The highly anticipated EuroBeachVolleyU22 event in Baden is set to showcase Austria`s promising beach volleyball talent, with both men`s and women`s teams harbouring strong hopes for success on home soil.
Women`s Competition: Rising Stars Eye U22 Gold
Despite their young age (17 and 18), Lia Berger and Lilli Hohenauer are already the reigning U18 European champions. They aim to continue their winning streak in the U22 category, having already excelled this season with gold medals from the MEVZA Zonal Tour in Innsbruck and the recent Beach Pro Tour Futures in Leuven, Belgium. Their primary rivals are expected to be teams from Czechia, Poland, and Ukraine. Anna and Katerina Pavelkova from Czechia, the current U22 European champions from last year`s event in Türkiye, have also proven their strength by winning a Futures event in Prague. Poland`s Malgorzata Ciezkowska and Urszula Lunio, silver medalists last year, are also back for EuroBeachVolleyU22, having reached the quarterfinals in recent Challenge events in Alanya and Warmia Mazury. Ukraine`s Yeva Serdiuk and Daria Romaniuk, who narrowly missed bronze in 2024, are strong contenders for a medal this year.
Additional Austrian representation in the women`s tournament includes Anna Hammarberg/Emma Hohenauer and Alisa Zoe Boyd/Jana Zierler.
Men`s Competition: Experience and Youth Combine
Austria also harbours strong ambitions for success in the men’s competition. Tim Berger and Timo Hammarberg boast an impressive record in age-group events, including a silver medal at the 2023 U21 World Championships. They have also made their presence felt in senior competitions, reaching the quarterfinals of an Elite Pro Tour event in Brasilia this season. Their toughest adversaries are likely to be Latvia’s Kristians Fokerots and Gustavs Auzins, the reigning U20 European champions. Fokerots gained significant attention after his surprising EuroBeachVolley gold medal win in late 2024 with veteran Martins Plavins. Keep an eye on Norway’s Adrian Mol and Even Stray Aas, who secured silver last year in Türkiye, falling only to Sweden`s Elmer Andersson and Jacob Hölting Nilsson in the final. France’s Arthur Canet and Téo Rotar, despite having played with different partners on the World Tour, are rejoining forces for the U22 event, aiming to add another title to their burgeoning careers.
The Austrian men`s contingent is completed by Michael Klemen/Philipp Sponer and Moritz Nedetzky/Elias Holzinger.
With high hopes and the picturesque Strandbad in Baden as the venue, Austrian fans can anticipate a spectacular show at this year’s EuroBeachVolleyU22.
