The recent Joao Pessoa Elite event on the Beach Pro Tour showcased remarkable achievements, with several teams demonstrating strong performances, many benefiting from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment funding. France`s Remi Bassereau & Calvin Aye secured the silver medal, while the Netherlands` Stefan Boermans & Yorick de Groot proudly took home the bronze in the men`s competition. Brazilian local heroes Evandro Oliveira & Arthur Mariano Lanci delighted the home crowd by clinching the gold. In the women`s category, USA`s Kelly Cheng & Molly Shaw claimed the top spot with gold. Their compatriots Terese Cannon & Megan Kraft earned silver, and Brazil`s Ana Patricia Ramos & Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda) rounded out the podium with bronze.
FIVB Empowerment`s Impact
FIVB Volleyball Empowerment has significantly supported the French beach volleyball program, allocating USD 1,077,000 for coach support. Their men`s national teams are expertly coached by Brazilian Calvis Lopes. Additionally, the French Volleyball Federation has received USD 5,500 in vital beach volleyball equipment. Similarly, the Netherlands Volleyball Federation (Nevobo) has received a total of USD 217,600 in coach support for its national beach volleyball teams. Their men`s duos are guided by the experienced Michiel van der Kuip, a European champion from 1995, and his dedicated staff.
Men`s Tournament Highlights
Remi Bassereau & Calvin Aye of France embarked on their Joao Pessoa journey from the qualification rounds. Despite an initial loss in the main draw to the reigning Olympic champions David Ahman & Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden, they resiliently rallied with five consecutive victories. This impressive run propelled them to the gold medal match, securing their first Elite-level medal together and their second overall on the Tour, following a bronze at the Baden Challenge just last month. Seeded 21st among 24 main draw teams, Bassereau & Aye were responsible for several upsets. In their semifinal, the French pair mounted a thrilling 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 15-13) comeback against the eighth-seeded Dutch duo of 2013 world champion Alexander Brouwer and Steven van de Velde.
The second-seeded Dutch team, Stefan Boermans & Yorick de Groot, clinched the bronze medal, marking their eleventh podium finish on the Beach Pro Tour. In an all-Dutch bronze medal playoff, they convincingly defeated Brouwer & Van de Velde with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) sweep.
Evandro Oliveira & Arthur Mariano Lanci, seeded sixth in the men`s main draw, were victorious on their home sand in Joao Pessoa, earning their fourth gold and seventh medal overall on the Tour. Playing before a Brazilian audience appears to be a significant advantage for Evandro & Arthur Lanci, as all four of their gold medals have been secured on home soil. Like Bassereau & Aye, they also started with a main draw loss but then stormed through with six consecutive wins to claim the top prize. In their semifinal against Boermans & De Groot, the Brazilians delivered a decisive 2-0 (21-12, 21-19) victory. The final saw them triumph over Bassereau & Aye in a hard-fought 2-0 (21-15, 27-25) contest.
Women`s Tournament Highlights
In the women`s event, Kelly Cheng & Molly Shaw of the United States celebrated their inaugural Beach Pro Tour medal together, and it was gold. The ninth-seeded pair, comprising reigning world champion Cheng and her current partner Shaw, navigated the Joao Pessoa Elite tournament in Brazil undefeated, winning all six of their matches to secure the women`s title. They achieved a dominant 2-0 (21-18, 21-18) victory in their semifinal against the 11th-seeded Brazilians Carol Solberg & Rebecca Cavalcanti, who are ranked second globally by FIVB. In an all-American final, they defeated their eighth-seeded compatriots Terese Cannon & Megan Kraft with another 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) sweep.
Terese Cannon & Megan Kraft earned the silver medal, marking their team`s sixth podium finish on the Tour. They secured their place in the final by achieving a 2-1 (13-21, 21-13, 15-13) upset against the fourth-seeded reigning Olympic champions, Ana Patricia Ramos & Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda) of Brazil.
Ana Patricia & Duda ultimately claimed the bronze, their fourth consecutive bronze medal on the Beach Pro Tour. This impressive result expanded their Tour medal collection to a total of 19. In the match for third place, they comfortably defeated their fellow Brazilians Carol & Rebecca with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) score.
The Joao Pessoa Elite tournament featured 32 men’s teams and 32 women’s teams, representing 24 different nations.
The next Elite event on the Beach Pro Tour calendar will also be held in Brazil, taking place in Rio de Janeiro from September 24 to 28 this week.
Joao Pessoa Elite: all results and standings.
Oliver Wrenwick 
Finley Blackwood