25/05/2012 20:00
Austrian pairs shine in Baden
2012 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship
Baden, Austria, May 25, 2012. The CEV Baden Masters and Satellite currently running in Baden, Austria, is definitely living up to all expectations as the great actions displayed by the players are being blessed by wonderful weather conditions and accompanied by an extremely pleasant ambiance for the delight of all involved. The first two rounds of the Main Draw were completed on Friday with pretty much to be happy with also for the hosting country as the sisters Doris and Stefanie Schwaiger backed up their status of pre-favorite in the women’s tournament by scoring two convincing wins.
In the men’s competition Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst crossed their ways with Belarus’ Andrey Zharykau/Aliaksandr Kavalenka and with the Swiss team formed by the brothers Andreas and Roman Sutter. Well supported by a numerous and passionate group of local fans, the home guys enjoyed a very good start of their campaign in the Main Draw as they celebrated two wins in straight sets while their compatriots Xandi Huber and Robin Seidl played with great confidence and easily outclassed (21-17, 22-20) their opponents from Norway, Jonas Kvalen/Svein Solhaug. The Austrian guys scored a second win later in the afternoon (17-21, 21-15, 15-9) this time to edge Mats Kovatsch/Jonas Kissling of Switzerland.
Thomas Kunert/Lorenz Petutschnig, another Austrian team that recently paired up to compete in the international arena, also opened with a good tempo as they downed Haralds Regza/Armands Abolins of Latvia in straight sets (21-15, 21-18). In their second game of the day they were opposed to Greece’s Georgios Kotsilianos/Nikos Zoupanis and the home heroes eventually lost in three sets before finally qualifying for the 1/4 finals by completing their daily program by besting Norway’s Kvalen/Solhaug in straight sets (21-16, 21-17).
Ukraine’s Mykola Babich/Oleksandr Ioisher and Kotsilianos/Zoupanis also scored back-to-back wins on Friday to assert their intention to make it to the deciding stages of the competition.
The pre-favorites of the women’s tournament and home heroines, Doris and Stefanie Schwaiger, immediately imposed their class claiming the opening set of their game against Germany’s Victoria Bieneck/Julia Großner with a margin of seven points (21-14). The course of the game did not change much also in set two where the home girls stamped another classy 21-12 to cross their ways with a duo from Poland, Monika Brzostek/Kinga Kolosinska, in the next round and clip there a second win in straight sets (21-14, 21-14). Erika and Emilia Nystrom of Finland will be the next opponent of the Schwaiger sisters.
The 2011 European silver medalists Barbara Hansel and Sara Montagnolli also opened with good tempo in their first game edging in straight sets their compatriots Lena Plesiutschnig/Katharina Schützenhofer (21-10, 21-14). The home girls scored also a second win to cruise past Jolien Sinnema/Marloes Wesselink of the Netherlands (16-21, 21-16, 15-12). The Finns Nystrom/Nystrom and Dubovcova/Nestarcova of Slovakia also went through the second round of play pretty easily.
Click here for more information or visit the official website www.beachvolleyball-baden.at
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