Impressions from the 2017 Beachvolleyball World Championships

Hi, people out there on the courts,
it's now a week that we're back from Vienna, where we assisted to the Beachvolleyball World Championships, and it's time to give you our impressions. Under a ruthless sun that gave us a hot week with temperatures up to 37, 38 degree celsius, we saw a lot of fascinating games. In comparison to the last games I saw on this level, 4 years ago in Poland, the game has got more spectacular and fast than ever. 4 years ago, we had a first impression of the impact of the more permissive approach to the pass technique. Indeed, the dutch team Brouwer / Meeuwsen getting world champion in 2013, was very much due to the faster passes this team played. And now, 4 years later, it's very usual to see very fast passes at a distance of 6 meters as we know from indoor volleyball, as well as passes behind the back or passes with both feets in the air. This, at least in the men's category, but you can also notice a big change in the women's category, where you used to see a lot of digging passes, that now have quite disappeared. And a team like Ludwig / Walkenhorst, who are physically very strong, also use a lot of passes in the back. The result is a beachvolleyball that never has been faster, what gives some spectacular action and need faster and more responsive players in defense as well in the block. And of course, the classic lessons of beachvolleyball have to be rewritten. Difficult change for old school - players like me :-) and a big challenge to raise.

In the women's category, the women team Ludwig / Walkenhorst of Germany confirmed their exceptional playing level with the worldchampion title after the olympic gold medal in Rio last year, by beating the US-Team Ross / Fendrick in the finals by 2-1. Brazilian team Larissa / Talita, which are still well in the business, finally won the bronze medal against a very strong canadian team Pavan / Humana-Paredes, which you should watch out in the future.

Beachvolley Championship tix now available

Good news for everybody who wants to go to the 2017 Beachvolleyball Worldchampionships....the ticket store is now open. Just follow the link to the official homepage on this blog.
Growing success and a more marketing oriented approach unfortunatly made the ticket prices grow and the higher ticket prices since the 2015 Championship in the Netherlands seem to continue. So, to have a guaranteed seat at the centercourt for the final 2 days, to watch the medal games, you have to pay 85 EUR a day.
But nevertheless, with a daily price of 16 EUR giving you access to the event without a seat guarantee, it's still a major event accessible to everybody, even young people or people on the less sunny side of the court life.
So, surely, I will be there, to get impressed and motivated by the technique and skills of the best players of the world. Hope seeing you there :-)
La lucertola, keen on going to Vienna

Happy New Year 2017

Hi all,

after 2 years of unfortunately total inactivity, with some last posts for the Beachvolleyball Worldchampionship in 2015, I want to tell you all that the Lucertola Beachvolleyball Team is still alive and hopes to come back to a more serious level of activity once again in 2017.

Actually, the world is knowing a priod full of problems with economic difficulties for many countries and people, religious extremisme being very strong with a lot of people killed in all areas of the world, as well as extreme right ideas perhaps winning more and more elections this year here in Europe. And above all that, a new american president since yesterday, who is giving me a lot of deception, further than about his own person, about the collective stupidity of people masses, going to elect and give their future in untrustworthy hands. Should we be thinking in a negative way....?

NO, despite all we should not. We should remember that we are here on this planet for a very short period of time, and we should try to live in an harmonic and positive way with our family, friends, and with our souls and our bodies, perhaps by playing a game like beachvolleyball, in complete respect of our opponents, team partners and of course referees.

So, the Lucertola Beach Team is starting with a very positive mind, in this new, personally promising year, that once again will see a World Championship played on european ground, in the beautiful city of Vienna, from July 28th to August 6th.

So, perhaps we will see you there end of july, beginning of August... (info and tickets)

Until then, have fun and success in your favourite sport, and enjoy some hard trainings and spectacular games, as well as some cold beers, caipirinha's or barbecues at the courts borders, even if its after 1, 2,........ barbecue. Simply enjoy what Beachvolleyball is giving you !!

Greetings from icy Luxembourg,

Lucertola Beach Team

Beachvolleyball Worldchampionships 2015 - a brazilian story

After a very short week, the 2015 Beachvolleyball Championships of the Netherlands are almost finished yet, and the last balls are played in Rotterdam designing the new Beachvolleyball Worldchampions.

As traditionally, the brazilian teams were very strong with 3 of the four best teams in the women's category and even finishing with 3 teams on the podium. What a domination !! 
The men's category, was a little bit more equilibrated with "only" 2 of the best 4 teams, but both teams also finishing on the podium. In both categories, Brazil finally made 5 of 6 possible podium finishes. UNBELIEVABLE and never seen before !!

As 2014 saw the reunion of the legendary team Ricardo-Emanuel, ranking 1-2 in almost every FIVB World Tour category, all beachvolleyball enthousiasts were very excited to see if the two "oldies" could still do it. After a 2011 and 2013 world championship with the two partners not playing together but finishing very strong (Championship title for Emanuel in 2011 in Rome and 2nd place for Ricardo in 2013), everyone was excited to see if they could still perform on this

Start of the World Championships 2015

Hi all you beach fanatics out there,
after a very long time (quite one year and a half) that I didn't manage to update this blog (and to play beachvolleyball), I hope that it is not too late to get it going again, to inform the small beachvolley community in Luxembourg and in the greater region.
2014 was a tough year, with some injury problems and resulting of this, a very long period of total inactivity. Then, 2014, as well as 2015, were marked by some very important personal and family affairs, as well on Vanessa's side than on mine, and so the Lucertola Beach Team is still for the moment in complete inactivity. But, as we are still young (more or less), we hope and plan to be back seriously on the courts in 2016, letting us the 2015 summer and the following winter to get back in shape before attacking the mikasa on the sand.
So, I told myself, that it would be a nice idea to first start my blogging activity once again and today, 26th of June seems to be a very good day, as today the 2015 Beachvolleyball World Championship will start in the Netherlands !!
I put a link to the official site for an easy access, to help you a little bit to follow