Lausanne, Switzerland, March 7, 2017 — The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) held the third event on the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour calendar last week and five countries earned podium placements in Australia.
FIVB Shepparton - Men
Winning the men’s gold medal at the FIVB Shepparton 1-Star event with a perfect 4-0 match record was Australia’s top-seeded Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann who defeated third-seeded compatriots Cole Durant/Zachery Schubert in two twin-score sets, 2-0 (21-18, 21-18) in 38 minutes. It was the first career FIVB World Tour gold medal for both McHugh and Schumann.
In an all-Australian gold medal final, Zachery Schubert, left, jousts the Mikasa against Damien Schumann as Schumann/Christopher McHugh won the FIVB Shepparton 1-StarEarning the men’s bronze medal Shepparton was New Zealand’s second-seeded Ben O’Dea/Sam O’Dea who won in straight sets over USA’s fifth-seeded Marty Lorenz/Adam Roberts, 2-0 (21-12, 21-14) in just 29 minutes.
In the Shepparton’s men’s semifinals, Australia’s McHugh/Schumann beat USA’s Lorenz/Roberts in two sets, 2-0 (21-11, 21-19) in 30 minutes and Australia’s Durant/Schubert advanced to the gold medal match by coming from behind to defeat New Zealand’s B. O’Dea/S. O’Dea in three sets, 2-1 (16-21, 21-17, 15-13) in 43 minutes.
Australia’s McHugh was selected as the men’s most outstanding player of the FIVB Shepparton 1-Star.
FIVB Shepparton - Women
Winning the women’s gold medal at the FIVB Shepparton 1-Star event with an unblemished 4-0 match record was Canada’s second-seeded Julie Gordon/Camille Saxton who stopped Germany’s fourth-seeded Kim Behrens/Anni Schumacher in straight sets 2-0 (21-17, 21-14) in 33 minutes. It was also the first FIVB World Tour gold medal for both Gordon and Saxton, who were playing in just their second FIVB event as a team.
Kim Gordon reaches for the dig
Earning the women’s bronze medal in Shepparton was Australia’s top-seeded Phoebe Bell/Nicole Laird who stopped Germany’s 14th-seeded Leonie Kortzinger/Sandra Seyfferth in two sets, 2-0 (21-14, 21-16) in just 29 minutes.
To reach the women’s gold medal match in Shepparton from their respective semifinals, Canada’s Gordon/Saxton defeated Germany’s Kortzinger/Seyfferth in straight sets, 2-0 (21-10, 21-17) in 30 minutes while Germany’s Behrens/Schumacher advanced by holding off Australia’s Bell/Laird in two sets, 2-0 (24-22, 21-10) in 37 minutes.
Canada’s Gordon was selected as the women’s most outstanding player of the FIVB Shepparton 1-Star event.
New FIVB World Ranking system
Part of the latest edition of the FIVB Sports Regulations for beach volleyball, the new FIVB World Ranking system has been established based on the FIVB Beach Volleyball Ranking Points earned at the eight best performances as a team in all FIVB sanctioned or homologated beach volleyball events over a 365-days period. The FIVB World Ranking is updated every Monday after an FIVB sanctioned or homologated event granting FIVB beach volleyball ranking points.
Men's rankings/earnings
After three men’s events on the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, USA’s Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena continue to lead this week’s FIVB World Rankings with 4,820 points while Latvia’s Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Janis Smedins duo is second with 4,650 points. Third is Brazil’s Olympic champions Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt with 4,620 points, fourth is Brazil’s Evandro Goncalves/Pedro Solberg with 4,240 points and fifth is Poland’s Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak with 3,880 points.
In the 2017 FIVB World Tour men’s earnings after two events, Brazil’s Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho duo is still on top of the early money list with $40,000 in one event with one gold medal. Second is Brazil’s Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola with $32,000 in one event, third is USA’s Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena with $20,000 in one event and fourth is Russia’s Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin with $19,000 and tied for fifth with $16,000 each are USA’s Ryan Doherty/John Hyden and Poland’s Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak.
Women's rankings/earnings
For the women after two events on the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca stand on the top rung on the ladder of the current FIVB World Rankings with 5,420 points. In second with 5,160 points is USA’s April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings, third with 5,080 points is Germany’s Olympic champions Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst, fourth with 4,170 points is Gemany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude and fifth with 3,840 points is Germany’s Karla Borger/Britta Buthe.
In the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour women’s earnings after two events, Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca duo is in the top spot with $40,000 in earnings in one events with one gold medal, second is Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa with $32,000, third is Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude with $20,000 and fourth is USA’s Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat with $16,000. Tied for fifth with $12,000 each in one event are Brazil’s Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas, Brazil’s Josemari Alves/Liliane Maestrini, Czech Republic’s Kristyna Kolocova/Michala Kvapilova and USA’s April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings.
Men's final fours
After three men’s tournaments on the 2017 FIVB World Tour regular season schedule, seven countries have at least one final four placement. Leading with three final four placements is the United States (one bronze medal, two fourth place finishes) and tied for second with two each are Brazil (one gold medal, one silver medal), Australia (one gold medal, one silver medal) and Russia (one gold medal, one bronze medal) and tied for fifth with one final four placement each are Germany (one fourth place finish), New Zealand (one bronze medal) and Poland (one silver medal).
Women's final fours
After two women’s FIVB international event to date on the 2017 calendar, five countries have earned at least one final four finish. Leader in final four placements with three is Germany (one silver medal, one bronze medal, one fourth place finish) while second with two is Brazil (one gold medal, one silver medal) and tied for third with one final four finish each are Australia (one bronze medal), Canada (one gold medal) and the United States (one fourth place finish).
Quick links - Beach volleyball:
Shepparton 1-Star - Website
Shepparton 1-Star - Schedule and results
Shepparton 1-Star - Teams - Men
Shepparton 1-Star - Teams - WomenFIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour 2017Rio 2016 Olympic Games - Beach VolleyballFIVB.com - Beach VolleyballFIVB.com
Latest VideosFacebookTwitterInstagramMedia GuidesMen's winning percentage/match wins
Based on percentage, statistically, in men’s action after three events on the 2017 FIVB World Tour calendar with a minimum of four matches played, the co-leaders at 100.00 per cent is Brazil’s Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho (8-0) and Australia’s Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann (4-0), third at 85.7 per cent is USA’s Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena (6-1). Tied for fourth at 80.0 per cent each are USA’s Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb (4-1), Poland’s Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek (4-1) and Italy’s Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai (4-1). Tied for seventh at 77.8 per cent are Poland’s Piotr Kantor/Bartosz Losiak (7-2) and Russia’s Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin (7-2)
Alvaro Filho and Saymon Barbosa celebrate after winning their semifinal in Ft. LauderdaleWith eight match wins this season through three events on the 2017 FIVB World Tour, leading this category is Brazil’s Saymon Barbosa/Alvaro Filho (8-0), tied for second with seven match wins each are Poland’s Piotr Kantor/Bartoz Losiak (7-2) and Russia’s Viacheslav Krasilnikov/Nikita Liamin (7-2) and tied for fourth with six match wins each are Australia’s Cole Durant/Zachery Schubert (6-2) and USA’s Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena (6-1). Tied for sixth with five match wins each are USA’s Ryan Doherty/John Hyden (5-3), Brazil’s Evandro Goncalves/Andre Loyola (5-3), Russia’s Oleg Stoyanovskiy/Artem Yarzutkin (5-4) and Switzerland’s Nico Beeler/Marco Krattiger (5-4). Tied for 10th with four match wins each are Australia’s Christopher McHugh/Damien Schumann (4-0), USA’s Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb (4-1), Poland’s Michal Bryl/Grzegorz Fijalek (4-1), Italy’s Daniele Lupo/Paolo Nicolai, Brazil’s Alison Cerutti/Bruno Oscar Schmidt (4-2), USA’s Trevor Crabb/Sean Rosenthal (4-2) and Germany’s Markus Bockermann/Lars Fluggen (4-4).
Women's winning percentage/match wins
Based on percentage, statistically, in women’s action after two events on the 2017 FIVB World Tour calendar with a minimum of three matches played, the leader at 85.7 per cent is Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca (6-1), tied for second at 80.0 per cent is USA’s Kerri Walsh Jennings/April Ross (4-1) and Canada’s Julie Gordon/Camille Saxton (4-1) while tied for fourth at 75.0 per cent is Czech Republic’s Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova (3-1), Australia’s Phoebe Bell/Nicole Laird (3-1) and Germany’s Kim Behrens/Anni Schumacher (3-1). Tied for seventh at 71.4 per cent are USA’s Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat (5-2), Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude (5-2), Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa (5-2), Brazil’s Josemari Alves/Liliane Maestrini (5-2) and Brazil’s Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas (5-2).
Larissa and Talita wave to the crowd at the Fort Lauderdale Major awards ceremonyFor the women in match wins following two events on the 2017 FIVB calendar, the leader with six match wins is Brazil’s Talita Antunes/Larissa Franca (6-1) while tied for second with five match wins each are USA’s Summer Ross/Brooke Sweat (5-2), Germany’s Chantal Laboureur/Julia Sude (5-2), Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk/Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa (5-2), Brazil’s Josemari Alves/Liliane Maestrini (5-2) and Brazil’s Fernanda Alves/Barbara Seixas (5-2).
On the horizon
Following the Shepparton 1-Star event in Australia, the women’s only Sydney 2-Star event will be held in Australia (March 17-19) followed by the double-gender Langkawi 1-Star tournament in Malaysia (April 15-16).
Growing history
The women’s only FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Sydney 2-Star event will be the 316th all-time FIVB women’s tournament. The double-gender Langkawi 1-Star event will be the 356th men’s tournament since the FIVB began play in 1987 and the 317th women’s tournament since their competition started in 1992.
FIVB 2017
Based in Lausanne, Switzerland as the international governing body for the Olympic sports of Beach Volleyball and Volleyball, the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball calendar features a purse of US$6.81 million with a season that extends from February to August, competing at 26 venues in 19 countries. The calendar involves a new star-rating system with five 5-Star events, four of which are part of the FIVB Swatch Major Series portion of the schedule, three 4-Star events, four 3-Star events, four 2-Star events and seven 1-Star events and the special Swatch FIVB World Tour Finals in Canada (Aug. 23-27). The showcase event will be the $1,000,000 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Vienna, Austria (July 28-Aug. 6).
There will also be the FIVB U21 World Championships in Nanjing, China (July 11-16).
The 2017 portion of the 2018 FIVB World Tour calendar will start in October in Qinzhou, China with one more women’s only event in October in Phuket, Thailand.