Author: Guilherme Torres
European beach volleyball teams had a highly successful outing at this week`s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge event in Warmia Mazury, Poland, capturing all six available medals.
Held from Wednesday to Sunday in Stare Jablonki, the event saw men`s teams from Switzerland, host nation Poland, and Germany, alongside women`s duos from Ukraine, Germany, and France, finish on the podium at Anders Hotel Beach.
The men`s gold medal match brought disappointment for the local fans but excitement for the Swiss duo Marco Krattiger and Leo Dillier. They achieved their first title as partners by staging a remarkable comeback from a 13-6 deficit in the first set to defeat Polish Olympians Michal Bryl and Bartosz Łosiak 2-1 (25-23, 16-21, 16-14).
Germans Paul Henning and Lui Wüst secured the bronze medals, benefiting from reigning Olympic champions David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig`s inability to play the third-place match.
The women`s gold medal match also featured a comeback. Ukrainians Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko fought back to defeat Germans Linda Bock and Louisa Lippmann 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 15-11), securing their third title together.
The women`s podium in Poland was completed by French pair Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau, who won the bronze medal match against Americans Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg in straight sets (21-18, 21-18), ensuring an all-European top three.
The Beach Pro Tour is scheduled to move to Gstaad, Switzerland, for an Elite event next week.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood