Two highly competitive teams from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment-supported Lithuania met in the highly anticipated final of the women’s Warsaw Futures tournament on Sunday. Ariana Rudkovskaja and Skalve Krizanauskaite impressively emulated the triumph of their male counterparts from the previous week`s event in Poland, ultimately securing the coveted gold medal. Their remarkable journey saw them navigate successfully through the qualification rounds to reach an all-Lithuanian final against their compatriots Ieva Vasiliauskaite and Erika Kliokmanaite, culminating in their first-ever Beach Pro Tour medal. The bronze medal was awarded to Romania’s Beata Vaida and Francesca Alupei.
The Lithuanian Volleyball Federation’s beach volleyball department has received substantial financial backing from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, totaling USD 477,000 dedicated to coaching support for their national duos. An additional USD 12,000 has been allocated for national team coach development and knowledge transfer programs. Notably, their women’s pairs have been diligently training under the expert guidance of Paulius Matulis and Austrian coach Simon Nausch, whose efforts are clearly bearing fruit.
Rudkovskaja and Krizanauskaite, initially ranked as the top seed in the qualification bracket and later eighth in the main draw, displayed exceptional prowess by winning seven out of the eight matches they contested in Warsaw. In a pivotal semifinal clash, they secured a convincing 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) victory over the ninth-seeded Romanian duo of Vaida and Alupei. The grand finale for the gold medal saw them execute an impressive comeback, rallying from a set down to claim a hard-fought 2-1 (15-21, 26-24, 15-10) triumph against their fellow Lithuanian finalists, Ieva Vasiliauskaite and Erika Kliokmanaite.
In the other semifinal match, the sixth-seeded pair of Ievute (Vasiliauskaite) and Kliokmanaite skillfully defeated the fourth-seeded Hungarians, Stefania Kun and Lilla Villam, with a solid 2-0 (30-28, 21-18) score. This significant victory not only ensured an exclusive all-Lithuanian final but also guaranteed them their second Beach Pro Tour medal as a team, building on their silver medal achievement at the Satun Futures in 2023.
Meanwhile, Vaida and Alupei engaged in a fierce battle for their inaugural Beach Pro Tour medal, ultimately achieving a thrilling 2-1 (15-21, 21-16, 15-11) comeback victory over Kun and Villam in the intense third-place playoff.
The women’s Warsaw Futures tournament attracted significant international participation, featuring 27 duos representing 16 different countries.
The next exciting Futures event on the Beach Pro Tour calendar is scheduled to take place from September 18 to 21 in Bondues Lille Metropole, France.
Women’s Warsaw Futures: Full Results and Standings
Oliver Wrenwick 
Finley Blackwood