Lausanne, Switzerland, July 13, 2015 — With an exciting conclusion to the new Swatch FIVB Major Series last week in its home country of Switzerland, the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) rests this week with qualifications for placement into the 2016 Rio Olympic Games resuming next week when the FIVB World Tour moves to Japan for the double-gender $800,000 FIVB Yokohama Grand Slam to be held July 21-26.
Last week saw two teams from Brazil win the gold medals at the Swatch FIVB Gstaad Major, the last of three events in the inaugural Swatch Match Series that is part of the FIVB World Tour.
Next week will mark the first-time that both men and women have competed together in Japan in a FIVB World Tour event. Seven FIVB men’s only events were held in Japan from 1989-1995, including a 1991 on stop in Yokohama. A total of 14 women’s only events were held in Osaka from 1994-2005 and in 2008 and 2009.
GSTAAD MEN
In the men’s competition last week in Gstaad, winning the gold medal was Brazil’s third-seeded newly crowned FIVB World Champions Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt. Brazil’s Alison/Bruno held on in three sets to defeat Latvia’s fifth-seeded Aleksanders Smoilovs/Janis Smedins, 21-16, 13-21 and 15-10 in a colorful 44 minutes. It was Brazil’s 176th all-time FIVB men’s gold medal and the 14th career FIVB gold medal for Alison and fifth for Bruno. Earning the bronze medal was Netherlands’ 2013 FIVB World Champions and seventh-seeded Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen who came from one set down to defeat Italy’s 29th-seeded qualification duo of Adrian Carambula/Alex Ranghieri in three sets, 18-21, 21-16 and 15-10 in a grueling 52 minutes.
GSTAAD WOMEN
In the women’s competition in Gstaad, Brazil taken the top two spots for a record 55th time in FIVB history and for the third straight event and Brazil’s record144th all-time women’s gold medal in FIVB World Tour event. Brazil’s top-seeded Larissa Franca/Talita Antunes went 7-0 in Gstaad and upended Brazil’s fourth-seeded Taiana Lima/Fernanda Alves in straight sets, 21-13, 21-17 in just 32 minutes. It was the seventh consecutive FIVB gold medal this year for Brazilian women, 53rd career FIVB title for Larissa and 25th all-time gold for Talita. Together in a new partnership, Larissa/Talita have now won seven gold medals in just 11 FIVB World Tour events. Canada’s ninth-seeded Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan won the bronze medal via injury forfeit over USA’s Kerri Walsh Jennings/April Ross. Walsh Jennings reinjured her tender right shoulder during USA’s two-set quarterfinal win over Brazil’s new FIVB World Champions Agatha Bednarczuk/Barbara Seixas.
MEN’S WINNERS SHARE
Last week’s Swatch FIVB Gstaad Major men’s champions Alison/Bruno of Brazil earned 800 points on the FIVB World Tour and picked up the gold medal purse of $57,000. Latvia’s Samoilovs/Smedins earned 720 valuable points in the FIVB World Tour Rankings as well as earning $43,000 in prize money. Netherlands’ bronze medalists Brouwer/Meeuwsen earned $32,000 in prize money and 640 points that go toward the Olympic qualification rankings. Italy’s Carambula/Ranghieri received 560 points and $24,000 in prize money for their fourth place finish.
WOMEN’S WINNERS ROLL
Last week’s Swatch FIVB Gstaad 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. Brazil’s runner-up duo Lima/Alves 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 Canada’s bronze medal winners Bansley/Pavan earned $32,000 in prize money and 640 points that go towards the Olympic qualification rankings. USA’s fourth-place finishers Walsh Jennings/A. Ross picked up 560 points and $24,000 in prize money.
MEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
After eight events, Brazil’s Pedro Solberg/Evandro Goncalves continue to lead the tour points with 3,640. Second is Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen with 3,580 points and third is Brazil’s 2015 FIVB World Champions and Gstaad gold medalists Alison/Bruno with 3,320 points. Netherlands’ Reinder Nummerdor/Christian Varenhorst duo is fourth with 3,140 and fifth is Spain’s Adrian Gavira/Pablo Herrera with 2,820 points.
In the 2015 FIVB World Tour men’s season earnings, continuing to lead is Brazil’s Solberg/Goncalves with $180,000 followed by Brazil’s Alison/Bruno with $170,000, Netherlands’ Alexander Brouwer/Robert Meeuwsen with $140,000, Netherlands’ Nummerdor/Varenhorst with $138,000, and fifth is USA’s Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson with $115,000.
WOMEN’S POINTS/EARNINGS
For the women after nine events, Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara continue at the top of the point list with 4,340 points with Canada’s Heather Bansley/Sarah Pavan second with 3,590 points, third remains Brazil’s Antonelli/Juliana with 3,400, fourth is Brazil’s Larissa/Talita with 3,260 points and fifth Australia’s Louise Bawden/Taliqua Clancy with 3,1000 points.
In the 2015 FIVB World Tour women’s season earnings after nine events, Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara duo is tops with $216,000 with Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca second with $193,000, while third is Brazil’s Antonelli/Juliana with $170,000, fourth is Canada’s Bansley/Pavan with $132,375 and fifth is Brazil’s Taiana/Fernanda with $127,000.
MEN’S FINAL FOURS
In eight men’s tournament so far in 2015 on the FIVB World Tour, 13 countries have at least one final four placement. Leading is the Netherlands with seven final four placements (one gold medal, four silver medals, one bronze medal, one fourth place). Second with six final four placements is Brazil (three gold medals, one silver, one bronze, one fourth place). Tied for third with four final four finishes each are Italy (one gold, one bronze, two fourth places) and the United States (one gold, one bronze, two fourth places). Tied for fifth with two final four placements each are Germany (one gold, one bronze) and Poland (one silver, one bronze) and tied for seventh with one each are Austria, (one fourth place), Canada (one silver), France (one bronze), Italy (one fourth place), Switzerland (one fourth place), Spain (one gold), Turkey (one bronze).
WOMEN’S FINAL FOURS
In nine women’s event so far this year, nine countries have earned at least one final four finish. At the top with eight podium finishes in the last three events with 15 total final four placements so far is Brazil (seven gold medals, four silver medals, three bronze medals, one fourth place). Second with six final fours is Canada (one gold medal, two silver, two bronze, one fourth place) while third is Germany with five (one gold, one silver, three fourth places), fourth with three is the Netherlands (two silver, one bronze); tied for fifth with two each are China (two fourth places) and the United States (one bronze, one fourth place) and tied for seventh with one each are Australia (one bronze), Italy (one bronze) and Switzerland (one fourth place).
MEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
Based on percentage, statistically, in men’s action after eight events with 14 matches minimum, leading at 79.5% is Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen (35-9), second at 79.3% is USA’s Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson (23-6), third at 77.8% is Brazil’s Alison/Bruno (28-8) while fourth at 77.1% is Netherlands’ Nummerdor/Varenhorst (27-8) and fifth at 71.1% is USA’s Lucena/Brunner (32-13).
Netherlands’ Brouwer/Meeuwsen duo has the most match wins with 35, second with 32 is USA’s Lucena/Brunner, third with 28 is Brazil’s Alison/Bruno and fourth with 27 is Netherlands’ Nummerdor/Varenhorst.
WOMEN’S WINNING PERCENTAGE
For the women to date, following nine events on the 2015 FIVB calendar with a minimum of 16 matches, Brazilian tandems have all of the top five winning percentages. Brazil’s Talita/Larissa are lead at 90.0% (27-3), Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara are second at 88.4% (38-5), followed by Brazil’s Eduarda Lisboa/Elize Maia with at 82.4% (14-3). Fourth at 78.8% is Brazil’s Lima/Alves (26-7) and fifth is Brazil’s Antonelli/Juliana at 73.0% (27-10).
Leading with the most match wins so far with 38 is Brazil’s Agatha/Barbara (38-5), Tied second with 31 are Canada’s Bansley/Pavan (31-14) and Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude (31-15) while fifth with 28 is and Canada’s Jamie Lynn Broder/Kristina Valjas (28-22).
ON THE HORIZON
Following last week’s memorable $800,000 Swatch FIVB Gstaad Major, the third and final event of the inaugural Swatch FIVB Major Series in Switzerland, the month of July concludes next week (July 21-26) in Japan at the double-gender $800,000 FIVB Yokohama Grand Slam. The 2015 FIVB World Tour will then have a three-week break before resuming in the United States on Aug. 18-23 with the double-gender $800,000 FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam in Southern California.
GROWING HISTORY
The FIVB Yokohama Grand Slam will be the 323rd men’s tournament since the FIVB began play in 1987 and the 287th 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 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 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, seven 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.