Dutch and Swiss teams celebrated remarkable achievements at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Veracruz, Mexico. The event, which wrapped up on Sunday, saw athletes from both nations secure medals, highlighting a successful week of competition.
In the women`s competition, Dutch Olympians Raisa Schoon and Katja Stam emerged victorious, clinching the gold medal. This win in Veracruz held particular significance for the duo, as they had spent a considerable part of the 2025 international season apart due to Stam`s recovery from a back injury. Their reunion occurred just three weeks prior to this tournament, making their triumph in only their third event back together a truly remarkable comeback story.
To claim the top spot, Schoon and Stam decisively defeated Americans Corinne Quiggle and Chloe Loreen in the gold medal match, securing a straight-sets victory with scores of 21-16 and 21-14. Other notable European performances in the women`s bracket came from Czechia`s Marketa Svozilová/Marie-Sára Štochlová and Katerina Pavelková/Anna Pavelková, both of whom finished in a commendable fifth place.
The men`s event also saw European success, with Swiss duo Yves Haussener and Julian Friedli earning a bronze medal. The battle for third place was an all-European showdown, where Haussener and Friedli prevailed over Italians Samuele Cottafava and Gianluca Dal Corso in two sets (23-21, 21-17), securing their spot on the podium.
Furthermore, several other European teams showcased strong performances, reaching the quarterfinals and ultimately finishing fifth. These included Ruben Penninga/Matthew Immers from the Netherlands, Christoph Dresller/Philipp Waller representing Austria, and Adrian Heidrich/Jonathan Jordan from Switzerland.
The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour is set to continue its exciting schedule next week, heading to the United States for an Elite event in Newport Beach, California. The competition is scheduled to run from Tuesday to Saturday, promising more high-level beach volleyball action.
Finley Blackwood