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

Beach Court in Echternach added to the map

Near the new Youth Hostel in Echternach, just beside the lake, there is a new facility available to play beachvolleyball. For the moment I do not know more details (number of courts, access limitations, fees,...) but as soon as will know more about it, I will add the informations.
Some more details have also been added to the beach calendar this week.
Surely waiting for the sun to come back, just like me, I hope you nevertheless enjoy your weekend...

but as you see in this video...there is no inappropriate weather to play beachvolleyball, ii-haah

 

Tournament Calendar Luxembourg Season 2014 online !!

On the internet page of the FLVB, the tournament calendar will be soon be online, but as the beginning of the tournament season is only 2 months away, I wanted to publish the calendar as soon as possible on this blog.
Big thanks to Norma to have collected nearly all the dates for the 2014 season and to share them with me (of course I will return you the favor).
One tournament is still not confirmed - the one of the VC Bonnevoie, normally in beginning of july, and then I also want to check the date of the 12th august for the tournament in Steinfort as the 12th august is not on a weekend.
Some more tournaments will be added as soon as I have notice of them - here in Luxembourg or in the french, german or belgian borderregion of Luxembourg.
So just keep an eye at the calendar page during the next weeks.
See you on the beach !!

How to manage the transition from Indoor to Beachvolleyball...

This weekend, spring shows all of its beauty here in Luxembourg with undisrupted sunshine and the first rays of sunlight on our skin. And so, all the beachvolleyballplayers in the country start thinking on leaving indoor volley for the first trainings in the sand, even if ground temperatures stay quite low for the moment.
But it's only question of one or two more weeks and the beachvolley season with its first tournaments in beginning of June will start shouting for preparation.
And so, we all have to manage the transition from volleyball to beachvolleyball once again after the winter. And for those who will try this switch for the first time in their life, just have a look on an article written by April Ross, which describes very well what makes the difference in Beachvolleyball.... (April Ross - the-transition)

For those who don't know April Ross - she's a californian beachvolley player, born in 1982 in Costa Mesa, California, a very energic person and sportswoman and had already some great successes, mainly with Jennifer Kessy.

Start of the 2014 Beachvolley season not far away....

Me and my mate Mat' (2012)

The first of march is the official start of the meteorological spring and so I really hope that in a month or perhaps a little bit earlier the beachvolleyball season can start here in Luxembourg. Everybody still remembers the last season with horribly cold temperatures just up to June and so I personally never got really in it, not even in summer.
But hopefully 2014 will be different and for the lucertola, it will be a little bit of a comeback season after 2 years of injuries and a lot of professional work prohibiting a regular training.

Lucertola team in reception trouble (2013)

Remembering 2013....
Nevertheless 2013 was quite remarkable with the GSSE hold in Luxembourg, seing the Goodbye-Tournament of Norma and Anne, and seing the first official big competition for Ben and Djamel.
Then, in July, the World Championship took place in Polonia with big changes in the hierarchy established during the last seasons. With refereing more indulgent with pass play, the game is getting much quicker and tactically different with men playing a

Season has finally started in Luxembourg

Even if the weather is really good for beachvolleyball only for two, three days now, two events made the new beachvolley season 2013 start for real.
First, the 2013 GSSE in Luxembourg the last week of may, saw the luxemburgish teams get a nice 4th place at the men's competition with a lot of fighting spirit from Ben and Djamel, despite their great lack of experience and a really wonderful silver medal for the ladies, Anne Grethen and Norma Zambon, for their apparently last tournament of their carreer, despite big injury worries for Anne after the semi-final and a very strong opponent from Cyprus, in the game for gold. Will there be a life without beachvolleyball for Anne and Norma? It's hard to believe!

Season 2013 - a difficult start in Luxembourg

Hi beachvolleyfans,

weather was always a difficult subject in Luxembourg, but this year it seems to be even worse. But perhaps it's a good sign for the summer that we don't have high temperatures in April and May.
Nevertheless, even here in Luxembourg, some motivated teams are already training for some weeks now on the sand and this year they will have some competitive advantage over the teams with less motivation to get their feet cold on the wet sand.

The tournament list for 2013 is now quite complete - please refer to the calendar page - and the first one - a 3x3 Mixed and 4x4 Hobby in Cessange, organized by the club of VC Bonnevoie is only 1 week away. Good news that finally there is a club ready to start the tournament season in May, helping extend the duration of the season that has been quite short for the last years.

As usually, the tournament calendar in Luxembourg is very full from beginning of June to mid august and hopefully for the organizers, the weather god will have some pity, sending sunny weather for the weekends.

Beside these tournaments on the luxemburgish amateur level, there will be two other events, this year, worth to be noticed.

Best New Year's Wishes

After some months without beachvolley for probably most of us and the beginning of the new year, we can see the new Beachvolleyball season 2013 approaching at the horizon, even if winter will still probably last for some weeks.

And as every season has to be seriously prepared, even on amateur level, the first plannings have to be maid between the partners of a team. Physical preparation, the first steps in the sand and perhaps one or another training camps have to be planned, before getting in the competition phase starting in may / june.

So I wish everybody good inspiration for setting up a nice planning, perhaps still under the Christmas tree and I wish all of you a very successful season with a lot of spectacular points, some tournament wins perhaps and first of all a very healthy and injurefree season.

Happy New Year
and have big fun on the courts !!

Brink-Reckermann win the gold medal in London

The final game between Alison-Emanuel from Brazil and Brink-Reckermann from Germany was decided in 3 intensive sets. After a very tight first set that went to Brink-Reckermann on a score of 23-21, the second set saw the brazilian team come back in the game to decide this set clearly 21-16.

The gold medal therefore had to be played in a 3rd set which saw the german team take a big option on the gold medal by a score of 12-8. But the living legend Emanuel Rego played some strong breakpoints in the attack to tight the score once again at 14-14. But the final coolness of the german led them finally win on a score of 16-14.

Congratulations to Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann for their first olympic

Misty May and Kerry Walsh take the Goldmedal

After a quite clear game between the two american teams Kerry-Ross and May-Walsh, the great experience of Misty May and Kerry Walsh permitted to control the game and to score some breakpoints at half-time of each set to finally win clearly both sets 21-16 to get their 3rd gold medal in a row.

Especially the extraordinary defense of Misty May (15 digs !!) was a solid foundation for triumphing in the fight for gold.

Silver medal goes to Jennifer Kerry and April Ross, who could not take advantage of their stronger services (70 and 77 km/h against 51 and 58 km/h for May-Walsh).

Free live stream Olympia 2012 @ Eurosport

Quite late, but still before the semi-final games, please find here the link to the free live streaming page of Eurosport. Every event of the Olympic games 2012 live and on replay.

So don't miss the upcoming semi-finals and final of the Beachvolleyball competition !!

Enjoy :-)

Beachvolleyball - most beautiful sport on planet !!

Olympia 2012 - Quarterfinals Men being played today

After the pool games of the first round, 16 teams have qualified in each category, men and women, to compete in the roud of 16 to qualify for the quarterfinals.

In the men's category, there is a first big surprise: Rogers-Dalhausser have been eliminated by the italian team Nicolai-Lupo in a tight game, but nevertheless clearly in two sets.

To follow the competition, just have a look at the men's competition page.

Concerning the women's category, the quarter-finals have already been played yesterday, and tomorrow, 7th August, the athlets will play the semi-finals to reach out for a medal.

To get the live scores of the upcoming games, please refer to the women's competition page.

Have fun, by following this great sports event and the fabulous athletes playing beachvolleyball at its very best level !!

The 6 reasons why Beach Volleyball partners split up

Beachvolley Olympia starting tomorrow 28th July

After some long weeks of preparing and waiting for the start of the 2012 Olympic Games, the beachvolleyball athlets will start their competition tomorrow with the games of the first round, played in a round robin modus.

For both categories, the brazilian teams are the odds-on-favourites and the other teams have to make some real big efforts to win finally against Emanuel-Alison or Larissa-Juliana both active World Champions, with Emanuel Rego 5-times gold-medalist at Olympia and Larissa Franca 2-times gold-medalist.

And even if these both teams fail, other nations will have hard to win against the 2 other brazilian teams Cunha-Ricardo (M) and Talita-Antonelli (W), as well considered as possible gold-medalists.

But even if Beachvolleyball seems therefore to be brazilian territory, it will be very interesting to survey the other teams, Olympia being always a very special event with a huge motivating factor to write some incredible sport stories.

Luxemburgish Beachvolley Championship in Capellen

This year, once again, the national beachvolleyball championship was co-organized by the FLVB and the volleyballclub of Mamer.

The women's competition took place on Saturday 7th July, with 12 teams competing and the men's competition on Sunday 8th July saw 16 teams being in fight for the championship title.

If the victory of Zambon-Grethen was no big surprise, even if the victory had to be earned, Steinbach-Hasdorf played a really big tournament to finish on a well deserved 2nd place. The third team on the podium was Weber-Delcourt, the young ladies from Mamer, who confirmed their good result of last year.

In the men's competition, Tunchev and Freidenfels from Diekirch won the final game against the official national team Angelsberg-Belhaouci. Third place went to Mendes-Zielinski from the club of Walferdange.

Congratulations to all the teams for their results and especially to the 2012 champions, Zambon-GrethenTunchev-Freidenfels !! and

Hopefully we meet them back again at the 2013 Luxemburgish Beachvolley Championship in Steinfort, to defend their title.

Last but not least, two critical remarks concerning the championship and the next Games of the small states of Europe (GSSE) in 2013: