Beach Volleyball – Beach Pro Tour
On Sunday, European teams achieved significant success at one of the most iconic locations on the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, securing a total of four medals at the Elite tournament held amidst the Swiss Alps in Gstaad.
Pairs from Latvia, the host nation Switzerland, Sweden, and the Netherlands all reached the podium during the week`s event, contributing two silver and two bronze medals to European beach volleyball.
Latvians and Swiss won medals in the women`s tournament in Gstaad.
In the women`s final in Gstaad, Latvian Olympians Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova represented Europe, but they were unable to overcome Americans Kristen Nuss and Taryn Brasher. The American duo won gold for the second consecutive season in the Swiss town, triumphing 2-0 (21-19, 21-18).
The women`s bronze medal match was an all-Swiss affair, where the Vergé-Dépré sisters, Anouk and Zoé, defeated fellow Swiss team Tanja Hüberli and Leona Kernen 2-0 (21-17, 21-11). This victory was particularly notable as it made them the first Swiss women`s team in 12 years to reach the podium in front of their home fans.
In the men`s tournament, the young Swedish pair of Jacob Hölting Nilsson and Elmer Andersson capped off a remarkable campaign that began in Wednesday`s qualifier by claiming silver medals. The current U22 European champions presented a strong challenge to Qatar`s Olympic medalists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan in the gold medal match but were ultimately defeated in two sets (21-19, 22-20).
Teams from Sweden and the Netherlands made it to the men`s podium.
The Dutch team of Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot, who previously won in Gstaad in 2021, secured a third European medal in the men`s event. They won the bronze medal match against Brazilians André Loyola and George Wanderley in three sets (21-23, 21-17, 15-10). This podium finish was a special occasion for Yorick de Groot, as it occurred on his 25th birthday.
Looking ahead, the next Elite event on the 2025 Beach Pro Tour schedule is planned for Montréal, Canada, from August 13-17.
#BeachVolleyball
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood