TLAXCALA, Mexico, June 20, 2024. – The NORCECA Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualifying Women’s Tournament is set for a thrilling competition, promising a competition full of excitement.
With only one ticket to Paris available for the NORCECA Confederation, the participating countries have come a long way over three years to reach this Olympic qualifier stage and have no intention of falling short now.
The Canadian pair Heather Bansley/Sophie Bukovec are eager to join their compatriots Melissa Humana-Paredes/Brandie Wilkerson, who secured their spot in Paris vie the world rankings.
Puerto Rico
Bansley competed in the 2016 London Olympics, winning all pool-play matches with her former teammate Sarah Pavan.
The United States has already qualified their maximum of two pairs (Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss and Kelly Cheng/Sara Hughes).
Among Bansley and Bukovec’s strong competitors are the Mexican duo of Atenas Gutiérrez/Susana Torres and the Puerto Rican duo Allanis Navas/María González, who are gold medalists from the Central American and Caribbean Games and have multiple medals in the NORCECA Tour.
Canada
The teams are divided into three pools.
Pool A consists of Atenas Gutiérrez/Susana Torres (MEX), Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA), Amber Bennett/Taylor Buchner (ISV), and Balkaran/Tammenga (SUR).
Pool B includes Núñez/Quesada (CRC), Paola Alvarado/María Andrea Orellana (GUA), Bansley/Bukovec (CAN), and Thornia Mitchell/Renisha Stafford (GRN).
Pool C features the teams of Payano/Paniagua (DOM), Daniela Vigil/Karla Tovar (ESA), Navas/González (PUR), and Anija Delapenha/Brianna Delapenha (CAY).
The top two teams from each pool, along with the two best third-placed teams, will advance to the quarterfinals.
The women’s matches will start at 9:00 a.m. at the Jorge “El Ranchero” Aguilar Bullring and the MAT court, continuing until 11:00 a.m., and will resume action at 3:00 p.m. at both venues.
TLAXCALA, Mexico, June 18, 2024. – The NORCECA Olympic Beach Volleyball Qualification Tournament will grant the continental quota for both men’s and women’s teams to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The tournament will start on Friday, June 21, at the Tlaxcala Bullring in Mexico.
The Olympic race for the NORCECA Confederation was developed in three phases, involving the 2022, 2023, and 2024 Continental Tour Finals. From these events, twelve teams per gender have qualified to compete in Tlaxcala.
One team per gender will qualify to the Paris Olympic Games, which run July 26-August 11.
According to the regulations, only two teams per country can participate in the Olympic Games. Thus, four duos from the United States (two men’s and two women’s), Canada in women and Cuba in men, earned an Olympic berth by finishing among the top 17 of their gender’s FIVB Olympic Rankings within the qualification period, which ran January 1, 2023, to June 9, 2024.
These are the 24 teams that will compete from Friday, June 21, to Sunday, June 23, in the NORCECA Olympic Qualification Tournament.
Men: Samuel Schachter/ Daniel Dearing (CAN); Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC); Hayerling Goris/Oscar Martínez (DOM); Yoel Guardado/Christopher Guardado (ESA); Andy Leonardo/Luis García (GUA); Ricardo Galindo/Juan Virgen (MEX); Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA); Arnaldo Torres/William Rivera (PUR); Nage Hendrickson/ St Clair Hodge (SKN); Keven Sporkslede/Joshua Dwarkasing (SUR); Joel Theodore/ Stephen Enile (TTO); Bryce Mayer/ Tyler Penberthy (ISV).
The women’s team that wins Olympic Qualifer will join the pairs of Melissa Humana-Paredes/Brandie Wilkerson from Canada and Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss and Kelly Cheng/Sara Hughes from the United States in Paris.
In the men’s field, the champion team will join Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz from Cuba and the U.S. teams of Andy Benesh/Miles Partain y Chase Budinger/Miles Evans.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 16, 2024.- Molly Shaw and Chloe Loreen of the United States won a thrilling final 2-1 (21-13, 17-21, 18-16) against Marie-Alex Bélanger and Lea Monkhouse (CAN) to claim the gold medal at the fourth stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Managua 2024.
For Shaw and Loreen, this is their second gold medal in the NORCECA Tour, having previously won the continental final in the Dominican Republic a month ago. For Bélanger, this is her second silver medal in Managua.
USA-Chloe Loreen y Molly Shaw
After a relatively comfortable first set in favor of the champions, Bélanger and Monkhouse applied pressure with their blocking and strong defense, which helped them even the match at one set each. The tight contest continued into the third set, but Shaw and Loreen, thanks to their spectacular defense, ultimately secured the final advantage.
Shaw said, “I was telling Chloe that this is the kind of game I play volleyball for. The crowd was really loud, it was pouring rain, and honestly, this was one of my favorite matches ever. The rain adds many different dynamics; the ball is slipperier, and a lot happens. It was stressful and fun at the same time”.
CAN-Lea Monkhouse y Alex-Marie Bélenger
Loreen added, “I feel great. I think Molly and I really came together in this match. Playing in the rain was fun; it brought me back to my roots playing in Washington, and I’m very happy we pulled through. Everything has been fantastic—I love the stadium, the crowd was so much fun, and the rain just came out of nowhere, but it was exciting”.
For the bronze medal, Nicole Reinking and Heather Friesen (USA) won 2-0 (21-14, 21-18) against Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez
Sunday matches
Positiion 13: Núñez/Quesada (CRC) d Penner/Valenciana (ISV) 2-0 ; Position 11: Zuñiga/Aguilar (GUA) d Hands/Hamilton (BER) 2-0 (21-8, 21-10); Position 9: Valeska/Silva (NCA) d Molina/Aguilar (CRC) 2-0 (21-17, 21-14). Position 7-8: Quesada/Ramírez (CRC) d Alvarado/Resau (NCA) 2-0 (21-8, 21-15). Position 5-6: Orellana A/Alvarado (GUA) d Robitaille/Dunn (CAN) 2-0 (23-21, 21-15); Bronze Medal: Reinking/Friesen (USA) d Lopez/Lolette (NCA) 2-0 (21-14, 21-18). Gold Medal: Shaw/Loreen (USA) d Bélanger/Monkhouse (CAN) 2-1 (21-13, 17-21, 18-16).
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 16, 2024.- Timothy Brewster and Kyle Friend (USA) claimed the gold medal defeating Rouzbeh Rahnavard and Tynan Gannett (CAN) 2-0 (21-19, 22-20) in the fourth stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour held in Managua.
Brewster and Friend won their second title at this venue, and for Friend, it marked his farewell from the NORCECA Tour, leaving Brewster with a new partner for the upcoming tour stops. “I ended my journey well; I feel satisfied. This will be my last tour. Tim will continue on the tour, but I’m saying goodbye, and winning the final is a fantastic way to go out”, said Kyle.
USA-Kyle Friend y Timothy Brewster campeones
Brewster added, “We came back here with a lot of confidence after a year (they won in 2022), and we were very excited to return to Managua and secure the title again”.
Meanwhile, Diego Perez and Ryan Ierna (USA) captured the bronze medal by winning 2-1 (26-28, 21-18, 15-10) against Ruben Mora and Danny López (NCA). After a tightly contested first set won by the home team, Perez and Ierna bounced back to win the next two sets.
USA-Kyle Friend
Results Sunday
Pos. 7-8. Rivera/Torres (PUR) de Ratter/Lomeli (ISV) 2-0 (21-18, 22-20) Pos. 5-6 D. Dyner/Araya (CRC) d. Maldonado/García (GUA) 2-0 (21-19, 21-16). Por medalla de bronce, Perez/lerna (USA) d Mora/Lopez (NCA) 2-1 (26-28, 21-18, 15-10). Por Medalla de Oro: Brewster/Friend (USA) d Rahnavard/Gannett (CAN) 2-0 (21-19, 20-22).
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 15, 2024.- Marie-Alex Bélanger/Lea Monkhouse (CAN) and Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen (USA) will compete for the gold medal at the fourth stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour Managua 2024 .
Shaw/Loreen won the gold medal in the final phase of the Tour in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic, a month ago, in a final against another couple from Canada. Bélanger won the silver medal in 2022 in Managua and is now alongside Monkhouse, with whom she placed second in a stop last year.
CAN-Marie-Alex Bélanger
Shaw/Loreen had to battle hard to overcome their teammates Nicole Reinking/Heather Friesen (USA) in three sets (21-14, 22-24, 15-12), while the Canadians beat the locals Socorro López/ in the semifinal Lolette Rodríguez (NCA) with a score of 21-10, 21-16.
In the quarterfinals, Shaw/Loreen won 2-0 (21-4, 21-8) against Quesada/Ramírez CRC; Bélanger/Monkhouse defeated Orellana A/Alvarado GUA 2-0 (21-9, 21-14); Reinking/Friesen beat Robitaille/Dunn CAN 2-0 (21-17, 21-112) and López/Lolette beat Alvarado/Resau, also from Nicaragua, 2-0 (21-15, 21-13).
USA- Chloe Loreen y Shaw Molly
Saturday results
Semifinals: Bélanger/Monkhouse (CAN) d Socorro Lopez/Lolette Rodriguez NCA 2-0 (21-10, 21-16); Shaw/Loreen (USA) d Nicole Reinking/ Heather Friesen (USA) 2-1 (21-14, 22-24, 15-12); For place 15: McCoombs/H. Thompson CAY d Funes/GUZMAN ESA 2-1 (23-25, 21-15, 15-13); By positions 5-8: Orellana A/Alvarado GUA d Quesada/Ramírez CRC 2-1 (21-16, 18-21, 15-11); Robitaille/Dunn CAN d Alvarado/Resau NCA 2-0 (21-19, 21-17); Quarterfinals: Shaw/Loreen USA d Quesada/Ramírez CRC 2-0 (21-4, 21-8); Bélanger/Monkhouse CAN d Orellana A/Alvarado GUA 2-0 (21-9, 21-14); Reinking/Friesen USA d Robitaille/Dunn CAN 2-0 (21-17, 21-12); Lopez/Lolette NCA d Alvarado/Resau NCA 2-0 (21-15, 21-13). Classification 9/12: Valeska/SILVA NCA d Zuñiga/Aguilar GUA 2-0 (21-15, 21-11); Molina/Aguilar CRC d Hands/Hamilton BER 2-0 (21-6, 21-5); Classification 13/16: Núñez/Quesada CRC d Funes/GUZMAN ESA 2-0 (21-12, 21-15); Penner/Valenciana ISV d McCoombs/H. Thompson CAY 2-0 (21-10, 21- 14).
Sunday games
For 13th place: Penner/Valenciana (ISV) vs Núñez/Quesada (CRC) (9:00 a.m.); For 11th place: Hands/Hamilton (BER) vs Zuñiga/Aguilar (GUA) (9:00 a.m.); For 9th place: Molina/Aguilar (CRC) vs Valeska/SILVA (NCA) (9:00 a.m.); By place 7-8: Alvarado/Resau (NCA) vs Quesada/Ramírez (CRC) 9:45 a.m.; By place 5-6: Robitaille/Dunn (CAN) vs Orellana A/Alvarado (GUA) 10:30 a.m.; For bronze medal: Lopez/Lolette (NCA) vs Reinking/Friesen (USA) 12:45 p.m.; for gold medal: Bélanger/Monkhouse (CAN) vs Shaw/Loreen (USA) 1:30 p.m.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 15, 2024.- Rouzbeh Rahnavard/ Tynan Gannett (CAN) and Timothy Brewster/Kyle Friend (USA) will play this Sunday in the men’s final of the fourth stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour that takes place in Managua .
Brewster and Friend won the title in the 2022 edition at this venue and want to repeat, but they will have strong opponents in the Canadians. To reach the final, Brewster/Friend had to play a grueling three-set semifinal, which lasted one hour and 13 minutes, against Diego Perez/Ryan Lerna (USA) with scores 29-27, 19-21, 25-23.
USA-Ryan Lerna
In the other semifinal, Rouzbeh Rahnavard/Tynan Gannett (CAN) beat Rubén Mora/Danny López (NCA) 2-0 (21-18, 22-20). The bronze medal will be disputed between Perez/Lerna (USA) and Mora/López (NCA).
In the quarterfinals, Brewster/Friend (USA) defeated Edgar Maldonado/Luis García (GUA) 2-0 (24-22, 21-15); while Diego Perez/Ryan Lerna (USA) won 2-0 (21-15, 21-16) against Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli (ISV); Rahnavard/Gannett (CAN) won 2-1 (14-21, 21-21,15-11) against William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres (PUR) and Mora/López (NCA) won 2-1 (19-21, 21- 13, 15-12) to Daniel Dyner/Julián Araya (CRC).
USA- Kyle Friend
Sunday games
Positions 7-8. Rivera/Torres (PUR) vs Ratter/Lomeli (ISV) 09:45 a.m. Pos. 5-6 D. Dyner/Araya (CRC) vs Maldonado/Garcia (GUA) 10:30 a.m. For bronze medal, Mora/Lopez (NCA) vs Perez/lerna (USA) 11:15 a.m. For Gold Medal, Rahnavard/Gannett (CAN) vs Brewster/Friend (USA) 12:00 MD
Saturday results
Semifinal: Brewster/Friend USA d Perez/Lerna USA 2-1 (29-17, 19-21, 25-23); Rahnavard/Gannett CAN d. Mora/Lopez NCA 2-0 (21-18, 22-20); Positions 5-8 Maldonado/Garcia GUA d Ratter/Lomeli ISV 2-1 (16-21, 21-12, 18-16); D. Dyner/Araya CRC d Rivera/Torres PUR 2-0 (21-17, 21-17). Quarterfinals Brewster/Friend USA d Maldonado/Garcia GUA 2-0 (24-22, 21-15); Perez/Ierna USA d Ratter/Lomeli ISV 2-0 (21-15, 21-16); Rahnavard/Gannett CAN d Rivera/Torres PUR 2-1 (14-21, 21-18, 15-11); Mora/Lopez NCA d D. Dyner/Araya CRC 2-1 (19 21, 21-13, 15-12). Classification 9/12. Lopez/Meneses NCA d Pepe/Vargas ESA 2-0 (21-18, 21-12); Zendai/Clerique SKN d Darnell/Rio LCA 2-1 (19-21, 21-19, 15-13). Qualifying 13/16: Jesario/Watson CAY d Cooke/Somerville BER 2-0 (21-15, 21-6).
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 14, 2024. – The women’s quarterfinals of the fourth stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in Managua 2024 will be determined this Saturday.
In pool A, Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA) secured three victories; they overcame Katherine Quesada/Eugenia Ramírez (CRC) 2-0 (21-15, 21-10), then defeated Megan Hands/Kayley Hamilton (BER) 2-0 (21-4, 21-14), and won by forfeit against Maryn McCoombs/Heater Thompson (CAY), who couldn’t compete due to a delayed flight. Quesada/Ramírez advanced in second place by defeating Hands/Hamilton 2-0 (21-10, 21-3).
USA-Chloe Loreen.
Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen (USA) secured their spot in the quarterfinals by winning all three of their matches; first 2-0 (21-15, 21-6) against Yulimar Alvarado/Ella Resau (NCA), then 2-0 (21-7, 21-7) against Martiza Zuniga/Danna Aguilar (GUA), and finally 2-0 (21-6, 21-10) against Dana Funes/Keiry Guzman (ESA).
On Saturday, Zúñiga/Aguilar (GUA) will face Alvarado/Resau (NCA) to determine the second team advancing to the quarterfinals, as both have one win each against El Salvador.
CRC María Araya
Marie-Alex Bélanger/Lea Monkhouse (CAN) appear unbeatable in pool C, having defeated Nicole Reinking/Heather Friesen (USA) 2-0 (21-11, 21-13) and Valeska Hernández/Nahima Silva (NCA) 2-0 (21-7, 21-7). Reinking/Friesen will face Hernández/Silva to determine the second team advancing, while Bélanger/Monkhouse will close against Nuñez/Quesada.
In pool D, Myriam Robitaille/Darby Dunn (CAN) won 2-0 (21-14, 21-11) against Sarah Penner/Melanie Valenciana (ISV) and 2-0 (21-10, 21-18) against Maria Orellana/Paola Alvarado (GUA), who overcame Kiany Araya Quesada/Aliza Aguilar (CRC) 2-1 (17-21, 21-11, 15-7).
ESA Michelle Guzman
Saturday’s matches will determine the qualified teams: Robitaille/Dunn versus Araya/Aguilar and Orellana/Alvarado against Penner/Valenciano.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 14, 2024. – Two USA teams, and one each from Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Virgin Islands, and Guatemala, have advanced to the quarterfinals of the fourth stop of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, being played at the Paseo Xolotlán court in Managua.
In quarterfinals, Timothy Brewster and Kyle Friend (USA) will face Edgar Maldonado and Luis García (GUA); Diego Perez and Ryan Lerna (USA) goes against Kendall Ratter and Marc Lomeli (ISV); William Rivera and Arnaldo Torres (PUR) meet Rouzbeh Rahnavard and Tynan Gannett (CAN) and Rubén Mora and Danny López (NCA) face Daniel Dyner and Julián Araya (CRC)**
David Vargas ESA
The local team, Mora/López, topped pool A with two straight-set victoriesm2-0 (21-8, 21-12) over Zendai Richard/Clerique Ward (SKN) and 2-0 (21-13, 21-17) over Edgar Maldonado/Luis García (GUA). Before facing Mora/López, Maldonado/García won a close contest 2-1 (19-21, 21-18, 16-14) against Richard/Ward.
Timothy Brewster and Kyle Friend (USA) dominated pool B, winning 2-0 (21-14, 21-12) against Denis Lopez/Alexander Meneses (NCA), 2-0 (21-14, 21-14) over Daniel Dyner/Julián Araya (CRC), and a forfeit win against the Cayman Islands team (Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson). Dyner/Araya (CRC) secured the second spot in the group by defeating Lopez/Meneses (NCA) 2-1 (22-20, 18-21, 16-14).
PUR Yereth Torres
Diego Perez and Ryan Lerna (USA) won all three of their matches in pool C to advance. They first defeated Rouzbeh Rahnavard and Tynan Gannett (CAN) 2-0 (21-17, 21-11), then David Vargas and Gabriel Vargas from El Salvador 2-0 (21-11, 21-18), and finally Braedon Cooke and Connor Somerville (BER) 2-0 (21-6, 21-8). Rahnavard/Gannett (CAN) finished second in the group by winning 2-0 (21-15, 21-16) against Pepe/Vargas (ESA) and 2-0 (21-15, 21-6) against Cooke/Somerville (BER).
William Rivera and Arnaldo Torres (PUR) advanced from pool D with a forfeit win over Honduras and a 2-0 (21-13, 21-11) victory against Darnel Eudoxie and Rio Jaden Victor (LCA), who also lost 0-2 (18-21, 13-21) to Kendall Ratter and Marc Lomeli (ISV).
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 13, 2024. – The 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour returns to the courts at Paseo Xolotlán in Managua for its fourth stop of the year. The event kicks off this Friday at 8:00 a.m. with over 30 matches scheduled.
A total of 30 teams are set to compete in the tournament, which will be played across three courts over three days, culminating in the final on Sunday.
Men’s Competition
In the men’s division, 14 teams are registered, divided into four groups:
Group A Edgar Maldonado/Luis García (GUA), Zendai Richard/Clerique Ward (SKN), and Rubén Mora/Danny López (NCA).
Group B Daniel Dyner/Julian Araya (CRC), Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson (CAY), Timothy Brewster/Kyle Friend (USA), and Denis Lopez/Alexander Meneses (NCA).
Group C David Vargas/Gabriel Vargas (SLV), Braedon Cooke/Connor Somerville (BER), Rouzbeh Rahnavard/Tynan Gannett (CAN), and Diego Perez/Ryan Lerna (USA).
-Group D Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli (ISV), William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres (PUR), and Darnel Eudoxie/Rio Jaden Victor (LCA).
USA
Women’s Competition:
In the women’s division, 16 teams will vie for the top spot on the podium. The groups are as follows:
Group A Maryn McCoombs/Heater Thompson (CAY), Megan Hands/Kayley Hamilton (BER), Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA), and Katherine Quesada/Eugenia Ramírez (CRC).
Group B Dana Funes/Keiry Guzman (ESA), Martiza Zuniga/Danna Aguilar (GUA), Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen (USA), and Yulimar Alvarado/Ella Resau (NCA).
Group C Ximena Núñez/Kianny Quesada (CRC), Nicole Reinking/Heather Friesen (USA), Marie-Alex Bélanger/Lea Monkhouse (CAN), and Valeska Hernández/Nahima Silva (NCA).
Group D Sarah Penner/Melanie Valenciana (ISV), Myriam Robitaille/Darby Dunn (CAN), Maria Orellana/Paola Alvarado (GUA), and Kianny Araya/Aliza Aguilar (CRC).
Puerto Rico
Men’s Morning Schedule
Maldonado/Garcia (GUA) vs Zendai/Clerique (SKN) Cancha 2 08:00 a.m.
Mora/Lopez (NCA) Bye
D. Dyner/Araya (CRC) vs Jesario/Watson (CAY) 3 08:00
Brewster/Friend (USA) vs Lopez/MENESES (NCA) 2 08:45
Pepe/Vargas (ESA) vs Cooke/Somerville (BER) 3 08:45
Rahnavard/Gannett (CAN) vs Perez/lerna (USA) 2 09:30
Rivera/Torres (PUR) vs Darnell/Rio (LCA) 2 10:15
Mora/Lopez (NCA) vs Zendai/Clerique (SKN) 3 10:15
Maldonado/Garcia (GUA) Bye
Brewster/Friend (USA) vs Jesario/Watson (CAY) 2 11:00
D. Dyner/Araya (CRC) vs Lopez/MENESES (NCA) 3 11:00
Rahnavard/Gannett (CAN) vs Cooke/Somerville (BER) 2 11:45
Pepe/Vargas (ESA) vs Perez/lerna (USA) 3 11:45
Ratter/Lomeli (ISV) vs Darnell/Rio (LCA) 3 12:30
Men’s Morning Schedule on central court
McCoombs/H. Thompson (CAY) vs Hands/Hamilton (BER) 08:00
Lopez/Lolette (NCA) vs Quesada/Ramírez (CRC) 08:45
Funes/GUZMAN (ESA) Zuñiga/Aguilar (GUA) 09:30
Shaw/Loreen (USA) vs Alvarado/RESAU (NCA) 10:15
Núñez/Quesada (CRC) vs Reinking/Friesen (USA) 11:00
Bélanger/Monkhouse (CAN) vs Valeska/SILVA (NCA) 11:45
Penner/Valenciana (ISV) vs Robitaille/Dunn (CAN) 12:30
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado, June 10, 2024. – USA Volleyball is proud to announce the athletes and staff who will comprise the U.S. Beach Volleyball Team for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
The athlete roster includes two women’s teams and two men’s teams who qualified for the Paris Olympic Games, which run July 26-August 11.
On the women’s side, the teams of Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss and Kelly Cheng/Sara Hughes will be going to Paris. For the men, the teams of Andy Benesh/Miles Partain and Chase Budinger/Miles Evans have qualified.
Cheng is the only athlete on the team with previous Olympic experience. She competed at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games where she tied for ninth with Sarah Sponcil.
All four duos earned an Olympic berth by finishing among the top 17 of their gender’s FIVB Olympic Rankings within the qualification period, which ran January 1, 2023, to June 9, 2024.
Kloth/Nuss finished second overall in the women’s rankings while Cheng/Hughes were third.
Benesh/Partain tied for fourth in the men’s rankings and Budinger/Evans tied for 13th.
Kloth/Nuss are the defending Pro Beach Tour champions and finished third at the 2023 FIVB World Championships. Cheng/Hughes are the defending world champions and took the gold medal at the final qualifying event on June 5-9 in Ostrava, Czech Republic.
Benesh/Partain took bronze in Ostrava.
Beach volleyball in Paris will take place July 27-August 10 at Eiffel Tower Stadium. Women’s medal matches will be August 9 and men’s will be August 10.
USA Volleyball has won at least one beach volleyball medal in every Olympics since the sport became official in 1996.
MANAGUA, Nicaragua, June 10, 2024.- The fifth stop of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, set to take place at Paseo Xolotlán in Managua, Nicaragua, from June 14 to 16, will feature 30 teams.
The sand courts at Paseo Xolotlán were constructed in 2017 for the Central American Games and will host the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour for the third time, following the 2019 and 2022 editions.
Fifteen pairs per gender are pre-registered for the competition, with final confirmations and group distributions to be announced the day before the event.
Nicaragua has two male duos, Rubén Mora and Dany López, the tournament’s top seeds and the most successful duo in Nicaraguan beach volleyball history, and Denis López with Alexander Meneses. In 2022, Rubén teamed up with Denis López to secure a bronze medal here in Managua.
Returning to defend their title from 2022 are Timothy Brewster and Kyle Friend from the United States, who also won silver at the first stop in Playa de Güibia this year.
Paseo Xolotlan
Luis García of Guatemala, who earned silver in Managua in both 2019 and 2022, will compete this time alongside Edgar Maldonado.
Puerto Rican duo William Rivera and Arnaldo Torres, who have been strong contenders this season, secured bronze at the third stop in Juan Dolio.
The remaining men’s teams are Braedon Cooke/ Connor Somerville (BER), Rouzbeh Rahnavard/ Tynan Gannett (CAN), Jesario Ebanks/ Stephen Watson (CAY), Stephen Watson/ Julián Araya Alas (CRC), David Vargas/ Gabriel Baltazar (ESA), Irvin Armando/ Manuel Alejandro Serrano Avalo (HON), Zendai Richards/ Clerique Ward (SKN), Darnel Eudoxie/ Rio Jaden Victor (LCA), Joshua Dwarkasing/ David Pinas (SUR), Kendall Ratter/ Marc Lomeli (ISV).
In women, Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez aim to repeat their historic achievement of winning their first NORCECA Tour medal by finishing second in 2019. Nicaragua is also represented by Valeska Hernández/Nahima Silva and Ylimar Alvarado/Ella Resau.
Marie-Alex Bélanger of Canada, who won silver in Managua in 2022, returns with her partner Lea Monkhouse. As a team they secured their first medal together at the seventh stop of the 2023 Tour in El Salvador. Myriam Robitaille and Darby Dunn form the second Canadian team.
Completing the women’s pairs are Megan Hands/ Kayley Hamilton (BER), Maryn McCoombs/ Heather Thompson (CAY), Aliza Aguilar Delgado/ Laura Valentina Molina Alvarado (CRC1), Ximena Núñez/ Kianny Quesada (CRC2), Dana Funes/Keiry Guzmán (ESA), Maritza Zúñiga/Danna Aguilar (GUA1), Natalia Giron/Paola Alvarado (GUA2), Nicole Reinking/ Heather Friesen (USA1), Molly Shaw/ Chloe Loreen (USA2), Sarah Penner/ Jade Vitt (ISV).
June 9, 2024.- Reigning world champions Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes of the United States won the Ostrava Elite 16 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour title on Sunday in Czechia.
The women’s tournament in Ostrava saw the return of world champions Cheng and Hughes to the top of the podium for the first time since their victory at last year’s FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship, last October. To do that, the Americans downed Canadians Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson 2-1 (21-13, 21-23, 15-12) in the gold medal match.
It was the sixth international and ninth overall victory of the two since they joined forces for the second time in their careers, at the end of 2022. It was also the second title of the 28-year-old Cheng in Ostrava, where she had won in 2021 with former partner Sarah Sponcil.
“Kelly and I just wanted to play together,” Hughes explained. “We just focused on our side of the net because they’re an incredible team. We knew we just had to do what it took to put the ball away and we did that. The fans here in Ostrava are among the best we ever played for, so I’d just like to thank them too.”
Men Podium
In the men’s field, Americans Andy Benesh and Miles Partain secured their best result of the season so far in Ostrava, beating Olympic champions Anders Mol and Christian Sørum of Norway, who were returning to international competition after three months of absence, 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) in the bronze medal match.
The next two weeks in international beach volleyball will be dedicated to the Continental Olympic Qualifiers, with each of the five continental Confederations holding their events.
The Beach Pro Tour will have its next Elite16 event in Gstaad, Switzerland, from July 3-7.
STARE JABLONKI, Poland June 2, 2024.- Cubans Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz won the silver medal on Sunday, at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Stare Jablonki Challenge in Poland, which put them in Olympic Qualification Zone.
World champions Czech Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner beat Cuban sensations Jorge Alayo and Noslen Diaz 2-1 (21-17, 17-21, 15-11) to secure the title.
Alayo and Diaz also went to three sets but won 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 15-10) to Caprogosso siblings of Argentina.
The results of the Stare Jablonki Challenge caused significant changes in the FIVB Olympic Rankings with just one tournament left in the qualification period, involving teams that were just outside the qualification zone and also ones who are battling other duos from their own countries for a spot in the Paris Games.
Selfie
Men’s silver medalists Alayo and Diaz started the event outside the qualification zone but are now well inside it with the 760 points they collected, getting to 7,800. With that, Chilean cousins Marco and Esteban Grimalt, who have 7,260, were pushed down the list and are now looking from the outside.
The same movement happened among the women, in which Canadians Sarah Pavan and Molly McBain, who fell in semifinals to 0-2 (11-21, 18-21) to Latvia’s Tina/Anastasija, were the last team inside the zone, also added points, but got only to 6,660 and are now outside.
The Olympic qualification period comes to an end next week, after the conclusion of the Ostrava Elite16, which will go from Wednesday to Sunday in Czechia.
BLACKROCK, Tobago, May 26, 2024.- Cayman Islands’ Joanna Robinson and Luna Ebanks emerged as champions of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA)/Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) FIVB World Championship Under-19 Beach Volleyball Qualifiers to qualify to the Worlds’ main draw with unbeaten 4-0 record at the end of their five-team round-robin series.
With only the winner of the round-robin series securing a direct ticket to the FIVB World Championship main draw and the second and third placed teams to the qualification draw.
Robinson/Ebanks and Trinidad and Tobago’s L’fe Roberts and Meeka Johnson began the final day of the qualifiers both with 2-0 win-loss records and the main contenders to the automatic main draw spot for the Worlds’ event in China from August 27 to September 1.
Roberts and Johnson then improved to 3-0 when they beat Jewel Austin and Marilyn Gill of Barbados 2-0 (21-12, 21-19) while Robinson and Ebanks did likewise courtesy their defeat of Celine Hankey and Makayla Mason of Grenada 2-0 (21-5, 21-8).
And in the penultimate match of the girl’s competition, Robinson and Ebanks overcame Roberts and Johnson in the winner-take-all clash 2-1 (21-9, 11-21, 15-9) to punch their tickets to the automatic main draw while T&T ended second with a 3-1 record to earn one of the two spots to the qualification draw in China.
Joining Cayman Islands and T&T on the trip to China will be Naya Whitfield and Davy-Ann Eduards of Aruba after they outplayed Hankey and Mason (GRN) 2-0 (21-11, 21-15) to finish with the same record as Barbados, but with a better points-won to points-loss ratio of 0.9178 to 0.8224 while Grenada ended winless from their four matches.
On Saturday, Robinson and Ebanks defeated Aruba 2-0 (21-9, 21-10) and Barbados 2-0 (21-9, 21-7) while the T&T duo, veterans of the Commonwealth Youths Games at the same venue last year beat Aruba 2-0 (21-16, 21-15) and Grenada 2-0 (21-10, 21-2).
BLACKROCK, TOBAGO, MAY 26, 2024.- Rio Jaden Victor and Peter Emmanuel of St Lucia earned the lone automatic spot to the upcoming FIVB World Championship Under-19 Beach Volleyball Tournament.
This after the duo beat host Trinidad and Tobago’s Jerome Morrison, and Darion Sparks 2-0 in the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA)/Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) FIVB World Championship Boys’ Under-19 Beach Volleyball Qualifiers final at the Courland Beach Sports Facility 21-19, 21-12 in 43 minutes to stun the host duo.
Earlier in the semifinals, Victor and Emmanuel swept past Jedediah Pencheon, and Julian Bristol of St Kitts/Nevis 2-0 (21-15, 21-7) and Morrison/Sparks battled past Dylan Lynee and William Duty of Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-18, 21-15).
When the two-day tournament resumed on Sunday morning following Saturday’s round-robin group stage and round-of-12 playoff matches, Victor and Emmanuel defeated Grenada’s Javon Charles and Kibose Hamilton 2-0 (21-9, 21-10) in their quarterfinal while Pencheon and Bristol rallied past Jamaal Key Jr and Raphael Kemp of Bahamas 2-1 (21-10, 20-22, 15-5); Lynee and Duty topped Kalen Applewhaite and Cael Greenidge of Barbados 2-0 (23-21, 21-14), and Ange Gaspard Volckaert and Lucas Berard of Martinique humbled Morrison and Sparks (2-1) 6-21, 21-17, 15-10.
However, due to Martinique being an affiliate on France they are not allowed to qualify for FIVB World Championship as a regional member country, which meant that T&T was then pitted against the next highest ranked team among the losing quarterfinalists, Bahamas for a second shot at making the semifinals, which T&T won 2-0 (21-6, 21-18).
Despite losing the final and the direct ticket to the FIVB World Championship main draw in China, T&T along with third placed finishers Pencheon and Bristol (who outlasted Lynee and Duty in their playoff 2-1 (17-21, 21-15,15-11) will still have a chance to qualify to the main draw after securing the two spots available to the qualification draw which also takes place in China from August 27 to September 1.
On Saturday, St Lucia, T&T, Cayman Islands, and St Kitts/Nevis all topped their respective round-robin pools to advance to the quarterfinals of the with perfect records.
Playing under overcast conditions which was to the players liking Morrison, who participated at the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games at the same venue, and Sparks overcame British Virgins Islands’ Jason Dunkley Maduro and Alexander 2-0 (21-6, 21-7), and Grenada 2-0 (21-5, 21-15) to finish with a 2-0 record in Group A while Grenada defeated British Virgin Islands 21-16, 21-1 for the runner-up spot to qualify to the last-eight
In Group B, St Lucia (LCA) also ended with a 2-0 record in group play courtesy of victories against Martinique 2-0 (215, 21-14), and Antigua and Barbuda’s 2-0 (21-6, 21-5)
Volckaert and Berard took the second spot in the pool after beating Antigua and Barbuda 2-0 (21-12, 21-6).
Group C comprised only two teams with St Kitts/Nevis beating Barbados 2-0 (22-20, 21-15) to advance to the quarterfinals while Cayman Islands won Group D after beating Bahamas 2-0 (21-16, 211-6).
And in the round-of-12 Bahamas got the better of British Virgin Islands 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 15-12) and Barbados won 2-1 (13-21, 21-14, 17-15) against Antigua and Barbuda.
ESPINHO, Portugal, May 26, 2024.- Medal contenders for the upcoming Paris Olympics, USA’s Taryn Kloth/Kristen Nuss secured an important victory just two months before the start of the event, taking gold at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Espinho Elite16 on Sunday.
The tournament held at the Praia da Baía was the fourth of seven Elite16 events set to happen before the start of the Games and had one of the strongest fields of the season, with almost all the top teams of international beach volleyball making the trip to Portugal.
USA Gold Medal
Kloth, 27, and Nuss, 26, got to celebrate their sixth gold on the Beach Pro Tour and their first in 2024 after taking silver earlier this month in Brasília with a dramatic 2-1 (17-21, 28-26, 15-10) victory over Swiss Nina Brunner and Tanja Hüberli in a match in which they had to avoid six match points from their opponents in the second set before triumphing in the tie-breaker.
“This is absolutely unreal,” Nuss told Volleyball World. “It was such a battle. I think we go to three every single time against that Swiss team, they’re phenomenal athletes. It was pretty fun to just battle in this wind. The stadium was packed for the finals and for us, athletes, it means a lot to play in this atmosphere.”
From Espinho, the Beach Pro Tour heads to the Polish city of Stare Jablonki, which will host the second-to-last event in the Olympic qualification period, from May 30-June 2. The Challenge event will mark the return of international beach volleyball to the city for the first time since 2014.
The last event of the Olympic qualification period will be held in Ostrava, Czechia, from June 5-9, and will be an Elite16 tournament.
BLACKROCK, Tobago, May 25, 2024.- The duo of host Trinidad and Tobago and Cayman Islands both ended the opening day of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA)/Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) FIVB World Championship Under-19 Beach Volleyball Qualifiers with unbeaten 2-0 records in the five-team round-robin series.
With only the winner of the round-robin series securing a direct ticket to the FIVB World Championship main draw and the second and third placed teams to the qualification draw all participating teams knew the important of a positive start in the two-day qualifying event with the aim of qualify to the grand tournament in China from August 27 to September 1.
And at the end of the first day of competition which was briefly interrupted by rain due to the passing of a Tropical Wave, host Trinidad and Tobago duo L’fe Roberts and Meeka Johnson, veterans of the Commonwealth Youths Games at the same venue last year also made an impressive start beating Arubans Nayah Whitfield and Davy-Ann Eduards 2-0 (21-16, 21-15), followed by a similar 2-0 (21-10, 21-2) triumph against Grenada’s Celine Hankey and Makayla Mason.
Not to be overshadowed, Joanna Robinson and Luna Ebanks of Cayman Islands defeated Aruba 2-0 (21-9, 21-10) and Barbadians Jewel Austin and Marilyn Gill 2-0 (21-9, 21-7) to improve to a 2-0 mark as well from their first two matches.
Both Barbados and Aruba ended the day with 1-2 records after the latter won their duel 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) while Grenada is without a win.
On Sunday, Barbados has one match left to play against Trinidad and Tobago, while the latter also faces Cayman Islands who will meet Grenada in their other encounter as well. Grenada and Aruba also face off in the other match on the day, but with no chance of any team advancing.
Trinidad and Tobago
CAZOVA/ECVA FIVB World Championship Under-19 Beach Volleyball Qualifiers results:
BLACK ROCK, Tobago, May 23, 2024.- Following on the successful hosting of the volleyball competition at the Courland Beach Sports Facility in Black Rock, Tobago for the Commonwealth Youth Games in Tobago last year, the venue will once again take the spotlight where a Development Camp and the U19 World Championships Qualification event will be held.
Additionally, the Trinbago Beach Volleyball Tour (TBVT) hosted by the T&T Volleyball Federation (TTVF) serves off on at the same venue. The event will be held from the 23-26 May 2024.
The first two days of the four-day event will be dedicated to a development training camp for the young athletes and their coaches supported by Panam Sports. This will be followed by the FIVB Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA) Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Under-19 World Championship Zonal Qualifiers featuring teams from Aruba, Antigua & Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Grenada, Martinique, St Kitts/Nevis, St Lucia, Suriname and host Trinidad & Tobago.
The Trinbago Senior Open Championship, will be contested alongside the U19 Championships.
The development training Camp will be conducted by Brazilian FIVB Instructor Augusto Sabbatini, and all National Coaches accompanying the teams will participate with their respective teams.
The winning team in each gender of the World Championship Qualifying U-19 Tournament, will secure their tickets to the main draw of the FIVB World Championship in China from August 27 to September 1 while the runners-up will qualify for the qualification draw of the FIVB World Championship in China August 27 to September 1.
Mushtaque Mohammed, President of the Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association (CAZOVA), said it is a grand opportunity for all the participating countries in the Caribbean to win the grand prize of qualifying to the FIVB Under-19 Beach Volleyball World Championship later this year.
Mohammed added, “So, an Under-19 boys and girls team on Sunday (May 26) will win that opportunity to go to the World Championships and it is a first for the Caribbean and we are happy to facilitate these opportunities.”
A former T&T Volleyball Federation boss Mohammed was also full of praise for the merger between the two associations in the Caribbean coming together for the qualifiers, the ECVA and CAZOVA.
He said, “The merger of the two zones of the ECVA and CAZOVA provides another great opportunity because it’s one Caribbean. Playing together is a unique opportunity for all the countries and players to develop because the more the players compete together and against each other is the more likely they are to develop as players and teams.
Looking at the participating teams and players, Mohammed stated, “We have athletes here competing over the two days who are 14 years-old and this is an Under-19 FIVB World Qualification Tournament, so it means that in eight years time for the Brisbane Olympics in Australia that individual will be 22 years of age which is considered the peaking years to play your sport at the Olympics.
“And the ones who are already 18-years and competing in Tobago, the next two cycles they will be 26 which is even better for them at the Olympics, so the Under-19 category here is really outstanding.
In terms of the technical aspects of the game, Mohammed said, “We also have many coaches here who will be sharing their ideas together with the four international coaches that we have here, so they will all learn and benefit from each other in the preparation of athletes for higher level competitions.
“Overall, this is great start and a wonderful investment and hopefully, we can see at the end of this in eight to 12 years that some of the athletes who started here qualify for the Olympics, and that will be the crowning moment for us.”
Speaking on the eve of the competition, T&TVF President, Daymian Stewart said, “I’m very happy and pleased to see the progress that we are making and the Trinbago Tour in terms of the milestones and markers that we had set ourselves in our strategic plan for 2032.
“This is our second season of the Trinbago Tour and we would have learnt a lot from our first season in 2023 and now for the start of the second season with the combined ECVA and CAZOVA teams competing in the FIVB Under-19 World Beach Volleyball Championship Qualifiers we are delighted.”
Looking ahead for the two-day FIVB Under-19 Qualifiers, Stewart noted that 10 countries have confirmed participation for the chance to qualify one team in the men and women categories to the FIVB World Championship.
“So, it’s really a big tournament and at the same time we are very thankful for the sponsors and of the Tobago House of Assembly and the other sponsors and we also want to implore that corporate T&T also get on board.”
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 14, 2024 .- The duo of Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen from the United States defeated Canadians Sara Pavan/Molly McBain 2-0 (21-14, 21-14), clinching the gold medal in the 2024 NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour Finals played at Juan Dolio Beach in the Dominican Republic.
Molly and Chloe advanced to the title match after defeating Mexicans Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez 2-0 (21-14, 21-19) in semifinals, while Pavan and McBain overcame Julibeht Payano and Crismil Paniagua from the Dominican Republic 2-0 (21-10, 21-12).
Canada 2nd place
Pavan and McBain also won silver in the 2023 Finals, against another U.S. duo (Megan Kraft/Teresse Cannon).
Mexicans Susana Torres and Atenas Gutiérrez secured the bronze medal over Dominicans Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua 2-0 (21-18, 21-16).
Mexico 3th place
Fifth place went to Amanda Armenteros/Maikelyn Drik from Cuba, who prevailed over Allanis Navas/María González from Puerto Rico due to an injury. Seventh place belonged to Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez from Nicaragua, who defeated Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado from Guatemala 2-0 (21-15, 21-17).
Ninth place went to Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner from the U.S. Virgin Islands after defeating Costa Ricans Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina 2-0 (21-19, 21-18).
Daniel Vigil/Karla Tovar from El Salvador claimed the 11th position by defeating Thornia Mitchell/Renisha Stafford from Grenada 2-0 (21-11, 21-10), while Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs from the Cayman Islands finished in thirteenth place, winning their match against Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee from Suriname 2-0 (21-10, 21-5).
The 15th position was won by Saint Vincent with Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell defeating Nyota Peters/Dana Regis (ANT) 2-0 (23-21, 21-10).
Other results of the day were:
Armenteros/Drik (CUB) d López/Rodríguez (NCA) 2-1 (13-21, 22-20, 17-15); Navas/González (PUR) d Aguilar/Alvarado (GUA) 2-0 (21-10, 21-6); Pavan/McBain (CAN) d Payano/Paniagua (DOM) 2-0 (21-10, 21-12); Shaw/Loreen (USA) d Gutierrez/Torres (MEX) 2-0 (21-14, 21-19).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 14, 2024. – The United States’ duo of Miles Evans and Chase Budinger defeated Canadians Samuel Schachter and Daniel Dearing 2-0 (21-18, 21-19), to claim the top honors in the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour Final at the sand courts of Juan Dolio beach.
In the semifinals, Evans/Budinger overcame Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz from Cuba 2-0 (21-9, 21-17); while Schachter/Dearing bounced back from losing the first set against Miguel Sarabia and Gabriel Cruz from Mexico 2-1 (18-21, 21-18, 15-7).
Canada 2nd place
This was the third occasion that Canadians Sam and Dan competed in a Continental NORCECA Tour Final; they won the first Continental Final in 2022 against Cubans Alayo/Díaz, and last year, they took home the silver medal against the same Cuban duo.
Cubans Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz didn’t leave empty-handed and secured the bronze medal after defeating Mexicans Miguel Sarabia and Gabriel Cruz 2-0 (21-13, 21-14).
Cuba 3th place
Fifth place went to William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres from Puerto Rico, who defeated Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer from the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-19, 21-19), while seventh place went to Nicaraguans Rubén Mora/Dany López, who prevailed over Christopher and Yoel Guardado from El Salvador 2-0 (21-14, 21-13).
In ninth place were Dominicans Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez after defeating Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela from Costa Rica 2-0 (21-17, 23-21). Joshua Dwarkasing/Ethan Asimia from Suriname took eleventh place, winning against José Izaguirre/Luis García from Guatemala 2-1 (15-21, 21-12, 15-9).
Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) finished thirteenth, overcoming Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson (SKN) 2-0 (21-17, 21-12), while Eddy Toro/Joshua Winklaar (ARU) reached fifteenth place winning against Declan Van Dam/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 15-9).
Other results of the day were:
Rivera/Torres (PUR) d Christopher Guardado/Yoel Guardado (ESA) 2-0 (21-16, 21-15) and Penberthy/Mayer (ISV) d Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA) 2-0 (21-7,21-10); Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing (CAN) d Sarabia/Cruz (MEX) 2-1 (18-21, 21-18, 15-7) and Miles Evans/Chase Budinger (USA) d Alayo/Díaz (CUB) 2-0 (21-9, 21-17).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 13, 2024 – The women’s teams from the United States, Mexico, Canada, and the Dominican Republic reached the semifinals of the tournament that will determine the winner of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour Continental Final.
Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen from the United States defeated Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado 2-0 (21-8, 21-4) in quarterfinals, while Atenas Gutierrez/Susana Torres from Mexico advanced after overcoming Puerto Ricans Allanis Navas/María González, recovering from losing the first set 2-1 (14-21, 21-19, 15-12).
Unites States
The other two pairs that advanced were Canada’s Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain, who dominated Cubans Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik 2-0 (21-12, 21-10), while Dominicans Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua secured their spot after defeating Nicaragua’s Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez in three sets with a score of 2-1 (21-15, 18-21, 15-12).
In semifinals, Payano/Paniagua (DOM) will face Pavan/McBain (CAN) and Torres/Guttierrez (MEX) go up against Shaw/Loreen (USA).
Sarah Pavan CAN
The semifinals and position matches will be held on Tuesday morning, while the event concludes in the afternoon with the bronze medal match and the grand finale.
Other results of the day were:
Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua (DOM) d Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado (GUA) 2-0 (21-16, 21-11); Daniel Vigil/Karla Tovar (ESA) d Nyota Peters/Dana Regis (ANT) 2-0 (21-7, 21-5); Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen (USA) d Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA) 2-0 (21-8, 21-6); Thornia Mitchell/Renisha Stafford (GRN) d Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) 2-0 (21-10, 21-18); Atenas Gutierrez/Susana Torres (MEX) d Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina (CRC) 2-0 (21-10, 21-8); Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik (CUB) d Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee (SUR) 2-0 (21-5, 21-7); Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain (CAN) d Allanis Navas/María González (PUR) 2-0 (21-11, 21-16); Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) d Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs (CAY) 2-1 (21-9, 20-22, 15-9); Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee (SUR) d Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) 2-1 (21-15,11-21, 15-7); Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs (CAY) d Nyota Peters/Dana Regis (ANT) 2-0 (21-7, 21-7); Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) d Daniel Vigil/Karla Tovar (ESA) 2-0 (23-21, 21-10) and Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina (CRC) d Thornia Mitchell/Renisha Stafford (GRN) 2 -0 (21-14, 21-12).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 13, 2024. – The tandems from Cuba, the United States, Mexico, and Canada advanced to the semifinals of the NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour Finals being played in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
Cuba’s pair of Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz defeated Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer from the U.S. Virgin Islands in their quarterfinal match with a score of 2-0 (21-14, 21-12), while Miles Evans/Chase Budinger from the United States advanced prevailing over Nicaraguans Rubén Mora/Dany López 2-0 (21-12, 21-12).
Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz secured their spot in the semifinal by defeating Puerto Ricans William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres 2-0 (21-17, 21-17), while Canada’s Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing earned their ticket by defeating El Salvador’s twins Christopher and Yoel Guardado 2-0 (21-7, 21-18).
The competition continues on Tuesday morning with the semifinals of Evans/Budinger (USA) against Alayo/Diaz (CUB) and Schachter/Dearing (CAN) facing Sarabia/Cruz (MEX), as well as position matches, followed by the matches for the bronze medal and the grand finale.
Other results of the day were:
Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer (ISV) d Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) 2-1 (21-13, 17-21, 17-15); Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing (CAN) d Eddy Toro/Joshua Winklaar (ARU) 2-0 (21-13, 21-12); Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz (CUB) d Christopher Guardado/Joel Guardado (ESA) 2-0 (21-11, 21-16); José Izaguirre/Luis García (GUA) d Declan Van Dam/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 (21-16, 21-16); Miles Evans/Chase Budinger d Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz (MEX) 2-0 (21-13, 21-17); Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) d Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) 2-0 (21-12, 21-13); William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres (PUR) d Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA) 2-1 (18-21, 21-16, 16-14); Joshua Dwarkasing/Ethan Asimia (SUR) d Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson (SKN) 2-1 (17-21, 21-11, 15-12); Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) d Declan Van Dam/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 (21-9, 21-6); Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson (SKN) d Eddy Toro/Joshua Winklaar (ARU) 2-0 (21-16, 21-14); Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) d Joshua Dwarkasing/Ethan Asimia (SUR) 2-0 (21-5, 21-15) and Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) d José Izaguirre/Luis García (GUA) 2- 0 (21-13, 26-24).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 12, 2024. – Seven female pairs started the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour Finals without losses on the first day at the Juan Dolio beach sand courts in the Dominican Republic.
In Pool A, Dominicans Julibeth Payano and Crismil Paniagua defeated Nyota Peters/Dana Regis of Antigua & Barbuda 2-0 (21-8, 21-2) and also Daniel Vigil/Karla Tovar of El Salvador 2-0 (21-18, 21-11); meanwhile, Guatemala’s Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado beat Peters/Regis (ANT) 2-0 (21-9, 21-13) and also Vigil/Tovar (ESA) 2-0 (21-9, 21-15).
In Pool B, Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen from the United States overcame Thornia Mitchell/Renisha Stafford from Grenada 2-0 (21-6, 21-6) and the duo of Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell from Saint Vincent 2-0 (21-5, 21-5).
NIcaragua
Also in Pool B, the Nicaraguan pair of Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez defeated Sylvester/Campbell (VIN) 2-0 (21-6, 21-5) and Mitchell/Stafford from Grenada 2-0 (21-8, 21-11).
In Pool C, Atenas Gutierrez/Susana Torres from Mexico defeated Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee from Suriname 2-0 (21-3, 21-3) and Cubans Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik 2-1 (21-17, 28-30, 15-11), while Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina from Costa Rica beat Heymans/Elizee (SUR) 2-0 (21-6, 21-3) but fell to Armenteros/Drik (CUB) 2-0 (21-16, 21-9).
In Pool D, Allanis Navas/María González from Puerto Rico emerged victorious against Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs from the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-6, 21-7) and prevailed against Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner from the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-16, 21-9), while Canada’s Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain defeated Almeida-Anz/Buckner 2-0 (21-11, 21-8) and the duo of Thompson/McCoombs (CAY) 2-0 (21-5, 21-6).
On Monday, the remaining group stage matches continue, followed by the Quarterfinals and the losers’ round.
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 12, 2024.- Cubans Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz began their participation undefeated in the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour Finals being held on the beach of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic .
Alayo and Díaz, champions of the 2023 Finals, seek to continue accumulating the points they need to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
In addition to Cuba, five more teams came out without defeats on the first day of competition.
Cuba
In Pool B, Alayo and Diaz easily defeated Declan Van Dam/Stephen Watson of Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-6, 21-1) and in their second match outing they beat Guatemalans José Izaguirre/Luis García 2 -0 (21-5, 21-16).
Twin brothers Christopher and Yoel Guardado of El Salvador defeated Izaguirre/ García (GUA) 2-0 (21-15, 21-11) and Van Dam/ Watson (CAY ) 2-0 (21-18, 21-6).
In Pool C, Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz of Mexico beat Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela of Costa Rica 2-0 (21-14, 21-16) and Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn of St. Vincent 2-0 (21- 12, 21-9), while USA’s Miles Evans/Chase budinger defeated Cropper/ Franklyn (VIN) 2-0 (21-13, 21-9) and Dyner/ Varela ( CRC) 2-1 (21-15, 18-21, 15-6).
Mexico
In Pool D, Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora/Dany López defeated Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson of St. Kitts & Nevis 2-0 (21-13, 21-7) and Joshua Dwarkasing/Ethan Asimia of Suriname 2-0 (21-10, 21-16), while Puerto Ricans William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres beat Dwarkasing/ Asimia (SUR) 2-0 (21-17, 21-15) and the duo of Ward/ Hendrickson (SKN) 2 -0 (21-10, 21-11).
In Pool A the only one without defeats was Canada with Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing who beat Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-5, 21-10) and Dominicans Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez 2- 0 (21-14, 21-16), who only won their first match against Eddy Toro/Joshua Winklaar of Aruba 2-0 (21-11, 21-10).
Also in Pool A, Penberthy/ Mayer (ISV) beat Toro/ Winklaar (ARU) 2-0 (21-8, 21-6).
Pool-play continues on Monday, the Quarterfinals and the losers’ round.
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 11, 2024.- The Final of the NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 will take place on the sand courts installed on Juan Dolio beach in the Dominican Republic.
In the preliminary meeting held this Saturday, 16 men’s and 16 women’s teams from 18 countries confirmed their participation in search of advancing from the preliminary group round that begins this Sunday at 8 am (local time).
For the first day of competition there are 32 matches scheduled, 16 in each branch, on Monday morning the preliminary round will be concluded and in the afternoon the Quarterfinals and the losers’ round will be played, while on Tuesday morning the Semifinals and position matches will be played and in the afternoon the bronze medal matches and the Final.
Men’s teams: DOM Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez; CUB Jorge Luis Alayo/Noslen Díaz; USA Evans Miles/Budinger Chase; PUR William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres; NCA Rubén Mora/Dany López; MEX Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz; ESA Franklin Flores/Armando Guatemala; ISV Robert Cronshaw/Bryce Mayer; CAN Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing; GUA José Izaguirre/Luis García; CRC Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela; SKN Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson; SOUTH Joshua Dwarkasing/Ethan Asimia; VIN Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn; ARU Eddy Toro/Joshua Winklaar; CAY Declan Van Dam/Stephen Watson.
Women’s teams: DOM Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua; USA Molly Shaw/Chloe Loreen; MEX Atenas Gutierrez/Susana Torres; PUR Allanis Navas/María González; CAN Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain; CRC Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina; NCA Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez; GUA Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado; ESA Daniel Vigil/Karla Tovar; VIN Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell; CUB Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik; ISV Cristina Almeida-Anz/Melanie Valenciana; CAY Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs; SOUTH Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee; GRN Thornia Mitchell/Renisha Stafford; ANT Nyota Peters/Dana Regis.
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 10, 2024.- Americans Haley Harward and Kylie De Berg defeated the Mexican duo Susana Torres/Atenas Gutierrez 2-0 (21-16, 21-19) to be crowned champions of the third stage of the NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 that took place on Juan Dolio beach, Dominican Republic.
Harward and De Berg, who won bronze at the second stage in Varadero, achieve their second gold medal in this year’s Beach Tour as they had previously claimed gold in the opening stage on Güibia´s beach in Santo Domingo.
Mexico
The bronze medal was won by Puerto Rico with Allanis Navas/María González who defeated Dominicans Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua 2-0 (21-14, 21-11).
Puerto Rico
Fifth place was occupied by Lea Monkhouse/Maria-Alex Belanger of Canada who defeated Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina of Costa Rica 2-1 (21-17, 19-21, 15-9).
Seventh place were Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez of Nicaragua who beat Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado of Guatemala 2-0 (21-18, 21-12), while in ninth place were Dominicanas Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo who defeated Salvadorans Karla Tovar /Daniela Vigil (ESA) 2-0 (21-9, 26-24).
Eleventh place went to Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell of St. Vincent who beat Cubans Maykelin Drik/Amanda Armenteros due to injury, while Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner of the U.S. Virgin Islands finished in thirteenth place after beating Heather Thompson/ Maryn McCoombs of the Cayman Islands 2-0 (21-12, 21-14).
In fifteenth position was the duo of Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee of Suriname.
The other results of the day were:
Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina (CRC) d Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado (GUA) 2-0 (21-15, 21-16); Lea Monkhouse/Maria-Alex Belanger (CAN) d Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA) 2-0 (21-9, 21-17); Susana Torres/Atenas Gutierrez (MEX) d Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua (DOM) 2-0 (21-15, 21-13) and Haley Harward/Kylie De Berg (USA) d Allanis Navas/María González (PUR) 2- 0 (21-11, 21-12).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 10, 2024.- After losing the first set, the Cuban duo of Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz knew how to recover to beat Evan Cory and Robert Harrison of the United States 2-1 (16-21, 21-17, 15-10) to win the gold medal in the third stage of the 2024 NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour on the sand courts of Juan Dolio´s beach, Dominican Republic.
The bronze medal was won by Puerto Ricans William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres after defeating Hayerling De Jesús and Oscar Martínez from the Dominican Republic 2-0 (21-18, 21-10).
Fifth place went to Rubén Mora/Dany López from Nicaragua who beat Mexicans Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz 2-1 (16-21, 21-6, 15-0), while in seventh came Christopher Guardado/ Yoel Guardado of El Salvador after beating Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-15, 21-9).
Awards
Robert Kemp/Arran Chambers of Canada were in ninth place after beating Edgar Guatemala’s Maldonado/Luis García 2-0 (21-15, 21-14).
Eleventh place was occupied by Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela of Costa Rica who defeated Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson of St. Kitts & Nevis 2-0 (21-15, 21-13), while 13th place went to the Dominican duo of Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore beating Ethan Asimia/Joshua Dwarkasing of Suriname 2-1 (14-21, 21-15, 15-7).
Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) finished in 15th position, beating Dan Van Dam/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 (21-18, 21-18).
The other results of the day were:
Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA) d Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli (ISV) 2-0 (21-14, 21-15); Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz (MEX) d Christopher Guardado/Yoel Guardado (ESA) 2-0 (21-18, 21-8); Evan Cory/Robert Harrison (USA) d William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres (PUR) 2-0 (23-21, 21-14) and Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz (CUB) d Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) 2- 0 (21-6, 21-15).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 9, 2024.- The women’s pairs from the Dominican Republic, the United States, Mexico and Puerto Rico won the right to compete in the Semifinals of the third stage of the NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 that is taking place at the Juan Dolio Beach, Dominican Republic.
Dominicans Julibeth Payano and Crismil Paniagua had to battle hard in their Quarterfinal match to overcome the Costa Ricans Kianny Quesada and Laura Molina 2-1 (19-21, 21-19, 19-17) to achieve their place in the semifinal.
United State
The American pair of Haley Hardward/Kylie De Berg also advanced after defeating Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA) 2-0 (21-9, 21-9).
The Mexican duo of Susana Torres/Atenas Gutiérrez moved forward after defeating the Guatemalan team of Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado 2-0 (21-7, 21-9), as well as Allanis Navas/María González from Puerto Rico who defeated the Canadian duo of Lea Monkhouse/María-Alex Belanger 2-0 (21-14, 21-17).
Mexico celebrate
In the semifinals, Navas/González (PUR), who have won silver in the previous two stages, will face Americans Hardward/De Berg, who won gold in Güibia and bronze in Varadero, while Payano/Paniagua (DOM) will take on the Mexican team of Torres/Gutierrez.
Position matches will be held on Friday morning as well as the semifinals, and the medal matches will be in the afternoon.
The other results of the day were:
Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua (DOM) d Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA) 2-1 (4-21, 21-10, 15-9); Kianny Quesada/Laura Molina (CRC) d Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo (DOM) 2-0 (21-18, 25-23); Haley Hardward/Kylie De Berg (USA) d Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) 2-0 (21-11, 21-8); Allanis Navas/María González (PUR) d Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado (GUA) 2-0 (21-7, 21-14); Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) d Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee (SUR) 2-1 (21-17,17-21, 15-11) y Susana Torres/Atenas Gutierrez (MEX) d Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs (CAY) (21-10, 21-7); Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) d Ketura Heymans/Simone Elizee (SUR) 2-0 (21-10, 21-6) y Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo (DOM) d Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) 2-0 (21-12, 21-6).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 9, 2024.- The men’s teams of the United States, Dominican Republic, Cuba and Puerto Rico were placed in the semifinals of the third stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 that takes place in the sand courts of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
Americans Evan Cory/Robert Harrison advanced to the semifinals after beating the pair of Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA) 2-0 (21-15, 21-12), while the Dominican pair of Hayerling De Jesús/ Oscar Martínez won their ticket after defeating twin brothers Christopher and Yoel Guardado from El Salvador in an electrifying match that went to the maximum of three sets 2-1 (24-26, 21-18, 15-10).
Dominican Republic defense
The other tandems that advanced were Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz (CUB) who defeated Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz (MEX) 2-0 (21-16, 21-17) and the one formed by William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres de Puerto Rico who defeated Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli of the U.S. Virgin Islands with a score of 2-0 (21-17, 21-11).
In Friday’s semifinals Cory/Harrison (USA), winners of the gold medal in the first stop and bronze in the second stop, will face William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres (PUR), while Dominicans De Jesús/Martínez will battle against Cubans Alayo/Díaz who come from winning silver in Varadero.
Canada vs Surinam
The competition continues this Friday morning with the position matches and the semifinals, while the bronze medal match and the final will be held in the afternoon.
The other results of the day were:
Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) d Dany Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) 2-1 (14-21, 21-18, 15-10); Rubén Mora/Dany López (NCA) d Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) 2-0 (21-13, 21-9); Edgar Maldonado/Luis García (GUA) d Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore (DOM) 2-0 (21-19, 21-17); Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz (CUB) d Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli (ISV) 2-0 (21-9, 21-13); Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson (SKN) d Dany Van Dam/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 (21-19, 21-15); William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres (PUR) d Robert Kemp/Arran Chambers (CAN) 2-0 (21-9, 21-19); Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz (MEX) d Ethan Asimia/Joshua Dwarkasing (SUR) 2-0 (21-12, 21-13); Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore (DOM) d Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) 2-0 (21-13, 21-18); Robert Kemp/Arran Chambers (CAN) d Dany Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) 2-0 (21-14, 22-20); Edgar Maldonado/Luis García (GUA) d Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson (SKN) 2-0 (21-10, 21-19) and Ethan Asimia/Joshua Dwarkasing (SUR) d Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) 2-0 (21-19, 21-18).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 8, 2024.- Puerto Ricans Allanis Navas and María Rodríguez ended the first day of competition with two victories without defeats, seeking to climb to the top of the podium for the first time this year in the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour.
Navas/Rodríguez (PUR) won their first match against Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) 2-0 (21-7, 21-5) in pool C, and their second victory was against KeturaHeymans/Simone Elizee from Suriname 2-0 (21-3, 21-3).
Five other teams also went undefeated during the day.
Americans Haley Hardward/Kylie Kuyava-De Berg, who won bronze last week in Varadero, defeated Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo (DOM) 2-0 (21-13, 21-8) and Laura Molina/Kianny Quesada from Costa Rica 2-0 (21-12, 21-11) in pool B.
Haily Harward of United States
In group C, Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado (GUA) defeated KeturaHeymans/Simone Elizee (SUR) 2-0 (21-8, 21-10) and won their second game of the day against Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell (VIN) 2-0 (21-12, 21-16).
Danna Aguilar and Paola Alvarado (Guatemala)
Susana Torres/Atenas Gutierrez from Mexico topped Lea Monkhouse/Maria-Alex Belanger from Canada 2-1 (22-24, 21-19, 15-12) in pool D and Cubans Maykelin Drik/Amanda Armenteros 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).
In pool A action, the Dominican duo of Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua defeated Karla Tovar/Daniela Vigil from El Salvador 2-0 (21-9, 21-14), while their second victory of the day came via bye, the same as Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA), who had previously also defeated the Salvadoran duo 2-0 (21-8, 21-11).
The preliminary round concludes on Thursday, followed by the Quarterfinals and the losers’ round.
Other results of the day:
Laura Molina/Kianny Quesada (CRC) d Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) 2-0 (21-15, 21-15); Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo (DOM) d Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner (ISV) 2-0 (21-19, 21-19); Maykelin Drik/Amanda Armenteros (CUB) d Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs (CAY) 2-0 (21-13, 21-13) and Lea Monkhouse/Maria-Alex Belanger (CAN) d Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs (CAY) 2 -0 (21-17, 21-7).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 8, 2024.- Six men´s duos went undefeated during the first day of competitions of the third stop of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour that is being held in Juan Dolio beach, Dominican Republic.
In pool B, Christopher and Yoel Guardado of El Salvador went through the first day undefeated, beating Edgar Maldonado/Luis García of Guatemala 2-1 (16-21, 21-18, 15-9) and Dominicans Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore 2-1 (21-17, 15-21, 15-11).
Americans Evan Cory/Robert Harrison, who won bronze last week in Varadero, defeated Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore (DOM) 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) in their first match in pool B and then beat the Guatemalan duo Edgar Maldonado/Luis García 2- 0 (21-17, 21-13.
Varadero’s silver medalists, Cubans Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz who are playing in pool C, defeated Declan Van Dam/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 (21-8, 21-8) and Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson of Saint Kitts 2-0 (21-8, 21-4).
Jorge Alayo of Cuba sets the ball
Also in pool C, Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli of the U.S. Virgin Islands defeated Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson (SKN) 2-0 (21-10, 21-12) and Declan Van Dam/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 (21-14, 21-9).
Nicaragua’s Rubén Mora/Dany López beat Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela from Costa Rica 2-1 (21-23, 21-16, 15-11) and Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) in pool A.
Dany Lopez of Nicaragua digs
The other undefeated duo was William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres of Puerto Rico who defeated Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz (MEX) 2-1 (13-21, 21-17, 15-11) and Ethan Asimia/Joshua Dwarkasing (SUR ) 2-0 (21-7, 21-9).
Arnaldo Torres Puerto Rico spikes
Pool-play concludes on Thursday morning, followed by the Quarterfinals and the losers’ round.
The other results of the day were:
Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) d Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) 2-0 (21-8, 21-14); Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) d Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn (VIN) 2-0 (21-17, 21-17); Robert Kemp/Arran Chambers (CAN) d Ethan Asimia/Joshua Dwarkasing (SUR) 2-0 (21-6, 21-11); Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz (MEX) d Robert Kemp/Arran Chambers (CAN) 2-1 (14-21, 21-19, 15-9).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, May 7, 2024.- A total of 31 teams from 15 countries will see action at the third stop of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour that begins this Wednesday in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
16 men’s and 15 women’s teams confirmed their participation in the event during the preliminary meeting on Tuesday seeking to advance from the first round of groups that starts this Wednesday starting at 8:30 am (local time) on the sand courts located in the Juan Dolio beach.
Dominican Republic
The preliminary group round begins this Wednesday and will conclude on Thursday in the morning and in the afternoon the Quarterfinals and the losers’ round will be played, while on Friday the Semifinal and the Final will be played as well as the positions round.
Costa Rica
Men’s teams: CAN Robert Kemp/Arran Chambers, CAY Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson, CRC Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela, CUB Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz , DOM Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez, Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore, ESA Christopher Guardado/Yoel Guardado, GUA Edgar Maldonado/Luis García, MEX Miguel Sarabia/Gabriel Cruz, NIC Rubén Mora/Dany López, PUR William Rivera/Arnaldo Torres, SNK Clerique Ward/Nage Hendrickson, SUR Ethan Asimia/Joshua Dwarkasing, USA Evan Cory/Robert Harrison, ISV Kendall Ratter/Marc Lomeli, , VIN Jamaar Cropper/Ronaldo Franklyn
Women’s teams: CAN Lea Monkhouse/Maria-Alex Belanger, CAY Heather Thompson/Maryn McCoombs, CUB Maykelin Drik/Amanda Armenteros, CRC Ximena Núñez/Kianny Araya, DOM Crismil Paniagua/Julibeth Payano, Nallelyn Taveras/Darlenys Olivo, ESA Karla Tovar/Daniela Vigil, GUA Danna Aguilar/Paola Alvarado, MEX Susana Torres/Atenas Gutierrez, NIC Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez, PUR Allanis Navas/María González, SUR KeturaHeymans/Simone Elizee, USA Haley Hardward/Kylie Kuyava-De Berg, ISV Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner, VIN Shanadia Sylvester/Nikita Campbell
BRASILIA, Brazil, May 6, 2024- USA’s Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss won the silver medal from the Elite 16 Beach Volleyball Pro Tour in Brasilia over the weekend.
Kloth and Nuss, currently No.2 in the world, lost to No.1 Ana Patricia/Duda of Brazil 0-2 (17-21, 14-21) in the gold medal match.
Earlier in semifinals, the Americans recovered from losing the first set to Swiss Esmée/Zoe to advance to the title match 2-1 (16-21, 21-19, 15-12).
VARADERO, Cuba, May 5, 2024 – Americans Savannah Simo and Abby Van Winkle clinched the gold medal in the second phase of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour by defeating Puerto Ricans Allanis Navas and María González 2-1 (21-14, 17-21, 15-12).
With this performance, they now have two medals in this circuit, as they won bronze in the opening event in Güibia, Santo Domingo, while the Puerto Ricans, titleholders of the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador 2023, once again missed out on the top spot, settling for second place.
Simo and Van Winkle avenged their fellow Americans Harward Hailey and Kylie De Berg, who had defeated them in the semifinals a month ago. This time, the roles were reversed, with Simo and Van Winkle emerging as the victors, winning 2-0 (21-19, 21-17) and securing their place in the final.
Savannah Simo and Aby Van Winkle celebrate
However, Harward and DeBerg, reigning champions at Güibia Beach, didn’t leave empty-handed, as they secured the bronze by defeating hosts Maykelín Drik and Amanda Armenteros 2-1 (21-17, 17-21, 15-13) in a hard-fought match that lasted 48 minutes.
In the other semifinal, Navas and González once again prevailed over the Cubans, this time with scores of 2-0 (21-18, 21-18).
One of the champions, Simo, expressed, “We are very motivated to have won medals in both phases. We attended university together; however, this is the first year we have teamed up and competed in the NORCECA Tour. Although I played it three years ago, this is my fourth experience”.
Abby added, “This is our first time in Varadero, there is a lot of wind, but it’s beautiful, we love it. The people are very friendly, they enjoy the energy, and are very sociable”.
The fifth place went to Darby Dunn/Myriam Robitaille (CAN-1) who defeated Dominicans Julibeth Payano/Crismil Paniagua 2-0 (21-18, 21-13).
Guatemalans Danna Aguilar/Naomi Monney secured seventh place without playing due to the non-appearance of Canadians Marie Ale Bélanger/Lea Monkhouse (CAN-2).
Ninth place was for the second home pair, Kailin Garrido/Yenifer Rivera, after defeating Amber Bennett/Taylor Buckner (ISV-2) 2-0 (24-22, 21-14), and the eleventh place went to Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez (NCA) who overcame Dana Funes/Keiry Guzmán (ESA) 2-0 (21-15, 21-15).
Ximena Núñez/Kianny Araya (CRC) defeated Mannika Charles/Tara Austin (ISV-1) 2-1 (21-14, 14-21, 15-9) to claim the 13th position; Selena Spek/Mileidy Paret (CUB-3) defeated Shanicia Dyer/Shajunee Gumbs (SKN) 2-0 (21-14-21-11) finishing in 16th place, while Janneke Tammenga/Chelleney Soedamah (SUR) rounded off the table.
VARADERO, Cuba, May 5, 2024 – Avery James Drost and Cody Caldwell, from the United States, reigned on the sands of this resort by defeating the host top pair of Jorge Luis Alayo and Noslen Díaz 2-0 (21-13, 22-20) in the men’s grand final of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour.
The bronze medal went to Evan Cory and Robert Harrison (USA-1), who defeated Puerto Ricans Arnaldo Torres and William Rivera 2-0 (21-17, 21-16).
In the semifinals, while Alayo and Díaz overcame the Puerto Ricans relatively easily 2-0 (21-16, 21-13), while the American duos engaged in a tight battle that extended to a tie-break, with Drost and Caldwell ultimately prevailing 2-1 (28-26, 20-22, 15-11) in the only match of the tournament that exceeded one hour of play (1.08).
Visibly moved after securing the final winning point against Alayo and Díaz, a pair aiming for Olympic qualification through the FIVB world ranking, champion Drost humbly acknowledged the quality of his opponents. “They are great players and good people,” said the experienced 37-year-old athlete.
Every Drost and Cody Caldwell of USA celebarte winning Gold
“We are happy for this victory, thanks to Cuba for their support and love. I won the gold medal here in 2018 with another partner, and it’s a satisfaction and blessing to keep playing at my age, and for my family to continue enjoying my successes.”
Drost added in Spanish, which he learned in Mexico, “I dedicate this medal to my new partner Cody and especially to my wife, who is celebrating her 37th birthday today, as well as to my three children, a seven-year-old girl, and two boys aged five and fourteen months.”
For fifth place, Rouzbeh Rahnavard/Tynan Gannett (CAN-1) defeated Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer (ISV-2) 2-1 (21-11, 17-21, 15-13), while Garret Bucklin/Robert Cronshaw (ISV-1) secured seventh place by defeating Arran Chambers/Robert Kemp (CAN-1) in two identical sets of 21-15.
The young international debutant duo of Damián Gómez/Eblis Veranes (CUB-2) secured ninth place by defeating El Salvador’s twin brothers Christopher and Yoel Guardado 2-0 (21-17, 21-15).
In eleventh place were Nicaraguans Rubén Mora and Denis López, who defeated Guatemalans José Izaguirre/Luis García 2-0 (21-13, 21-11); in fifteenth place, Clair Hodge/Clerique Ward (SKN) received a bye, and in seventeenth place, Gino Naarden/Keven Sporkslede (SUR-2) defeated their compatriots Joshua Dwarkasing/David Pinas 2-0 (21-15, 22-22-20).
VARADERO, Cuba, May 4, 2024 – The four pairs that advanced to the women’s semifinals of the second phase of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour are an exact replica of those who starred in this round a month ago at the Güibia venue on the Malecón in Santo Domingo.
At this international resort, at 12:30 p.m., Cuba’s main duo of Maykelín Drik and Amanda Armenteros will face their same victors, Puerto Ricans Allanis Navas and María González, champions of the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador, on central court.
Simultaneously on the other court, American duos of Hailey Harward and Kylie Kuyava DeBerg, and Savannah Simo and Abby Van Winkle, will once again face off, precisely gold and bronze, in that order, at the first stop of this tour.
Savvy Simo USA
In the inaugural stop of this tour in April, Allanis and María took home the silver medal, after they dominated Cuba in the semifinals, so there is a real possibility of repeating their victory or avenging their loss to Hailey and Kylie, who denied them the top spot on the podium.
The Cuban duo, as well as Harward and DeBerg, and the Puerto Ricans, remained undefeated in their respective groups A, B, and C in the preliminary round with four wins, while Simo and Van Winkle finished second with a 3-1 record behind Allanis and María.
Then in the quarterfinals, Drik and Armenteros defeated Darby Dunn and Myriam Robitaille (CAN-1) in two sets (21-10, 21-17), while Savannah Simo and Van Winkle (USA-1) did something similar against Marie-Alex Bélanger and Lea Monkhouse (CAN-2) by winning 21-5 and 21-16.
Also in quarterfinals, Navas and González easily overcame Dominicans Julibeth Payano and Crismil Paniagua 2-0 (21-10, 21-7) and Harward and DeBerg (USA-2) defeated Danna Aguilar and Naomi Monney (GUA) 2-0 (21-8, 21-15).
Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico digs
In other results during the sunny Saturday, in the semifinal to determine places from 9 to 12, Kailin Garrido and Yenifer Rivera (CUB-2) prevailed over the Nicaraguans Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez 2-1 (19-21, 21-15, 15-10), and Amber Bennett and Taylor Buckner (ISV-2) defeated El Salvador’s Dana Funes and Keiry Guzmán 2-0 (21-10, 21-6).
While in that round for places 13 to 16, Ximena Núñez and Kianny Araya defeated the locals Selena Spek and Mileidy Paret (CUB-3) 2-1 (21-12, 16-21, 15-3), and Mannika Charles and Tara (ISV-1) overcame Shanicia Dyer and Shajunee Gumbs (SKN) 2-0 (21-15, 21-18).
VARADERO, Cuba, May 4, 2024 – United States, Cuba, and Puerto Rico have advanced to the semifinals of the second phase of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, which concludes this Sunday in this renowned tourist destination.
The American duos of Evan Cory/Robert Harrison (USA-1) and James Drost/Cody Caldwell (USA-2) will face off starting at 11:45 a.m., and at the same time, on the central court, the hosts Jorge Luis Alayo/Noslen Díaz will play against Puerto Rico’s Arnaldo Torres/William Rivera.
Garrett Bucklin ISV- Cody Caldwell USA
The local team is a strong contender to take the crown in Varadero considering their physical form after delivering a remarkable performance in several stops of the Beach Pro Tour, where they earned two silver medals in the Challenge level and one bronze in Elite16 in pursuit of points for their Olympic qualification through the FIVB ranking.
Alayo and Díaz, as well as Drost and Caldwell, led their respective elimination groups A and B undefeated with four wins each, while Cory and Harrison, as well as the Puerto Ricans, finished second in pools C and D, both with a 3-1 win-loss record.
In the quarterfinals, the Cubans secured their fifth consecutive victory by defeating Arran Chambers and Robert Kemp (CAN-1) in 36 minutes 2-0 (21-16, 21-14).
Meanwhile, Puerto Rico’s Torres and Rivera (second in group D with a 3-1 record) had to use all their resources to overcome Rouzbeh Rahnavard/Tynan Gannett (CAN-2), winners of group C with a 3-1 record, in a match that extended to a tie-break (21-19, 17-21, 15-13) in nearly an hour of play.
William Rivera Puerto Rico
In the quarterfinal round, Cory and Harrison dominated Tyler Penberthy and Bryce Mayer (ISV-2) 2-0 (21-14, 23-21), who had finished first in group D (3-1).
Meanwhile, Drost and Caldwell defeated Garrett Bucklin and Robert Cronshaw (ISV-1), also with a sweep (21-18, 21-15).
In other results from Saturday’s matches: Semifinals 9-12: Gómez-Veranes (CUB-2) def. D. Dyner/Varela (CRC) 2-0 (17-21, 18-21), Guardado C./Guardado Y (ESA) def. De Jesús/Martínez (DOM) 2-1 (16-21, 21-16, 17-15); Semifinals 13-16 Mora/Lopez (NCA) def. Hodge/Clerique (SKN) 2-0 (21-10, 21-8), and Izaguirre/Garcia (GUA) def. Williams/Whitfield (TTO) by forfeit.
VARADERO, Cuba, May 3, 2024 – The top favorites to contend for the podium in the second phase of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour got off to a strong start in the beginning of the group elimination stage, taking place on the courts at the Barceló Arenas Blancas hotel.
Hailey Harward and Kylie Kuyava-DeBerg (USA-2), champions in the previous stop in Santo Domingo a month ago, defeated their strongest opponents in Group B, Cuban pair Kailin Garrido-Yenifer Rivera, 2-0 (21-18, 21-12), and the Canadian pair Darby Dunn-Myriam Robitaille in two identical sets of 21-13.
They only must face the Costa Rican pair Ximena Núñez-Kianny Araya, as the team from Trinidad and Tobago withdrew from participating in the event at this venue, which has hosted the important event since 2011.
Among the hosts, it’s worth noting the significant victory they secured against the Canadians, and they still have to clash with the Central Americans, as they already secured a victory against the no show Trinidadians.
Meanwhile, Puerto Ricans María González and Allanis Navas, titleholders of the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador 2023, seem determined to avenge their loss to Hailey and Kylie in the Güibia beach final.
In Group C, the spirited Puerto Rican duo defeated the young debutants Selena Spek and Mileidy Paret (CUB-3) with easy scores of 21-9 and 21-4, and also defeated the American pair Savannah Simo-Abby Van Winkle in consecutive sets (21-18, 21-10). The Americans were bronze medalists in the opening of the 2024 NORCECA Tour, scored victories against the Cubans and the Nicaraguans.
Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico
Meanwhile, the main local pair, Amanda Armenteros and Maykelín Drik (fourth in Güibia), after receiving a bye in Group A, defeated Charles/Austin (ISV-1) 2-0 (21-9, 21-12) and will try to maintain their undefeated record against El Salvador’s Keiry Guzmán and Dana Funes, and Guatemala’s Naomi Monney and Danna Aguilar this Saturday.
VARADERO, Cuba, May 3, 2024 – James Drost and Cody Caldwell (USA-2) and Jorge Luis Alayo and Noslen Diaz (Cuba-1) went undefeated through in the group elimination round in the opening day of the second phase of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour at the attractive venue of this international resort.
The Americans managed to defeat their three opponents of the day in group B. In this order, they swept Nicaraguans Rubén Mora and Denis López (21-17, 21-18) and Canadians Arrán Chambers and Robert Kemp (21-18, 21-18), but they had to push against the young debutants, Damián Gómez and Eblis Veranes, from Cuba, to overcome them in a tiebreaker 2-1 (21-19, 15-21, 17-15).
On the other hand, the main local duo of Jorge Luis Alayo and Noslen Diaz had no setbacks in defeating Joshua Dwarkasing and David Pinas (SUR-1) in two sets (21-8, 21-10), and similarly against Garret Bucklin and Robert Cronshaw (ISV-1) 2-0 (21-14, 21-12).
The hosts emerge as favorites to triumph in this stop, following their outstanding performances in several events in the FIVB Beach Pro Tour in search of the necessary points to qualify through the world ranking for the Paris Olympic Games.
Noslen Diaz de CUB ante David Pinas de SUR
On Saturday, they must face the duos from Guatemala and El Salvador, against whom they should not have difficulties given their physical and technical form, while Americans Drost and Caldwell only have one match, against the second team from Suriname.
On day two of the event, the matches of each group will be completed to continue with the quarterfinal round and define the pairs that will advance to the semifinals.
VARADERO, Cuba, May 2, 2024.- Americans Hailey Harward-Kylie Kuyava-DeBerg hope to climb to the top of the podium in the second phase of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, just as they did in the opening event last April in Dominican sands.
Just a month ago, they dominated the final against Puerto Ricans María González and Allanis Navas in a closely contested match that extended to a tiebreaker. However, the champions of the Central American and Caribbean Games in San Salvador 2023 return to Varadero with every intention of repeating their success.
Two other pairs who faced off at Güibia Beach were also from the North: Savannah Simo-Abby Van Winkle and Cuba’s main female pair, Amanda Armenteros and Maykelín Drik, but the Americans won in two identical sets of 21-15.
Nevertheless, Canada is here with two pairs whose opponents should not be underestimated, nor should the Dominican duo, led by Julibeth Payano, who, along with Bethania Almanza, secured the silver medal. Payano now arrives in Varadero with Crismil Paniagua, embracing the same desire to continue progressing.
On Friday, the preliminary group elimination matches take place, continuing Saturday until the quarterfinals, while semifinals on Sunday will pave the way for the battle for medals.
Group A: Amanda Armenteros-Maykelín Drik (CUB-1), Keiry Guzmán-Dana Funes (ESA), Naomi Monney-Danna Aguilar (GUA), and Mannika Charles-T’ara Austin (ISV-1).
Group B: Hailey Harward-Kylie Kuyava-DeBerg (USA-2), Ximena Núñez-Kianny Araya (CRC), Britney Choon-Tsyan Selvon (TTO), Darby Dunn-Myriam Robitaille (CAN-2), and Kailin Garrido-Yenifer Rivera (CUB-2).
Group C: María González-Allanis Navas (PUR), Socorro López-Lolette Rodríguez (NCA), Janneke Tammenga-Chelleney Soedamah (SUR), Savannah Simo-Abby Van Winkle (USA-1), and Selena Spek-Mileidy Paret (CUB-3).
Group D: Lea Monkhouse-Marie-Alex Bélanger (CAN-1), Julibeth Payano-Crismil Paniagua (DOM), Amber Bennett-Taylor Buckner (ISV-2), and Gumbs Shajunee-Dyer Shanicia (SKN).
VARADERO, Cuba, May 3, 2024.- The second phase of the 2024 Norceca Beach Volleyball Tour began in this international resort with an extensive program that includes 15 men matches to start the group elimination round.
Among the 18 pairs from 13 countries, the local duo of Jorge Luis Alayo and Noslen Díaz (CUB-1) stands out, following their performances at the Beach Pro Tour in Brazil, Mexico, and China, where they collected two silver medals at the Challenge level and a bronze in Elite 16, keeping their hopes alive for Olympic qualification to Paris through the FIVB ranking.
Also important is the presence of Americans Evan Cory-Robert Harrison (USA-1), the runners-up of the Norceca circuit opener in early April at Güibia Beach on the Malecón in Santo Domingo.
The pairs from Canada cannot be underestimated because of the traditional quality of their players, and it wouldn’t be surprising if they manage to reach the podium. A team from this country took gold in the Dominican capital, although they are not participating in this event, which once again takes place on courts adjacent to the Barceló Arenas Blancas Hotel.
During the preliminary meetings on Thursday night, Mireya Luis, Cuban three-time Olympic champion and control committee Norceca supervisor, welcomed each of the teams. She introduced the competition director, Cayacoa Moquete, and Miguel Ramírez, referee coach, as well as Omelio Castillo, from the Cuban Volleyball Federation.
Group A: Jorge Luis Alayo-Noslen Díaz (CUB-1), Christopher Guardado-Yoel Guardado (ESA), José Izaguirre-Luis García (GUA), Garrett Bucklin-Robert Cronshaw (ISV-1), and Joshua Dwarkasing-David Pinas (SUR-1).
Group B: Arran Chambers-Robert Kemp (CAN-1), Rubén Mora-Denis López (NCA), Gino Naarden-Keven Sporkslede (SUR-2), James Drost-Cody Caldwell (USA-2), and Damián Gómez-Eblis Veranes (CUB-2).
Group C: Rouzbeh Rahnavard-Tynan Gannett (CAN-2), Daniel Dyner-Jhostin Varela (CRC), Clair Hodge-Clerique Ward (SKN), and Evan Cory-Robert Harrison (USA-1).
Group D: Hayerling De Jesús-Oscar Martínez (DOM), Tyler Penberthy-Bryce Mayer (ISV-2), Arnaldo Torres-William Rivera (PUR), and Daneil Williams-Fabien Whitfield (TTO).
May 1, 2024.- With support from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment program, Allanis Navas and Maria Gonzalez will be looking to add a historic appearance at the Olympic Games to their cap this year.
Coach Angel Peña has identified the NORCECA Continental Cup scheduled for June in Mexico as their sure route to the Olympic Games, with the winner guaranteed a ticket to Paris.
Navas and Gonzalez won silver medal at the first stop of the 2024 NORCECA beach volleyball Tour.
After making their first appearance at the FIVB World Championships in 2023, Puerto Rico’s women’s beach volleyball team pair of Allanis Navas and Maria Gonzalez will be looking to add a historic appearance at the Olympic Games to their cap this year.
With the trailblazing duo of Navas and Gonzalez facing the world’s best at the FIVB World Championships in Tlaxcala, Mexico, they were only further galvanized to achieve their dream of featuring in the biggest sporting event in the world, the Olympic Games, this year.
Supporting the duos development is Angel Peña. Peña has taken charge of Puerto Rico’s women’s beach volleyball team thanks to an investment of CHF 72,000 in coach support from the FIVB Volleyball Empowerment Program. Peña is no stranger to Navas and Gonzalez, having worked with them from youth categories.
Puerto Rico’s Maria Gonzalez in action against Switzerland at the 2023 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships held in Tlaxcala, Mexico.
“I know them so well having worked with them from as young as 12 years. I have seen them develop from a young age and I’m confident now that I have more time to work with them, we can make history together by qualifying for the Olympic Games for the first time,” Peña told FIVB.com.
“The Volleyball Empowerment support is a game changer for us. It has made a big difference because I can now focus on this team 24/7. We are now training consistently and having three sessions a day for six days a week. Before we could only have one session per day for five days in a week,” noted Peña.
Peña has identified the NORCECA Continental Cup scheduled for June in Mexico as their sure route to the Olympic Games, with the winner guaranteed a ticket to Paris. Providing them with added confidence going into this competition will be the silver medal that the pair recently won at the first stop of the 2024 NORCECA beach volleyball Tour held at the Güibia beach in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic in April.
In addition to competitions, the duo is also scheduled to attend training camps in both Brazil and Puerto Rico as well as four Challenge events in the Beach Pro Tour. Namely Recife, Saquarema, Guadalajara and Stare Jablonki. There is also another stop on the NORCECA Tour in Cuba as well as a Beach Pro Tour Elite 16 event in Tepic, Mexico lined up.
“We have made our program in such a way that we will have one week after each tournament to regroup and work on our mistakes. These competitions will help us to gauge the duos performance against high-level opponents, work on their mental strength and see how they adapt to different playing styles.” asserted Peña.
Puerto Rico’s Maria Gonzalez (right) in action against Canada at the 2023 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships held in Tlaxcala, Mexico
“We want to build on this experience and ensure the players are well prepared for the Continental Cup where we expect stiff competition from Mexico, Cuba and Canada. However, the players are showing great improvement and I’m confident that come June they will have matured and stand a good chance of qualifying (for the Olympic Games),” Peña added.
For both Navas and Gonzalez, qualifying for Paris 2024 will be the perfect birthday gift (they both turn 22 this year), since they graduated to the senior category having featured in the Youth Olympic Games held in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 2018.
HAVANA, Cuba, April 22, 2024.- The second phase of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, hosted in the tourist city of Varadero, will feature 36 tandems, 18 in each gender, from May 2nd to 5th.
Mireya Luis, former triple Olympic volleyball champion, confirmed the information as supervisor of the event and organizer since 2011 as this attractive venue has been hosting an annual stop, and in the last seven editions at the Barceló Solymar Arenas Blancas complex.
Cuba will be represented by its two main pairs, in the women’s category Maykelín Drik-Amanda Armenteros and Kailin Garrido-Yenifer Rivera, and in the men’s category Jorge Luis Alayo-Noslen Diaz and Damián Gómez-Eblis Veranes.
The women’s duos also include Savannah Simo-Abby Van Winkle (USA-1), Hailey Harward-Kylie Kuyava-De Berg (USA-2), Britney Choon-Tsyan Selvon (Trinidad and Tobago), Mannika Charles-T’ara Austin (Virgin Islands-1), Amber Bennett-Taylor Buckner (ISV-2), Janneke Tammenga-Chelleney Soedamah (Suriname), Julibeth Payano-Crismil Paniagua (Dominican Republic), and Karla Tovar-Keiry Guzmán (El Salvador).
Also registered are Socorro López-Lolette Rodríguez (Nicaragua), Allanis Navas-María González (Puerto Rico), Abril Flores-Yeray Vidaurrazaga (Mexico-1), Atenas Gutiérrez-Susana Torres (Mexico-2), Marie-Alex Bélanger-Lea Monkhouse (Canada-1), Anna Licht-Amy Ozee (Canada-2), Natalia Girón-Paola Alvarado (Guatemala), and Ximena Núñez-Kianny Araya (Costa Rica).
The men’s teams include Evan Cory-Robert Wyatt (USA-1), James Avery Drost-Cody Caldwell (USA-2), Daneil Williams-Fabien Whitfield (Trinidad and Tobago), Garrett Bucklin-Robert Cronshaw (ISV-1), Tyler Penberthy-Bryce Mayer (ISV-2), Joshua Dwarkasing-David Pinas (Suriname-1), Gino Naarden-Keven Sporkslede (Suriname-2), and Arnaldo Torres-William Rivera (Puerto Rico).
Completing the men’s field are Christopher A. Guardado-Yoel Guardado (El Salvador), Rubén Mora-Jefferson Cascante (Nicaragua), Ricardo Galindo-Isaías Aguirre (Mexico), Arran Chambers-Steven Abrams (Canada-1), Jake MacNeil-Alexander W. Russell (Canada-2), Edgar Maldonado-Luis García (Guatemala), Daniel Villa-Jhostin Varela (Costa Rica), and Hayerling Goris-Oscar Martínez (Dominican Republic).
Alongside Mireya Luis, the NORCECA control committee includes Dominicans Eduardina Báez (Competition Director) and Cayacoa Moquete (Info and Technology), and Mexican Miguel Ramírez (Referee Coach).
The international referees appointed are Dominican Rocío Lai, Nicaraguan Arianna Argüello, and Cuban Erick Martínez.
TEPIC, Mexico, April 21, 2024.- Cuba’s Noslen Diaz & Jorge Alayo continued their fabulous season by snatching bronze at their first Elite16 main draw appearance after beating Germany’s Clemens Wickler & Nils Ehlers on Sunday in Tepic, Mexico.
13th-seeded Diaz & Alayo, who started the tournament from the qualifiers, delivered a 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) upset of fifth-seeded Wickler & Ehlers. Alayo contributed six kill blocks towards the victory to finish with 21 points, while Ehlers was the best scorer of the match with 23. It was the fourth consecutive final four finish on the Beach Pro Tour for the Cuban duo. In the previous three Challenge events, they collected two silvers and a fourth place. The Tepic tournament was the first time they played in an Elite16 main draw, and the bronze earned will help them a lot in their quest to climb up the provisional Olympic ranking and qualify for Paris.
In their semifinal match, Diaz & Alayo took the first set, but Brazil’s Andre Stein & George Wanderley mounted a 2-1 (19-21, 21-15, 15-12) comeback.
Swedish David Ahman & Jonatan Hellvig defended the Tepic trophy edging Brazil’s Andre & George in three sets 2-1 (21-17, 19-21, 15-10) to celebrate their seventh Beach Pro Tour gold.
In the women’s field, Switzerland’s Nina Brunner & Tanja Huberli celebrated their first-ever Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour gold after defeating Netherlands’ Katja Stam & Raisa Schoon 2-1 (21-14, 19-21, 19-17) victory. Brazil’s Barbara Seixas & Carol Solberg squeezed out a bronze victory over Italy’s Marta Menegatti & Valentina Gottardi 2-1 (22-20, 21-23, 25-23).
GUADALAJARA, Mexico, April 14, 2024.- USA’s Trevor Crabb & Theodore Brunner gained an important edge in the race towards the Paris 2024 Olympic Games in France by snatching the men’s gold while Canada’s Heather Bansley & Sophie Bukovec took the women’s bronze at the Beach Pro Tour Challenge event in Guadalajara.
15th-seeded Trevor Crabb & Theodore Brunner advanced to the Guadalajara knockouts as Pool C runners-up and won their next four games (all four of them in tiebreakers!) to snatch their second Beach Pro Tour gold, after topping the podium at the Espinho Challenge last summer. They also have the Haikou Challenge silver from November in their collection.
In their last two matches, the Americans had to come back from a set down but persevered on the way to a 2-1 (18-21, 21-18, 15-13) semifinal win over third-seeded Cubans Noslen Diaz & Jorge Alayo and a 2-1 (12-21, 21-19, 15-12) victory in the final against eighth-seeded Pfretzschner & Winter of Germany.
In the women’s field, Bansley & Bukovec, who launched their participation in the tournament from Thursday’s qualifiers, but then also started the main draw with a defeat, bounced back from their narrow semifinal loss with a 2-0 (21-18, 21-14) victory over German’s Borger & Ittlinger to get the bronze, their third Beach Pro Tour medal, after the Halifax Futures gold in September and the Recife Challenge silver in March.
In their semifinal game, Bansley & Bukovec fell 1-2 (18-21, 21-18, 18-21) to Switzerland’s Esmee Bobner & Zoe Verge-Depre who later won the gold medal.
The Beach Pro Tour will stay in Mexico for this week’s Tepic Elite16 event from April 17 to 21. The next Challenge event is in Xiamen, China from April 25 to 28.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 7, 2024.-In a match that went to the maximum of three sets, the Canadian duo of Jake MacNeil/William Russell won the gold medal beating the Americans Robert Harrison/Evan Cory 2-1 (16-21, 21-17,15-11) on the first date of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 that took place on the sand courts installed on Güibia beach on the Santo Domingo boardwalk.
The bronze went to the Americans Timothy Brewster/Kyle Friend who defeated in an exciting match the pair of Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez from the Dominican Republic 2-1 (20-22, 21-13, 15-8).
Fifth place went to Arran Chambers/Steven Abrams from Canada who easily defeated the Mexicans Ricardo Galindo/Isaías Aguirre 2-0 (21-14, 21-12), in seventh place were Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer (ISV) after defeating Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) 2-1 (12-21, 21-12, 15-13).
Franklin Flores/Armando Guatemala (ESA) finished ninth by defeating Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante (NCA) 2-0 (21-13, 21-16), in eleventh place was the Dominican duo of Jorge Rosario/Rolvin Maldonado who had Edgar Maldonado/ Luis García of Guatemala 2-0 (21-17, 29-27).
Robert Naarden/Keven Sporkslede of Suriname took 13th place after beating Eddy Toro/Gregory De La Cruz of Aruba 2-1 (15-21, 21-17, 15-12), while 15th place went to the Cayman Islands with the Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson duo who defeated the Elkreen Morton/Clerique Ward duo of Saint Kitts 2-0 (21-18, 21-19).
The other results of the day were:
Ricardo Galindo/Isaías Aguirre (MEX) d Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer (ISV) 2-1 (15-21, 21-15, 16-14), Arran Chambers/Steven Abrams (CAN) d Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) ) 2-1 (18-21, 24-22, 15-11), Jake MacNeil/William Russell (CAN) d Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) 2-0 (21-18, 21-17), Robert Harrison/Evan Cory (USA) d Timothy Brewster/Kyle Friend (USA) 2-1 (21-18, 18-21, 23-21).
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 7, 2024.- The Americans Hailey Harward/Kylie DeBerg won the gold medal this Sunday after beating the pair of Allanis Navas/María González from Puerto Rico 2-1 (18-21, 23 -21, 15-13) at the first stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 held on Güibia beach in Santo Domingo.
The bronze medal was won by the United States couple Savannah Simo/Abby Van Winkle after defeating the Cubans Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik 2-0 (21-15, 21-15).
In the match for 5th place, Esperanza Albarrán/Evelyn Ramos (MEX) defeated Dana Rosik/Calinda Kok (CAN) 2-0 (21-17, 21-19), while the Dominicans Nallelin Taveras/Crismil Paniagua were in seventh place after beating Socorro López/LoletteRodríguez (NCA) with a score of 2-0 (21-16, 21-18).
The ninth place went to the Mexicans Susana Torres/Yeray Vidaurrazaga who dominated Kianny Quesada/Ximena Nuñéz from Costa Rica 2-0 (21-14, 21-17), the eleventh position went to Naomy Monney/Danna Aguilar (GUA) who They beat Kathya Vásquez/Daniela Vigil (ESA) 2-0 (21-13,21-16).
Canadians Kristina Vicek/Claire Crossfield took thirteenth position defeating Britney Choon/Tsyan Selvon of Trinidad Tobago 2-1 (21-12, 24-26, 17-15) and in fifteenth place were Deajra Tulloch/Ilean Powery (CAY) beating Zoureena Koningverander/Shaniva Balkaran (SUR) 2-0 (21-16, 21-10).
The other results of the day were:
Dana Rosik/Calinda Kok (CAN) d Socorro López/LoletteRodríguez (NCA) 2-0 (21-8, 21-17), Esperanza Albarrán/Evelyn Ramos (MEX) d Nallelin Taveras/Crismil Paniagua (DOM) 2-0 ( 21-7, 21-11), Hailey Harward/Kylie DeBerg (USA) d Savannah Simo/ Abby Van Winkle (USA) 2-1 (17-21, 21-19, 15-11), Allanis Navas/María González ( PUR) d Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik (CUB) 2-0 (21-15, 21-17).
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 6, 2024.- The teams from the Dominican Republic, the United States and Canada made their way to the semifinal of the first stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 after winning their respective quarterfinal matches this Saturday at the event held on the sand courts installed on Güibia beach on the Santo Domingo boardwalk.
The Dominican duo Hayerlin De Jesús/Oscar Martínez advanced after beating in an electrifying game the pair of Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer of the Virgin Islands 2-0 (28-26,25-23), while the Canadians Jake McNeil/William Russell beat their counterparts Arran Chambers/Steven Abrams with a score of 2-0 (21-17, 21-16).
The Americans Robert Harrison/Evan Cory moved on to the next stage, beating Ricardo Galindo/Isaías Aguirre of Mexico 2-0 (21-15, 22-20), meanwhile the couple of Timothy Brewster/Kyle Friend also from the United States placed in the Semifinal defeating the Costa Ricans Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela 2-1 (21-14, 20-22,15-7).
The semifinals, the Bronze medal match and the Grand Final will be played this Sunday starting at 8 am.
The other results of the day were:
Hayerlin De Jesús/Oscar Martínez (DOM) d Franklin Flores/Armando Guatemala (ESA) 2-0 (21-11, 21-11), Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela (CRC) d Robert Naarden/Keven Sporkslede (SUR) 2- 0 (21-15, 21-12), Timothy Brewster/Kyle Friend (USA) d Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Mayer (ISV) 2-0 (21-12, 21-14), Jorge Rosario/Rolvin Maldonado (DOM) d Elkreen Morton/Clerique Ward (SKN) 2-0 (21-18, 21-19), Ricardo Galindo/Isaías Aguirre (MEX) d Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante (NCA) 2-1 (23-21, 15-21, 15-13), Arran Chambers/Steven Abrams (CAN) d Eddy Toro/Gregory De La Cruz (ARU) 2-0 (21-9, 21-13), Jake McNeil/William Russell (CAN) d Edgar Maldonado/Luis García (GUA) 2-0 (21-11, 21-17), Robert Harrison/Evan Cory (USA) d Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 (21-12, 21-5), Eddy Toro/ Gregory De La Cruz (ARU) d Elkreen Morton/Clerique Ward (SKN) 2-0 (21-12, 21-17), Robert Naarden/Keven Sporkslede (SUR) d Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson (CAY) 2-0 ( 21-12, 21-18), Franklin Flores/Armando Guatemala (ESA) d Edgar Maldonado/Luis García (GUA) 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 15-12), Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante (NCA) ) d Jorge Rosario/Rolvin Maldonado (SUN) 2-0 (21-15, 21-11).
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 6, 2024.- The couples from the United States, Puerto Rico and Cuba emerged victorious in their Quarterfinal matches of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour 2024, which takes place on the sand courts located in Güibia beach in Santo Domingo.
The United States couples formed by Savannah Simo/Abby Van Winkle and Hailey Harward/Kylie Kuyava-De Berg won their respective matches in this phase of the competition. Part of the competition to advance, the duo of Savannah Simo/Abby Van Winkle overcame to the Canadians Kristina Vicek/Claire Crossfield 2-0 (22-20, 21-14), while Hailey Harward/Kylie Kuyava-De Berg were victorious against the Dominicans Nallelin Taveras/Crismil Paniagua 2-0 (21-13, 21-17).
Allanis Navas/María González from Puerto Rico easily defeated the Mexican duo of Esperanza Albarrán/Evelyn Ramos 2-0 (21-16, 21-10), while Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik from Cuba easily defeated the Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez team from Nicaragua with a score of 2-0 (21-11, 21-13).
The Semifinals and medal matches will be played this Sunday starting at 8 am.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 5, 2024.- The pair formed by Hayerling De Jesús and Oscar Martínez from the Dominican Republic won their two matches on the first day of competition of the first stage of the NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour 2024 that takes place Play on the sand courts located on Güibia beach.
In the first match the Dominican duo easily dominated Robert Naarden/Keven Sporkslede of Suriname 2-0 (21-8, 21-14), while in the second game they beat the Costa Ricans Daniel Dyner/Justin Varela 2-0 (21- 15, 21-17).
Four other couples that won their matches on the first day were Tyler Penberthy/Bryce Myers of the Virgin Islands, who defeated Elkreen Morton/Clerique Ward of Saint Kitts 2-0 (21-10, 21-10) and Jorge Rosario/Rolvin Maldonado of the Dominican Republic 2-0 (21-12, 21-15), the American pairs of Timothy Brewster/Kyle Friend who defeated the Dominicans Jorge Rosario/Rolvin Maldonado 2-1 (21-11, 18-21, 15- 13) and in the second game to Elkreen Morton/Clerique Ward of Saint Kitts 2-0 (21-6, 21-10) and the other USA pair were Wyatt Harrison/Evan Cory who beat Jake McNeil/Alexander Russell of Canada 2-1 ( 14-21, 21-16, 15-12) and the Guatemalans Edgar Maldonado/Luis García 2-0 (21-17, 21-12), while Arran Chambers/Steven Abrams of Canada beat the Mexicans Ricardo Galindo/Isaías Aguirre 2-0 (24-22, 21-19) and Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante of Nicaragua 2-0 (21-19, 21-17).
The competition continues this Saturday starting at 8 am with the continuation of the preliminary round, while in the afternoon the quarterfinals and position matches will be played.
Men’s first day results:
CRC Daniel Dyner/Jhostin Varela d ESA Franklin Flores/Armando Guatemala 2-0 (21-13, 21-15), NCA Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante d ARU Eddy Toro/Gregory De La Cruz 2-0 (21-15, 21 -12), GUA Edgar Maldonado/Luis García d CAY Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson 2-0 (21-17, 21-14), GUA Franklin Flores/Armando d Robert Naarden/Keven Sporkslede 2-1 (15-21, 21 -16,15-11), MEX Ricardo Galindo/Isaías Aguirre d ARU Eddy Toro/Gregory De La Cruz 2-0 (21-17, 21-14), CAN Jake McNeil/Alexander Russell d CAY Jesario Ebanks/Stephen Watson 2 -0 (21-10, 21-7).
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 5, 2024.- The United States couples Savannah Simo/Abby Van Winkle and Hailey Harward/Kylie Kuyava-De Berg, the Cuban couple Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik and the Mexicans Esperanza Albarrán/Evelyn Ramos They remained undefeated on the first day of competitions of the NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Tour Güibia 2024.
The Americans Hailey Harward/Kylie Kuyava-De Berg defeated the Canadians Kristina Vicek/Claire Crossfield 2-0 (21-12, 21-5) in their first match, and in the second match they defeated the Nicaraguans Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez by 2-0 (21-14,21-10), while the other couple from the United States Savannah Simo/Abby Van Winkle beat Allanis Navas/María Rodríguez from Puerto Rico in their first match by 2-0 (22-20 , 21-13) and her second victory of the day was against Susana Torres/Yeray Vidaurrazaga of Mexico by 2-1 (21-15, 16-21,15-13).
The other pairs that also won their two matches were the Cubans Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik who beat Kathya Vasquez/Daniela Vigil from El Salvador in the first match by 2-0 (21-11, 21-10), while In the second they beat the Dominicans Nallelin Taveras/Crismil Paniagua 2-1 (16-21, 21-15, 15-11) and the Mexicans Esperanza Albarrán/Evelyn Ramos who beat the Canadians Dana Roskic/Calinda Kok 2-1 (21-17, 18-21, 15-9) and Kianny Quesada/Ximena Núñez of Costa Rica 2-0 (21-11, 21-14).
This Saturday the preliminary round continues starting at 8 am and in the afternoon the quarterfinals and position matches will be played.
Women’s results day 1:
DOM Nallelin Taveras/Crismil Paniagua d SUR Zoureena Koningverander/Shaniva Balkaran 2-0 (21-15, 21-7), NCA Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez d GUA Naomi Monney/Danna Aguilar 2-0 (21-11, 21-18 ), CRC Kianny Quesada/Ximena Núñez d CAY Deajra Tulloch/Ileann Powery 2-0 (21-13, 21-12), MEX Susana Torres/Yeray Vidaurrazaga d TTO Britney Choon/Tsyan Selvon 2-0 (21-12, 21 -17), ESA Kathya Vasquez/Daniela Vigil d SUR Zoureena Koningverander/Shaniva Balkaran 2-0 (21-8, 21-12), GUA Naomi Monney/Danna Aguilar d CAN Kristina Vicek/Claire Crossfield 2-1 (21-18 , 17-21, 15-12), CAN Dana Roskic/Calinda Kok d CAY Deajra Tulloch/Ileann Powery 2-0 (21-14, 21-8), PUR Allanis Navas/María Rodríguez d TTO Britney Choon/Tsyan Selvon 2 -0 (21-3, 21-8).
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 4, 2024.- A total of 16 countries will be taking action at the first stop of the 2024 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour that will start this year in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
32 teams, 16 men and 16 women, confirmed their participation during the preliminary inspection held this Thursday seeking to advance from the preliminary group stage that begins this Friday at 8:00 am on the sand courts located on Güibia Beach in Santo Domingo .
The tournament consists of three days of competitions. On the first day of competition, 32 matches will be played, 16 matches per gender. The quarterfinals and semifinals will take place on Saturday and medal matches will be held on Sunday.
Teams:
Women’s Teams: CAN Roskic/Kok, Vicek/Crossfield; CAY Tulloch/Powery; CRC Quesada/Núñez; CUB Amanda/Drik; DOM Taveras/Paniagua; ESA Vasquez/Vigil; GUA Monney/Aguilar; MEX Albarrán/Ramos, Torres/Vidaurrazaga; NCA López/Lolette; PUR Navas/González; SOUTH Koningverander/Balkaran; TTO Choon/Selvon; USA Harward/DeBerg, Savvy/Van Winkle.
Men’s Teams: ARU Toro/De La Cruz; CAN Chambers/Abrams, McNeil/Russell; CAY Jesario/Watson; CRC Dyner/Varela; DOM De Jesús/Martínez, Rosario/Maldonado; ESA Flores/Guatemala; GUA Maldonado/García; MEX Galindo/Aguirre; NCA Mora/Cascante; SKN Morton/Clerique; SOUTH Naarden/Sporkslede; USA Brewster/Friend, Harrison/Cory; ISV Penberthy/Mayer.
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic, April 1, 2024. – The 2024 season of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour will kick off at Güibia Beach on the Santo Domingo Pier in Dominican Republic.
The first stop of the 2024 NORCECA Tour in Güibia Beach will take place from April 5-7, featuring 32 teams (16 per gender) representing 15 countries from the Americas and the Caribbean. During the technical meeting scheduled for April 4, the official team registration and group distribution will be announced.
This is the first of three events leading up to the 2024 NORCECA Continental Tour Finals (May 11-15), which offers the opportunity to qualify for the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Finals (June 19-24).
According to the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Paris 2024 Olympic Qualification System, in which it was established that a series of three (3) NORCECA Beach Tour Finals in 2022, 2023 and 2024, will qualify 12 National Federations per gender for the 2024 NORCECA Continental Beach Volleyball Olympic Qualification Finals foreseen to be held in the city of Tlaxcala, Mexico on June 19-24, 2024, and will qualify two teams (one per gender) for the Olympic Games.
At least seven dates are scheduled on the 2024 NORCECA Tour calendar: 2024 NORCECA Beach Tour
SAQUAREMA, Brazil, April 1, 2024. – The Cuban duo of Noslen Díaz and Jorge Luis Alayo secured the silver medal at the Challenge Beach Pro Tour World Beach Volleyball event held last weekend in Saquarema, Brazil, marking their second consecutive silver at this level.
The Cubans fought hard against hosts George Souto and Andre Loyola, who needed three sets (21-18, 17-21, 19-17) in the gold medal match.
Díaz and Alayo amassed five victories against two defeats, matching their outstanding performance from the previous week in Recife, where they also claimed a silver medal after losing in the final to a Brazilian pair (Evandro and Arthur).
The Cuban team began their journey to the final in elimination group B. They lost to hosts Vinicus Freitas and Frank Heitor (18-21, 14-21), but stayed alive by defeating Ukrainians Sergiy Popov and Eduard Reznik (19-21, 21-17, 15-12).
With a record of 1-1, they advanced to the round of 18 and defeated brothers Javier and Joaquín Bello, who represent Great Britain, in a 2-1 sets victory (21-18, 22-20).
In the round of 16, they won 2-1 (22-20, 19-21, 16-14) against renowned Brazilians Pedro Solberg and Gustavo Carvalhaes, advancing to the quarterfinals where they defeated Austrians Julian Hört and Alexander Horst 2-0 (21-14, 21-17).
SCARBOROUGH, Trinidad and Tobago, March 29, 2024. – The Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TTVF) announced the successful completion of the international Beach Volleyball Coaching Course at the Courland Beach Volleyball Facility, which took place from March 24-28 and was conducted by Mr. Rick Bevis a Professor at the Vancouver Island University in Canada with the support of the experienced local coach, Mr. David Thomas.
TTVF President, Daymian Stewart who chaired the closing ceremony expressed his delight and vision for the sport of beach volleyball in this country. The TTVF has a plan to qualify to the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. He also promised his former hometown more events including the growing Trinbago Beach Volleyball Tour and possibly a next continental Tour before year end at the new world class facility.
Stewart emphasized the importance of all stakeholders working together for the young people of our country and was thankful for the presence of the representatives of the Ministry of Sport and Community Development, SPORTT, Tobago House of Assembly and the Trinidad and Tobago Olympic committee.
SPORTT Board of Director Ms. Dianne Ruthlyn Antoine delivered positive greetings for the Minister of Sport and Community Development giving encouragement to the TTVF on its initiative.
THA’s Administrator Ms. Camille Trim of the Division of Community Development, Youth Development and Sport also addressed the ceremony and invited the TTVF to use the facility more.
Trinidad and Tobago Olympic Committee General Secretary Ms. Annette Knott presented some gifts to the instructors and also expressed her pleasure with the event and the vision of the TTVF.
Mr. Rick Bevis of Vancouver Island University, Canada, the instructor assigned by the international body FIVB was very complementary to the TTVF on its vision and could not resist expressing his willingness to return to help in executing the Beach Volleyball Development plans.
Twenty-Seven (27) of the candidates were successful in there practical and theoretical assessment. They received their certification during the closing ceremony. Thirteen (13) of the successful candidates were from Tobago, there were also two guest participants from Grenada and St. Vincent courtesy scholarships from the continental body NORCECA.
The TTVF express their gratitude to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, The Tobago House of Assembly, E-IDCOT, Zen Sanctuary Condos, YMCA, FIVB, CAZOVA and NORCECA for all the support.
SCARBOROUGH, Trinidad and Tobago, March 25th, 2024.- An international Beach Volleyball Coaching Course started on Sunday at the Courland Beach Volleyball Facility constructed for the 2023 Youth Commonwealth Games in Black Rock Tobago.
The course that has thirty (30) participants is organized by the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation (TTVF) and will conclude on March 28th kicked off with a small opening ceremony chaired by TTVF President, Daymian Stewart expressing the importance of this program to the TTVF’s strategic plan of the Trinidad and Tobago Volleyball Federation, which has as its major milestone the qualification for the 2032 Olympic Games Beach Volleyball in Brisbane.
Also, former NAAA’s boss and SPORTT Company member Mr. Ephraim Serrette greeted the participants and echoed the sentiments of President Stewart about the importance of this development work towards the achieving the desired goals of the federation.
TTOC General Secretary Ms. Annette Knott as the key speaker, welcomed this positive activity in her native Tobago and encouraged the continued use of the facility in Black Rock. She also disclosed that the Olympic movement is already in talks with the TTVF on a next development project for under 19 athletes from around the Caribbean.
FIVB Instructor Rick Bevis during practical session
The final speaker was Mr. Rick Bevis of Vancouver Island University, Canada, the instructor assigned by the international body FIVB. Mr. Bevis expressed his pleasure of attending this course in Tobago and he is happy to be given the opportunity to deliver his knowledge to eager coaches.
Also in attendance was World Cup footballer and THA representative Mr. Cyd Gray and Trinidad and Tobago Senior Beach Coach Mr. David Thomas serving as the assistant instructor.
The participants included two (2) foreigners on Scholarship from NORCECA from Grenada and St. Vincent and Seventeen (17) participants are from Tobago.
The course will close on Holy Thursday with a written and practical examination. The Minister of Sport and Community Development, the Honorable Shamfa Cudjoe-Lewis is expected to address the closing ceremony of the course held in her constituency.
The TTVF expresses its gratitude to the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, The Tobago House of Assembly, E-IDCOT, Zen Sanctuary Condos, YMCA, FIVB, CAZOVA and NORCECA for all the support.
RECIFE, Brazil, March 25, 2024.- Cuba’s Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz and Canada’s Heather Bansley and Sophie Bukovec earned a silver medal on Sunday at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Recife Challenge tournament in Brazil.
Brazilians Evandro Gonçalves and Arthur Lanci took full advantage of their first home event in Recife, with a 2-0 (21-15, 21-18) win over Alayo and Díaz in front of a packed center court.
Alayo and Díaz earned their way to the finals winning 2-0 over Argentina’s Capogrosso/Capogrosso in the Round of 16, 2-0 against Canada’s Schachter/Dearing in quarterfinals and 2-0 over Bello/Bello from England in semifinals.
While in the women’s field, Latvia’s Anastasija Samoilova and Tina Graudina won the gold-medal match 2-0 (21-18, 21-17) over the Canadians tandem.
Canada came up from the qualifying round to have an almost perfect tournament, including a 2-0 win in semifinals over Ittlinger/Borger of Germany.
Many of the teams competing in Brazil are earning important points towards Paris 2024 Olympic berths. In each gender, 17 spots will be obtained through the Olympic ranking until the June 9 deadline and high-level Beach Pro Tour events offer points towards that ranking.
The battle to qualify for this summer’s Olympics is set to have another chapter in Brazil as the country will host another Beach Pro Tour Challenge event next week, with teams heading south to Saquarema, where they will compete from Thursday to Sunday.
DOHA, Qatar, March 9, 2024.- Canada’s Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson take home a silver medal from the first Elite 16 of the year at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour stop in Doha, and Sara Hughes alongside Kelly Cheng of the United States take the bronze.
Melissa & Brandie knocked out two powerful Brazilian pairs on the way to the final but stopped short of beating a third one Bárbara Seixas and Carol Salgado in the gold medal showdown. Seventh-seeded Barbara & Carol showed a solid performance against the fourth-seeded Canadians and mastered a 2-0 (21-18, 21-18) shutout to lift the trophy in the Qatari capital.
“It was a hard-fought week of great competition. It feels great to be back on tour playing against the best,” said Humana-Paredes. “We had a tough pre-season preparing for this, so we’re happy to see the things we worked on in action. A big team effort! Would have loved a better showing in the finals but the positive is we have a lot of good to take back home and work on.”
Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson
The field in Doha, Qatar, was packed with top-ranking teams. Canada is currently ranked fourth in the world.
Canada defeated number-one ranked Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda) & Ana Patricia Ramos of Brazil in the quarterfinals and then in the semis, Melissa/Brandie beat Anastasija Samoilova and Tina Graudina of Latvia 2-1 to advance.
Hughes/Cheng of USA, reigning world champions who are already qualified for Paris 2024, won the bronze-medal match over Latvia’s Anastasija Samoilova & Tina Graudina on the way to a 2-0 (21-15, 21-18) sweep. For the reigning world champions, the Doha bronze was the pair’s first ever on the Beach Pro Tour. They also have five golds and a silver on their record.
Sara Hughes alongside Kelly Cheng of the United States
CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 25, 2024.- St. Lucia Team One, represented by Joseph Clercent and Sheldon Descartes were required to come from a set down to take gold in the Men’s Final of Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.
In an all St Lucia finale, Clercent and Descartes, beat the St Lucia Team Two, composed of Rio Victor and Darnell Eudoxie, 2-1 (14-21, 21-15, 15-4).
Experienced showed when it mattered most, as Clercent and Descartes, with their title on the line, kept their composure, clawing back after trailing.
They, thus played unbeaten in the Tournament, finishing with five wins.
Both Clercent and Descartes were happy that they were able to maintain their hold on the title, stating that their experienced counted.
“We have the experience, the knowledge and we have the game ethics, hence we were able to outpower them with our shots. We attacked them mentally and that broke down the younger players and we were able to capitalize on them”, Clercent assessed.
Meanwhile, Descartes is pleased that younger players are coming through.
“I like that we are seeing new talents coming through which means that more Volleyball is being played in those countries, hence, I am encouraging the young players to play Beach Volleyball, as it will help them in their indoor or court game”, Descartes said.
Before reaching the final, Clercent and Descartes had earlier in the day three, saw off St Lucia’s Team Three of Jevauny Roberts and Peter Emmanuel, 2-0(21-12, 21-11), as they dueled in the quarter finals.
They then had a 2-0 (21-16, 21-16) trumping over the St Vincent and the Grenadines duo of Jamaar Cropper and Ronaldo Franklyn, in the semi-finals.
Meanwhile, Victor and Eudoxie beat Antigua and Barbuda’s Adrian Constant and Jamarie James 2-0 (21-19, 21-14) in their semifinal pairing. Before that, they overcame St Kitts and Nevis’ duo of Elkreen Morton and Clerique Ward 2-1( 21-16, 18-21, 15-10) in the quarter final.
In other quarter final results, Constant and James had a 2-0 ( 21-19, 21-14) win over Grenada’s Darren Oxford and Isaac Nelson, while Cropper/ Franklyn in combination beat Yahn Florent and Ray Robinson of Dominica 2-0(21-17, 21-11).
St Vincent and the Grenadines took the bronze medal, as Cropper and Franklyn outdid Constant and James, 2-0 (21-16, 23-21)
The other teams that sought honours in the tournament were Bermuda, Dominica Team Two, British Virgin Islands and Anguilla.
CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 25, 2024.- The pair of Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford took gold, as Grenada bossed the women’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.
Mitchell and Stafford on day three of the tournament, kept their perfect record intact, defeating St Lucia’s Team One of Chenoa Evans and Denila Prospere 2-1( 22-10, 17-21, 15-9) in the final to take the gold medal.
The Grenadians thus avenged their loss in the 2023 final, as they fell to Evans and Prospere.
Commenting on the victory, Mitchell put it down to composure.
“ For us, it was about assuring each other. We were there for each and pushed ourselves”, she outlined.
Noting that it was always their ambition to be at the top of the podium, Mitchell related, “We came here with the main intention to execute and that is what we did. We are proud of ourselves. This a moment for us and for Grenada to win an ECVA title. It is a dream come true”.
En route to the final, Mitchell and Stafford won 2-0( 21-17 , 21-17) over Bermuda’s Megan Hands and Hailey Moss in the semifinals and overcame Saquanna Duncan and Shanadia Sylvester of St Vincent and the Grenadines 2-0( 21-9, 21-16 )) ,
On the other hand, Evans and Propere beat Dominica’s Zahidu Henry and Nyla Edmund 21-9, 21-5 in the semifinals. This after they had taken care of Antigua’s pair of Sharifa Simmons and Jassania Joseph 2-0 ( 21-9, 21-13) in the quarter finals.
The other quarter finals saw Henry and Edmund outlasting Tenayshestigni Joseph and Clio Phillip, representing St Lucia Team Two 2-1 (21-12, 19-21, 18–16) in their match up, while Hands and Moss defeated St Kitts and Nevis’ Shanella and Shania Harris 2-1(21-9, 11-21, 16-14).
Also, on day three, the British Virgin Island’s team of Zoe Richards and Makalia Powell defeated Anguilla’s Deandra Flemming and Lavesha Richardson 2-0( 21-16, 21-10), in the match to determine the ninth and tenth places.
And, Dominica’s Henry/ Edmund took bronze defeating Bermuda’s Hands/ Moss 2-0 (21-11, 21-17).
CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 24, 2024.- St Lucia Team One, represented by Chenoa Evans and Denila Prospere and the Grenadian pair of Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford, head into the quarter finals of the Women’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay, undefeated.
After day two, Evans and Prospere led Group A with 4:0 win/loss ratio, with Mitchell and Stafford also having four wins from as many matches, to top Group A , at the end of the preliminary round.
In day two action, Evans and Prospere beat Saquanna Duncan and Shanadia Sylvester of St Vincent and the Grenadines 2-0( 21-15, 21-13)) , but were taken to three sets by Dominica’s Zahidu Henry and Nyla Edmund, winning 2-1(21-8, 17-21, 15-12)
Mitchell and Stafford were more clinical in their two matches on the day, registering 2-0 wins over Anguilla’s Deandra Flemming and Lavesha Richardson 21-14, 21-7, as well as the St Kitts pair of Shanella and Shania Harris, 21-5, 21-9.
Other results from day two, St Lucia Team Two, of Tenayshestigni Joseph and Clio Phillip beat Antigua’s Sharifa Simmons and Jassania Joseph2-0 (21-10, 21-12), as well as the Harris’ of St Kitts, 2-0( 22-20, 21-14)
St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Duncan and Sylvester won their first match, beating the British Virgin Islands’ pair of Zoe Richards and Makalia Powell 2-0 ( 21-13, 21-14)
Richards and Powell were also beaten by Bermuda’s Megan Hands and Hailey Moss 2-0 (21-10, 21-14) . The combination of Hands and Moss also had a 2-0 ( 23-21, 21-15) triumph over Dominica’s Henry and Edmund.
And, Simmons and Joseph saw off Flemming and Richardson, 21-15, 21-11, to record their lone win.
The quarter finals pairings see St Lucia Team One versus Antigua and Barbuda; Bermuda faces St Kitts and Nevis, with Grenada taking on St Vincent and the Grenadines and Dominica meets St Lucia Team Two.
The minor place pits the British Virgin Islands and Anguilla in a battle for the ninth and tenth position.
Meanwhile, the semifinals match ups show the winner between St Lucia Team One meeting the winner of the Dominica versus St Lucia Two match , and the winner of the St Vincent and the Grenadines versus Grenada encounter, faces either Bermuda or St Kitts and Nevis.
The winners of the semifinals advance to the gold medal match and the losers in the third place.
CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 24, 2024.- A grand stand finish looms as quarter finalists in the Men’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay, have been decided, after eight matches that were completed on day two.
St Kitts and Nevis winners of Group A, will face off against St Lucia Team Two , while St Lucia Team One, who took Group B will oppose St Lucia Team Three.
Group C winners- St Vincent and the Grenadines will take on Dominica Team One and Grenada, winners of Group D faces Antigua and Barbuda.
In the final set of group matches, St Kitts and Nevis pair of Elkreen Morton and Clerique Ward beat Dominica’s Yahn Florent and Ray Robinson 2-0 ( 21-17, 21-13) to maintain their unbeaten run.
But a little more challenge was on offer for the St Lucia Team One of Sheldon Descartes and Joseph Clercent who had to dig deep to ward off Bermuda’s Kyle Hamilton and Benjamin Barnett 2-1( 21-8, 27-29, 15-9) to also register their second win in as many matches.
To top Group C, St Vincent and the Grenadines pair of Jamaar Cropper and Ronaldo Franklyn had a hard -fought 2-0 ( 21-17, 23- 21) triumph over Antigua and Barbuda’s Adrian Constant and Jamarie James, with Darron Oxford and Isaac Nelson of Grenada comfortably defeating Anguilla’s Aiden Hazzard and Da’ Qwan Fredericks 2-0( 21-11, 21-15).
It was Anguilla’s second loss for the day, as they were beaten by St Lucia’s Team Three of Jevauny Roberts and Peter Emmanuel, 2-0 ( 21-14, 21-16)
In the play offs to decided the other quarter finalists Rio Victor and Darnell Eudoxie of St Lucia Team Two ousted the Dominica Team Two combination of Bill Frederick and Mervin Mingo 2-1 ( 21-15, 17-21, 15-12)
Antigua and Barbuda’s Constant and James, overcame Bermuda’s Hamilton and Barnett 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) and Dominica’s Florent and Robinson Anguilla’s Hazzard and Fredericks 2-0( 21-9, 21-14).
Also advancing from the play off was St Lucia Team Three represented by Jevauny Roberts and Peter Emmanuel. They beat the British Virgin Islands’ J’adon George and Jose Ramirez 2-0( 21-12, 21-13).
The semifinals will feature the winner between St Lucia Team Two and St Kitts and Nevis versus either Antigua and Barbuda or Grenada, and the winners of the St Lucia Team One versus St Lucia Team Three, against the St Vincent and the Grenadines/ Dominica duel.
A mouth- watering final pits the winners of the semi-finals, while the losers battle for the consolation third place.
CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 23, 2024: Honours were even on day one of the Men’s segment of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.
Spreading across all four groups, seven matches were decided, with five registered 2-0 wins, while two needed a third set.
In Group B, defending pair, Joseph Clercent and Sheldon Descartes beat Dominica Team Two representatives, Mervin Mingo and Bill Frederick, 2-0 (21-14, 21-8).
Also, in Group B, Bermuda’s Kyle Hamilton and Benjamin Barnett defeated Mingo and Fredrick, 2-1(16-21, 21-8, 15-13).
The tale was similar in Group A, as St Kitts and Nevis’ Elkreen Morton and Cleric Ward stopped the British Virgin Islands’ duo of J’adon George and Jose Ramirez 2-0 (21- 6, 21-6).
Then, Yahn Florent and Ray Robinson, who formed Dominica’s Team One, had a comfortable 2-0 ( 21-5, 21-4) triumph over George and Ramirez.
Likewise, Group C hosted two matches. St Vincent and the Grenadines’ Jamaar Cropper and Ronaldo Franklyn defeated St Lucia Team Two’s Darnell Rio Victor and Darnell Eudoxie 2-1( 20-22, 21-17, 15-13).
However, Victor and Eudoxie rebounded to go past Jamarie James and Adrian Constant 2-0 ( 25-23, 21-16).
And, the lone match in Group D, saw Grenada’s Darron Oxford and Isaac Nelson, recording a 2-0( 23-21, 21-13) trumping at the expense of St Lucia Team Three’s Jevauny Roberts and Peter Emmanuel.
Day Two Group Fixtures
Group A: Morton/ Ward vs Florent/ Robinson
Group B: Hamilton/ Benjamin vs Descartes/ Florent
Group C: James/ Constant vs Cropper/ Franklyn
Group D: Roberts/ Emmanuel vs Aiden Hazzard / Da’ Qwan Fredericks( Anguilla)
Hazzard/ Fredericks vs Oxford/ Nelson
Following the remainder of matches in the Group stage, the second and third places in the four groups will duel for four quarter final places.
The winners of the group advance directly to the quarter finals.
CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 23, 2024: St Lucia Team One, St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica and Grenada Women’s outfits, left day one of the Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay, with two wins under their belts.
The St Lucian pair of Denila Prospere and Chenao Evans, beat Zoe Richards and Makalia Powell of the British Virgin Islands 2-0 ( 21-13, 21-11), before ousting Bermuda’s Megan Hands/ Hailey Moss, 2-0 ( 21-9, 21-14).
Also, in Group A, Dominica’s Zahidu Henry and Nyla Edmund, defeated the British Virgin Islands’ pair of Richards and Powell, 2-0 (21-10, 21-19), then handed a 2-0(21-16, 21-15) defeat to Vincentians Shanadia Sylvester and Saquanna Duncan.
Meanwhile, St Kitts and Nevis and Grenada recorded their double wins in Group B.
The St Kitts and Nevis’ duo of Shanella Harris/ Shania Harris, defeated Antigua and Barbuda’s , Jassania Joseph and Sharifa Simmons, 2-0 (21-13, 21-6), as well as Anguilla’s Deandra Flemming and Lavesha Richardson 2-0 ( 21-18, 21-15).
Likewise, Grenada’s Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford beat St Lucia Team Two, comprising Jemima Evans and Clio Phillip, 2-0 (21-14, 21-17), then continued their winnings ways over Antigua’s Joseph and Simmons, also 2-0 (21-13, 21-12).
In other day one results, Bermuda beat St Vincent and the Grenadines 2-0 (21-13, 21-12) and St Lucia Team Two defeated Anguilla, 2-0 (21-15, 21-13).
Group A fixtures for day two: Bermuda vs British Virgin Islands, St Vincent and the Grenadines vs St Lucia Team One, Bermuda vs Dominica, St Vincent and the Grenadines vs British Virgin Islands, and St Lucia vs Dominica.
And, Group B matches pit St Lucia Team Two vs St Kitts and Nevis, Grenada vs Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda vs St Lucia Team Two, St Kitts and Nevis vs Grenada and Anguilla versus Antigua and Barbuda.
CASTRIES, St Lucia, February 22, 2024: Twelve men’s teams and ten women’s teams battle for supremacy in the 2024 Eastern Caribbean Volleyball Association (ECVA) Senior Beach Volleyball Tournament here at the Cul de Sac Bay.
Twelve teams are slotted in the Men’s segment. In Group A are St Kitts and Nevis, Dominica and the British Virgin Islands. Making up Group B are St Lucia Team One, Bermuda and Dominica Team Two, with St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia Team Three, along with Antigua and Barbuda, composing Group C. And, completing the lot, are Grenada, Anguilla and St Lucia Team Three, are stashed in Group D.
Meanwhile, the women’s teams have been placed into two groups. In Group A are St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia Team One, the British Virgin Islands, Dominica and Bermuda. Comprising Group B are duos representing St Lucia Team Two, Grenada, Anguilla, St Kitts and Nevis and Antigua and Barbuda.
St Lucia trumped both segments in 2023, when sixteen teams contested for honours. The pair of Sheldon Descartes and Joseph Clercent beat the St Kitts and Nevis’ St Clair Hodge and Shawn Seabrookes, in straight sets, 2-0 in the final.
In the women’s title match, Denila Prospere and Chenao Evans kept the Grenadian duo of Thornia Mitchell and Renisha Stafford, at bay, to win 2-1.
And, the defending champions are more than confident of retaining their titles.
The seasoned Clercent, underscored that whenever he enters the court, he has one aim and that is to win.
“ We are going out their to do our best … When we go out to play Volleyball, we go out to play and win”, Clercent commented.
Likewise, Chenao Evans believes she and Prospere have what it takes to take the gold medal again.
“ We are seeing some new faces who were not here last year, but winning is always what is first and foremost on our minds… My partner and I are confident of coming out on top once more and with the home support we can do it.
The format of the men’s category sees the tops in each of the four groups earning direct places to the quarter finals, whilst the other eight will engage in play offs for the other four spots.
Among the women, the top four teams in each group head to the quarter- finals, whilst the fifth places will vie for the ninth and tenth spots.
Eight matches are carded for the opening day in men’s play, while ten are to be decided among the women.
The playing days for the tournament are February 23 to 25.
TORONTO, Ontario, January 19, 2024.- Volleyball Canada’s 2024 National Beach Volleyball Team includes the world’s number four-ranked duo of Melissa Humana-Paredes and Brandie Wilkerson. Rounding out the senior carded athletes are two-time Olympian Sarah Pavan (who plays on the tour with Molly McBain) and 2022 World silver medalist Sophie Bukovec, who plays on the tour with Heather Bansley, another two-time Olympian.
On the men’s side, Canada’s top-ranked team is Sam Schachter (2016 Olympian) and Dan Dearing.
The athletes listed below make up the 2024 Canadian Beach Volleyball Team.
In May 2024, approximately 28 additional Beach National Team Summer Program athletes (16 men and 12 women) will be selected for four months of carding.
Teams play on the Beach Pro Tour and/or the NORCECA Tour. Canada will host a Beach Pro Tour stop Elite 16 event in Montreal late this summer; and a Futures event in Halifax, NS, in late August.
Canada’s Olympic team will not be confirmed until mid-summer.
For Paris 2024, the winners of the World Championships have already qualified, as well as the host nation (France). The international race for the remaining Olympic spots started at the beginning of 2023 and is about to heat up in 2024 when 17 duos per gender secure spots under the Eiffel Tower through the Olympic Ranking, based on each pair’s best 12 performances in qualifying events between January 1, 2023 and June 10, 2024. Meanwhile, another five teams per gender will make the cut as winners of the five Continental Olympic tournaments, which are scheduled between June 13 and 23.
Senior National Team Carded Sarah Pavan (Kitchener, ON) Melissa Humana-Paredes (Toronto, ON) Brandie Wilkerson (Toronto, ON) Sophie Bukovec (Toronto, ON)
Full-Time Training Carded (Senior B/Next Gen) Women Molly McBain (Toronto, ON) Heather Bansley (Waterdown, ON) Lea Monkhouse (Mississauga, ON) Marie-Alex Bélanger (Saint-Alphonse-Rodriguez, QC) Amy Ozee (Maui, HI, USA) Anna Licht (Toronto, ON) Men Sam Schachter (Richmond, Hill, ON) Daniel Dearing (Toronto, ON) Alexander Russell (Surrey, BC) Jake MacNeil (Georgetown, ON) Tynan Gannett (Dartmouth, NS) Arran Chambers (Edmonton, AB) Steven Abrams (Georgetown, ON) Luke de Greeff (Victoria, BC)
With only the world champions already qualified for Paris 2024, 23 spots per gender are still up for grabs.
The 2024 beach volleyball season is set to heat up from 27 July to 10 August, when the Olympic Games Paris 2024 tournaments will be held at the iconic Eiffel Tower Stadium, where a temporary outdoor arena will provide an exceptional setting for participants and spectators alike.
Beach volleyball will mark its eighth appearance at the Olympic Games, having first captivated audiences during its debut at the Atlanta 1996. The formula for the beach volleyball tournament at Paris 2024 will remain the same as in Tokyo 2020.
Women’s 2023 World Champion Kelly Cheng
While the two teams (one per gender) to represent the host nation France are yet to be announced, only two duos have already qualified to compete at Paris 2024 after topping the podium at the 2023 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Mexico. These are Czechia for the men’s tournament earned by the 2023 world champions Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner and USA on the women’s side earned by the women’s 2023 World Champions Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng.
David Schweiner ecstatic about his team’s first Olympic win at Tokyo 2020
A total of 24 teams per gender will compete at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, with a maximum of two teams per gender per country.
The race for the remaining vacancies started at the beginning of 2023 and is about to heat up in 2024 when it will climax with 17 duos per gender booking their spots under the Eiffel Tower through the Olympic Ranking, based on each pair’s best 12 performances in qualifying events between 1 January 2023 and 10 June 2024. Meanwhile, another five teams per gender will make the cut as winners of the five Continental Olympic tournaments, set to be held between 13 and 23 June.
While the final list of teams qualifying for Paris 2024 through the Olympic Ranking will not be confirmed until June 10, several prominent teams are strong contenders. The likes of Tokyo 2020 Olympic champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum of Norway and reigning European champions David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden, who are currently leading the men’s chart, will be in the running. On the women’s side, World Championship silver medallists Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda) and Ana Patricia Ramos of Brazil and the highly ranked American pairing of Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss, currently heading the women’s chart, are in a strong position for qualification.
It is important to note that, as a general principle, quota places are allocated to the respective National Olympic Committees and not directly to the athletes or teams that earned them.
In each gender, the 24 qualified teams will be split into six single round-robin pools of four for the first stage of the Olympic tournament in Paris. The six pool winners, the six pool runners-up and the two best ranked third-placed teams will enter the single-elimination playoffs that then lead to the medal matches on the last competition day directly from the round of 16, while the remaining four third-placed teams will move on to a “lucky loser” playoffs to decide the 2 winning teams advancing to the round of 16.
The race for spots at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 will highlight the first half of the year.
After two successful seasons in 2022 and 2023, the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour is soon to get its third one underway. As in the previous editions, the three levels of the Beach Pro Tour will spread beach volleyball fever all over the world, with plenty of opportunities for top-calibre players and aspiring athletes alike to join in on the action and test themselves against their opponents.
Just like the full 2023 season, the first half of the 2024 season, until 10 June, will continue to offer valuable points towards the race for Olympic tickets to Paris 2024, and just like in 2021, a tournament in Ostrava, Czechia, this time an Elite16 event, will be the last one to count towards the Olympic rankings. At the end of this, the 17 teams per gender to qualify for the Olympic Games in France via the FIVB Olympic Rankings will be known. For information on the full qualification process for the Olympic Games beach volleyball competition, please click here.
The unique venue in Czechia’s third largest city also hosted the 4-star tournament in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour in 2021, which saw a dramatic turn of events in the fight for places at the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020. Kerri Walsh Jennings and her partner Brooke Sweat lost their qualification match to the then new and relatively unknown Dutch pairing of Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon. That allowed another up-and-coming team, Sarah Sponcil and Kelly Cheng (then Claes), to book a last-minute ticket to Tokyo 2020 as the second qualified American pair, instead of Walsh and Sweat. That sensational win over Walsh and Sweat also set the beginning of Stam and Schoon’s incredible story that also led them to the Games in Tokyo.
While the full 2024 Beach Pro Tour calendar is being adapted to optimise the number of events and their geographical distribution, it is already clear that there will be at least eight Elite16 and eight Challenger tournaments.
The Finals will be held in Doha, Qatar again from 5 to 8 December, 2024. Doha will also host an Elite16 event in early March, keeping alive the tradition of hosting two events per season, which started with a Challenge tournament and the Finals in 2022, and an Elite16 stop and the Finals in 2023.
Later in March, Brazil will welcome two Challenge events. The Beach Pro Tour will pay a first visit to Recife, its first world-level competition since 1996, and will then return to Saquarema, which hosted the Beach Pro Tour in 2023 as well.
Celebrations during the Saquarema Challenge 2023 award ceremony
April’s calendar includes two stops in Mexico and one in China – the Tour will visit Guadalajara for the first time for a Challenge stop before returning to Tepic for an Elite16 tournament, the second in the western Mexican town, after 2023. In late April, the Chinese city of Xiamen will host a Challenge tournament, its first Beach Pro Tour event, after hosting regular high-level World Tour stops from 2013 to 2019.
A European leg of one Challenge and five Elite16 tournaments will take place from late May till late August, before and after the Olympic Games in Paris. It will start in Portugal, with the Elite16 event from 22-26 May.
The Beach Pro Tour will then hold its first event, a Challenge tournament, in the iconic Polish village of Stare Jablonki, which hosted several World Tour Grand Slam and Open stops from 2004 to 2014, as well as the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in 2013.
2013 world champion Xue Chen of China is likely to compete in Stare Jablonki again 10 years later
After Ostrava in June, the Beach Pro Tour will visit two more iconic European venues in July before the start of the Games in Paris. One is Gstaad in Switzerland, which has been a regular host of world-level events since 2000, including the 2007 World Championships. The other host city is Vienna in neighbouring Austria, which set the stage for the 2017 World Championships, 5-star tournaments in 2018 and 2019, and the CEV European Championships in 2021 and 2023.
After Paris 2024, the Beach Pro Tour will stay in Europe for one more Elite16 stop in Hamburg, a hub of beach volleyball in Germany. The city hosted the European Championships back in 2008, one of the Majors on the FIVB World Tour in 2016, the World Tour Finals in both 2017 and 2018, the World Championships in 2019 and two Elite16 events in 2022 and 2023 (pictured in the main photo).
The last Elite16 stop of the year is set to be at the end of August in Montreal, Canada. The Canadian city organised numerous World Tour Open events during the first decade of the century and returned to the world beach volleyball stage with its first Elite16 tournament in 2023.
Packed stands in Montreal during the Elite16 tournament in 2023
In October, the Beach Pro Tour will once again visit Brazil for a Challenge stop in Joao Pessoa, which hosted the last Elite16 tournament in 2023.
Finally, in late November and early December, before the Finals in Doha, Challenge tournaments will take place in India, and in the Philippines, which will host its second high-level event again in Nuvali, where the last Challenge stop of 2023 also took place.
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 17, 2023. – Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon from the United States won the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour Finals defeating Canada’s Sarah Pavan and Molly McBain 2-1 (21-16, 14-21, 15-11) in the gold medal match at Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
Megan and Terese needed 53 minutes to celebrate their first-ever NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in great style.
The American duo was aggressive in the first set, taking an early lead of 13-7. Roles switched in the second set, as Pavan and McBain found stability in their serve and rushed to a 10-5 lead, forcing the tie-break. In the tie-break, Cannon avoided Pavan’s block, allowing them to be more tactical.
“It was really windy in the beginning of the game, and we served really well. Also, our side out was cleaner,” said Megan. “Canada served better in the second set. In the third set the wind died, so it was more a classic game, we trusted our side out and we served as tactically as we could” she added.
Terese said “It was a good match, there was a lot of back and forth like Megan said. They are a really good team, they know us well, we play them all the time, so it was exciting volleyball”.
In the semifinals, Kraft and Cannon also went to three sets, earning battled 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 16-14) victory against María González/Allanis Navas from Puerto Rico. On the other hand, Pavan and McBain easily defeated Valentina López/Kianny Quesada from Costa Rica 2-0 (21-9, 21-13).
González/Navas won the bronze medal easily dominating López/Quesada 2-0 (21-6, 21-10). González and Navas won the silver medal in the 2022 NORCECA Finals, and they are ending this NORCECA 2023 season with a total of four medals, winning two gold medals (Cayman Islands, Punta Cana) and one silver medal in San Salvador.
Women’s Results Sunday:
GOLD MEDAL Megan Kraft/Terese Cannon USA d Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain CAN 2-1
BRONZE MEDAL María González/Allanis Navas PUR d Valentina Molina/Quesada CRC 2-0 (21-6, 21-10)
SEMIFINALS USA d PUR 2-1 (21-19, 18-21, 16-14); CAN d CRC 2-0 (21-9, 21-13)
POSITIONS POS 5 MEX d CUB 2-1 (15-21, 21-12, 16-14); POS 7 DOM d NCA 2-0 (21-14, 21-13); POS 9 GUA d CAY 2-1 (21-13, 19-21, 15-8); POS 11 ISV d ESA 2-1 (21-13, 19-21, 15-8); POS 13 PAN d TTO (forfeit team B); QF LOSERS MEX d DOM 2-0 (21-8, 22-20); CUB d NCA 2-0 (21-9, 21-13)
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 17, 2023. – Cubans Noslen Díaz and Jorge Alayo got their revenge against Canada’s Samuel Schachter and Daniel Dearing with a 2-0 (24-22, 22-20) victory, claiming the championship title of the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour Finals in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
The duo of Noslen Díaz and Jorge Alayo concluded the NORCECA Tour 2023 with a bronze medal in Varadero and this gold medal.
In the NORCECA 2022 Finals, Díaz and Alayo fell to Schachter and Dearing, but this year, they achieved their anticipated victory, coming from behind in the first set by a four-point deficit (11-16). Díaz serves and Alayo’s block allowed them to level the score at 20 and again at 22.
In the second set, with some raindrops, the Cubans led 20-18, but Daniel, with his attack and block, leveled the score at 20. However, Díaz and Alayo prevailed with a strong serve and a Canadian unforced error.
“It was great that we reached the final again with them; now we are 1-1”, expressed Noslen Díaz. “We started behind, and I think our power in serving made the difference, allowing us to take control of the match” he underlined.
Jorge Alayo said, “I thank Noslen and the entire coaching staff who supported us throughout the year. This was a great match to get revenge from last year. There was a lot of emotion; we fought for every point and gave a good spectacle”.
Alayo and Díaz advanced to the gold medal match by defeating Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante of Nicaragua 2-0 (21-9, 21-14) in semifinals, while Schachter/Dearing beat Miles Partain/Andrew Benesh of the United States 2-0 (21-16, 21-19).
In the bronze medal match, Partain/Benesh defeated Mora/Cascante 2-0 (21-16, 21-9), winning their first NORCECA Beach Tour medal.
Men’s Results Sunday:
GOLD MEDAL Noslen Díaz/Jorge Alayo CUB d Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing CAN 2-0 (24-22, 22-20)
BRONZE MEDAL Miles Partain/Andrew Benesh USA d Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante NCA 2-0 (21-16, 21-9)
SEMIFINALS CAN d USA 2-0 (21-16, 21-19); CUB d NCA 2-0 (21-9, 21-14)
POSITIONS POS 5 MEX d PUR 2-0 (21-17, 29-27); POS 7 DOM d TTO 2-1 (22-20, 18-21, 15-9); POS 11 CRC d GUA 2-0 (21-13, 21-16); POS 9 ESA d ISV 2-0 (21-18, 21-15); POS 13 SKN d PAN (forfeit team B); POS 15 VIN d ARU 2-0 (21-17, 21-17); QF LOSERS MEX d TTO 2-0 (21-10, 21-15); PUR d DOM 2-1 (21-23, 21-18, 15-11)
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 16, 2023. – Costa Rica, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States are the four finalists in the women’s tournament of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour Final in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
The semifinals will take place on Sunday between Maria Navas/Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico and Megan Kraft/Terese Cannon of the United States, and Valentina Molina/Kianny Quesada of Costa Rica against Canadians Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain.
Costa Rica’s duo of Valentina Molina/Kianny Quesada, advanced to semifinals defeating the Nicaragua’s Socorro López and Lolette Rodríguez 2-0 (21-11, 21-17).
Kianny Araya of Costa Rica
Earlier, the “Ticas” had finished the preliminary round as second in pool B behind Americans Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon, while López/Lolette finished at the top of pool A after a 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) victory against Dominicans Paniagua/Tavares.
Sarah Pavan and Molly McBain of Canada dominated their quarterfinal match against Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik of Cuba 2-0 (21-16, 21-16). Pavan/McBain had finished first in pool D with a victory over Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores of Mexico 2-0 (21-3, 21-17).
Terese Cannon USA
Puerto Ricans María González and Allanis Navas started the day by winning pool C after defeating Daniela Vigil/Sofía Velásquez of El Salvador 2-0 (21-6, 21-9) and then they clinched their spot in the semifinals with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-11) victory over Gutiérrez/Flores (MEX) after recovering from a four-point deficit (4-8) in the first set.
Americans Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon were the last team to secure their spot in the semifinals after defeating Crismil Paniagua and Nallelin Tavares of the Dominican Republic.
In the classification matches for positions 9/12, Natalia Girón/Paola Alvarado of Guatemala defeated Vigil/Velásquez (ESA) 2-0 (21-18, 21-15), and Heather Thompson/Stefania Gandolfi of the Cayman Islands defeated Almeida-Anz/Buckner (ISV) 2-0 (21-18, 21-19).
María González of Puerto Rico
Women’s Results Saturday:
QUARTERFINALS Molina/Quesada CRC d López/Lolette NCA 2-0 (21-11, 21-17); Pavan/McBain CAN Amanda/Drik CUB 2-0 (21-16, 21-16); González/Navas PUR d Gutiérrez/Flores MEX 2-0 (21-16, 21-11); Kraft/Cannon USA Paniagua/Taveras DOM 2-0 (21-6, 21-9)
CLASSIF. 9/12 GUA d ESA 2-0 (21-18, 21-15); CAY d ISV 2-0 (21-18, 21-19); CLASSIF. 13/16 PAN d VIN (21-7, 21-15)
POOL A López/Lolette NCA d Paniagua/Taveras DOM 2-0 (21-19, 21-16)
POOL B Kraft/Cannon USA d Molina/Quesada CRC 2-0 (21-17, 21-10); N. Girón/Alvarado GUA d González/Urrunaga PAN 2-1 (18-21, 21-4, 15-9)
POOL C González/Navas PUR d Vigil/Velásquez ESA 2-0 (21-6, 21-9); Amanda/Drik CUB d Sylvester/Duncan VIN 2-1 (21-4, 21-4)
POOL D Pavan/McBain CAN d Gutiérrez/Abril MEX 2-0 (21-3, 21-17)
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 16, 2023. – Nicaragua, Cuba, United States, and Canada advanced to the men’s semifinals of the NORCECA Continental Tour Beach volleyball Tour Finals in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
Rubén Mora, alongside Jefferson Cascante of Nicaragua, will face Cuban tandem of Noslen Díaz and Jorge Alayo in Sunday’s semifinals. In the other semifinal, Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh of the United States will compete against the 2022 Tour Final champions, Samuel Schachter and Daniel Dearing of Canada.
Mora and Cascante booked their ticket to semifinals defeating the Dominican duo of Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez 2-0 (22-20, 21-13). In the morning, Mora/Cascante finished second in pool B with a 2-0 (21-5, 21-11) victory over Jamaar Cropper/Shadron Delpesche from St. Vincent.
Cuba’s Noslen Díaz and Jorge Alay started the day by finishing first in pool D with a comfortable 2-0 (21-9, 21-6) win against Cruz/Coutinho from Aruba. They then closed the day with a 2-0 (21-13, 21-15) quarterfinal victory against the Puerto Rican duo of Arnaldo Torres/William Rivera.
Rubén Mora NCA
Meanwhile, Americans Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh won their quarterfinals against Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen of Mexico 2-0 (21-18, 21-13). They had previously topped pool C with a 2-0 (21-17, 21-11) victory over the Guardado brothers from El Salvador.
Sarabia/Virgen (MEX) advanced to the quarterfinals as the second-place team in pool D after defeating Bucklin/Mayer from the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-15, 21-16).
Canadians Samuel Schachter and Daniel Dearing faced a challenging match against Julian Araya/Stanley Grant of Costa Rica on Saturday, recovering from losing the first set 2-1 (19-21, 21-13, 15-13). However, they advanced to the semifinals with a 2-0 (21-15, 21-9) win against Enile/Theodore from Trinidad and Tobago.
In other results, the Guardado brothers (ESA) defeated Araya/Stanley (CRC) 2-0 (24-22, 22-20), and Bucklin/Bryce Mayer (ISV) won 2-0 (21-7, 21-12) against Izaguirre/García (GUA) in the classification matches for positions 9 to 12.
Daniel Dearing CAN
In the classification matches for positions 13 to 16, Clerique/Hodge (SKN) dominated 2-0 (21-15, 21-14) against Cropper/Delpesche (VIN), and Araúz/Del Cid (PAN) defeated De La Cruz/Jahim Coutinho (ARU) 2-0 (21-12, 21-16).
Men’s Results Saturday:
QUARTERFINALS Mora/Cascante NCA d De Jesús/Martínez DOM 2-0 (22-20, 21-13); Diaz/Alayo CUB d Torres/Rivera PUR 2-0 (21-13, 21-15); Partain/Benesh USA d Sarabia/Virgen MEX 2-0 (21-18, 21-13); Schacter/Deargin CAN d Enile/Theodore TTO 2-0 (21-15, 21-9)
CLASSIF. 9/12 ESA d CRC 2-0 (24-22, 22-20); ISV d GUA 2-0 (21-7, 21-12); CLASSIF. 13/16 SKN d VIN 2-0 (21-15, 21-14); PAN d ARU 2-0 (21-12, 21-16)
POOL A De Jesús/Martínez DOM Izaquirre/García L. GUA 2-0 (31-29, 21-11); Enile/Theodore TTO d Del Cid/Araúz PAN 2-0 (23-21, 21-18)
POOL B Schacter/Dearing CAN d Araya/Stanley CRC 2-1 (19-21, 21-13, 15-13); Mora/Cascante NCA d Cropper/Delpesche VIN 2-0 (21-5, 21-11).
POOL C Partain/Benesh USA d Guardado C./Guardado Y. ESA 2-0 (21-17, 21-11); Torres/Rivera PUR d Hodge/Clerique SKN 2-0 (21-11, 21-15)
POOL D Sarabia/Virgen MEX d Bucklin/Mayer ISV 2-0 (21-15, 21-16); Díaz/Alayo CUB d De La Cruz/Coutinho ARU 2-0 (21-9, 21-6)
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 15, 2023. – María González/Allanis Navas from Puerto Rico and Megan Kraft/Terese Cannon from the United States had a successful start in the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour Finals that kicked off in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic on Friday.
González/Navas, as well as Kraft/Cannon earned two victories in as many matches in pool C of the event, that grants ranking points for the NORCECA Olympic qualification for Paris 2024.
María and Allanis were decisive against Shanadia Sylvester and Saquanna Duncan from St. Vincent 2-0 (21-6, 21-6), and then defeated Cuba’s duo of Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik 2-0 (21-16, 21-15).
In pool B, the United States duo of Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon, notched up two wins against Central American teams. First, they defeated Krisleen González and Iris Urrunaga from Panama 2-0 (21-11, 21-8), and then, with an emphatic 2-0 (21-3, 21-7), they outperformed Natalia Girón and Paola Alvarado from Guatemala.
Kianny Araya Quesada CRC
Kraft/Cannon will decide the top spot in their pool against Valentina Molina and Kianny Quesada from Costa Rica, who also started with two victories; 2-0 (21-15, 21-16) against Girón/Alvarado (GUA) and 2-0 (21-10, 21-4) against González/Urrunaga.
First place in pool A will be contested between Socorro López and Lolette Rodriguez from Nicaragua and Crismil Paniagua and Nallelin Tavares from the Dominican Republic.
López/Lolette dominated 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) against Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner from the U.S. Virgin Islands. Paniagua/Tavares also defeated the team of Almeida-Anz/Buckner, but in a challenging match of long rallies (24-22, 27-25).
Meanwhile, Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores from Mexico opened with a convincing 2-0 (21-5, 21-9) against Heather Thompson/Stefania Gandolfi from Cayman Islands. Sarah Pavan and Molly McBain from Canada also defeated Thompson/Gandolfi 2-0 (21-4, 21-6).
Gutiérrez/Abril (MEX) and Pavan/McBain (CAN) will face each other on Saturday for the top spot in pool D.
The group stage will conclude on Saturday morning, followed by the quarterfinals and classification matches for positions 9 to 12.
Women’s Results Friday
POOL A: López/Lolette NCA d Almeida-Anz/Buckner ISV 2-0 (21-16, 21-13); Paniagua/Tavares DOM d Almeida-Anz/Buckner ISV 2-0 (24-22, 27-25)
POOL B: Molina/Quesada CRC d N. Girón/Alvarado GUA 2-0 (21-15, 21-16); Kraft/Cannon USA d González/Urrunaga PAN 2-0 (21-11, 21-8); Kraft/Cannon USA d N. Girón/Alvarado GUA 2-0 (21-3, 21-7); Molina/Quesada CRC d González/Urrunaga PAN 2-0 (21-10, 21-4)
POOL C: Amanda/Drik CUB d Vigil/Velásquez ESA 2-0 (21-14, 21-11); González/Navas PUR d Shanadia/Duncan VIN 2-0 (21-6, 21-6); González/Navas PUR d Amanda/Drik CUB 2-0 (21-16, 21-15); Vigil/Velásquez ESA d Shanadia/Duncan VIN 2-0 (21-15, 21-9)
POOL D: Gutiérrez/Flores MEX d Thompson/Gandolfi CAY 2-0 (21-5, 21-9); Pavan/McBain CAN d Thompson/Gandolfi CAY 2-0 (21-4, 21-6).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 15, 2023.- The tandems of Canada, Cuba, the United States and Dominican Republic started strong the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour Finals at Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
The NORCECA Tour Final awards ranking points as part of the NORCECA qualification system for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Canadians Samuel Schachter and Daniel Dearing, champions of the 2022 NORCECA Finals, started their campaign with a comfortable 2-0 victory (21-11, 21-9) against Jamaar Cropper and Shadron Delpesche from Saint Vincent in pool B. But then, they faced a tough battle against Nicaragua’s duo of Rubén Mora and Jefferson Cascante, winning 2-0 (23-21, 21-15).
Mora/Cascante (NCA) had previously celebrated a victory over Julian Araya and Stanley Grant from Costa Rica 2-0 (21-15, 21-19), who later defeated Cropper/Delpesche (VIN) 2-0 (21-15, 21-15).
Noslen Díaz and Jorge Alayo from Cuba had a productive day in pool D, earning two hard-fought victories. Diaz and Alayo opened with a demanding match, winning 2-0 (21-19, 22-20) against Garrett Bucklin/Bryce Mayer from the U.S. Virgin Islands. The Cuban duo then closed the first day of competition with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-16) victory over Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen.
Sarabia/Virgen had previously defeated Gregory De La Cruz/Jahim Coutinho from Aruba 2-0 (21-8, 21-8). Bucklin/Mayer (ISV) also defeated De La Cruz/Coutinho (ARU) 2-0 (21-9, 21-12).
USA’s Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh had no setbacks in pool C, with a 2-0 (21-14, 21-11) victory against Arnaldo Torres/William Rivera from Puerto Rico and a 2-0 (21-7, 21-9) win over Clerique Ward/St Clair Hodge from Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Puerto Rico earned a 2-0 (21-17, 21-18) victory against twin brothers Yoel and Christopher Guardado from El Salvador, who later defeated Clerique/Hodge (SKN) 2-0 (21-17, 21-18).
In pool A, Dominicans Hayerling De Jesús and Oscar Martínez secured their first victory in the tournament with a 2-0 (21-10, 21-15) win against Victor Araúz/Adamit Del Cid from Panama. They then took on Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile from Trinidad and Tobago, winning 2-0 (21-8, 21-9), who had earlier defeated José Miguel Izaguirre and Luis García from Guatemala in overtime 2-1 (21-18, 16-21, 15-11).
Izaguirre/García (GUA) claimed a 2-0 (21-16, 21-15) over Araúz/Del Cid (PAN).
The preliminary stage ends on Saturday morning, and the quarterfinal round will be held in the afternoon, as well as classification matches for positions 9 to 16.
Men’s Results Friday:
POOL A: Theodore/Enile TTO d Izaguirre/Luis García GUA 2-1 (21-18, 16-21, 15-11); De Jesús/Martínez DOM d Araúz/Del Cid PAN 2-0 (21-10, 21-15); De Jesús/Martínez DOM d Theodore/Enile TTO 2-0 (21-8, 21-9); Izaguirre/Luis García GUA d Araúz/Del Cid PAN 2-0 (21-16, 21-15)
POOL B: Mora/Cascante NCA d Araya/Stanley CRC 2-0 (21-15, 21-19); Schacter/Dearing CAN d Cropper/Delpesche VIN 2-0 (21-11, 21-9); Schacter/Dearing CAN d Mora/Cascante NCA 2-0 (23-21, 21-15); Araya/Stanley CRC d Cropper/Delpesche VIN 2-0 (21-15, 21-15)
POOL C: Guardado C./Guardado Y. ESA d Hodge/Clerique SKN 2-0 (21-17, 21-19); Partain/Benesh USA d Torres/Rivera PUR 2-0 (21-14, 21-11); Partain/Benesh USA d Hodge/Clerique SKN 2-0 (21-7, 21-9); Torres/Rivera PUR d Guardado C./Guardado Y. ESA 2-0 (21-17, 21-18)
POOL D: Diaz/Alayo CUB d Bucklin/Mayer ISV 2-0 (21-19, 22-20); Sarabia/Virgen MEX d De La Cruz/Coutinho ARU 2-0 (21-8, 21-8); Bucklin/Mayer ISV d De La Cruz/Coutinho ARU 2-0 (21-9, 21-12); Diaz/Alayo CUB d Sarabia/Virgen MEX 2-0 (21-16, 21-16)
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 14, 2023. – It’s time for the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Continental Tour Finals at the Juan Dolio Beach, Dominican Republic, nearby to the Hotel Costa Caribe from December 15-17.
The NORCECA Tour Final is part of the Olympic qualification system for beach volleyball in NORCECA for Paris 2024, hence the significance of the event that brings together big names from the NORCECA Tour and the Volleyballworld Beach Pro Tour.
In men, Miles Partain and Andrew Benesh from the United States, ranked fourth in the world. Canadians Samuel Schachter and Daniel Dearing, defending champions from the 2022 Tour Final, and Cuba with Noslen Díaz/Jorge Alayo, who finished second, in addition to bronze this year in Varadero.
Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen from Mexico, winners of the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games, claimed gold at the third stage in Cayman Islands, they began the season in Aguascalientes with a silver medal and won bronze in San Salvador a week ago.
On the women’s side, current Central American and Caribbean champions, María González and Allanis Navas from Puerto Rico, silver medalists in the 2023 Tour Final, champions this year in the Cayman Islands and Punta Cana and finished second in San Salvador.
2019 world champion, Canada’s Sarah Pavan, joins Molly McBain, aiming to collect the most points in their Olympic qualification quest.
The tandem of Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores from Mexico, winners of the first stage in Aguascalientes, are also here.
A total of seventeen countries (14 women’s teams and 16 men’s teams) will compete for valuable ranking points, divided into four pools per gender as follows:
Women’s Pools: POOL A Dominican Republic, U.S. Virgin Islands, Nicaragua; POOL B United States, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama; POOL C Puerto Rico, El Salvador, Cuba, St. Vincent; POOL D Canada, Mexico, Cayman Islands, TTO (forfeit).
Men’s Pools: POOL A Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Trinidad & Tobago, Panama; POOL B Canada, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, St. Vincent; POOL C United States, El Salvador, St. Kitts & Nevis, Puerto Rico; POOL D Mexico, U.S. Virgin Islands, Cuba, Aruba.
Women’s Teams
CANADA Sarah Pavan/Molly McBain; CAYMAN ISLANDS Heather Thompson/Stefania Gandolfi; COSTA RICA Valentina Molina/Kianny Araya Quesada; CUBA Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Crismil Paniagua/Nallelin Tavares; EL SALVADOR Daniela Vigil/Sofía Velásquez; GUATEMALA Natalia Girón/Paola Alvarado; MEXICO Atenas Gutiérrez/Abril Flores; NICARAGUA Socorro López/Lolette Rodríguez; PANAMA Krisleen González/Iris Urrunaga; PUERTO RICO María González/Allanis Navas; ST VINCENT Shanadia Sylvester/Saquanna Duncan; UNITED STATES Megan Kraft/Terese Cannon; U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Cristina Almeida-Anz/Taylor Buckner
Men’s Teams
ARUBA Gregory De La Cruz/Jahim Coutinho; CANADA Samuel Schachter/Daniel Dearing; COSTA RICA Julian Araya/Stanley Grant; CUBA Noslen Díaz/Jorge Alayo; DOMINICAN REPUBLIC Hayerling De Jesús/Oscar Martínez; EL SALVADOR Christopher Guardado/Yoel Guardado; GUATEMALA José Miguel Izaguirre/Luis García; MEXICO Miguel Sarabia/Juan Virgen; NICARAGUA Rubén Mora/Jefferson Cascante; PANAMA Victor Araúz/Adamit Del Cid; PUERTO RICO Arnaldo Torres/William Rivera; ST KITTS & NEVIS Clerique Ward/St Clair Hodge; ST VINCENT Jamaar Cropper/Shadron Delpesche; TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile; UNITED STATES Miles Partain/Andrew Benesh; U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Garrett Bucklin/Bryce Mayer
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 14, 2023.- The Cubans Amanda Armenteros and Maykelin Drik defeated the Americans Sierra Caffo and Ella Larkin 2-0 (21-19, 21-18) in a tight match to win the gold in the NORCECA U-23 Beach Tournament that was played on the sand courts located on the beach of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
The bronze medal game was won by the United States team Delayne Maple/Xolani Hodel over the Canada pair Katarina Pantovic/Erika Vermette 2-0 (21-11, 21-17).
The Costa Rican team composed of Valentina Molina/kianny Araya placed fifth after beating the Americans Alisa Gavva/Karolina Urbanovich 2-0 (21-16, 21-13).
Seventh place belonged to the Dominicans Crismil Paniagua/Nallelin Taveras, who beat the duo of Keiry Guzmán/Daniela Vigil from El Salvador 2-1 (21-15, 19-21, 15-11), while the duo of Kadderly Salazar /Yuliana Chávez of Nicaragua took ninth place, beating L’fe Roberts/Meeka Johnson (TTO) 2-0 (21-10, 21-15).
In eleventh position were Shanadia Unique/Saquanna Duncan (VIN) who defeated Lavesha Richardson/Deandra Fleming (AGU) 2-0 (21-18, 21-12).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 14, 2023.- Jorge Alayo and Noslen Díaz of Cuba defeated the American duo of Tate Calles/Brendan Onishchenko 2-0 (21-15, 21-13) in the gold match to take top honors in the NORCECA U-23 Beach Volleyball Tournament that was held on the courts located on the beach of Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
The Bronze match was won by the Canadian team Tynan Gannett/Steven Abrams who beat Kyle Paulson/Sebastián Rodríguez (USA) 2-0 (21-18, 21-14).
The Costa Ricans Julián Araya/Stanley Grant defeated the brothers Yoel and Christopher Guardado of El Salvador 2-1 (21-19, 17-21, 15-9) to finish in fifth place, while the seventh place went to the Dominicans Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore due to injury from the Saint Kitts team.
The ninth position was occupied by the duo of Javier Solís/Josué Meneses from Nicaragua who dispatched Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel (TTO) 2-0 (21-12, 21-19) and in eleventh position were the Dominicans Elixander Gómez/Blendy Tavarez after defeating Gregory De La Cruz/Joshua Hoepelman of Aruba 2-1 (11-21, 21-18, 15-13).
The duo of Jamaar Cropper/Shadron Delpesche (VIN) beat Alexander Solovey/Thelion Coutinho (ARU) 2-0 (21-12, 21-12) to take thirteenth place.
In the match for position number 15, Braedon Cooke/Connor Somerville (BER) defeated Trevon Smith/Kaiden Proctor (AGU) 2-0 (21-15, 21-12).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 13, 2023.- The pairs formed by Delayne Maple/Xolani Hodel and Sierra Caffo/Ella Larkin from the United States advanced this Wednesday to the Semifinals of the NORCECA U-23 Beach Voeball Tournament that is being held on the courts located on Juan Dolio beach, Dominican Republic.
The duo of Maple/Hodel (USA) beat Alisa Gavva/Karolina Urbanovich of Canada 2-0 (21-10, 21-16), while Caffo/Larkin (USA) had Crismil Paniagua/Nallelin Taveras (DOM) 2 -0 (21-12, 21-18).
USA
The other two couples in the Semifinal are Gisell Armenteros/Maykelin Drik from Cuba and Katarina Pantovic/Erika Vermette from Canada.
CAN
Armenteros/Drik (CUB) defeated Keiry Guzmán/Daniela Vigil (ESA) 2-0 (21-9, 21-7) and the Canadians Pantovic/Vermette beat Valentina Molina/Kianny Quesada of Costa Rica 2-0 (21 -9, 21-10).
CUBA
Both American teams will face each other, while Cuba will face Canada in the Semifinals to be played this Thursday morning.
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 13, 2023. – Both United States teams, Tate Calles/Bredan Onishchenko and Kyle Paulson/Sebastián Rodríguez, the Cuban duo Noslen Díaz/Jorge Alayo, and the Canadian pair Tynan Gannett/Steven Abrams, progressed to the Semifinals of the NORCECA U-23 Beach Volleyball Tour played on the courts of Juan Dolio beach, Dominican Republic, this Wednesday.
Canadian pair Tynan Gannett/Steven Abrams
Calles/Onishchenko (USA) beat Zendai Richards/Clerique Ward (SKN) by forfeit, while the duo of Paulson/Rodríguez (USA) defeated the Costa Rican duo Julián Araya/Stanley Grant 2-0 (21-16, 21-15) to secure their spots in semifinals.
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 12, 2023.- The Costa Rican couple, Valentina Molina/Kianny Araya, achieved a victory and a loss on the first day of competitions of the NORCECA U-23 Beach Volleyball Tour that is being held the courts of Juan Dolio beach, Dominican Republic.
In the first match Molina/Araya (CRC) dispatched Shanadia Sylvester/Saquanna Duncan of Saint Vincent 2-0 (21-4, 21-5), while in the second they fell to Delayne Maple/Xolani Hodel of the United States 2- 0 (21-11, 21-11).
In group A, the Cubans Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik are undefeated after beating Lavesha Richardson/Deandra Fleming of Anguilla 2-0 (21-11, 21-7) and the Dominican pair of Crismil Paniagua/Nallelin Taveras 2-0 ( 21-13, 21-11). In the same group, the Canadians Alisa Gavva/Karolina Urbanovich beat Crismil Paniagua/Nallelin Taveras (DOM) 2-0 (21-19, 21-18) and in the second game they beat Lavesha Richardson/Deandra Fleming (AGU) 2-0 (21-8, 21-9).
Laura Molina CRC
In group B, Sierra Caffo/Ella Larking (USA), dominated Katarina Pantovic/Erika Vermette (CAN) 2-0 (21-14, 21-16) and the pair formed by Keiry Guzmán/Daniela Vigil of El Salvador 2 -0 (21-12, 21-5).
Other results:
Delayne Maple/Xolani Hodel (USA) d Kadderly Salazar/Yuliana Chávez (NCA) 2-0 21-7, 21-4), Katarina Pantovic/Erika Vermette (CAN) d L’fe Roberts/Meeka Johnson (TTO) 2- 0 (21-11, 21-14), Kadderly Salazar/Yuliana Chávez (NCA) d Shanadia Sylvester/Saquanna Duncan (VIN) 2-0 (21-11, 21-18) and Keiry Guzmán/Daniela Vigil (ESA) d L’fe Roberts/Meeka Johnson (TTO) 2-0 21-7, 21-11).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 12, 2023.- Six teams were undefeated on the first day of competitions of the NORCECA U-23 Beach Volleyball Tour that is being held on the sand courts located on Juan Dolio beach, Dominican Republic.
In group A, Tate Calles/Brendan Onishchenko (USA) defeated Rolvin Maldonado/George Wilmore (DOM) 2-1 (15-21, 21-18, 15-11) and in the second match they defeated Trevon Smith/Kaiden Proctor (AGU) 2-0 (21-1, 21-0).
In group B, the Cuban duo Jorge Alayo/Noslen Díaz easily won their two matches, the first against the Dominicans Elixander Gómez/Blendy Tavarez 2-0 (21-9, 21-16), and the second against the couple from Bermuda Braedon Cooke/Connor Somerville 2-0 (21-6, 21-11).
Also in group B, Saint Kitts won both of their games, against Braedon Cooke/Connor Somerville (BER) 2-0 (21-6, 21-13) and against the pair ElixanderGómez/Blendy Tavarez (DOM) 2-1 (21- 23, 21-10, 15-12).
DOM vs CUB
In group C, the twins Yoel Guardado/Christopher Guardado (ESA) defeated the pair Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel (TTO) 2-0 (21-13, 21-6) and the pair of Alexander Solovey/Thelion Coutinho (ARU )2-0 (21-10, 21-7), while the Costa Rican duo Julián Araya/Stanley Grant defeated Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel (TTO) 2-0 (21-11, 21-7) and Alexander Solovey/Thelion Coutinho (ARU) 2-0 (21-5, 21-7).
The Americans Kyle Paulson/Sebastián Rodríguez, in group D, beat Javier Solís/Josue Meneses (NCA) 2-0 (21-15, 21-9) and the Canadians Tynan Gannett/Steven Abrams 2-0 21-19, 21-19)
Other results of the first day were:
Gregory De La Cruz/Joshua Hoepelman (ARU) d Trevon Smith/Kaiden Proctor (AGU) 2-0 (21-15, 21-12), Zendai Richards/Clerique Ward (SKN) d ElixanderGómez/Blendy Tavarez (DOM) 2- 1 (21-23, 21-10, 15-12), Tynan Gannett/Steven Abrams (CAN) d Jamaar Cooper/Shadron Delpesche (VIN) 2-0 (21-7, 21-12), Javier Solís/Josue Meneses (NCA) d Jamaar Cooper/Shadron Delpesche (VIN) 2-0 (21-16, 21-11) and Rolvin Maldonado/George Wilmore (DOM) d Gregory De La Cruz/Joshua Hoepelman (ARU) 2-0 (21- 13, 21-15).
JUAN DOLIO, Dominican Republic, December 11, 2023. – A total of 28 teams will be competing in the Under 23 Tournament as part of the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, which kicks off on Tuesday at Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic.
16 men’s teams and 12 women’s teams registered during Monday’s preliminary inspections, aiming to advance from the group preliminary round starting on Tuesday at 9:00 am (local time) on the courts located on the beach in Juan Dolio.
28 matches are scheduled for Tuesday, 16 in the men’s division and 12 in the women’s division. The preliminary round will conclude on Wednesday morning, and Quarterfinals along with the losers’ round will be played in the afternoon. The Semifinals and Finals will be held on Thursday, as well as the position round.
Cuba and Costa Rica practice NORCECA Beach Volleyball U23 Continental Tour
Men’s Teams: DOM Rolvin Maldonado/Alexander Wilmore, Elixander Gomez/Blendy Tavarez, CUB Noslen Diaz/Jorge Alayo, CRC Julian Araya/Stanley Grant, CAN Tynan Gannett/Steven Abrams, NCA Carlos Solis/Alexander Meneses, ESA Yoel Guardado/Christopher Guardado, SKN Zendai Richards/Clerique Ward, AGU Trevon Smith/Kaiden Proctor, ARU Gregory De La Cruz/Joshua Hoepelman, Vladimir Solovey/Thelion Coutinho, BER Braedon Cooke/Connor Somerville, TTO Jerome Morrison/Jahreef Miguel, USA Kyle Paulson/Sebastian Rodriguez, Tate Calles/Brendan Onishchenko, VIN Jamaar Cropper/Chadron Delpesche.
Women’s Teams: DOM Crismil Paniagua/Nallelin Taveras, CAN Katarina Pantovic/Erika Vermette, Alisa Gavva/Karolina Urbanovich, CRC Laura Molina/Kianny Araya, NCA Kadderly Rosales/Yuliana Chavez, ESA Keiry Guzman/Daniela Vigil, AGU Lavesha Richardson/Deandra Fleming, CUB Amanda Armenteros/Maykelin Drik, TTO L’fe Roberts/Meeka Johnson, USA Delayne Maple/Xolani Hodel, Sierra Caffo/Ella Larkin, VIN Shanadia Sylvester/Saquanna Duncan.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 10, 2023. – Molly Turner and Deahna Kraft from the United States were crowned champions in the fifth stop of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour after defeating Maria Gonzalez/Allanis Navas from Puerto Rico 2-1 (14-21, 21-19, 15-11) in El Salvador.
As a team, this is the first medal for Molly Turner and Deahna Kraft. For Kraft it’s her first time competing at a NORCECA Beach Tour event. For Molly Turner, this was her fourth NORCECA, and she has won two gold medals and one silver in previous competitions; she now has earned three gold medals throughout her career in NORCECA.
Deahna Kraft USA / Allanis Navas PUR
Molly and Deahna came from behind after losing the first set against the strong defense from Puerto Rico. The match extended to a third set, where Gonzalez and Navas recovered from a three-point deficit (3-6) to tie at seven points, but it wasn’t enough to beat the American duo.
“That was a really fun match, an amazing opponent and you really have to earn every single point with them; they never give you free points,” said Deahna. “We definitely found another gear because we were exhausted, they are so good. It’s fun when both teams are giving their all, it’s great”.
The podium of the female and male branches
Molly and Deahna sealed their spot in the final by dominating 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) over the team of Lea Monkhouse/Marie-Alex Bélanger from Canada in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Gonzalez and Navas overcame the Mexican tándem of Atenas Gutiérrez/Abril Flores 2-0 (21-17, 21-18).
Lea Monkhouse and Marie-Alex Bélanger also celebrated their first NORCECA medal together as a team, clinching the bronze in a thrilling match against Gutiérrez/Flores from Mexico. The Mexican team narrowly missed a set point (19-20) to force a third set, leading to a final score of 2-0 (21-18, 24-22) for Monkhouse and Bélanger.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, 10 de diciembre de 2023.- Los canadienses Arran Chambers y Liam Kopp ganaron su primera medalla de oro tras derrotar a Jordan Hoppe y James Shaw de los Estados Unidos 2-1 (15-21, 21-17, 15-13) en la final de la quinta parada del Tour NORCECA en San Salvador, El Salvador.
This is Chambers and Kopp fourth NORCECA tournament together and their third medal; but first gold, they also won the bronze medal at the beginning of the 2023 season in Aguascalientes and another bronze in Cayman Islands last year.
Arran Chambers CAN_ Jordan Hoppe USA
Arran and Liam recovered from a challenging first set, struggling to control Shaw’s serves and blocks, but managed to come back capitalizing on their opponents’ errors. In the third set, they reached an even 13 and secured the gold medal on a blocking point from Liam.
“I can’t even describe the feeling, it’s insane” said Liam after winning the gold medal. “We’ve working so hard this year and it feels good to finish the season off on a high note. It was awesome to have the support of so many Canadians here”.
Miguel Sarabia MEX / Michael Siraguse USA
To advance to the gold medal match, the Canadian duo defeated Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen from Mexico in semifinals 2-0 (21-15, 21-15).
In the other semifinal, Hoppe and Shaw defeated their compatriots Charles Siragusa/Zephyr Dew 2-0 (21-19, 21-15).
The bronze medal went to Sarabia/Virgen (MEX) after beating Siragusa/Dew from the United States 2-0 (21-12, 21-19).
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 9, 2023.- The two teams of the United States will face each other in the semifinals of the men’s tournament of the fifth stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour in El Salvador.
Jordan Hoppe and James Shaw will play against Charles Siragusa/Zephyr Dew in Sunday’s semifinals at the Flor Blanca Sports Complex; for all four players, this is their first time competing at the NORCECA Beach Tour.
Jordan Hoppe and James Shaw advanced smoothly to the semifinals after defeating Marc Lomeli and Anthony Pippen from the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-10, 21-10).
Zephyr Dew USA
Meanwhile, Charles Siragusa/Zephyr Dew faced a challenging match against the team from El Salvador of Franklin Flores and Armando Guatemala, winning 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 15-11), reaching an even 17 in the first two sets. The Salvadorans made a comeback (7-11) in the third set.
Arran Chambers and Liam Kopp from Canada earned their spot in semifinals with a victory over Criforth Lobo/Yulius Brown from Costa Rica, who withdrew from the competition as Criforth suffered an injury.
Liam Kopp y Arran Chambers CAN
The Mexican duo of Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen recovered from losing the first set to claim a dramatic victory over Jake MacNeil/Alexander Russell from Canada, winning 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 18-16) and winning their place in the semifinals.
Earlier, MacNeil/Russell (CAN) topped Pool C with a victory 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) over Lomeli/Pippen (ISV). Hoppe/Shaw (USA) dominated Pool D after defeating Martes/Quinten (CUR) 2-0 (21-7, 21-10), while Sarabia/Virgen (MEX) finished second with a 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) win over Izaguirre/Ventura (GUA).
Miguel Sarabia y Juan Virgen MEX
Men’s Results Saturday:
Quarterfinals: Chambers/Kopp CAN d Lobo/Brown CRC (injury team B); Hoppe/Shaw USA d Lomeli/Pippen ISV 2-0 (21-10, 21-10); Sarabia/Virgen MEX d MacNeil/Russell CAN 2-1 (18-21, 21-19, 18-16); Siragusa/Dew USA d Flores/Guatemala ESA 2-1 (21-19, 19-21, 15-11)
Classif. 9/12: Izaguirre/Ventura GUA d Theodore/Enile TTO 2-0 (21-17, 21-19); Guardado Y./Guardado C. ESA d Solís/López NCA (injury team B)
Classif. 13/16: Vargas/Pepe ESA d Sousa/Barnett VER 2-0 (21-12, 21-12); Anthony/Martes CUR d Seabrookes/Clerique SKN 2-0 (21-15, 21-19)
Pool B Solís/López NCA d Vargas/Pepe ESA 2-0 (21-13, 21-19);
Pool C MacNeil/Russell CAN d Lomeli/Pippen ISV 2-0 (21-13, 21-16); Guardado Y/Guardado C ESA d Sousa Barnett BER 2-0 (21-5, 21-11)
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 9, 2023.- Puerto Rico, Mexico, United States, and Canada advanced to the semifinals of the women’s tournament of the fifth stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour after dominating the quarterfinal round at the Flor Blanca Sports Complex in San Salvador, El Salvador.
María González/Allanis Navas from Puerto Rico will face Atenas Gutiérrez/Abril Flores from Mexico in Sunday’s semifinals, aiming to win their third consecutive gold medal in the 2023 NORCECA Tour season.
In the other semifinal, Molly Turner and Deahna Kraft from the United States will compete against Lea Monkhouse and Marie-Alex Bélanger from Canada.
Atenas Gutierrez y Abril Flores MEX
María González and Allanis Navas had a tough closing match against Yvonne Soler and Laura Molina from El Salvador, who made a comeback from a seven-point deficit (12-19) in the second set before the Puerto Ricans earned a 2-0 (21-7, 21-17) victory.
Molly Turner and Deahna Kraft from the United States worked hard in the beginning of their quarterfinal match to win 2-0 (22-20, 21-14) against Canada’s Devin Corah and Adriel Goodman.
Marie Alex Belinger / Lea Monkhouse CAN
Meanwhile, Lea Monkhouse and Marie-Alex Bélanger, the other Canadian team, managed to clinch victory against Americans Avery Poppinga and Katie Lindstrom in a tight contest, securing a 2-0 (21-19, 24-22) win.
Both duos had previously competed for a spot in the quarterfinals, with Bélanger/Monkhouse winning Group D against Gutiérrez/Abril from Mexico 2-0 (21-15, 21-17), and Poppinga/Lindstrom finishing second in Group C with a hard-fought victory of 2-1 (18-21, 21-17, 15-8) against Katherine Quesada/Eugenia Ramírez from Costa Rica.
Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores emerged victorious in the match between the two Mexican teams in the event. Atenas and Abril defeated Katherine Albarrán and Yeray Vidaurrazaga 2-0 (21-14, 21-18).
Maria Gonzalez y Allanis Navas PUR
Earlier, Albarrán and Vidaurrazaga had advanced to the quarterfinals as first place of Pool C, winning their last pool-play match against Daniela Vigil/Keiry Guzmán from El Salvador in two sets, both ending at 21-13.
Women’s Results Saturday:
Quarterfinals: Gutiérrez/Flores MEX d Albarrán/Vidaurrazaga MEX 2-0 (21-14, 21-18); Turner/Kraft USA d Corah/Goodman CAN 2-0 (22-20, 21-14); Monkhouse/Bélanger CAN d Poppinga/Lindstrom USA 2-0 (21-19, 24-22); González/Navas PUR 2-0 (21-7, 21-17)
Classif. 9/12: Vásquez/Velásquez ESA d Silva/Lolette NCA 2-1 (22-24, 21-16, 15-11); Quesada/Ramírez CRC d Almeida-Anz/Bennett ISV 2-0 (21-10, 21-14)
Pool C Albarrán/Vidaurrazaga MEX d Daniela/Guzmán ESA 2-0 (21-13, 21-13); Poppinga/Lindstrom USA d Quesada/Ramírez CRC 2-1 (18-21, 21-17, 15-8)
Pool D Bélanger/Monkhouse CAN d Gutiérrez/Abril MEX 2-0 (21-15, 21-17); Vásquez/Velásquez ESA d Austin/Charles ISV 2-0 (21-12, 21-19)
DOHA, Qatar, December 9, 2023.- Taryn Kloth & Kristen Nuss triumphed at the very end of the international beach volleyball season as 2023 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Finals champions in Doha.
This way the trophy took off for the United States for the second consecutive time, after the inaugural event was won by American compatriots Sara Hughes & Kelly Cheng. It was the third high-level gold for Kloth & Nuss this year, after the victories at the La Paz Challenge and the Uberlandia Elite16. That makes a total of five golds for the American pair on the Beach Pro Tour, with the two trophies from 2022. Their total medal count on the Tour improved to eight.
The Finals silver was earned by Germany’s Cinja Tillmann & Svenja Muller. It was their first silver on the Tour, in addition to the one gold and one bronze in their collection.
The bronze went to the number one team in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Ranking, Ana Patricia Ramos & Eduarda Santos Lisboa (Duda) of Brazil. That brings their total Beach Pro Tour count to 14 podiums.
Despite the five aces the Germans piled up during the final, the match was quite a one-sided affair, with the unforced errors making the biggest difference towards the Americans’ emphatic 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) success. Taryn Kloth topped the scorers’ chart of the game with 17 points to her name. Her tally included 12 spike kills, three kill blocks and two aces. Kristen Nuss added another 13 points, including one ace. On the German side, Svenja Muller scored 14 times, while Cinja Tillmann finished with 12 points.
In semifinals, Nuss & Kloth took revenge from Mariafe & Clancy for the straight-set defeat in their Pool B encounter and mastered a 2-0 (21-19, 21-13) shutout to push through to the gold medal match. Nuss topped the scorers’ chart of the match with 17 points, including two aces, while Kloth raised four kill blocks to finish with 14 points.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 8, 2023. – Canadians Arran Chambers and Liam Kopp won Pool A on the first day of the fifth stage of the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour, which kicked off on Friday at the Flor Blanca Sports Complex in San Salvador, El Salvador.
Chambers and Kopp advanced undefeated to the quarterfinals after a long day with three victories.
First, they defeated Franklin Flores and Armando Guatemala from El Salvador 2-0 (23-21, 21-13), then earned a 2-0 (21-6, 21-12) win against Shawn Seabrookes/Clerique Ward from St. Kitts and Nevis, and finished the day witn a 2-0 (21-11, 21-14) victory over Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile from Trinidad and Tobago.
Franklin Flores and Armando Guatemala from El Salvador, finished second in Pool A and also advanced to the quarterfinals. The Salvadorans defeated Seabrookes/Clerique (SKN) 2-0 (21-11, 21-8) and Theodore/Enile (TTO) 2-0 (21-13, 21-14).
Zephyr Dew USA- Yulius Brown CRC
The first and second places in Pool B were also decided, with the U.S. pair of Charles Siragusa/Zephyr Dew advancing undefeated and Criforth Lobo/Yulius Brown from Costa Rica with two wins.
Siragusa/Dew defeated El Salvador’s David Vargas “Pepe” with his son Gabriel “Gabo” 2-0 (21-15, 21-11); then they beat Carlos Solís and Denis López from Nicaragua 2-0 (21-17, 21-19) and closed the pool with a 2-0 victory (22-20, 21-16) against Criforth Lobo and Yulius Brown from Costa Rica, who couldn’t complete the match due to a minor injury from Lobo.
The tandem of Lobo/Brown beat Solís/López 2-0 (21-19, 21-19) and Gabo/Pepe 2-0 (21-15, 21-17).
Group C will be decided on Saturday when Jake MacNeil/Alexander Russell from Canada face Marc Lomeli/Anthony Pippen from the U.S. Virgin Islands, and twin brothers Christopher and Yoel Guardado from El Salvador play the team of Brandon Sousa/Benjamin Barnett from Bermuda.
Canada’s MacNeil/Russell defeated the Guardado team (forfeit) and Bermuda’s Sousa/Barnett 2-0 (21-12, 21-11). Meanwhile, Lomeli/Pippen (ISV) won 2-0 (21-10, 21-16) against Bermuda but were defeated 2-0 (21-19, 21-16) by the Guardado duo.
Juan Virgen MEX – Jordan Hoppe USA
Jordan Hoppe and James Shaw from the United States ended the day with two victories in Pool D. They opened the preliminary round defeating Mexico’s Miguel Sarabia alongside Juan Virgen 2-0 (21-16, 21-14) and then dominated Guatemala’s José Miguel Izaguirre/Mario Ventura 2-0 (21-10, 21-11).
Sarabia/Virgen quickly defeated the Curacao pair of Lysandro Martes/Quinten Anthony 2-0 (21-9, 21-10), who had previously lost in three sets 2-1 (19-21, 21-12, 15-7) against Izaguirre/Ventura.
The preliminary group round will be completed on Saturday morning.
Men’s Results Friday:
Pool A: Chambers/Kopp CAN d Guatemala/Flores ESA 2-0 (23-21, 21-13); Theodore/Enile TTO d Seabrookes/Clerique SKN 2-1 (18-21, 21-16, 15-9); Chambers/Kopp CAN d Seabrookes/Clerique SKN 2-0 (21-6, 21-12); Guatemala/Flores ESA d Seabrookes/Clerique SKN 2-0 (21-11, 21-8); Chambers/Kopp CAN d Theodore/Enile TTO 2-0 (21-11, 21-14); Guatemala/Flores ESA d Theodore/Enile TTO 2-0 (21-13, 21-14)
Pool B: Lobo/Brown CRC d Solís/López NCA 2-0 (21-19, 21-19); Siragusa/Dew USA d Vargas/Pepe ESA 2-0 (21-15, 21-11); Lobo/Brown CRC d Vargas/Pepe ESA 2-0 (21-15, 21-17); Siragusa/Dew USA d Solís/López NCA 2-0 (21-17, 21-19); Siragusa/Dew USA d Lobo/Brown CRC 2-0 (22-20, 21-16)
Pool C: MacNeil/Russell CAN d Guardado/Guardado ESA (forfeit); Lomeli/Pippen ISV d Sousa/Barnett BER 2-0 (21-10, 21-16); Guardado/Guardado ESA d Lomeli/Pippen ISV 2-0 (21-19, 21-16); MacNeil/Russell CAN d Sousa/Barnett BER 2-0 (21-12, 21-11)
Pool D: Hoppe/Shaw USA d Sarabia/Virgen MEX 2-0 (21-16, 21-14); Izaguirre/Ventura GUA d Anthony/Martes CUR 2-1 (19-21, 21-12, 15-7); Hoppe/Shaw USA d Izaguirre/Ventura GUA 2-0 (21-10, 21-11); Sarabia/Virgen MEX d Anthony/Martes CUR 2-0 (21-9, 21-10)
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 8, 2023.- Molly Turner and Deahna Kraft from the United States, along with Puerto Ricans María González and Allanis Navas, won their respective pools on the first day of action at the fifth stage of the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour at the Flor Blanca Sports Complex.
Turner/Kraft topped Pool A and González/Navas won Pool B, both moved into Saturday’s quarterfinals.
Molly Turner alongside Deahna Kraft from the United States secured the top spot in Pool A with victories over Nahima Silva and Lolette Rodríguez from Nicaragua 2-0 (21-10, 21-8), and El Salvador’s Yvonne Soler and Laura Molina 2-0 (21-15, 21-13).
Laura Molina ESA- Molly Turner USA
With the dramatic victory of Soler/Molina (ESA) 2-1 (15-21, 21-15, 15-5) over Silva/Rodríguez (NCA), the local team also advanced to the quarterfinals as the second team from Pool A.
In Pool B, María González and Allanis Navas from Puerto Rico needed three sets to triumph over Canadians Devin Corah/Adriel Goodman 2-1 (21-12, 18-21, 15-11), who had previously won 2-0 (21-10, 21-15) against Cristina Almeida-Anz/Amber Bennett from the U.S. Virgin Islands.
González and Navas concluded the day defeating Almeida-Anz/Bennet 2-0 (21-7, 21-9). Both González/Navas and Corah/Goodman advanced to the next round.
In Pool C, Mexico’s Katherine Albarrán and Yeray Vidaurrazaga won both of their matches of the day, both in three sets and coming from behind. The Mexican duo started the day with a 2-1 victory (21-14, 19-21, 15-10) against Katherine Quesada and Eugenia Ramírez from Costa Rica, and then surprised Avery Poppinga/Katie Lindstrom from the United States with a 2-1 win (16-21, 21-17, 15-6).
Adriel Goodman CAN
Poppinga/Lindstrom (USA) and Quesada/Ramírez (CRC) won against Daniela Vigil/Keiry Guzmán 2-0 (21-8, 21-17) and 2-0 (21-11, 21-10) respectively.
Lea Monkhouse and Marie-Alex Bélanger from Canada had two comfortable victories in Pool D; first against Kathya Vásquez and Sofía Velásquez from El Salvador 2-0 (21-13, 21-8), and then against T’ara Austin/Mannika Charles from the U.S. Virgin Islands 2-0 (21-8, 21-8).
In the same pool, Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores from Mexico secured an emphatic victory of 2-0 (21-4, 21-11) against Austin/Charles (ISV) and 2-0 (21-16, 21-9) against El Salvador’s Vásquez/Velásquez.
Monkhouse/Bélanger and Gutiérrez/Flores will decide the first-place finisher in Pool D.
Pool-play will resume on Saturday morning, the quarterfinals will follow.
Women’s Results Friday
Pool A: Turner/Kraft USA d Silva/Lolette NCA 2-0 (21-10, 21-8); Turner/Kraft USA d Soler/Molina ESA 2-0 (21-15, 21-13); Soler/Molina ESA d Silva/Lolette NCA 2-1 (15-21, 21-15, 15-5)
Pool B: Corah/Goodman CAN d Almeida-Anz/Bennett ISV 2-0 (21-10, 21-15); González/Navas d Corah/Goodman CAN 2-1 (21-12, 18-21, 15-11); González/Navas d Almeida-Anz/Bennett ISV 2-0 (21-7, 21-9)
Pool C: Albarrán/Vidaurrazaga MEX d Quesada/Ramírez CRC 2-1 (21-14, 19-21, 15-10); Poppinga/Lindstrom USA d Daniela/Guzmán ESA 2-0 (21-8, 21-17); Albarrán/Vidaurrazaga MEX d Poppinga/Lindstrom USA 2-1 (16-21, 21-17, 15-6); Quesada/Ramírez CRC d Daniela/Guzmán ESA 2-0 (21-11, 21-10)
Pool D: Bélanger/Monkhouse CAN d Vásquez/Velásquez ESA 2-0 (21-13, 21-8); Gutiérrez/Flores MEX d Austin/Charles ISV 2-0 (21-4, 21-11); Bélanger/Monkhouse CAN d Austin/Charles ISV 2-0 (21-8, 21-8); Gutiérrez/Flores MEX d Vásquez/Velásquez ESA 2-0 (21-16, 21-9)
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 7, 2023.- The Fifth Stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour serves off on Friday where 14 women’s and 16 men’s teams are set to compete at the Beach Sports Stadium of Flor Blanca Sports Complex in San Salvador, El Salvador.
The event that will be livestreamed on www.AloudSports.com, features medalists of this 2023 season.
María González and Allanis Navas from Puerto Rico won the last two stages of the tour, in addition to clinching the championship at the Central American and Caribbean Games right here in San Salvador.
The duo of Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores emerged as winners of the first stage in Aguascalientes. Atenas also claimed the silver medal in the second stage in Varadero, but with Susana Torres.
American Katie Lindstrom took home Varadero’s gold with Teegan Van Gunst, but here she pairs with Avery Poppinga.
Molly Turner, who finished in second place in Punta Cana, will team up with Deahna Kraft as another pair representing the United States.
Lea Monkhouse from Canada, who won the bronze medal in the third stage in the Cayman Islands, is joining forces with Marie-Alex Bélanger.
El Salvador during prleliminary inquiry
On the men’s side, Miguel Sarabia and Juan Virgen from Mexico, champions of the Central American and Caribbean Games here in El Salvador, won the third stage of the tour in the Cayman Islands and kicked off the season in Aguascalientes with a silver medal.
Both Canadian teams, Arran Chambers/Liam Kopp and Jake MacNeil/Alexander Russell, also earned medals this year. Chambers/Kopp claimed bronze in Aguascalientes, while MacNeil/Russell won silver in Punta Cana.
Women’s Teams
CANADA Devin Corah/Adriel Goodman; Lea Monkhouse/Marie-Alex Bélanger; COSTA RICA Katherine Quesada/Eugenia Ramírez; EL SALVADOR Yvonne Soler/Laura Molina; Kathya Vásquez/Sofía Velásquez; Daniela Vigil/Keiry Guzmán; MEXICO Katherine Albarrán/Yeray Vidaurrazaga; Atenas Gutiérrez/Abril Flores; NICARAGUA Nahima Silva/Lolette Rodríguez; PUERTO RICO María González/Allanis Navas; UNITED STATES Molly Turner/Deahna Kraft; Avery Poppinga/Katie Lindstrom; U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Cristina Almeida-Anz/Amber Bennett; T’ara Austin/Mannika Charles
Men’s Teams
BERMUDAS Brandon Sousa/Benjamin Barnett; CANADA Arran Chambers/Liam Kopp; Jake MacNeil/Alexander Russell; COSTA RICA Criforth Lobo/Yulius Brown; CURACAO Lysandro Martes/ Quinten Anthony; EL SALVADOR Christopher Guardado/Yoel Guardado; Franklin Flores/Armando Guatemala; Gabriel Vargas/ David Vargas; GUATEMALA José Miguel Izaguirre/Mario Ventura; MEXICO Miguel Sarabia/Juan Virgen; NICARAGUA Carlos Solís/Denis López; ST. KITTS & NEVIS Shawn Seabrookes/Clerique Ward; TRINIDAD & TOBAGO Joel Theodore/Stephen Enile; UNITED STATES Jordan Hoppe/James Shaw; Charles Siragusa/Zephyr Dew; U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS Marc Lomeli/Anthony Pippen
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 7, 2023. – The official announcement of the return of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour after 13 years to the City of San Salvador, was made during a press conference for the local media.
The organizing committee, along with several teams already in San Salvador, provided details about the fifth stage of the Tour that runs from December 8 to 10. A level-of play is expected, with the participation of medalists from the recent Central American and Caribbean Games held here in El Salvador.
The venue will be at the beach sports stadium at the Flor Blanca Sports Complex, which, according to Yamil Bukele, the Ad Honorem director of the Salvadoran Institute of Sports (INDES), “is one of the legacies left by the Central American and Caribbean Games”.
Trophies
“We will have the pleasure of witnessing high-level volleyball, and I want to encourage our athletes to give their best. For us, they are already champions, but, of course, we want the best results at the end of these three days of competition”, stated Bukele.
The competition will feature representatives from 13 countries, with 16 confirmed men’s pairs and 14 women’s pairs, according to Eduardo Paiz, member of the organizing committee.
Shen Liou, the president of the Salvadoran Volleyball Federation, mentioned that “games will be played from 8:30 in the morning until 7 in the evening on three courts, with more than 40 matches throughout the tournament. Admission will be free of charge so that everyone can enjoy this spectacle”.
The champions from the past Central American and Caribbean Games are returning to El Salvador, Juan Virgen alongside Miguel Sarabia from Mexico, and the Puerto Rican duo of Allanis Navas and María González. Also from Mexico, Atenas Gutiérrez and Abril Flores, bronze medalists.
The NORCECA Tour awards ranking points as part of the qualification process for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador, December 5, 2023.- El Salvador welcomes the fifth stage of the 2023 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour from December 8 to 10 at Flor Blanca Sports Complex in the City of San Salvador.
This is the third occasion that El Salvador hosts the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour. El Salvador last hosted the NORCECA Tour thirteen years ago in 2010, with the first occasion being in 2008.
The event that serves off on Friday at the Beach Sports Stadium at Flor Blanca Sports Complex that was built for this year’s twenty fourth edition of the Central American and Caribbean Games, will be livestreamed on www.AloudSports.com.
Sports Complex Flor Blanca
The fifth stage of the NORCECA Tour has a “pre-registration” of 30 teams representing 13 countries; 14 women’s pairs and 16 men’s pairs. The official list will be confirmed during the general technical meeting scheduled for Thursday.
Canada and the United States each present two pairs per gender. El Salvador has three women’s teams and two men’s teams. Costa Rica and Nicaragua have one team per gender. Mexico and the U.S. Virgin Islands have two women’s teams and one men’s team.
Puerto Rico will compete in the women’s division, while Bermuda, Curacao, Guatemala, Saint Kitts and Nevis, as well as Trinidad and Tobago, will participate only in men.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, November 25, 2023.- The duo of Ella Resau and Yulimar Alvarado from Nicaragua and Stanley Grant and Cristian Oporta from Costa Rica are the Champions of the first edition of the Under-17 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship held at the Parque Metropolitano la Sabana in Costa Rica.
Cristian Oporta and Stanley Grant, from Costa Rica, beat Yustin Gantes and Einar Rodríguez, from Panama, 2-0 (21-13, 21-9) and later, in the last game of the tournament, they confirmed their supremacy against Nicaraguan duo of José Fernando Castro and Diego Cardoza, whom they beat 2-0 (21-10, 21-13), with six consecutive wins and no defeats confirming their Central American crown for their country.
Oporta and Grant opened the way to the title on Friday, when they beat Guatemala (2-1) and Panama (2-1); a firm step that they maintained on Saturday, by beating Nicaragua (2-0) and Guatemala (2-1), and that they consolidated this Sunday with new victories over Panama (2-0) and Nicaragua (2-0).
NICARAGUA
Second place went to Juan Carlos Menéndez and Daniel Sosa from Guatemala and Panama’s Yustin Gantes and Einar Rodríguez won the bronze.
In women, the U17 gold went to the Nicaragua’s Ella Resau and Yulimar Alvarado, who this Sunday in a key game added their fourth win in a row beating Devora Medina 2-1 (21-11, 18-21, 15-9) and Daniela Vigil, from El Salvador (silver medal).
Costa Ricans Sury Jiménez and Mariana Fallas defeated Panamanians Keysi Fuentes and Dayanis Ríos 2-0 this Sunday, 21-17, 21-14, to finish third place in the U17 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship.
The silver medal went to El Salvador and Costa Rica took the bronze.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, November 25, 2023.- Julián Araya and Yulius Brown and Valentina Molina and Aliza Aguilar of the Costa Rica were crowned Champions of the second edition of the Under-19 Central American Beach Volleyball Champions that concluded on Sunday at La Sabana Metropolitan Park, in San José Costa Rica.
With perfect pace, Araya/Brown gave Costa Rica the Championship after defeating Rafael Vargas and Levi Rauda, from El Salvador, 2-0 (21-11, 21-14), on day three of the tournament, ending the contest with 10 points, undefeated in five appearances and without losing a single set, after defeating Guatemala 2-0 on Friday, Panama and Nicaragua on Saturday, and today against Panama.
The silver medal went to Roberto Recinos / José Daniel Guevara from Guatemala and the bronze medal went to Panama’s duo of Víctor Araúz / Adamit del Cid Moreno.
PAN vs CRC
In women, Valentina Molina and Aliza Aguilar from Costa Rica defeated Panamanians Krisleen González and Elleny Espinoza in two sets on Sunday, 22-20, 21-5, to close with a perfect record and becoming Central American champions.
Molina and Aguilar added four victories in a row, after their victories over Nicaragua (2-0) on Friday, Guatemala (2-1) and El Salvador (2-0) on Saturday, and today against Panama (2- 0).
The silver medal went to Maritza Zúñiga/ Danna Aguilar from Guatemala and the Bronze medal went to Yuliana Chávez/ Kadderly Rosales from Nicaragua.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, November 25, 2023. – The host teams won all their matches on the second day of the II Under-19 Central American Beach Volleyball Championship, leading the standings in the quest for a medal in Costa Rica.
The sand courts in La Sabana, the Costa Rican capital, enjoyed six exciting matches, three in each gender, with the support of the crowd.
In women, the Costa Rican duo of Valentina Molina and Aliza Aguilar first defeated Danna Aguilar and Maritza Zúñiga from Guatemala in three sets, 2-1 (19-21, 23-21/17-15), in the most thrilling match so far.
In their second match, they dominated Alexandra Reyes and Fátima Rendón from El Salvador 2-0 (21-6/21-10).
Panama’s Krisleen González/Elleny Solís also defeated El Salvador 2-0 (21-11/21-16).
Costa Rica will enter the last day leading the event, followed by 2-Guatemala, 3-Panama, 4-Nicaragua, and 5-El Salvador.
Meanwhile, in men, Julián Araya and Yulius Brown of Costa Rica also won over their two opponents of the day.
In their first match of the day, they won 2-0 (21-18/21-12) after the withdrawal of Angelo Guadamuz and Evans Solís from Nicaragua when the second set was in progress due to an injury of Guadamuz.
Araya/Brown also defeated Víctor Arauz and Adamit del Cid from Panama 2-0 (21-14/21-15).
The day was completed with the victory of the Guatemalan pair José Guevara and Roberto Recinos against Nicaragua 2-0 (21-10/21-17).
On Sunday, starting at 9:00 am, Costa Rica will seek a medal, leading the standings, followed by 2-Panama, 3-Guatemala, 4-Nicaragua, and 5-El Salvador.
SAN JOSÉ, Costa Rica, November 25, 2023. – Dévora Medina and Daniela Vigil from El Salvador, and Stanley Grant and Cristian Oporta from Costa Rica, top the first Under-17 Central American Championship after three games in women and four in men on the day two of action in La Sabana.
Dévora Medina and Daniela Vigil defeated Keysi Fuentes and Dayanis Ríos from Panama 2-0 (21-16/21-15) and Costa Ricans Sury Jimenez/Mariana Fallas in three sets 2-1 (17-21/21-10/15-13), to be top the standings.
Valeria Vásquez alongside Angie Osorio from Guatemala defeated Costa Rica’s Jiménez/Fallas 2-0, 21-17 in both sets.
El Salvador women will enter Sunday leading the Under-17 category, followed by 2-Nicaragua, 3-Panama, 4-Guatemala, and 5-Costa Rica.
In the men, Costa Rica with Stanley Grant and Cristian Oporta won their two matches of the day. First against Fernando Castro and Diego Cardoza from Nicaragua 2-0 (21-10/21-15), and then they earned a dramatic 2-1 (21-19/14-21/14-16) victory against Juan Carlos Menéndez and Daniel Sosa from Guatemala.
Menendez/Sosa from Guatemala came from behind to win in three sets against Yustin Gantes and Einar Rodríguez from Panama (18-21/21-19/15-13). Meanwhile, the Panamanians defeated Nicaragua in an exciting finish 2-0 (21-16/23-21).
Costa Rica men lead the Under-17 standings and will seek a medal on Sunday, followed by 2-Panama, 3-Nicaragua, and 4-Guatemala.
The last day of competition will begin at 9:00 am in the capital of Costa Rica.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, November 24, 2023. – Victor Arauz/Adamit del Cid Moreno from Panama in men and Maritza Zúñiga/Danna Aguilar from Guatemala in women lead the standings after the first day of the Under-19 Central American Championship being held at the sand courts in Sabana.
In men, Arauz/Del Cid from Panama defeated Levi Radua/Rafael Vargas from El Salvador 2-0 (21-19/21-13). Nicaragua’s Ángelo Solís/Evans Guadamuz also won 2-0 against El Salvador 21-19/21-16.
The hosts, Julian Araya/Yulius Brown, defeated Guatemala’s Roberto Recinos/José Daniel Guevara 2-0 (21-10/21-14). Ending the men’s session, Nicaragua won 2-0 against El Salvador Rauda/Vargas 21-19/21-16.
After the results of the day, Panama leads in the men, followed by Costa Rica, 3-Nicaragua, 4-El Salvador, and 5-Guatemala.
Meanwhile, in women, Maritza Zúñiga/Danna Aguilar from Guatemala won 2-0 against El Salvador’s Alexandra Reyes/Fátima Rendón 21-9/21-10. In their second game, Guatemala triumphed against Panama 21-13/21-13.
Yuliana Chávez/Kadderly Rosales from Nicaragua won in the third set against Panama’s Krisleen González/Elleny Espinoza, ending with scores of 21-18/16-21/15-6.
To close the day, Costa Rica’s Valentina Molina/Aliza Aguilar defeated Nicaragua’s Chaves/Rosales 2-0 with scores of 21-15/21-12.
Guatemala tops the standings, followed by 2-Nicaragua, 3-Costa Rica, 4-Panama, and 5-El Salvador.
SAN JOSE, Costa Rica, November 24, 2023. – The sand courts of La Sabana welcomed the Central American pairs who, under the capital sun, played their first day in the inaugural U17 Beach Volleyball Central American Championship.
The competition of the first edition of the Under-17 Beach Central American Championship started on Friday morning, November 24, with the victory of Ella Resau/Yulimar Alvarado from Nicaragua, who defeated Keysi Fuentes/Dayanis Ríos from Panama 2-0 (21-11/21-11). Nicaragua also won against the hosts Sury Jiménez/Mariana Fallas in their second game 21-16/21-11.
Daniela Vigil/Devora Medina from El Salvador won 2-0 against Valeria Vásquez/Angie Osorio from Guatemala with scores of 21-16/21-06. Meanwhile, Panama won their second match against Guatemala 2-0 (21-16/21-11).
With these results, Nicaragua tops the standins, followed by 2-Panama, 3-El Salvador, 4-Guatemala, and 5-Costa Rica.
Meanwhile, in men, Panama with Yustin Gantes/Einar Rodríguez defeated Nicaragua’s Fernando Castro/Diego Cardoza 2-0 (21-15/21-10).
The local duo, Cristian Oporta/Stanley Grant, won in three sets against Guatemala’s Juan Carlos Méndez/Daniel Sosa 21-14/18-21/15-06. In their second game, Costa Rica defeated Panama in three sets 21-19/17-21/12-15.
The day concluded with the game between Guatemala 2-0 Nicaragua, ending with scores 21-17/21-14 for Guatemala.
Costa Rica leads the standings, followed by 2-Panama, 3-Guatemala, and 4-Nicaragua.
COSTA RICA, San José, November 23, 2023.- Five countries in both male and female will strive to become champions in the first edition of the Central American U17 Beach Volleyball Championship and the second edition of the Central American U19 Beach Volleyball Championship, organized by AFECAVOL.
The national teams of El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica presented together in the U17 and U19 categories, and successfully passed the preliminary interview on Thursday, where they presented their uniforms to the Control Committee, as well as the official documents accrediting them to be part of the two Central American beach volleyball events.
Four male teams and five female teams will vie for the Central American championship for the first time in the U17 category. Meanwhile, in the U19 category, five teams will compete in both genders, with current champions Guatemala in women and Costa Rica in men.
The first U19 Central American Championship was held in 2018 in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, an event that also served as a qualifier for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, later that year.
The competition will start on Friday 24 at the sand courts of La Sabana, in the capital of Costa Rica, San José. It will be played in a round-robin format, with the pairs in both genders who gain the most points will become champions on the last day of the event on Sunday 26.
San José, Costa Rica, November 21, 2023.- Six countries will gather on Costa Rican soil at La Sabana sand courts to compete from November 24-26 in the first edition of the Central American Beach Volleyball Under-17 Championship and, for the second time, in Costa Rica, in the Under-19 Central American Championship, both double-gender events.
The national teams of El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, and Costa Rica will hit La Sabana sand courts in San José, aiming to become Central American champions in the inaugural Under-17 category. Meanwhile, Guatemala women and Costa Rica men will defend their titles in the second edition of the Under-19 category.
The first Under-19 Central American Championship took place in 2018 in Puntarenas, Costa Rica, and was also a qualifying event for the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in the same year.
During a press conference held on Tuesday, at the National Stadium facilities, the Organizing Committee, led by Carlos Echandi, president of the Costa Rican Volleyball Federation (FECOVOL), along with the Costa Rican Sports Institute (ICODER) and the Costa Rican Ministry of Sports, provided details about this significant event for the country.
“We are very proud to organize this important event, hosting the Under-19 Championship for the second time and the Under-17 Championship for the first time. This is a joint effort with ICODER, from whom we have received support, as well as the support of the Minister of Sports, Mr. Royner Mora”, said Carlos Echandi, president of FECOVOL and a member of the Organizing Committee.
The round-robin competition will start on Friday. The pairs in both categories that earn the most ranking points will be crowned champions at the conclusion of the event on Sunday.
1st Central American Under-19 Beach Volleyball Championship:
-Champions
Women: GUATEMALA – Paola Alvarado and María Juárez
Men:COSTA RICA – Alexandre Lezcano and Criforth Fallas
-Final Standings
Women: 1. Guatemala, 2. Nicaragua, 3. Costa Rica, 4. Honduras, 5. El Salvador, 6. Belize, 7. Panama
Men: 1. Costa Rica, 2. Nicaragua, 3. El Salvador, 4. Guatemala, 5. Belize, 6. Honduras, 7. Panama
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