David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig Lead European Charge in BPT Elite16 Gstaad

Reigning European champions David Åhman and Jonatan Hellvig of Sweden led teams from the continent to a successful campaign in one of the most traditional stops of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, the Elite16 tournament of Gstaad, Switzerland.

With the 22-year-old Swedes at the top of the men’s podium and two other European duos taking medals home, the tournament came to an end on Sunday in the Swiss Alps, leaving promising signs to the teams from the continent that will compete at the Paris Olympics later this month.

Swedish Dominance Continues with Gold in Gstaad

The title in Gstaad, obtained with a two-set (21-18, 21-18) victory over Brazilians Andre Loyola and George Wanderley, was the fourth consecutive win for the two-time European champions. Åhman and Hellvig also triumphed in Tepic, Espinho, and Ostrava, boasting an incredible record of 29 wins and just two losses in 2024.

“This has been such a great season for us, it’s hard to explain everything that’s happening. We’ve been playing so many tight matches and we somehow manage to win them in the end,” said Jonatan Hellvig, reflecting on their remarkable season.

All-European Showdown for Bronze in Men’s Event

The men’s tournament in Switzerland had an all-European bronze medal match, and it was an excellent one. Reigning Olympic champions Anders Mol and Christian Sørum of Norway narrowly overcame Italians Paolo Nicolai and Samuele Cottafava in a thrilling tie-breaker (20-22, 22-20, 28-26), securing the bronze.

Latvian Women’s Duo Secures Bronze

Europe also celebrated a bronze medal in the women’s event, with Latvians Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova taking third place. The two-time European champions were dominant in their match against Brazilians Ágatha Bednarczuk and Rebecca Cavalcanti, winning in straight sets (21-16, 21-10). This podium finish marked their third consecutive top-three appearance on the Beach Pro Tour.

Americans Claim Gold in Women’s Event

In the gold medal match, Americans Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss overcame compatriots Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft to claim the top spot in Gstaad.

Looking Ahead to Vienna

Next week, the Beach Pro Tour will host its last Elite16 event before the Paris Olympics. The Austrian capital, Vienna, will welcome teams from around the world from Tuesday to Sunday, offering one last opportunity for teams to make their final adjustments before the big event in Paris.