Teams from several national federations supported by the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program achieved significant success last week, reaching podiums at various zonal beach volleyball competitions across Europe. Notably, Cape Verde`s U16 boys` beach volleyball squad, also benefiting from the program, secured a historic achievement at the CPLP Games.
MEVZA Beach Volleyball Tour in Kranj, Slovenia
At the MEVZA Tour event in Kranj, silver medals were awarded to two teams benefiting from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment: Veronika Kleiblova & Miroslava Dunarova from Czechia and Thomas Kunert & Lorenz Petutschnig from Austria. Gold medals went to Slovakia`s Barbora Tokosova & Martina Terenova and Martin Melmuka & Matyas Jezek. The bronze medalists were Tjasa Kotnik & Maja Marolt of Slovenia (women`s) and Krystof Jan Oliva & Vaclav Kurka of Czechia (men`s).
The Czech Volleyball Federation has received substantial support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, including $168,000 for women`s beach volleyball coach support and an additional $24,000 for national team coach development. This funding enables their women`s teams to benefit from the expertise of Argentinean coach Sebastian Menegozzo. Veronika Kleiblova & Miroslava Dunarova exemplified this success, reaching the Kranj final with a four-game winning streak, culminating in a 2-1 (22-24, 22-20, 15-9) semifinal victory against Slovenian favorites Tjasa Kotnik & Maja Marolt, securing their podium finish.
Slovakia`s Barbora Tokosova & Martina Terenova demonstrated remarkable resilience, recovering from an initial loss to secure five consecutive victories and claim the title. During their winning streak, they dropped only one set, in their 2-1 (21-17, 9-21, 15-13) semifinal against Slovenia`s Ziva Javornik & Tajda Lovsin. In the final, they defeated Kleiblova & Dunarova 2-0 (26-24, 21-16). Meanwhile, Kotnik & Marolt secured the bronze medal by winning the all-Slovenian match against Javornik & Lovsin 2-0 (21-16, 31-29).
Women`s Results and Standings
Austrian beach volleyball has received $84,000 in coach support and an additional $6,000 for national team coach development from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment. Greek coach Georgios Kotsilianos oversees their men’s national pairs. Thomas Kunert & Lorenz Petutschnig, representing Austria, achieved four consecutive wins to reach the men`s final in Kranj, including a 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-12) semifinal triumph over Czechia`s Krystof Jan Oliva & Vaclav Kurka.
Two other Czech pairs also advanced to the semifinals. Martin Melmuka & Matyas Jezek maintained an undefeated record throughout the tournament, securing the gold medal with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-17) win in the final. Their teammates, Jan Dumek & David Westphal, forfeited both their semifinal and the third-place match, which resulted in Oliva & Kurka claiming the bronze medal.
Men`s Results and Standings
The MEVZA Tour event in Kranj featured 28 women`s and 28 men`s teams from Austria, Croatia, Czechia, Hungary, Israel, Slovakia, and Slovenia.
WEVZA U18 Beach Volleyball Championships in Bilthoven, Netherlands
At the WEVZA U18 Beach Volleyball Championships, all men`s medalists and the women`s champions were teams supported by FIVB Volleyball Empowerment. Switzerland`s Livio Friedli & Martin Odermatt claimed the men`s gold, with Germany`s Jonathan Bungert & Filo Wust earning silver and Ben Bockfeld & Luk Hansen taking bronze. The women`s title was won by Germany`s Anna-Chiara Reformat & Rika Dieckmann, while Lente Thant & Simone Vervloet of Belgium and Jara Both & Matilda de Groot of the Netherlands also secured medals.
Swiss Volley`s beach volleyball program has received $366,000 in coaching support from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, allowing their youth teams to train under the guidance of coach David Scheidegger. Similarly, the German Volleyball Federation`s beach volleyball department has been allocated $168,000 in coach support, enabling them to employ Fabian Tobias as National Coach for Science for both their men`s and women`s pairs.
Livio Friedli & Martin Odermatt of Switzerland remained undefeated in all six matches in Bilthoven. Their path to gold included a 2-1 (21-9, 18-21, 15-13) semifinal win against Germany’s Ben Bockfeld & Luk Hansen, followed by a 2-0 (21-18, 22-20) victory in the final over fellow Germans Jonathan Bungert & Filo Wust, who had also entered the final undefeated. Bungert & Wust secured their spot in the final by defeating France`s Quentin Hypolyte & Adrien Bezu 2-0 (21-13, 22-20) in their semifinal. Bockfeld & Hansen then claimed bronze for Germany in a tightly contested 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 16-14) match against Hypolyte & Adrien Bezu.
Men`s Results and Standings
Anna-Chiara Reformat & Rika Dieckmann from Germany had a dominant run in the women`s championship, losing only one set across six matches. This single set was dropped during their 2-1 (21-15, 20-22, 15-12) final victory against Belgium`s Lente Thant & Simone Vervloet. In the semifinals, Reformat & Dieckmann secured a decisive 2-0 (21-17, 21-16) win over top-seeded Jara Both & Matilda de Groot of the Netherlands, while Thant & Vervloet triumphed 2-0 (23-21, 21-8) over another German duo, Annalena Richter & Sandra Otte. The bronze medal match was a close three-set affair, with Both & De Groot prevailing 2-1 (17-21, 21-14, 17-15) against Richter & Otte.
Women`s Results and Standings
The WEVZA U18 Beach Volleyball Championships in Bilthoven saw participation from 15 men`s and 13 women`s pairs representing Belgium, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Switzerland.
SCA U17 Beach Volleyball Championships in Encamp, Andorra
Four Icelandic teams and one from host nation Andorra secured medals at the SCA U17 Beach Volleyball Championships in Encamp, supported by FIVB Volleyball Empowerment. Anika Gautadottir & Thorbjorg Emilsdottir won the all-Icelandic women`s final against Katla Valsdottir & Kara Arnadottir, while Andorra`s Naran Casamajor & Aina Garcia claimed bronze. In the men`s event, Iceland`s Agust Sigurfinnsson & Markus Arnarsson won gold, and Hakon Arnarson & Eirikur Baldvinsson took bronze, with Scotland`s Aaron Gillies & Gabriel Caesar earning silver.
The Icelandic Volleyball Association has received significant funding from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment, including $94,500 for coach support across both men`s and women`s volleyball and beach volleyball teams, $35,000 for volleyball equipment, and $6,000 for beach volleyball equipment. Their athletes benefit from the guidance of Spanish coach Borja Gonzalez. Similarly, Andorra`s beach volleyball department has been allocated $84,000 for coach support and $6,000 for equipment, with Spanish coach Genildo Cassiano da Silva working with their pairs.
Both Icelandic teams, Anika Gautadottir & Thorbjorg Emilsdottir and Katla Valsdottir & Kara Arnadottir, advanced to the women`s final in Encamp without dropping a single set in their respective three matches. In the semifinals, Gautadottir & Emilsdottir dominated Georgina Aller & Amaya Besnie with a 2-0 (21-5, 21-12) sweep, and Valsdottir & Arnadottir defeated Naran Casamajor & Aina Garcia 2-0 (21-11, 21-19). The all-Icelandic gold medal match concluded 2-1 (21-16, 16-21, 15-8) in favor of Gautadottir & Emilsdottir, while the all-Andorran bronze medal game saw Naran & Garcia win 2-1 (21-10, 17-21, 15-12).
Women`s Results and Standings
In the men`s competition, Iceland`s Agust Sigurfinnsson & Markus Arnarsson completed an impressive run, winning all four of their matches without dropping a set. They secured a 2-0 (21-9, 21-19) semifinal victory against fellow Icelanders Hakon Arnarson & Eirikur Baldvinsson. In the other semifinal, Scotland`s Aaron Gillies & Gabriel Caesar defeated Faroe Islands` Kass Henriksen Johan & Oli Hvitklett 2-0 (21-13, 21-19). Sigurfinnsson & Arnarsson then dominated the gold medal match, sweeping Gillies & Caesar 2-0 (21-11, 21-13). Arnarson & Baldvinsson added another medal for Iceland by winning the bronze medal match 2-0 (21-13, 23-21) against Johan & Hvitklett.
Men`s Results and Standings
The SCA U17 Beach Volleyball Championships in Encamp featured seven women`s and seven men`s pairs from Andorra, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Ireland, and Scotland.
BVA Beach Volleyball Club Balkan Championships in Bucharest, Romania
Bucharest hosted the inaugural BVA Beach Volleyball Club Balkan Championships last week, attracting six men`s and four women`s club teams. Turkiye`s TVF Lisesi Ankara clinched the historic men`s title by winning both matches of the final against Moldova`s DOR Chisinau. The all-Romanian bronze medal playoff saw CSU Resita narrowly defeat Diamond Bucharest in a golden set. EX 4 Volei Bucharest and Pro Volei Arad, both Romanian teams, finished tied for fifth place. The women`s tournament was conducted in a single round-robin format, with Romania`s CSM Bucuresti Bucharest taking the title undefeated. Compatriots CSU ASE Bucharest secured silver with a 2-1 record, and Turkiye`s TVF Lisesi Ankara claimed bronze with a 1-2 record. Bulgaria`s Dunav Ruse finished fourth.
CPLP Games – Beach Volleyball in Dili, Timor-Leste
Cape Verde, a beneficiary of the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, made history by securing a podium finish in the men’s beach volleyball tournament at the recent CPLP (Community of Portuguese Language Countries) Games. Also known as the Lusofonia Youth Games, this multi-sport U16 event concluded last week in Dili, Timor-Leste.
Cape Verde`s beach volleyball program has received $147,000 in coach support and $6,000 in equipment from FIVB Volleyball Empowerment. Their team greatly benefits from the expertise of Brazilian coach Marcio Araujo, a celebrated athlete who was a 2005 world champion and a 2008 Olympic silver medalist.
Denzel Ramos & Micael Barbosa of Cape Verde advanced to the boys` final in Dili, ultimately earning a silver medal after a 2-0 (21-4, 21-11) defeat to Portugal`s Tito Oliveira & Luis Filipe.
Portugal also secured the gold medal in the girls` beach volleyball event, triumphing 2-0 (21-18, 21-13) over Timor-Leste in the final.
Oliver Wrenwick 
Finley Blackwood