Martin Ermacora and Moritz Pristauz, also known as "Mo," have been playing together on the beach volleyball tour since 2015. The 2.03-meter blocker Martin and the 1.91-meter defensive player Mo complement each other like no other duo on the tour. The weaknesses of the one part of the duo are the strengths of the other. Mo, for example, is one of the strongest servers on the European, if not even on the entire world stage. Especially, the unbelievable hardness of his strokes is feared by his opponents. On his side is Martin "the Austrian block machine" Ermacora. With his size, he is not only one of the physically largest players on the tour, but also knows how to use this skill at the front of the net. Not even a thumb injury, which he got during the A1 CEV BeachVolley Nations Cup Vienna 2022 could stop him from significantly contributing to Austria's sensational semi-final appearance. Let’s see if they can show off their Ronaldo "SUIIII" cheer in 2023 again.
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 the last two years in Vienna, winning the title at both the 2021 European Championships and the A1 CEV Beach Volley Nations Cup Vienna 2022. We can't wait to welcome them on the court in Vienna in 2023 and will see if they can further dominate the Vienna tournament.
No one deserves the name Beach Heroes more than the two Vikings Anders Mol and Christian Sørum. The two Norwegians not only dominated the international beach volleyball stage in 2022, but have done so 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. At the end of 2022, the two can call themselves reigning world number one, Olympic champion, world champion, 4x European champion and A1 CEV Nations Cup Vienna 2023 winner. Will they prolongue their winning streak in Vienna in 2023?
Back in 2013, the sisters began their volleyball career together. Despite also existing talent on the ski slope, the two decided against the family sport and started with the volleyball academy. 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, most recently 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. We are curious to see what the sisters can reach in front of their home crowd and the unique atmosphere in the beach volleyball mecca Vienna in 2023.
Not many beach volleyball players can call themselves double European champions, but one of the few who can, are Latvians Anastasija Samoilova (formerly Kravčenoka) and Tina Graudina. After their premiere European Championship title in 2019, the two were able to beat the European Champions of the last European Championship in Vienna 2021 Tanja Hüberli and Nina Brunner in the 2022 edition of the European Championships in exciting 3 sets and thus snatch the title once again. Especially Samoilova, fresh after her wedding and with a new name, will want to ensure with top performances at the A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley Vienna 2023 that people will quickly get used to her new name.
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 last European Championships 2021 in Vienna, the all-rounder Alexander Horst wants to know it again. Since the 2022 season, he has formed a new beach duo with the lanky block player Julian Hörl. After initial coordination problems, the duo has become stronger and stronger over the course of the season. One really noticed how the two understood each other, better from the processes, from game to game on the court and so could achieve stronger and stronger results. With the rapid increase of the two it is really only, so it seems, to be a question of the time, until the completely large successes can be reached. Maybe in Vienna 2023?
One of the most successful ÖVV beach duos in 2022 were Robin "Rob" Seidl and Philipp "Phil" Waller. The extremely strong jumper Rob Seidl at the front of the net and the finesse-rich wizard Philipp Waller were not only very successful nationally with their triumph in Litzlberg, but were also able to prove with numerous top placings at the highest international competition level that they now belong to the absolute best beach duos in the world. Considering that the two were one of the few teams that managed to defeat the almost invincible Norwegian high-flyers Anders Mol and Christian Sørum in 2022, they can be expected to win against any opponent in 2023.
Already in their youth, the two Katharina "Kathi" Schützenhöfer and Lena Plesiutschnig played together and were able to prove their talent especially at various youth tournaments such as among others with the gold medal at the U20 European Championships 2011 and the impressive bronze medal at the U21 World Championships 2013. These results were impressive and who knows where the two would be now if they had not separated for a short time. Since 2017, the two have been playing together again as a team and still want to prove to the beach world that the time apart could make them stronger together. After tournament victories on the World Tour in 2018 and 2019, difficult times followed due to injury or illness. In 2023, the two want to show their full ability on the tour as a well-positioned team from the beginning and appear in top form at their home tournament in Vienna 2023!