European beach volleyball teams achieved complete success at the recent Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Challenge event held in Warmia Mazury, Poland, claiming all six available medals.
Following matches played from Wednesday to Sunday in Stare Jablonki, the men`s podium featured teams from Switzerland, host nation Poland, and Germany, while the women`s medals went to duos from Ukraine, Germany, and France at the Anders Hotel Beach venue.
The men`s gold medal match in Warmia Mazury saw Swiss pair Marco Krattiger and Leo Diller overcome a 13-6 first-set deficit to defeat Polish Olympians Michal Bryl and Bartosz Łosiak 2-1 (25-23, 16-21, 16-14). This victory secured Krattiger and Diller`s first title together, much to the disappointment of the local crowd.
In the men`s bronze medal match, Germans Paul Henning and Lui Wüst claimed third place by walkover, as reigning Olympic champions David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig were unable to compete.
The women`s final also featured a comeback. Ukrainians Maryna Hladun and Tetiana Lazarenko recovered from losing the first set to defeat Germans Linda Bock and Louisa Lippmann 2-1 (19-21, 21-14, 15-11), triumphing in the match.
The women`s bronze medal went to the French pair Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau, who defeated Americans Julia Donlin and Lexy Denaburg in straight sets (21-18, 21-18). This secured a complete European sweep of the women`s podium in Poland.
The Beach Pro Tour`s next stop is the Elite event in Gstaad, Switzerland.
Gideon Holt