Qualifying for the 2017 SWATCH FIVB World Tour Finals via their international ranking, Laboureur and Sude will be participating in the event for the third-time (3-4 match mark) after placing ninth in 2015 (1-3) and fifth in 2016 (2-1).  The Germans placed fifth at the FIVB World Championships earlier this month in Vienna.  Despite missing the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, Laboureur and Sude finished the 2016 season as the No. 3-ranked team on the FIVB World Tour behind Laura Ludwig/Kira Walkenhorst and April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings of the United States.  Laboureur and Sude’s first gold medal finish at the 2016 Porec Major was unique as the Germans had to win a qualifying match to advance to the Main Draw.  Laboureur and Sude, who have also won five European tour events, netted their second world tour title this season at the Gstaad Major in Switzerland.  Laboureur has played in 68 FIVB World Tour events since 2010 with two gold medals, seven podium placements and nine “final four” finishes.  Sude’s world tour debut was in 2007 as she has played in 101 FIVB events with two gold medals, eight podiums and 10 “final fours”.