From August 2-6, 2023, Vienna welcomed some of the world's best beach volleyball players, including returning champions, to compete for the European Championship title.
With Martin Ermacora and Philipp "Phil" Waller, there will be a new red-white-red beach team to keep an eye on in the current season. The finesse-rich magicain’s apprentice Philipp and "the Austrian blocking machine" form a pairing that every beach volleyball fan should follow with excitement. At 2.03 meters, Martin is not only one of the tallest players on the tour, but also knows how to use this characteristic skillfully at the net. Not even the thumb injury he suffered at the A1 CEV BeachVolley Nations Cup Vienna 2022 could stop him from making a significant contribution to Austria's sensational semi-final spot. Phil, on the other hand, surprises with the balls he still fishes out and finally turns into a point win.
Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner are not only one of the world's best beach volleyball players, but also absolute fan favorites in Vienna — not many players can claim to have their own fan chants in Vienna. Electrified by the love of the fans in Vienna, it seems as if the two could defeat any opponent on Center Court in Vienna. They proved this impressively in the last few years, winning the title at the 2021 European Championships, the A1 CEV BeachVolley Nations Cup Vienna 2022 and most recently the A1 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championships Vienna 2023!
No one deserves the name Beach Heroes more than the two Beach Vikings Anders Mol and Christian Sørum. As reigning world number one, Olympic champions, reigning world champions, 4-time European champions and A1 CEV BeachVolley Nations Cup 2022 winners, the two Norwegians have been dominating the international beach volleyball stage for years. Since their first big successes in 2018, it feels like there is no limit for those two and they already belong to one of the best beach volleyball teams of all time.
Back in 2013, the sisters began their volleyball career together. They proved their impressive talent by also reaching the finals of the highest college sports level NCAA during their time at a US college. Their rapid rise on the big stage has also been unstoppable, culminating in their first World Tour victory in the 2022 season. At the A1 CEV BeachVolley Nations Cup Vienna 2022, the Klinger Sisters also showed that they become more and more important on the big European stage. Especially in front of the home crowd, the two seem even more inspired and could always increase their performances shown so far.
Nevertheless, they were eliminated from the A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley Vienna 2023 relatively early, but expressed their gratitude for the fans and noted that they were not able to play to their full potential. Still, they look forward to future tournaments because on their best days they can take on any team, according to Dorina Klinger.
Not many beach volleyball players can call themselves double European champions, among them Latvians Anastasija Samoilova (formerly Kravčenoka) and Tina Graudina. After their first European Championship title in 2019, the two were able to beat the reigning European Champions 2021 Hüberli/Brunner in the European Championship final 2022 in exciting 3 sets and thus won the title once again. Especially Samoilova, fresh after her wedding and with a new name wants to make sure with top performances that people quickly get used to her new name. However, at the A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley Vienna 2023 they had to admit defeat after the round of 16 and the title went again to the Swiss Hüberli/Brunner.
After the legendary local beach volleyball duo Clemens Doppler and Alexander Horst said goodbye to the beach volleyball stage in front of their home crowd at the European Championships 2021 in Vienna, the all-rounder Alexander Horst wants to try it again. Since the 2022 season, he has formed a new beach duo with block player Julian Hörl. After initial coordination problems, the duo has become stronger and stronger over the course of the season. Getting better from game to game, they could achieve stronger and stronger results.
The extremely strong jumper Robin "Rob" Seidl at the front of the net and the equally strong defensive player Moritz "Mo" Pristauz will form a new ÖVV top duo for the new season. The 1.91 m tall Mo is one of the strongest servers on the European, if not on the world stage. Especially the unbelievable hardness of his serves is feared by his opponents. His new partner is in no way inferior and is one of the best block players on the tour despite his rather small size of 1.90 m for a block player. By his explosive block play in front at the net, he could always annoy like the biggest names of the tour.
Overwhelming emotions for Hüberli/Brunner© ACTS / Martin Steinthaler
Center Court Action© ACTS / Martin Steinthaler
Joy for the A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley Vienna 2023 men's podium© ACTS / Conny Kurth
The best fans in the world© ACTS / Mitter