Beach Volleyball

Switzerland triumph in Nations Cup Pool F and make it to the Finals

News

Article Sat, May 13 2023
Author: Guilherme Torres

Switzerland are the first country confirmed in the men’s tournament of the 2023 CEV Beach Volleyball Nations Cup Finals after their victory in the Pool F of the Preliminary Phase this weekend in their home sand of Gstaad.

Swiss players and coaches pose after their victory in Gstaad

Playing at home, the Swiss duos of Adrian Heidrich/Leo Dillier and Quentin Métral/Yves Haussener overcame competition from teams from Germany, Türkiye, Moldova and Luxembourg to dominate the pool and confirm their country’s presence in the Finals, which will be played later in the year.

The Swiss teams were in strong form between Friday and Saturday, winning five of their six matches and a golden set to finish at the top of the podium. The hosts swept Türkiye and Luxembourg on their way to Saturday’s Finals, where they faced Germany.

The Swiss started the decisive duel better, with Heidrich and Dillier beating Robin Sowa and Lukas Pfretzschner in straight sets (21-16, 21-14). The Germans fought back, with Clemens Wickler and Nils Ehlers topping Métral and Haussener also in two sets (21-17, 21-15), but then Heidrich and Dillier returned to the court to win the golden set 15-10 against them and secure the victory.

“The players and coaches all fought hard and did a great job. This victory was well-deserved and will give our teams more confidence. I’d also like to thank the organizers here in Gstaad and the tournament directors who did an excellent job.”

Sebastian Beck
Swiss Volleyball Federation Head of Beach Volleyball
Swiss and Germans battle in the final in Gstaad

Seven other spots in the 2023 Nations Cup Finals remain open and six countries will qualify in the Preliminary Phase, joining Switzerland and the host country. Pool E is the next on the calendar, with matches going on from May 15-15, in Madrid, with hosts Spain, Austria, Croatia, Lithuania and Slovenia set to battle.

Created in 2022, the Nations Cup brings added weight in 2023 and 2024, serving as the European pathway in the qualification system for the beach volleyball tournament of the Paris 2024 Olympics – the countries that win the 2024 Finals among the men and the women will each earn a spot in the Games.

The Nations Cup has a different competition format, promoting ‘country vs. country’ battles. Each nation is represented by two teams and the duels take place in a best-of-three format, with the decider, if needed, being a 15-point golden set.

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