FIVB Florida Event Provides Olympic Preview

(ATR) Beach volleyball fans in Fort Lauderdale, Florida bore witness to what could be previews to the gold medal matches at the Rio 2016 Olympics.

The finals of the FIVB Swatch Beach Volleyball World Tour took place on October 4 on a hot, sunny day on the shore of the Atlantic Ocean. The women’s final saw light rain showers move in for a few minutes before once again clearing up for the remainder of the event.

The final matches had the atmosphere and excitement of an Olympic match with stands teeming with loud fans that remained standing throughout. Olympic broadcaster NBC was also on hand to showcase the event on national television.

Ten teams on both the men’s and women’s sides competed at the six-day event for the largest prize purse in the tour’s history of $100,000. Due to the prize money, the results from the event did not count towards the FIVB world rankings and offered no chance for inclusion at Rio 2016.

Despite not serving as an Olympic qualifier, the tournament featured the reigning FIVB beach volleyball world champions from Brazil on both the men’s and women’s sides and many other of the top teams from around the world.

The first match of the final day pitted the women’s world champions from Brazil Bárbara Seixas and Ágatha Bednarczuk against Canadians Heather Bansley and Sarah Pavan in a battle for the bronze medal. The duo from Brazil was able to hold on two sets to one to reach the podium and win $30,000 in prize money.

The Brazilian brothers Pedro and Evandro Solberg also took home the bronze medal on the men’s side, defeating opponents from the Netherlands.

Brazilian teams also competed in the gold medal matches on both sides. The women’s final began first with Larissa Maestrini and Talita Antunes of Brazil taking on the German team of Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst. Maestrini and Antunes won the gold in two straight sets. Maestrini was also a bronze medalist at the London 2012 Games.

Prior to the men’s final, the official match ball parachuted down with two men sporting Red Bull clothing and parachutes, landing on the beach just outside the stadium. The crowd roared as the men entered the stadium, bringing about the most anticipated match of the tour.

The Brazilian team of Alison Cerutti and Bruno Schmidt matched up against the USA team of Phil Dalhauser and Nick Lucera to battle it out for the $100,000 grand prize. Cerutti and Schmidt came in defending the world championship title they earned in July while Dalhauser and Lucera were looking to gain momentum heading into the Games next August.

Every point of the match was met by roars from the crowd, with the American home crowd chanting U-S-A with every letter signaling one of the three hits by the American team. Despite the home crowd advantage, Brazil won the match in two sets to the delight of the Brazilian fans in the stand.

Cerutti and Schmidt have already qualified for the Rio Olympics as world champions. Dalhauser and Lucera need to win the American continental championship in 2016 in order to get back to the Olympics. Dalhauser won gold in Beijing in 2008 but was ousted in the first round of the London tournament and is seeking to get back to the podium in 2016.

These top caliber teams could meet again next August in the Olympic gold medal matchup with Cerutti and Schmidt the early favorites to make it to the final.

Written and reported by Kevin Nutleyin Ft. Lauderdale

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