Teams representing the Netherlands and Switzerland had a highly successful week in Mexico, securing medals at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge event in Veracruz, which concluded on Sunday.
The women`s competition saw Dutch Olympic duo Raisa Schoon and Katja Stam emerge victorious in North America, while Swiss pair Yves Haussener and Julian Friedli secured a third-place finish among the men.
This triumph in Veracruz held particular significance for the Dutch pair, as it marked their return to top form after Stam`s recovery from a back injury. Having only reunited three weeks prior, this gold medal was achieved in just their third tournament back together.
In the gold medal match, Schoon and Stam decisively defeated American opponents Corinne Quiggle and Chloe Loreen in straight sets (21-16, 21-14). Other strong European performances included Czechia`s Marketa Svozilová/Marie-Sára Štochlová and Katerina Pavelková/Anna Pavelková, both finishing in fifth place.
In the men`s event, a bronze medal clash between two European teams saw Swiss duo Yves Haussener and Julian Friedli prevail over Italians Samuele Cottafava and Gianluca Dal Corso in two sets (23-21, 21-17), securing their place on the podium.
Additional European teams, including Ruben Penninga/Matthew Immers (Netherlands), Christoph Dresller/Philipp Waller (Austria), and Adrian Heidrich/Jonathan Jordan (Switzerland), reached the quarterfinals, ultimately finishing fifth.
The Beach Pro Tour will continue next week in the United States, featuring an Elite event scheduled from Tuesday to Saturday in Newport Beach, California.
