田紗也香/西堀健実
試合の詳細レポートは、こちらからチェック✅… pic.twitter.com/eWEINg8aZ3