Lausanne, Switzerland, May 15, 2016 — After returning to Europe for the first time this year for the last two weeks, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) now heads from Turkey to the United States.
With the qualifying process for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in full swing, the 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour is playing the seventh of eight straight tournaments with this week’s double-gender $150,000 FIVB Cincinnati Open, presented by AVP. The event is being held through Saturday at the Lindner Family Tennis Center in Mason, Ohio.
Last week saw a team from Latvia win the men’s gold medal and a team from Germany win the women’s gold medal at the $150,000 FIVB Antalya Open in Turkey. It was the 13th men’s event and 10th women’s event on the 2016 FIVB World Tour. All of the remaining events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour are double gender events.
ANTALYA MEN
In the men’s competition this past week in Antalya, winning the gold medal with a spotless 7-o record was Latvia’s fourth-seeded Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins who won by forfeit over Germany’s ninth-seeded Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen because Fluggen’s left knee wasn’t stable enough to play another match. For Latvia’s Samoils/J. Smedins it was their first FIVB gold medal in 2016 and seventh career FIVB World Tour gold medal for Samoilovs and the eighth from J. Smedins.
In the men’s bronze medal match in Turkey, winning was Poland’s sixth-seeded Grzegorz Fijalek/Mariusz Prudel who stopped the charge of Greece’s surprising 25th-seeded, Georgis Kotsilianos/Nikos Zoupanis in straight sets, 21-14, 21-13 in 32 minutes.
In the Antalya men’s semifinals, Latvia’s Samoilovs/J. Smedins came back to defeat Poland’s Fijalek/Prudel in three sets, 18-21, 25-23 and 15-13 in 55 minutes and Germany’s Bockermann/Fluggen advanced to the gold medal match by beating Greece’s Kotsilianos/Zoupanis in straight sets, 21-16, 21-17 in 38 minutes.
ANTALYA WOMEN
In the women’s competition at the FIVB Antalya Open, Germany’s top-seeded Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst compiled a perfect 7-0 record as they topped Finland’s surprising 15th-seeded Rikka Lehtonen/Taru Lahti, winning the gold medal match in straight sets, 23-21, 21-16 in 39 minutes. In their 30th FIVB World Tour event as a team, Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst now have earned four gold medals, three silver medals, three bronze medals and two fourth place finishes. Individually, Ludwig has five career FIVB World Tour gold medals in 126 events and Walkenhorst has five career FIVB World Tour gold medals in 38 tournaments. Finland’s Lehtonen/Lahti earned the first FIVB World Tour podium placement for their country.
In a battle between Olympians, the women’s bronze medal match in saw Germany’s seventh-seeded Katrin Holtwick/Ilka Semmler defeated Ana Gallay/Georgina Klug, 21-18, 21-16 in just 34 minutes. Striving to earn Germany’s second spot in the upcoming Rio 2016 Olympic Games, it was the second bronze medal in as many weeks for Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler.
To reach the women’s gold medal match in Antalya, in their respective semifinals, Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst defeated their German compatriots Holtwick/Semmler, 24-22, 21-16 in 38 minutes and Finland’s Lehtonen/Lahti upset Argentina’s Gallay/Klug, 25-23, 21-14 in 43 minutes.
MEN’S WINNERS SHARE
Last week’s FIVB Antalya Open men’s champions Samoilovs/J. Smedins of Latvia picked up the FIVB Open gold medal purse of $11,000. Germany’s runner-up Bockermann/Fluggen earned $8,000 in prize money while Poldand’s bronze medalists Fijalek/Prudel earned $6,000 and Greece’s Kotsilianos/Zoupanis received $4,500 in prize money for their fourth place finish.
WOMEN’S WINNERS ROLL
FIVB Antalya Open women’s champions Ludwig/Walkenhorst of Germany earned the winner’s $11,000 purse. Finland’s Lehtonen/Lahti 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. Argentina’s fourth-place finishers Gallay/Klug earned $4,500 in prize money.
MEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
After 13 men’s events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour, Poland’s Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak tandem returned to the top of the FIVB World Tour point standings with 3,400, while Italy’s Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri slipped back to second from first with 3,260 points. Third is Mexico’s Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen with 2,750 is third, fourth is Germany’s Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen with 2,730 and fifth is France’s Youssef Krou/Eduard Rowlandson with 2,690 points. USA’s John Hyden/Tri Bourne has moved into sixth with 2,450, just ahead of USA’s Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena duo who is seventh with 2,430 points. Eighth with 2,420 points is Canada’s Grant O’Gorman/Sam Pedlow, ninth is Latvia’s Martins Plavins/Haralds Regza with 2,340 points and Chile’s cousins Marco Grimalt/Esteban Grimalt have dropped back to 10th with 2,200 points.
In the 2016 FIVB World Tour men’s season earnings after 13 events, Poland’s Kantor/Losiak tandem continues to lead with $85,750. 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. Fifth is Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen with $49,375 and sixth is Germany’s Bockermann/Fluggen with $43,125. Mexico’s Ontiveros/Virgen is seventh with $43,125, Eighth is Poland’s Fijalek/ Prudel with $40,750, ninth is Italy’s Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai with $38,575, while 10th is France’s Krou/Rowlandson with $36,475.
WOMEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
For the women after 10 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, Germany’s Katrin Holtwick/Ilka Semmler duo has moved up to second with 2,640 points, Switzerland’s Isabelle Forrer/Anouk Vergé-Dépré tandem is third with 2,550 points while fourth with 2,530 points is Argentina’s Ana Gallay/Georgina Klug and fifth with 2,240 points is Germany’s Chantal Labourer/Julia Sude. Sixth is Germany’s Karla Borger/Brita Buthe with 2,380 points, Finland’s Taru Lahti/Rikka Lehtonen team is seventh with 2,170, USA’ April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings duo is eighth with 2,150, ninth with 2,110 points is Austria’s Barbara Hansel/Stefanie Schwaiger and 10th with 2,100 points is Switzerland’s Joana Heidrich/Nadine Zumkehr.
In the 2016 FIVB World Tour women’s season earnings after 10 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 $50,875 is Germany’s Borger/Buthe, third with $49,000 is Poland’s Monika Brzostek/Kinga Kolosinska, fourth with $48,700 is Switzerland’s Forrer/Vergé-Dépré and fifth is Italy’s Menegatti/Orsi Toth with $44,875. Sixth is is Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst with $44,375, seventh is Germany’s Laboureur/Sude with $36,250, eighth in the money standings with $36,3150 is Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler, ninth is . Brazil’s Eduarda Lisboa/Elize Maia with $36,000 and 10th with $33,150 is Switzerland’s Joana Heidrich/Nadine Zumkehr.
MEN’S FINAL FOURS
After 13 men’s tournaments on the 2016 FIVB World Tour schedule, 15 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). Tied for third with six final four placements each are Brazil (two gold medals, two silver, one bronze, one fourth place finish), Germany (one gold medal, two silver medals, one bronze medal, two fourth place) and Poland (one gold medal, three bronze medals, two fourth places). Tied for sixth with three final fours each are Latvia (one gold medal, one bronze medal, one fourth place), Mexico (one silver medal, two bronze medals) and Russia (two silver medals, one fourth place finish). Tied for ninth with two final fours each are Chile (two fourth places), 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), Greece (one fourth place) and Qatar (one gold medal).
WOMEN’S FINAL FOURS
In 10 women’s FIVB international events to date on the 2016 calendar, 14 countries have earned at least one final four finish. Leading in final four placements with eight is Germany (two gold medals, one silver medal, four bronze medals, one fourth place). Second with seven is Brazil (three gold medals, two silver medals, two bronze medals), 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). Tied for fifth with three final four placements each are Argentina (three fourth place finishes) and Italy (one silver medal, one bronze, one fourth place). Seventh with two final fours is 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), Finland (one silver 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 13 events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour calendar with a minimum of 23 matches played, the leader at 91.2% is USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena (31-3) while second at 77.8% is Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen (21-6), third at 77.4% is Italy’s Ranghieri/Carambula (41-12), fourth at 75.0% is Italy’s Paolo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo (27-9) and fifth at 74.2% is Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins (23-8). sixth at 73.9% is Brazil’s Oscar Brandao/Andre Loyola (17-6), seventh at 73.1% is Spain’s Gavira/Herrera (19-7), eighth at 72.4% is Poland’s Kantor/Losiak (42-16) and tied for ninth at 70.8% are Germany’s Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen (34-14) Mexico’s Lombardo Ontiveros/Juan Virgen (34-14).
With 42 match wins this season through 13 events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour, leading this category is Poland’s Kantor/ Losiak (42-16), second is Italy’s Carambula/Ranghieri (41-12) while tied for third with 34 match wins each are Germany’s Bockermann/Fluggen (34-14) and Mexico’s Ontiveros/Virgin (34-14) and fifth with 31 wins is USA’s Dalhausser/Lucena (31-3). sixth with 30 wins is Canada’s Grant O’Gorman/Sam Pedlow (30-24), seventh with 29 wins is USA’s Tri Bourne/John Hyden (27-13), eighth with 27 wins is Italy’s Paulo Nicolai/Daniele Lupo (27-9), ninth with 26 wins is Martins Plavins/Haralds Regza (26-21) and 10th with 25 wins is Austria’s Cristoph Dressler/Thomas Kunert (25-21.
WOMEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE/MATCH WINS
Based on percentage, statistically, in women’s action after 10 events on the 2016 FIVB World Tour calendar with a minimum of 18 matches played, the leader at 92.9% continues to be USA’s April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings (26-2), second at 88.9% is Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst (24-3), third at 79.4% is Brazil’s Eduarda Lisboa/Elise Maia (27-7), fourth at 73.7% is Germany’s Karla Borger/Britta Buthe (28-10) and fifth at 73.1% is Czech Republic’s Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova (19-7). Sixth at 70.8% is Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude (34-14), seventh at 70.3% is Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr (26-11), eighth at 68.9% is Italy’s Marta Menegatti/Viktoria Orsi Toth (31-14), ninth at 68.4% is Brazil’s Juliana Felisberta/Taiana Lima (13-6) and 10th at 65.4% is Greece’s Vasiliki Arvaniti/Penny Karagkouni (17-9).
For the women in match wins following 10 events on the 2016 FIVB calendar, leader with 34 match wins each is Germany’s Laboureur/Sude tandem (34-14), tied for second with 31 wins each are Argentina’s Ana Gallay/Georgina Klug (31-19), Germany’s Katrin Holtwick/Ilka Semmler (31-21) and Italy’s Menegatti/Orsi Toth (31-14) and fifth with 29 match wins is Austria’s Barbara Hansel/Stefanie Schwaiger (29-19). Tied for sixth with 28 match wins each are Germany’s Borger/Buthe (28-10) and Switzerland’s Forrer/Vergé-Dépré (28-16), eighth with 27 match wins is Brazil’s Eduarda Lisboa/Elize Maia (27-7), tied for ninth with 26 wins each are Finland’s Lahti/Lehtonen (26-20), Switzerland’s Heidrich/Zumkehr (26-11) and USA’s A. Ross/Walsh Jennings (26-2).
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 was in Europe for two events over the last two weeks. Up first was in Russia two weeks ago followed by last week’s FIVB Antalya Open in Turkey. The tour is visiting the United States for the first time in 2016 this week for the FIVB Cincinnati Open, presented by AVP (May 17-21) in Mason, Ohio. Next week, the FIVB World Tour 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).
GROWING HISTORY
The FIVB Cincinnati Open in the United States will be the 343rd men’s tournament since the FIVB began play in 1987 and the 304th 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 four FIVB Grand Slam and four 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.