The Beach Pro Tour Futures event in Montpellier, France, concluded over the weekend with exciting finals that saw host nation hopes realized and Spanish prowess on full display. European teams delivered a commanding performance throughout the tournament, securing five out of the six available medals, underscoring the depth of talent within the continent.
Men`s Tournament: French Duo Triumphs
The men`s competition culminated in a thrilling final between the top-seeded French pair, Elouan Chouikh-Barbez and Joadel Gardoque, and Austrian Olympians Robin Seidl and Alexander Huber. Playing in front of a home crowd eager for a local victory, the French duo battled through three intense sets, ultimately prevailing with scores of 16-21, 22-20, and 15-12. This hard-fought win marked a significant triumph for Chouikh-Barbez and Gardoque on home sand.
The bronze medal match featured an all-Austrian affair, but the podium spot ultimately went to the Spanish team of Álvaro Viera and Antonio Saucedo. They secured third place by defeating Austrians Felix Friedl and Florian Schnetzer in straight sets, 21-16, 21-13, completing the European clean sweep of the men`s podium.
Women`s Tournament: Spain Claims Gold
On the women`s side, the gold medal match also featured a European clash, with Spanish pair Sofía Izuzquiza and Sofía González facing off against France`s Elsa Descamps and Anouk Dupin. In a three-set encounter, the Spanish duo demonstrated resilience, winning 21-17, 14-21, 15-9. This victory secured Izuzquiza and González`s first title together, building on their bronze medal finish in Kraków last month.
The women`s podium was completed by the American qualifying team of Alexis Durish and Audrey Koenig. They earned the bronze medal by defeating Czech pair Martina Maixnerova and Kylie Neuschaeferova 21-16, 21-14 in the third-place playoff. This result added a transatlantic presence to the medal ceremony dominated by European competitors.
The Montpellier Futures event highlighted the competitive spirit and developing talent within European beach volleyball. These Futures tournaments, run by CEV in collaboration with Volleyball World, are crucial for teams looking to gain international experience and valuable ranking points. The Beach Pro Tour circuit continues across Europe, with the next Futures event scheduled for July 18-21 in Leuven, Belgium, promising more exciting beach volleyball action.
