Beach Shorts to the tour stops in Mexico

Beach action from La Paz summed up

After an unbelievable season opener from all European teams at Doha, we eagerly awaited the two tournaments in Mexico. The question of all questions: Can the European teams continue their dominance on the world's beach courts?

The answer was blowing in the wind from La Paz. 

Men’s podium in European hands

The European podium in La Paz with teams from Spain, Netherlands and Austria has shown that Europeans beach heroes are still on fire. The second European men’s podium of the new season let the oldest and longest-playing active beach partners shine from the top of the podium.

It was the first tournament win from Pablo Herrera Adrian Gavira sine June 2018.

Second place went to the Netherlands and thus to the silver medalists of the last A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley in Vienna: Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot. The two played together on tour for the first time since Yoricks thoracic hernia in May 2022 and played like they have never stopped playing together. You can call it a successful revival. We are curious to see what else we can see from them until this year's A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley in Vienna.

Another sensational start into the new season was made by the newly-formed Austrian duo Robin Seidl and Moritz Pristauz. After fantastic battles on court among the very emotional battle against their former partners Ermarcora/Waller they were able to secure the bronze medal and third place in a final battle against the only international team in the top 4 Evandro/Arthur.

US girls the measure of all things La Paz

Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss retain the upper hand in the all-U.S. final against Savannah Simo and Toni Rodriguez and secure victory in the Mexican coastal city of La Paz.

The silver medal of Simo/Rodriguez is impressive, considering to the fact La Paz was just their second tournament. They won seven of their eight matches from the qualification to the grand final.

Europeans best team in the women’s competition were the Austrian sisters Dorina and Ronja Klinger finishing with a strong 4th place.

All action from the indoor beach volleyball in Tepic

Not a few players were surprised that after the tournament on the coast of La Paz in Tepic, 1000 km away, was played in a hall. The changed conditions without wind clearly showed which team trained the hardest during the winter months indoors.

Hugh/Cheng strike back

After last week's disappointing quarterfinal loss against the Klinger sisters, Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes bounced back impressively and win the tournament.

They won four of six tournaments since their reunion and did not lose any big final. In the final the lost their first set of the tournament against the world champions from Brazil Duda/Patricia, but still took the win in the third set (21:14, 15:21, 15:10).

The Australians Clancy/Mariafe were able to win the third place again after the season opener and with it the bronze medal. They won an extremely intense battle against the best European team of the week: Marta Menegatti and Valentina Gottardi (16:21, 21:17, 19:17).

The two Italians played an exceptional tournament and managed to play their way from the qualification to the small final and thus secured fourth place. Especially the only 20-year-old Gottardi showed her qualities and led all player statistics in the women's competition. We are excited to see what she can achieve in this year's season and at the A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley Vienna 2023 with her experienced partner Menegatti, who is 12 years older.

The Nordic games in sand continue

After the thrilling final in Doha, it came down to another Scandinavian duel of beach high-flyers in the final in Tepic, where Mol/Sørum's winning streak to an end on the soft sand of Mexico.

In the new edition of what many call the new "El classico of beach volleyball" this time the young Swedes and reigning European champions David Åhman/Jonathan Hellvig beat the world champions from Norway Anders Mol and Christian Sørum in two sets to win the tournament.

In strong form also present themselves Nils Ehlers und Clemens Wickler.

The two Germans were able to secure third place after defeating, among others, the eventual winners Åhman /Hellvig in the pool phase. In the game for the third place they could defeat the also strongly presenting Dutch Boermans/De Groot with a two set win (24:22/21:16).