As the European beach volleyball elite converge on Düsseldorf, Germany, for the 33rd edition of the CEV EuroBeachVolley, the air is thick with anticipation. From Wednesday to Sunday, the Rochus Club will transform into a gladiatorial arena, hosting what promises to be one of the most competitive tournaments in recent memory. With every top team vying for continental supremacy, the journey to the podium begins with a crucial hurdle: the pool play.
Navigating the Tournament Landscape
This year`s format sees 32 men`s teams meticulously sorted into eight pools of four. The stakes are clear: win your pool, and earn a direct ticket to the Round of 16, a coveted express lane to the business end of the competition. For those finishing second or third, a detour via the Round of 24 awaits, adding an extra layer of challenge and a test of endurance. Pool play itself is a brisk affair, unfolding over Wednesday and Thursday, quickly giving way to the knockout rounds. The Round of 16 takes center stage on Friday, quarterfinals on Saturday, and the grand finale – semifinals and medal matches – on Sunday. It`s a sprint, not a marathon, where every point truly counts from the first serve.
Pool A: The Vikings and the Challengers
Teams: Anders Mol/Christian Sørum (Norway), Hugo Campos/João Pedrosa (Portugal), Benedikt Sagstetter/Jonas Sagstetter (Germany), Ardis Bedritis/Arturs Rinkevics (Latvia)
In Pool A, all eyes, quite naturally, fall upon the towering figures of Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sørum. These “Beach Volley Vikings” are not just reigning Olympic, World, and four-time EuroBeachVolley champions; they are, in essence, beach volleyball royalty. Their presence alone makes them the undisputed favorites to top this pool and glide smoothly into the Round of 16. However, even royalty can face unexpected challenges, and their opponents are not to be underestimated.
Portugal’s Campos and Pedrosa, though perhaps not enjoying peak consistency recently, have a significant victory at the 2023 Edmonton Challenge under their belt, proving their capability to rise to the occasion. Then there are the German Sagstetter brothers, making their EuroBeachVolley debut on home sand. Their impressive fifth-place finish at the Ostrava Elite event earlier this year signals a dangerous potential for an upset, especially with the home crowd roaring them on. Finally, Latvia`s Bedritis and Rinkevics, seasoned partners themselves, arrive with the classic “nothing to lose” attitude. While the odds of Mol and Sørum faltering are slim, the battle for the remaining qualification spots promises to be a captivating display of grit and strategy. The opening clash between Portugal and Germany could very well dictate the pool`s entire narrative.
Pool B: The Undisputed `Pool of Death`
Teams: David Åhman/Jonatan Hellvig (Sweden), Rémi Bassereau/Calvin Aye (France), Alexander Brouwer/Steven van de Velde (the Netherlands), Samuele Cottafava/Enrico Rossi (Italy)
If Pool A offers a clear favorite, Pool B delivers a masterclass in competitive cruelty. Sweden`s reigning Olympic champions, Åhman and Hellvig, will find their quest for a third continental title met with an immediate, grueling test. This isn`t just a pool; it`s a gladiatorial arena populated by five other Olympians and veterans steeped in international experience. One might almost feel a touch of irony that the draw so eagerly challenged the very best right out of the gate.
France’s Bassereau and Aye have steadily climbed the ranks, consistently breaking into the top ten at Challenge events. The Dutch duo of Brouwer and van de Velde, while a new partnership, bring a wealth of individual EuroBeachVolley podium finishes with previous partners. Their combined experience and raw talent make them formidable contenders. Italy’s Cottafava and Rossi, despite their fresh partnership for this tournament, possess the individual brilliance to upset any team on their day. Predicting the outcome of Pool B is less about analysis and more about consulting a magic eight-ball. Every match here is a potential thriller, promising early fireworks and setting a high bar for the rest of the tournament.
Pool C: The Reigning Surprisers
Teams: Martins Plavins/Kristians Fokerots (Latvia), Téo Rotar/Arnaud Gauthier-Rat (France), Philipp Huster/Maximilian Just (Germany), Jakub Sepka/Jiri Sedlak (Czechia)
Latvia`s Martins Plavins and Kristians Fokerots captured the collective imagination at last year`s EuroBeachVolley, transforming from hopefuls to champions in a stunning upset. Their victory marked only the second time a Latvian team had claimed gold, proving that underdogs can indeed bite. While post-victory consistency has been elusive, Plavins` veteran wisdom combined with Fokerots` ongoing development suggests they could be primed for another strong showing.
The French pair, Rotar and Gauthier-Rat, played a pivotal role in France`s CEV Beach Nations Cup victory and have since carved out a respectable presence on the Beach Pro Tour. Germany`s Huster and Just, another relatively new pairing, showed early promise with a fourth-place finish at the Haikou Challenge. However, they`ve struggled to replicate that form, making their home-court performance a key point of interest. Czechia`s Sepka and Sedlak, while not dominating the Futures circuit, delivered a surprising fifth-place finish at the previous EuroBeachVolley. This makes them a dark horse capable of disrupting the expected order. While Latvia and France appear to be the strongest contenders for the top two spots, the German and Czech teams have proven their capacity for unexpected surges, turning the battle for the coveted direct qualification spot, and indeed all three progression slots, into a fascinating sub-plot.
Pool D: Quiet Consistency, Loud Impact
Teams: Hendrik Mol/Mathias Berntsen (Norway), Matthew Immers/Ruben Penninga (the Netherlands), Sergiy Popov/Eduard Reznik (Ukraine), Adrian Heidrich/Jonathan Jordan (Switzerland)
In Pool D, Norway`s Hendrik Mol and Mathias Berntsen arrive fresh from contributing to their nation`s gold at the CEV Beach Nations Cup. Their consistent upward trajectory over recent years positions them as the top seeds in this pool. Yet, consistency, while admirable, doesn`t guarantee an easy ride, particularly when facing a diverse field of determined opponents.
The Netherlands presents the promising duo of Matthew Immers and Ruben Penninga. Immers, a Paris Olympian and EuroBeachVolley medalist, is a defensive stalwart, and his new partnership with Penninga has shown encouraging early signs. Ukraine’s Popov and Reznik, bronze medalists at the 2023 EuroBeachVolley, delivered their country’s first medal in the event, showcasing an incredibly efficient blocker-defender combination that makes them notoriously difficult to score against. While they haven`t quite replicated that bronze-winning form, their potential remains undeniable. Finally, Switzerland`s Adrian Heidrich, a Tokyo Olympian, has found a renewed spark this season with Jonathan Jordan, building momentum from their Futures-level successes. The Norwegians are well-equipped to advance, but the dynamic interplay between the Dutch and Ukrainian teams – both capable of challenging for the top spot – means this pool is ripe for strategic battles and potential upsets, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats.
As the countdown to EuroBeachVolley 2025 shortens, the stage is set for an unforgettable display of athleticism, strategy, and sheer will. From the formidable dominance of the “Beach Volley Vikings” to the nail-biting unpredictability of the “Pool of Death,” Düsseldorf is poised to witness champions defending their crowns, rising stars making their mark, and every team battling fiercely for their place in beach volleyball history. Get ready for the sand, the serves, and the unadulterated passion of Europe`s finest.
