03/11/2019 20:00
Hometown heroes triumph at NEVZA zonal event in Göteborg
News from the Zonal Associations
Göteborg, Sweden, November 3, 2019. The NEVZA Beach Sweden zonal event finished on Sunday with two home teams securing the gold medals for the first time after emerging victorious from all-Swedish finals. To be even more precise, both finals pitted teams representing Sweden’s two largest cities - the capital Stockholm and Göteborg.
Nina Grawender/Sigrid Simonsson had a slightly longer journey to the final than their opponent had after losing against the same team in Round 3. “We remember the first and third sets from the last match. The quality of our game varied a little too much. However, I think we did a good job. We see this as a good training for us and we are learning from every match. Should be fun with one more match and we are loaded to play even better,” said Simonsson after losing the first game against twins Susanna and Kristina Thurin.
Friday’s match ended in a 22-24, 21-10, 15-13 victory for the Thurin sisters, as Grawender and Simonsson moved to the losers’ bracket. The extra match the two players from Göteborg played there helped them find their game again and they came back more determined than ever. The gold medal game finished 21-19, 16-21, 15-12 – this time for Grawender and Simonsson, who rejoiced with a NEVZA zonal event title in their hometown.
Nina Grawender and Sigrid Simonsson celebrate their home victory at NEVZA Beach Sweden in Göteborg
Denmark’s Line Trans Hansen and Clara Windeleff prevented a Swedish sweep of the podium as they beat Anniken Rådström/Kristina Lind in the bronze medal match (21-9, 17-21, 15-13).
On the men’s side, Martin Appelgren and Alexander Herrmann would prove to be unstoppable. With much help from the crowd, the hometown heroes sailed all the way to the podium without losing a single match. Just as in the women’s final, Appelgren and Herrmann played against the same opponents they had in Round 3. Unlike team Grawender and Simonsson, Linus Tholse and Viktor Jonsson did not get their revenge. Appelgren and Herrmann won the final 21-17, 21-17 after previously celebrating a 25-23, 21-16 win in Round 3.
Two teams from Sweden and one from Norway compose the podium of the men’s competition in Göteborg.
Norway’s rising star Nils Gunnar Ringøen/Markus Mol completed the podium as they beat another home team, Leon Vincent and Joel Hallabro 21-14, 21-16.
The weekend in Göteborg has been a success with spectators filling the stands on each of the three competition days. The audience responded to every emotional outburst and celebration from the players, which created an electric atmosphere. Over 200 teams participated in the 10 different tournaments that took place at Beach Center this weekend.
Pictures courtesy of Johanna Svensson
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