FIVB World Tour update after two of three straight $800,000 FIVB Grand Slams

Lausanne, Switzerland, June 22, 2014—After tons of fun for fans in Moscow followed by loads of thrills for more spectators in Berlin, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) will now move to another European venue for the last of three consecutive major events on the calendar of its 2014 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour returns to Norway for this week’s US$800,000 FIVB Stavanger Grand Slam.

Last week’s double-gender $800,000 FIVB Berlin smart Grand Slam saw the United States win two men’s medals Brazil earn the third medal with the Czech Republic, Brazil and host country Germany filling the women’s podium in the third double-gender FIVB Grand Slam on the 2014 calendar. The FIVB Berlin smart Grand Slam was the seventh event of the 2014 FIVB World Tour as well as being the third of 10 double-gender FIVB Grand Slam tournaments currently on the 20014 calendar.

BERLIN MEN
In the men’s competition in Berlin, winning the gold medal in a two-set finale between two teams from the United States was John Hyden/Tri Bourne over compatriots Nick Lucena/Ryan Doherty as both teams advanced from the qualification tournament to earn a spot in the finals. The men’s all-Brazilian bronze medal match, Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt defeated fellow Brazilians Emanuel Rego/Pedro Salgado.  It was the first career FIVB gold medal for USA’s Hyden/Bourne team as well as first for each player individually.

BERLIN WOMEN
In their second winning performance in a month, the women’s gold medal saw Marketa Slukova/Kristyna Kolocova of the Czech Republic overcame Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta/Maria Antonelli in three grueling sets. In the women’s bronze medal match, Germany’s Karla Borger/Britta Buthe thrilled their home-country fans by winning in two sets over China’s youthful Fan Wang/Yuan Yue.

After winning the FIVB Prague Open in their home country, the Berlin win was the second FIVB career gold for the Czech Republic’s Slukova/Kolocova as a team and individually..

MEN’S WINNERS MOVE UP
The FIVB Berlin smart Grand Slam men’s champions (USA’s Hyden/Bourne) were competing in just their fifth event on the FIVB World Tour and moved up to sixth in 2014 season points and fourth in earnings.

WOMEN’S WINNERS MOVE UP TOO
The FIVB Berlin smart Grand Slam women’s gold medal winners (Czech Republic’s Slukova/Kolocova) moved up to seventh in the season point standings and fourth in the money standings.

Gold in the FIVB Stavanger Grand Slam earns $57,000 for the winning team in each gender to split with $43,000 split by each silver medal team, $32,000 split by each of the two bronze medalists and $24,000 split by each of the fourth place teams.

SKED TRIFECTA
The 2014 FIVB World Tour is finishing a run of three consecutive double-gender $800,000FIVB Grand Slams. After Moscow two weeks ago and Berlin last week, the tour moves returns to Stavanger, Norway this week.

MEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
The top three teams in each gender receive 400, 360 and 320 points respectively at FIVB Grand Slam events on the 2014 FIVB World Tour.

Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins has 2,530 points to lead the men’s 2014 FIVB World Tour point standings followed by Italy’s Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai with 2,220, Russia’s Semenov/Krasilnikov with 1,910, Brazil’s Bruno Oscar Schmidt/Aliston Cerutti with 1,810 and Brazil’s Emanuel Rego/Pedro Salgado fifth with 1,780 points.

In the FIVB World Tour men’s season earnings, leading is Italy’s Nicolai/Lupo with $103,000 followed by Latvia’s Samoilovs/J. Smedins with $92,500, Russia’s Krasilnikov/Semenov with $80,200, USA’s Hyden/Bourne with $77,800 and Polands Grzegorz Fijalek/Mariusz Prudel with $71,000.

WOMEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
For the women, Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta/Maria Antonelli have moved to the top with 2,760 points followed by China’s Fan Wang/Yuan Yue with 2,540, Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Taiana Lima with 2,360, USA’s Ross/Walsh Jennings fourth with 2,260 and tied for fifth with 2,220 each are Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas and China’s Chen Xue/Xinyi Xia.

In the FIVB World Tour women’s season earnings, leading is USA’s Ross/Walsh Jennings still lead with $102,000 followed by Brazil’s Talita/Lima with $90,750, Brazil’s Juliana/Antonelli with $90,376, Czech Republic’s Slukova/Kolocova with $90,000 and China’s Fan Wang/Yuan Yue in fifth with $86,175.

MEN’S PODIUMS
In six men’s tournaments so far in 2014 on the FIVB World Tour 10 countries have at least one final four placement. With four final four placements each to lead the way are Latvia (two gold medals, one silver, one fourth), Italy (two gold medals, one silver, one fourth) and Brazil (one silver, one bronze, two fourth places). The United States now has three final fours placements (one gold medal, one silver, one bronze). Germany has two final fours (one bronze, one fourth) as does Russia (one gold, one silver) and Switzerland (one bronze, one fourth). Netherlands (bronze), Mexico (bronze) and Poland (silver) have the other final four placements so far with one final four for each country.

WOMEN’S PODIUMS
In seven women’s events to start the year, nine countries have earned at least one final four finish.  Brazil leads with eight final four placements (one gold, four silvers, one bronze and two fourths), Germany has six final fours (two gold medals, one silver, two bronzes and one fourth). China has four (one silver, two bronze, one fourth). Czech Republic has two final fours (two gold medals) as does Russia (one silver, one bronze), Spain (two fourths) and the United States (two gold medals). Austria (fourth), and the Netherlands (bronze) have one final four finish each.

MEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
Based on percentage, statistically, in men’s action after six events, Italy’s Lupo/Nicolai is 21-5 (80.8% winning percentage) followed by Latvia’s Samoilovs/J. Smedins with a 25-6 record (80.6 percent), while third is Brazil’s Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt with a 19-6 mark (76.0%) and tied for fifth are the teams of USA’s Dalhausser/Rosenthal with a 15-6 record (71.4%) and Germany’s Jonathan Erdmann/Kay Matysik at 10.4 (71.4%)

WOMEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
For the women to date following seven 2014 FIVB World Tour events, USA’s April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings continue to lead with a 22-2 record (91.7%) while second is Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst at 16-3 (84.2%), third so far is Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta/Maria Antonelli with a 34-9 record (79.1%), while fourth is Czech Republic’s Slukova/Kolocova with a 18-5 record (78.3%) and fifth is Germany’s Karla Borger/Britta Buthe at 17-5 (77.3%)