Lausanne, Switzerland, October 4, 2015 — With its third event in the United States this year completed Sunday, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) heads South to Mexico for the double-gender $150,000 FIVB Puerto Vallara Open, the season-opening event of the 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour. Being held at the purpose-built facility on Playa Camarones, the event resumes the qualifying process for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Last week saw teams from Brazil win the men and women’s gold medals at the inaugural $500,000 Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA. The unique event, a non-points event which did not count for the Olympic rankings, featured 10 teams in each gender competing for a FIVB-record $100,000 first place purse.
FORT LAUDERDALE MEN
In the men’s competition last week in Fort Lauderdale, winning the gold medal with a 6-1 record was the 2015 Brazilian FIVB World Champions duo of Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt. Brazil’s Alison/Schmidt won the gold medal match in straight sets over USA’s Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena, 21-13, 21-15 in 38 minutes. Winning their sixth gold medal in 2015 FIVB international competition, Brazil’s Alison now has won 18 career FIVB international events and Bruno has now won nine career FIVB international events. The victory avenged a three-set loss by the Brazilians to the Americans in pool play earlier in the week.
Brazil also won the men’s bronze medal as Evandro Goncalves/Pedro Solberg defeated Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen in straight sets, 21-19, 21-14 in 46 minutes.
In the semifinals, Brazil’s Alison/Bruno defeated Brazilian compatriots Goncalves/Solberg, in straight sets, 21-17, 23-21 in 42 minutes while USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena went three sets to overcome Netherlands’ 2013 FIVB World Champions Brouwer/Meeuwsen, 21-18, 19-21 and 15-12 in 58 minutes to advance to the gold medal match.
FORT LAUDERDALE WOMEN
In the women’s competition in Fort Lauderdale, Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca with a perfect 6-0 record, won the gold medal match over Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst, 21-17, 21-18 in 39 minutes. The seventh gold medal in nine events for Brazil’s Talita/Larissa on the 2015 FIVB World Tour, Talita now has won 29 career FIVB gold medals while Larissa added to her women’s record with 59th career FIVB gold medals.
Like with the men, Brazil won the bronze medal as well. Brazil’s 2015 FIVB World Champions Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas won the bronze by defeating Canada’s Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan in three sets, 22-20, 14-21 and 15-10 in a 58-minute match..
To reach the gold medal match with their semifinal victories, Brazil’s Talita/Larissa defeated Canada’s Bansley/Pavan, 21-19, 21-12 in just 37 minutes and Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst overcame Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara in three sets, 21-15, 20-22 and 15-13 in 55 minutes.
MEN’S WINNERS SHARE
Last week’s Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals men’s champions Alison/Bruno of Brazil picked up the FIVB record gold medal purse of $100,000. USA’s runner-up Dalhausser/Lucena earned $60,000 in prize money while Brazil’s bronze medalists Goncalves/Solberg earned $30,000 and Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen received $15,000 in prize money for their fourth place finish.
WOMEN’S WINNERS ROLL
Last week’s Swatch FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals women’s champions picked up the FIVB-record gold medal purse of $100,000. Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst collected the runner-up $60,000 purse to split from their silver medal placement and Brazil’s Agatha/Seixas earned $30,000 for their bronze medal finish. Canada’s fourth place finishers Bansley/Pavan won $15,000 in prize money.
MEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
After 14 events, Brazil’s 2015 FIVB World Champions, Gstaad, Yokohama, Long Beach and Olsztyn gold medalists Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt duo clinched the FIVB World Tour point standings with 6,070. Brazil’s Pedro Solberg/Evandro Goncalves duo finished second in the standings with 4,960. Third was Netherlands’ 2013 FIVB World Champions Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen with 4,540 points, fourth with 4,220 points was Netherlands’ Reinder Nummerdor/Christian Varenhorst and in fifth was USA’s Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson with 4,080 points.
In the final 2015 FIVB World Tour men’s season earnings after 15 events, Brazil’s Alison/Bruno earned an FIVB-record with $445,500 in prize winnings, followed in second by Brazil’s Solberg/Goncalves with $245,000 while third was Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen with $190,000, USA’s Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson was fourth with $186,500 and fifth was Netherlands’ Reinder Nummerdor/Cjrostoaam Varenhorst with $183,000, and sixth was Spain’s Pablo Herrera/Adrian Gavira with $164,375. USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena moved up ninth in five events in 2015 with $139,000..
WOMEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
For the women after 15 FIVB World Tour events, Brazil’s new FIVB World Champions Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas duo finished at the top of the point list with 6,350 points in 10 events, Brazil’s Larissa Franca/Talita Antunes were second with 5,840 points in nine events with Canada’s Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan third with 5,070 points in 11 events. Fourth was Brazil’s Maria Antonelli/Juliana Felisberta with 4,710 in nine events and fifth is Netherlands’ Madelein Meppelink/Marleen Van Iersel with 4,590 points in nine events. With their gold medal in Xiamen, Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr finished 12th with 3,840 points in 10 events.
In the final 2015 FIVB World Tour women’s season earnings after 16 events, Brazil’s Larissa/Talita claimed the top spot with a FIVB women’s record of $435,000 after seven wins in nine events, Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara are second with $325,000 with Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst tandem third with $239,000. Fourth was Canada’s Bansley/Pavan with $207,375 and fifth was Brazil’s Antonelli/Juliana with $203,500 in 2015 FIVB earnings.
MEN’S FINAL FOURS
In 15 men’s tournament in 2015 on the FIVB competition, 14 countries had at least one final four placement. Leaders with 13 final four placements is Brazil (seven gold medals, one silver, three bronze, two fourth places), tied for second with nine was the Netherlands (one gold medal, four silver medals, one bronze medal, three fourth places) and the United States (two gold medals, four silvers, one bronze, two fourth places). Tied for fourth with five final four finishes were Germany (one gold, two silver, one bronze, one fourth place), Italy (one gold medal, two bronze, two fourth places) and Latvia (two gold, one silver, one bronze, one fourth place). Seventh with three final four placements was Canada (two silver medals, one bronze). Tied for eighth with two final four placements each were Austria (one bronze, one fourth place), Poland (one silver, one bronze), Russia (two fourth places) and Spain (one gold, one bronze) and tied for 12th with one each were France (one bronze), Switzerland (one fourth place), and Turkey (one bronze).
WOMEN’S FINAL FOURS
In 16 women’s FIVB international events in 2015, 12 countries earned at least one final four finish. At the top with a whopping 23 total final four placements was Brazil (11 gold medals, six silver medals, four bronze medals, two fourth places). Second with nine final fours was Germany (two gold medals, two silver, one bronze, four fourth places), third with eight final fours was Canada (one gold medal, two silver, three bronze, two fourth places), fourth with six final fours was the Netherlands (three silvers, two bronze, one fourth place), fifth with five final fours was Switzerland (one gold, one silver, two bronze medals, one fourth place),while sixth with four final fours was the United States (one silver, one bronze, two fourth place finishes) and seventh with three was Italy (one gold, one bronze, one fourth place). Eighth with two was China (two fourth places) and tied for ninth with one final four each in 2015 were Argentina (one silver), Australia (one bronze), Finland (one fourth place) and Poland (one bronze medal).
MEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
Based on percentage, statistically, in men’s action after 15 total events in 2015 with 27 matches minimum, the leader at 83.3% was Brazil’s Alison/Bruno (60-12) while second at 80.6 % was USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena (29-7), Third at 74.1% was Latvia’s Samoilovs/J. Smedins (40-14), fourth at 73.3% was USA’s Theo Brunner/Lucena (36-14) and fifth at 70.8% was Netherlands’ Brouwer/ Meeuwsen (46-19).
Brazil’s Alison/Bruno (60-12) had the most match wins in 2015 with 60, Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen (46-19) duo was second with 46, third with Brazil’s Goncalves/Solberg (42-21) with 42, while fourth with 40 wins was Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins (40-14), and fifth with 38 wins was Germany’s Bockermann/Fluggen (38-20). Sixth with 37 was Netherlands’ Reindeer Nummerdor/Christiaan Varenhorst (37-16).
WOMEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
For the women, following a total of 16 events on the 2015 FIVB calendar with a minimum of 28 matches, Brazilian tandems had the top three winning percentages. Brazil’s Larissa/Talita had the best with 93.5% (58-4), Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara were second at 83.6% (61-12), followed at 74.0% by Brazil’s Taiana Lima/Fernanda Alves (37-13). USA’s Kerri Walsh Jennings/April Ross duo was fourth at 72.5% (29-11), fifth was Netherlands’ Meppelink/Van Iersel at 68.9% (42-19) and sixth was Brazil’s Maria Antonelli/Juliana Felisberta at 68.4% (39-18). Canada’s Bansley/Pavan was eighth at 68.1% (47-22).
Earning the most match wins in 2015 with 61 was Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara (61-12), second with 58 was Brazil’s Larissa/Talita (58-4) while third with 47 was Canada’s Bansley/Pavan (47-22).Fourth with 42 wins was Netherlands’Meppelink/Van Iersel (42-19) while fifth with 41 was Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude (41-30). Tied for sixth with 39 wins each were Brazil’s Antonelli/Juliana (39-18) and China’s Fan Wang/Yuan Yue (39-25), eighth with 38 wins was Switzerland’s Forrer/Verge-Depre (38-24) and ninth with 37 wins is Brazil’s Taiana Lima/Fernanda Alves (37-13).
ON THE HORIZON
This week following Fort Lauderdale, the 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour with placement points counting in the FIVB Olympic Rankings for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games begins at the double-gender $150,000 FIVB Puerto Vallarta Open (Oct. 5-11) in Mexico. In addition to Puerto Vallarta, the 2015 portion of the 2016 FIVB World Tour will include the double gender $150,000 FIVB Antalya Open in Turkey and the men’s only $75,000 FIVB Doha Open in Qatar (Nov. 9-13).
GROWING HISTORY
The FIVB Puerto Vallarta Open will be the 330th men’s tournament since the FIVB began play in 1987 and the 294th FIVB women’s tournament since they started competition in 1992.
FIVB 2015
Based in Lausanne, Switzerland as the international governing body for the Olympic sports of Beach Volleyball and Volleyball, the 2015 FIVB Beach Volleyball calendar features a record purse of US$9.6 million with a season that extends from late April to mid-December competing at 20 venues in 15 countries. The schedule includes five FIVB Grand Slams, the new Swatch FIVB Major Series of four events, seven FIVB Opens and a special Swatch FIVB World Tour Season Final in the United States. A showcase event will be the $1 million 2015 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in the Netherlands. The 2015 FIVB World Tour ended with the FIVB Xiamen Open in China two weeks ago followed by last week’s inaugural Swatch FIVB World Tour Finals in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., USA.
The Olympic qualification process began in 2015 with all FIVB World Tour events (except the Swatch FIVB World Tour Finals) in 2015 up until June 13, 2016 counting towards the Olympic Ranking in order to determine 15 spots for each gender that will take part in each 24-team field in the 2016 Rio Olympic Games on Copacabana Beach in Brazil.
FIVB WORLD TOUR PURSES
The FIVB Grand Slam and Swatch FIVB Major Series competitions, all double-gender each have $800,000 in total purses. The total purse FIVB World Championships the Netherlands 2015 was $1,000,000 and $500,000 will be the total for the Swatch FIVB World Tour Season Final which will feature the top eight teams in each gender and two wild card teams.
The 10 FIVB Open tournaments in 2015, eight double-gender, one men only and one women only, will have $150,000 total purses for the double gender events and $75,000 for the single-gender competitions. The gold medal teams in each gender at FIVB Open tournaments will each split $11,000, the silver $8,000, the bronze $6,000 and fourth place $4,500.
FIVB EVENT FORMAT
Implemented in 2013, the format of all the FIVB Beach Volleyball international tournaments – whether FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships, FIVB Beach Volleyball Grand Slam or FIVB Beach Volleyball Open – are the same, featuring pool play followed by single elimination knockout rounds. Country Quota playoffs have returned as needed in 2015 to determine the final teams for the qualification tournament.