Shortly after being crowned the first European “Queen of the Court,” Chantal Laboureur has announced her departure from the sport. One of Europe`s top beach volleyball defenders is ending her athletic career, stepping away just two years shy of potentially competing in the Paris Olympics.
“It was `just two years` away, but also `still two more years` I would have needed to commit,” the 32-year-old German player explained regarding her decision. “I stopped because I increasingly felt private life becoming more important. Ultimately, I want to start a family. I can no longer prioritize beach volleyball for another two years.”
The inaugural Queen & King of the Court European Finals held last month marked one of Laboureur`s final professional beach volleyball tournaments. After her triumph in Utrecht with Karla Borger, Laboureur went on to win gold at the 2022 International Military Sports Council Beach Cup in Warendorf alongside Cinja Tillmann. She then concluded her career by participating in her last two VW Beach Pro Tour events, the Paris Elite16 and Maldives Challenge, partnered with Sarah Schulz.
Laboureur`s international journey began about 15 years ago. In 2007, she and Levke Spinger won the CEV U18 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Czechia, followed by the U19 world title in the Netherlands in 2008. She later added two U23 European Championship medals: bronze in 2011 and gold in 2012.
Joining the senior European Tour in 2009, the German athlete earned her first medal at the 2013 Montpellier Satellite, taking bronze with Julia Sude. The pair achieved multiple Masters-level continental golds (Biel/Bienne 2014, Baku 2014, Jurmala 2016, and Baden 2017) and bronze at the 2017 CEV European Championship in Latvia.
“I remember all these moments vividly,” Laboureur shared. “My first international event was the CEV U18 European Championships in Brno 15 years ago, followed by years on the European Tour. I also recall the European Championships in Jurmala where German ice hockey fans cheered us on to a bronze medal. I can`t even count how many European Championships I`ve attended, but it felt like a great number.”
Understandably, the memories of her final EuroBeachVolley in Munich this August remain fresh. Laboureur and Schulz finished fifth in what Chantal described as an “outstanding atmosphere.”
“A big shout-out to my youngest partner, Sarah! She is one of the kindest players and people I know!” she exclaimed.
Laboureur also achieved considerable success outside CEV competitions. She earned two gold, six silver, and three bronze medals on the FIVB World Tour, plus a silver from this year`s inaugural VW Beach Pro Tour. While close to her Olympic goal, she and Sandra Ittlinger lost the decisive match at the Tokyo 2020 qualification tournament in China. Laboureur claimed three German national championship titles and was named Germany’s Player of the Year in 2018. The previous year, she also won the German King of the Court tournament.
“So many wonderful memories! And so many fantastic tournaments!” Laboureur added. “I truly enjoyed my time and want to thank everyone who was or still is involved in making things good for us players! Beach volleyball gave me so much, but as a professional athlete, you have to sacrifice a large part of your social life, for instance.”
“We are away from home for many weeks and can`t participate in family life the way others do. I love this sport immensely, and if I could do everything simultaneously and the day had 48 hours, I would probably play until I`m 50, but that`s not the reality.”
“Now I plan to travel for a while. When I return, I will complete my medical studies (I have one year of practical work left) and aim to have children.”
And then, who knows, perhaps she might gracefully return to the sand in some capacity…
Finley Blackwood 
Jasper Thornfield