Lausanne, Switzerland, May 9, 2016 — After returning to Europe for the first time this year, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) now heads from Russia to Turkey. With the qualifying process for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in full swing, the 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour is playing the sixth of eight straight tournaments with this week’s double-gender $150,000 FIVB Antalya Open being held through Sunday.
Last week saw a team from Italy won the men’s gold medal and a team from Switzerland win the women’s gold medal at the $150,000 FIVB Sochi Open in Russia. It was the 12th men’s event and ninth women’s event on the 2016 FIVB World Tour. All of the remaining events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour are double gender events.
SOCHI MEN
In the men’s competition this past week in Sochi, winning the gold medal with a 7-1 record was Italy’s ninth-seeded Olympians Paolo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo who toppled Russia’s eighth-seeded host country favorites Konstantin Semenov/Viacheslav Krasilnikov in straight sets the gold medal finale, 21-15, 21-18 in 36 minutes. For Italy’s Nicolai/Lupo, the gold medal victory avenged a three-set pool play loss to the Russians earlier in the tournament. In 54 FIVB World Tour events as a team, Italy’s Nicolai/Lupo now have 15 final four finishes including three gold medals, five silver medals and five bronze medals.
In the men’s bronze medal match in Russia, winning was USA’s third-seeded John Hyden/Tri Bourne who outlasted Italy’s fifth-seeded young guns Alex Ranghieri/Adrian Carambula, 21-19, 19-21 and 15-9 in 49 minutes.
In the Sochi men’s semifinals, Italy’s Nicolai/Lupo defeated USA’s Hyden/Bourne, 21-17, 21-13 in 34 minutes and Russia’s Semenov/Krasilnikov advanced to the gold medal match by beating Italy’s Ranghieri/Carambula, 21-19, 21-17 in 37 minutes.
SOCHI WOMEN
In the women’s competition at the FIVB Sochi Open, Switzerland’s Joana Heidrich/Nadine Zumkehr compiled a perfect 7-0 record as they topped Spain’s sixth-seeded Liliana Fernandez/Elsa Baquerizo, winning the gold medal match in three sets, 21-11, 19-21 and 15-7 in 45 minutes. In the 36th FIVB World Tour event as a team, Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr now have four final four finishes including two gold medals and two bronze medals. Individually, for Zumkehr, it was her fourth career FIVB World Tour gold medal.
In a battle between Olympians, the women’s bronze medal match in Sochi saw Germany’s ninth-seeded Katrin Holtwick/Ilka Semmler came from behind to upset Italy’s third-seeded Marta Menegatti/Viktoria Orsi Toth, 20-22, 21-15 and 15-10 in 51 minutes.
To reach the women’s gold medal match in Sochi, in their respective semifinals, Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr outlasted Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler in two overtime sets, 22-20, 25-23 in 40 minutes and Spain’s Liliana/Elsa won in twin sets over Italy’s Menegatti/Orsi Toth, 21-19, 21-19 in 39 minutes.
MEN’S WINNERS SHARE
Last week’s FIVB Sochi Open men’s champions Nicolai/Lupo ofItaly picked up the FIVB Open gold medal purse of $11,000. Russia’s runner-up Semenov/Krasilnikov earned $8,000 in prize money while USA’s bronze medalists Hyden/Bourne earned $6,000 and Italy’s Ranghieri/Carambula received $4,500 in prize money for their fourth place finish.
WOMEN’S WINNERS ROLL
FIVB Sochi Open women’s champions Heidrich/Zumkehr of Switzerland earned the winner’s $11,000 purse. Spain’s Liliana/Elsa collected the runner-up $8,000 purse to split from their silver medal placement and Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler earned $6,000 for their bronze medal finish. Italy’s fourth-place finishers Menegatti/Orsi Toth earned $4,500 in prize money.
MEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
After 12 men’s events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour, Italy’s Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri duo has taken the lead in the FIVB World Tour point standings with 3,260 points. Poland’s Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak tandem has slipped to second in the standings with 3,160. points while Mexico’s Ontiveros/Virgen with 2,750 is third and fourth is France’s Youssef Krou/Eduard Rowlandson with 2,510 points. USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena duo is fifth with 2,430 points, sixth is Germany’s Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen with 2,280 and USA’s John Hyden/Tri Bourne has moved into seventh with 2,210 points and Chile’s cousins Marco Grimalt/Esteban Grimalt are seventh with 2,200 points.
In the 2016 FIVB World Tour men’s season earnings after 12 events, Poland’s Kantor/Losiak tandem continues to lead with $83,750. USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena duo is second with $58,000, Italy’s Carambula/ Ranghieri tandem is third with $55,500 and Brazil’s Evandro Goncalves/Pedro Solberg duo is fourth with $53,000 and. Fifth is Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen with $46,000 and sixth is Mexico’s Ontiveros/Virgin with $43,125. Seventh is Italy’s Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai with $38,575, Germany’s Bockermann/Fluggen is eighth with $35,750 while ninth is France’s Krou/Rowlandson with $35,275, Poland’s Gregorz Fijalek/Mariusz Prudel with $34,750 is 10th and 11th is Chile’s M. Grimalt/E. Grimalt with $29,200. USA’s Hyden/Bourne has moved up to 12th with $29,150.
WOMEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
For the women after nine 2016 FIVB World Tour events, Italy’s Marta Menegatti/Viktoria Orsi Toth tandem continues at the top of the point leader board with 2,700 points, Switzerland’s Isabelle Forrer/Anouk Vergé-Dépré duo is second with 2,310 points while tied for third with 2,240 points each are Germany’s Katrin Holtwick/Ilka Semmler and Germany’s Chantal Labourer/Julia Sude. fifth with 2,180 points is Argentina’s Ana Gallay/Georgina Klug, while USA’ April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings duo is sixth with 2,150 and seventh with 2,080 is Germany’s Karla Borger/Brita Buthe. Now eighth in points with 1,920 is Switzerland’s Joana Heidrich/Nadine Zumkehr, ninth with 1,870 points is Austria’s Barbara Hansel/Stefanie Schwaiger and 10th with 1,850 is Brazil’s Eduarda Lisboa/Elize Maia.
In the 2016 FIVB World Tour women’s season earnings after nine events, USA’s A. Ross/Walsh Jennings duo continues in the top spot with $82,000 in earning in just four events, while second with $47,800 is Poland’s Monika Brzostek/Kinga Kolosinska, third is Germany’s Borger/Buthe with $47,500, fourth with $46,700 is Switzerland’s Forrer/Vergé-Dépré and fifth is Italy’s Menegatti/Orsi Toth with $44,875. Sixth is Brazil’s Eduarda Lisboa/Elize Maia with $36,000, seventh is Germany’s Laboureur/Sude with $34,250 and eighth in the money standings is Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst with $33,375. Moving up to ninth with $31,950 is Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr and 10th is Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler with $30,150 and 11th is Argentina’s Gallay/Klug with $26,325.
MEN’S FINAL FOURS
After 12 men’s tournaments on the 2016 FIVB World Tour schedule, 14 countries have at least one final four placement. Co-leaders with seven final four placements each are Italy (three gold medals, two silver medals, two fourth place finishes) and the United States (three gold medals, two silver medals, two bronze medals). Third with six is Brazil (two gold medals, two silver, one bronze, one fourth place finish). Tied for fourth with five final four placements each are Poland (one gold medal, two bronze, two fourth places) and Germany (one gold medal, one silver medal, one bronze medal, two fourth place). Tied for sixth with three final fours each are Mexico (one silver medal, two bronze medals) and Russia (two silver medals, one fourth place finish). Tied for eighth with two final fours each are Chile (two fourth places), Latvia (one bronze medal, one fourth place), the Netherlands (one silver medal, two bronze), and Spain (one gold medal, one bronze medal). Tied for 12th with one final four finish each are Austria (one silver medal), France (one fourth place) and Qatar (one gold medal).
WOMEN’S FINAL FOURS
In nine women’s FIVB international events to date on the 2016 calendar, 13 countries have earned at least one final four finish. Leading in final four placements with seven is Brazil (three gold medals, two silver medals, two bronze medals), Second with six is Germany (one gold medal, one silver medal, three bronze medals, one fourth place). Tied for third with five each are Switzerland (two gold medals, one bronze medal, two fourth place finishes) and the United States (two gold medals, one silver medal, two bronze medals). Fifth with three final four placements is Italy (one silver medal, one bronze, one fourth place). Tied for sixth with two final fours each are Argentina (two fourth place finishes) and the Netherlands (one silver, one fourth place finish). Tied for eighth with one final four finish each are Austria (one silver medal), Australia (one fourth place), Czech Republic (one gold medal), Poland (one silver medal), Spain (one silver medal) and Vanuatu (one fourth place).
MEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE/MATCH WINS
Based on percentage, statistically, in men’s action after 12 events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour calendar with a minimum of 21 matches played, the leader at 91.2% is USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena (31-3) while second at 77.4% is Italy’s Ranghieri/Carambula (41-12), third at 77.3% is Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen (17-5) and fourth at 75.0% is Italy’s Paolo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo (27-9), fifth at 73.9% is Brazil’s Oscar Brandao/Andre Loyola (17-6), sixth at 73.1% is Spain’s Gavira/Herrera (19-7), seventh at 72.7% is Brazil’s Gustavo Carvalhaes/Saymon Barbosa (16-6). eighth at 72.5% is Germany’s Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen (29-11); ninth at 72.2% is Poland’s Kantor/Losiak (39-15) and 10th at 70.8% is Mexico’s Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen (34-14). Russia’s Viacheslav Karasilnikov/Konstantin Semenov is 11th at 67.6%, 12th at 67.5% is USA’s John Hyden/Tri Bourne (27-13) and 13th at 66.7% is Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins (16-8).
With 41 match wins this season through 12 events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour, leading this category is Italy’s Carambula/Ranghieri (41-12) while second with 39 match wins is Poland’s Kantor/ Losiak (39-15), third with 34 wins is Mexico’s Ontiveros/Virgin (34-14), fourth with 31 wins is USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena (31-3), fifth with 29 wins is Germany’s Bockermann/Fluggen (29-11), while tied for sixth with 27 wins each are Canada’s Grant O’Gorman/Sam Pedlow (27-22), Italy’s Nicolai/Lupo (27-9) and USA’s Tri Bourne/John Hyden (27-13). Ninth with 25 wins is Austria’s Cristoph Dressler/Thomas Kunert (25-18) and tied for 10th with 23 wins each are Chile’s M. Grimalt/E. GrimaltLatvia’s (23-20) and Martins Plavins/Haralds Regza (23-20).
WOMEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE/MATCH WINS
Based on percentage, statistically, in women’s action after nine events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour calendar with a minimum of 16 matches played, the leader at 92.9% is USA’s Ross/Walsh Jennings (26-2), second at 85.0% is Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst (17-3), third at 79.4% is Brazil’s Eduarda Lisboa/Elise Maia (27-7), fourth at 73.8% is Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude (31-11) and tied for fifth at 72.7% are Germany’s Karla Borger/Britta Buthe (24-9) and Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr (24-9). Sixth at 71.4% is Czech Republic’s Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova (15-6) seventh at 68.9% is Italy’s Marta Menegatti/Viktoria Orsi Toth (31-14), eighth at 68.4% is Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta/Taiana Lima (13-6) ninth at 62.8% is Austria’s Barbara Hansel/Stefanie Schwaiger (27-16) and tied for 10th at 62.5% are Netherlands’ Madelein Meppelink/Marleen Van Iersel (10-6) and Switzerland’s Forrer/Verge-Depre (25-25).
For the women in match wins following nine events on the 2016 FIVB calendar, co-leaders with 31 match wins each are Germany’s Laboureur/Sude (31-11) and Italy’s Menegatti/Orsi Toth (31-14), tied for third with 27 match wins each are Brazil’s Eduarda/Elize (27-7) and Austria’s Hansel/Stefanie Schwaiger (27-16) and tied for fifth with 26 wins each are Argentina’s Gallay/Klug (26-17) and USA’s A. Ross/Walsh Jennings (26-2). Tied for seventh in match wins with 25 are Germany’s Holtwick/ Semmler (25-20) and Switzerland’s Forrer/Vergé-Dépré (25-15) while tied for ninth with 24 wins each are Germany’s Borger/Buthe (24-9) and Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr (24-9).
ON THE HORIZON
With placement points for the FIVB Olympic Rankings for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games continuing, the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour continues with events over eight straight weeks through the end of May. In all, Brazil is hosting five international events in 2016. In addition to Maceió, Rio, Vitoria and Fortaleza, the Brazil events conclude with the Rio 2016 Olympic Games (Aug. 6-18).
The FIVB World Tour is in Europe for two events. Up first was in Russia last week followed by this week’s FIVB Antalya Open in Turkey (May 10-15). The tour then visits the United States for the first time in 2016 for the FIVB Cincinnati Open (May 17-22) in Ohio and then returns to Russia for the FIVB Moscow Grand Slam (May 24-29). After a one week respite, the final Olympic qualifying event on the FIVB World Tour will be the FIVB Hamburg Major Series in Germany (June 7-12). Also counting towards Olympic qualification rankings, the European championships will be held June 1-5 in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland.
GROWING HISTORY
The FIVB Antalya Open in Brazil will be the 342th men’s tournament since the FIVB began play in 1987 and the 303rd FIVB women’s tournament since their competition started in 1992.
FIVB 2016
Based in Lausanne, Switzerland as the international governing body for the Olympic sports of Beach Volleyball and Volleyball, the 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball calendar featured a purse of US$8.8 million with a season that extended from last October to this October, competing at 23 venues in 13 countries. The schedule includes five FIVB Grand Slams, three Swatch FIVB Major Series events, 14 FIVB Opens and the special Swatch FIVB World Tour Finals in the United States. The showcase event will be the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in Brazil (Aug. 6-18).
The 2015 portion of the 2016 FIVB World Tour calendar started in October in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and included two more open events prior to the remainder of the schedule resuming at the FIVB Kish Island Open in Iran in February.
ROAD TO RIO
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 Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Copacabana Beach in Brazil in August. Counting the FIVB Fortaleza Open, eight men’s and seven women’s events remain on the Olympic qualifying calendar for the FIVB World Tour.
FIVB WORLD TOUR PURSES
The five FIVB Grand Slam and three Swatch FIVB Major Series competitions in 2016, all double-gender, each have $800,000 in total purses. The total of $500,000 will be the purse for the Swatch FIVB World Tour Season Final which will feature the top eight teams in each gender and two wild card teams.
The 14 FIVB Open tournaments on 2016 calendar, 11 double-gender, and three men’s only, 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 Grand Slam and Swatch FIVB Major Series events split $57,000, the silver $43,000, the bronze $32,000 and fourth place $24,000. The gold medal teams in each gender at FIVB Open tournaments 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 returned as needed in 2015 to determine the final teams for the qualification tournament.