Baden, Austria, June 10, 2018. The CEV Youth Beach Volleyball Continental Cup Finals in Baden welcomed teams from 23 nations who passed through a qualification process among 41 competitors, showing how participation in Beach Volleyball at the youth level has increased in Europe. On Sunday, Poland and England joined Russia, Norway, Spain, Italy, The Netherlands, Sweden and Czech Republic at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires after they claimed the 5th place in Baden. Russia's rising stars Bocharova/Voronina finished the entire competition without losing a single set, with Italy and Spain completing the podium. In the men's tournament, Sweden claimed the final victory, while The Netherlands and Czech Republic took second and third place on the podium respectively.
Women
5th - 8th Places
The loser semi-final phase began with Swiss Mara Betschart/Céline Baumann suffering a 0-2 (17-21, 11-21) loss against Dutch team Emi van Driel/Raisa Schoon. Poland’s Julia Gierczynska/Patrycja Jundzill beat the hosting team Ronja Klinger/Julia Mitter 2-0 (21-15, 21-18). Austria experienced another loss shortly afterwards, this time to Switzerland (17-21, 21-18, 6-15), to finish the tournament in eighth place. The Netherlands entered the 5th place match winning the first set against Poland 21-18, but Gierczynska/Jundzill fought back, keeping control of the game and winning eventually 2-1 (18-21, 21-16, 15-9) to claim the last place at the Youth Olympics available from the women’s competition in Baden.
Semifinals and Final
Russia continued their streak of straight set victories, defeating Norway’s Frida Berntsen/Emilie Olimstad 2-0 (24-22, 21-12). Showing the most even performance in Baden, Bocharova/Voronina reached the gold medal match, where they were awaiting Italy, as Nicol Bertozzi/Chiara Scampoli claimed an even faster victory against Spain’s Daniela Álvarez Mendoza/Tania Moreno Matveeva, winning 2-0 (21-18, 21-15).
Berntsen/Olimstad entered the 3rd Place match winning the first set 24-22, but Spain bounced back in the second part, edging the set 22-20. From that point onwards Álvarez/Moreno controlled the last minutes of the game, winning in the tie break 17-15 and finishing third in Baden. Russia achieved an excellent overall result, finishing the entire competition without dropping a single set. Their final match against Italy's Bertozzi/Scampoli ended in another 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) victory for the reigning U18 and U20 European champions.
Men
5th - 8th Places
Hungary and England, revelation of the competition in Baden, reached the 5th place match after defeating Germany and Austria respectively. Hungarian Artur Hajós/Bence Attila Stréli recorded a confident win to Filip John/Lukas Pfretzschner 2-0(21-16, 21-18). England’s Luis and Joaquin Bello faced Laurenz Leitner/Theo Reiter (AUT), defeating the hosting team 2-0 (21-19, 21-17). John/Pfretzschner finished 7th, as they fought with Leitner/Reiter and won 2-0 (21-17, 21-17). After losing the first set, Hungary showed resistance to England in the second, but were forced to accept a 0-2 (18-21, 20-22) loss. As a result, the Bello brothers completed the group of five teams that will be representing Europe at the Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires.
Semifinals and Final
Russia’s Pavel Shustrov/Alexey Gusev experienced their first loss in Baden after losing 1-2 (17-21, 21-19, 8-15) to Dutch Matthew Immers/Yorick de Groot. Swedish David Åhman/Jonatan Hellvig gave very few chances to Czech Republic to bounce back, winning 2-0 (21-19, 21-8). Jiri Sedlak/Patrik Manas and Shustrov/Gusev were down to play for the third place, while the Netherlands and Sweden had a chance to win the entire competition in Austria.
Czech Republic opened the 3rd Place match against Shustrov/Gusev winning the first set 21-18, but Russia responded with a strong push in the second, winning it by 21-13. Sedlak/Manas did not put their heads down, playing point by point in the tie break until they extended their lead and kept it until the final 15-12. Sweden recorded a "six-pack" of victories throughout the competition in Baden, booking in their last one at 2-0 (21-13, 21-11), this time against Dutchmen Immers/de Groot.
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