Lausanne, Switzerland, August 30, 2015 — After completing the grand slam portion of its schedule in Poland last week, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) continues with qualifications for placement into the 2016 Rio Olympic Games when the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour returns to the Western Hemisphere this week for the special 24-team double-gender $150,000 FIVB Rio Open in Brazil.
It will be a test event for the Rio 2016 Olympic games, being held on Copacabana Beach, the site of next year’s games.
Last week saw teams from Brazil win the gold medals at the $800,000 FIVB Olsztyn Grand Slam in Poland, the last of five double-gender grand slams, each with $800,000 purses, on the 2015 FIVB World Tour calendar. It was the 179th all-time men’s gold medal for Brazil on the FIVB World Tour and the 146th all-time women’s gold medal for Brazil on the FIVB World Tour.
The $150,000 FIVB Rio Open will be held this Wednesday through Sunday. Competition will be played at the same site where the Beach Volleyball stadium will be constructed for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on Avenida Atlantica. across from the Windsor Altantica Hotel.
This week’s visit to Brazil for the double-gender $150,000 FIVB Rio Open is the third of four straight double-gender events as the schedule has five events on tap in a six-week window. Following this event will be the $150,000 FIVB Sochi Open in Russia (Sept. 8-13).
The FIVB Rio Open will be a 24-team event, per gender, that is the final qualifying event for the inaugural double-gender $500,000 Swatch 2015 FIVB World Tour Finals to held in the United States in Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Sept. 29-Oct. 4) for the top eight teams in each gender in the final 2015 FIVB World Tour Rankings plus two wild card teams will qualify for Fort Lauderdale. The gold medal teams in each gender at the Swatch 2015 FIVB World Tour Finals will each earn a FIVB $100,000 in prize money.
OLSZTYN MEN
In the men’s competition last week in Long Beach, winning the gold medal with an unscathed 7-0 record was Brazil’s newly crowned FIVB World Champions Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt. Winners of five straight FIVB tournaments, Brazil’s Alison/Bruno stopped USA’s Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson in straight sets, 21-10, 21-15 in 34 minutes. It was Brazil’s 179th all-time FIVB men’s gold medal and the 17th career FIVB gold medal for Alison and eighth for Bruno. Earning the bronze medal was Canada’s Chaim Schalk/Ben Saxton who defeated Germany’s Jonathan Erdmann/Kay Matysik, 21-17, 21-18 in 37 minutes.
OLSZTYN WOMEN
In the women’s competition in Long Beach, Brazil’s Larissa Franca/Talita Antunes won the gold medal with a 7-0 record, winning the gold medal match over Netherlands’ Madelein Meppelink/Marleen Van Iersel in straight sets, 21-12, 25-23 in 37 minutes. It was the 55th FIVB career gold medal for Brazil’s Larissa and 27th FIVB World Title for Talita. Poland’s surprising Kinga Kolosinska/Monika Brzostek won the bronze medal by Netherlands’ Jantine van der Vlist/Sophie van Gestel, 21-12, 21-16 in 33 minutes.
MEN’S WINNERS SHARE
Last week’s FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam men’s champion Alison/Bruno of Brazil earned 800 points on the FIVB World Tour and picked up the gold medal purse of $57,000. USA’s Gibb/Patterson earned 720 valuable points in the FIVB World Tour Rankings as well as earning $43,000 in prize money. Canada’s bronze medalists Schalk/Saxton earned $32,000 in prize money and 640 points that go toward the Olympic qualification rankings. Germany’s Erdmann/Matysik received 560 points and $24,000 in prize money for their fourth place finish.
WOMEN’S WINNERS ROLL
Last week’s FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam women’s champions Larissa/Talita of Brazil also earned 800 points on the FIVB World Tour and also picked up the gold medal purse of $57,000. Netherlands’ runner-up duo Meppelink/Van Iersel earned 720 valuable points in the FIVB World Tour Rankings as well picking up the $43,000 purse to split from their silver medal placement and Poland’s Kolosinska/Brzostek earned $32,000 in prize money and 640 points that go towards the Olympic qualification rankings. Netherlands’ fourth-place finishers van der Vlist/van Gestel picked up 560 points and $24,000 in prize money.
MEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
After 11 events, Brazil’s 2015 FIVB World Champions, Gstaad, Yokohama, Long Beach and Olsztyn gold medalists Alison/Bruno Brazil’s moved further ahead in the FIVB World Tour point standings with 5,720. Brazil’s Pedro Solberg/Evandro Goncalves duo is second in the standings with 4,720. Third is Netherlands’ 2013 FIVB World Champions Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen with 4,540 points, fourth with 4,220 points is Netherlands’ Reinder Nummerdor/Christian Varenhorst and in fifth is USA’s Gibb/Patterson with 4,080 points.
In the 2015 FIVB World Tour men’s season earnings, Brazil’s Alison/Bruno tandem leads with $341,000 in prize winnings, followed in second by Brazil’s Solberg/Goncalves with $213,000 while third is USA’s Gibb/Patterson with $179,000, fourth Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen with $175,000, fifth is Netherlands’ Nummerdor/Varenhorst with $173,000, and sixth is Spain’s Pablo Herrera/Adrian Gavira with $159,375.
WOMEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
For the women after 12 FIVB World Tour events, Brazil’s new FIVB World Champions Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas duo continues at the top of the point list with 5,900 points, Brazil’s Larissa/Talita have moved up to second with 5,340 points with Canada’s Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan third with 5,070 points. Fourth is Brazil’s Maria Antonelli/Juliana Felisberta with 4,360 and fifth is Germany’s Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst with 4,200 points.
In the 2015 FIVB World Tour women’s season earnings after 12 events, Brazil’s Larissa/Talita have taken the lead with $324,000 after five wins in eight events, Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara duo has dipped to second with $287,000 with Brazil’s Antonelli/Juliana third with $199,000, fourth is Canada’s Bansley/Pavan with $192,375 and fifth is Germany’s Ludwig/Walkenhorst tandem with $179,000.
MEN’S FINAL FOURS
In 11 men’s tournament so far in 2015 on the FIVB World Tour, 14 countries have at least one final four placement. Leaders with nine final four placements is Brazil (six gold medals, one silver, one bronze, one fourth place), second with eight is the Netherlands (one gold medal, four silver medals, one bronze medal, two fourth places). Third with six final four finishes is the United States (one gold medal, two silvers, one bronze, two fourth places) and fourth is Italy with four (one gold medal, one bronze, two fourth places). Tied for fifth with three final four placements each are Canada (two silver medals, one bronze), Germany (one gold, one bronze, one fourth place). Tied for seventh with two final four placements each are Austria (one bronze, one fourth place), Poland (one silver, one bronze) and Spain (one gold, one bronze) and tied for 10th with one each are France (one bronze), Italy (one fourth place), Russia (one fourth place), Switzerland (one fourth place), and Turkey (one bronze).
WOMEN’S FINAL FOURS
In 12 women’s events this year, 10 countries have earned at least one final four finish. At the top with 18 total final four placements so far is Brazil (nine gold medals, five silver medals, three bronze medals, one fourth place). Tied for second with seven final fours each are Canada (one gold medal, two silver, three bronze, one fourth place) and Germany (two gold medals, one silver, one bronze, three fourth places),fourth with five final fours is the Netherlands (three silvers, one bronze, one fourth place), fifth with four final fours is the United States (one silver, one bronze, two fourth place finishes) fifth with three is the Netherlands (two silver, one bronze), tied for sixth with two each are China (two fourth places) and Australia (one bronze), Italy (one bronze, one fourth) and tied for ninth with one final four each are Poland (one bronze medal) and Switzerland (one fourth place).
MEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
Based on percentage, statistically, in men’s action after 11 events with 20 matches minimum, leading at 84.5% is Brazil’s Alison/Bruno (49-9) while second at 73.3% is USA’s Gibb/Patterson (33-12), third at 72.9% is Netherlands’ Nummerdor/Varenhorst (35-13). Fourth at 72.4% is Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen (42-16) and fifth at 72.0% is USA’s Nick Lucena/Theodore Brunner (36-14).
Brazil’s Cerutti/Schmidt (49-9) have the most match wins with 49, Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen (42-16) duo second with 42, third with 36 is USA’s Lucena/Brunner (36-14), fourth with 35 is Netherlands’ Nummerdor/Varenhorst (35-13) and fifth with 34 wins is Brazil’s Evandro Goncalves/Pedro Solberg (34-19).
WOMEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
For the women to date, following 12 events on the 2015 FIVB calendar with a minimum of 21 matches, Brazilian tandems have three of the top six winning percentages. Brazil’s Larissa/Talita lead at 91.8% (45-4), Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara are second at 86.4% (51-8), followed by at 73.9% by Brazil’s Taiana Lima/Fernanda Alves (34-12), USA’s Walsh Jennings/A. Ross is fourth at 73.9% (26-10), Canada’s Bansley/Pavan is fifth at 71.0% (44-18) and sixth is Netherlands’ Meppelink/Van Iersel at 69.4% (34-15).
Leading with the most match wins so far with 51 is Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara (51-8), second with 45 is Brazil’s Larissa/Talita while third with 44 is Canada’s Bansley/Pavan (44-18). Tied for fourth with 35 each are Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude (35-23) and Canada’s Jamie Lynn Broder/Kristina Valjas (35-30) tied for sixth with 34 wins each are Brazil’s Lima/Alves (34-12), Netherlands’ Meppelink/Van Iersel (34-15) and Brazil’s Maria Antonelli/Julianna Felisberta (34-16).
ON THE HORIZON
After this week’s FIVB Rio Open and prior to Fort Lauderdale, two double-gender $150,000 FIVB Opens, the FIVB Sochi Open in Russia (Sept. 8-13) and the FIVB Xiamen Open in China (Sept. 22-27) will be held, with placement points counting in the FIVB Olympic Rankings for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
GROWING HISTORY
The FIVB Rio Open will be the 326th men’s tournament since the FIVB began play in 1987 and the 290th 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 World Tour 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 Olympic qualification process begins 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.