#EuroBeachVolley 2023 Previews: Women’s Pools A-D

The A1 CEV EuroBeachVolley is back in Vienna this summer, reuniting the top beach volleyball players in the continent for five days of intense and exciting play at the iconic Danube Island, in the Austrian capital, from August 2-6.

The tournament will begin with eight pools of four teams each and, after the completion of the modified pool play system, three duos in each group will move forward – the pool winners advance directly to the Round of 16 while the second and third-placed tandems move to the Round of 24.

The pools were determined in the drawing of lots held not long ago and we can now try to predict what to expect from each of them. Let’s take a look at Pools A, B, C and D in the women’s tournament this time.

Pool A

Teams: Tanja Hüberli/Nina Brunner (Switzerland), Karla Borger/Sandra Ittlinger (Germany), Leonie Körtzinger/Lea Kunst (Germany) and Inna Makhno/Iryna Makhno (Ukraine)

Hüberli and Brunner have been one of the most competitive teams in the EuroBeachVolley recently as the Swiss took gold in Vienna in 2021 and silver last year in Munich – the two also finished second in 2018. Ranked eighth in the world, they are the favorites to finish first in the pool.

Partners since 2022, Borger and Ittlinger have proven to be a solid team, but are still looking for a breakthrough performance, which could come in Vienna. Their compatriots Körtzinger, 26, and Kunst, 21, have only six international tournaments as partners and not many great results to show yet, but have great potential and could beat anyone in a good day.

The Makhno twins have better chemistry and understanding than most teams in the world given their tight connection. The two have made their first appearance in the EuroBeachVolley in 2017 and had some impressive wins over better-ranked teams over the years.

Fun Fact: The Makhno twins have been playing together since 2015 and form one of the longest-lasting active women’s partnerships in international beach volleyball.

Pool B

Teams: Raisa Schoon/Katja Stam (the Netherlands), Taru Lathi/Niina Athiainen (Finland), Laura Ludwig/Louisa Lippmann (Germany) and Katharina Holzer/Eva Freiberger (Austria)

Schoon and Stam have stepped on the podium in their first two EuroBeachVolley appearances, taking silver in 2021 and bronze in 2022. The young Dutch are one of the top teams in the world and medal contenders in every tournament they enter.

One of the most successful Finnish players on the sand, Lathi joined Ahtiainen in 2022 and the two have been consistently getting better, having won two gold medals on the Beach Pro Tour already. They will probably battle the legendary Ludwig, the most successful woman to ever compete in the EuroBeachVolley, and her partner Lippmann, a volleyball star that’s displayed some interesting progress since she moved to the sand, last year, for the second place in the pool.

Holzer, 25, and Freiberger, 34, will most likely have a hard time qualifying in such a strong pool, but playing with the support of the passionate Austrian fans, they will have all the energy and motivation they need to pull an upset and make it to the elimination rounds.

Fun Fact: The legendary Ludwig is set to return to the EuroBeachVolley after missing the last two editions. The 37-year-old German has 15 appearances, the first of which back in 2004, and a record nine medals, including four golds.

Pool C

Teams: Marta Menegatti/Valentina Gottardi (Italy), Barbora Hermannová/Marie-Sara Štocholová (Czechia), Lézana Placette/Alexia Richard (France) and Sofía González/Sol Guidarelli (Spain)

Menegatti and Gottardi had a good run in their first EuroBeachVolley appearance as partners, finishing fifth in 2022, and after victories and strong results at the international level, the Italians seem ready to give a step forward and be in the mix for medals in 2023.

It’s unclear who should be considered the second-best team in the pool as both the Czechs and French have good arguments to be considered. While Hermannová and Štochlová are more physical and have better results on the Beach Pro Tour, few teams in the world have the chemistry and ball control of the French, who are probably living the most important years of their careers with the Paris Olympics right around the corner.

The young González had a strong 2022 season with Paula Soria, but lost her partner and had to restart with Guidarelli, who’s also 21, but has only five international events to her name. The two have the potential, but probably need a little bit more than that to compete in such a tough pool.

Fun Fact: Hermannová and Štochlová’s first appearance as partners happened at the 2021 EuroBeachVolley, which was held in Vienna. What was supposed to be a temporary union has turned into a two-year partnership, and counting.

Pool D

Teams: Cinja Tillmann/Svenja Müller (Germany), Monika Paulikiene/Aine Raupelyte (Lithuania), Liliana Fernández/Paula Soria (Spain) and Katharina Schützenhöfer/Franziska Friedl (Austria)

The best European team at last year’s FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship, winning bronze, Tillmann and Müller are among the medal contenders in Vienna. The two will be looking to make a strong impression in their second EuroBeachVolley appearance after having to settle for a frustrating 17^th-place finish last year at home in Munich.

Paulikiene and Raupelyte had a very quick rise in the international scene, earning their spots in top-level events shortly after their union, late last year. Spanish Fernández and Soria are also a new team, having played their first event as partners less than four months ago. The two, however, have plenty of experience, combining for 17 EuroBeachVolley appearances in their careers.

Schützenhöfer carried the main Austrian hopes of winning a medal in Vienna, but an injury to her regular partner Lena Plesiutschnig has made things harder for the 29-year-old defender, who picked up 25-year-old blocker Friedl and didn’t have a lot of time to develop the new team ahead of the main challenge of the season.

Fun Fact: Two of the tallest players on the EuroBeachVolley are on this pool, with Raupelyte standing at 1.97m and Müller being 1.92m-tall.