Here’s an interesting event that starts up this week. As far as I can tell, it’s the first time this event has ever taken place. It’s the culmination of 3 years’ worth of qualifying events and national trials (the exact mechanisms of who qualified and what federations get a spot on which or both sides is….complicated). It’s probably gonna have some Olympic implications as well. I’d cover it, but it doesn’t look like anyone’s webcasting it. But what’s of immediate interest to me are the teams playing the event:
Men
Alison/Emanuel (BRA)
Saxton/Schalk (CAN)
Erdmann/Matysik (GER)
Aoki/Ogawa (JPN)
Plavins/Smedins (LAT)
Horrem/Eithun (NOR)
Williams/Fredericks (RSA)
Chevallier/Gabathuler (SUI)
Gibb/Patterson (USA)
Jackson/Leon (VEN)
Women
Gallay/Zonta (ARG)
Bawden/Clancy (AUS)
Talita/Maria (BRA)
Bansley/Maloney (CAN)
Kolocova/Slukoa (CZE)
Holtwick/Semmler (GER)
Cicolari/Orsi Toth (ITA)
Seerungen/Bauda (MRI)
Ukolova/Khomyakova (RUS)
Kessy/Ross (USA)
It’s a fascinating mix of teams. But what’s the first thing that jumps out at you?
The teams that have broken up, right?
What brings Plavins/Smedins, Talita/Maria, and Bansley/Maloney (among others….Chevallier/Gabathuler maybe?) back together, after each of these duos have parted ways? It’s not a matter of events from last season mandating specific duos qualifying. Or at least it’s not at the international level (maybe the various national federations play it that way), because if it were, Jake Gibb would probably be playing with Sean Rosenthal and not Casey Patterson.
But, in a saccharine pleasant way, it suggests that everyone is kind of one big happy beach volleyball family. These men and women wouldn’t be playing together if they hated each other. I don’t think I’ve ever consciously thought that with regards to why partnerships end, but it’s tough not to have that thought at the back of your mind.
Greta Cicolari plays again with Viktoria Orsi Toth, after they were swept out of pool play in Corrientes, suggesting it’s not a simple scheduling conflict that keeps Marta Menegatti away (or maybe it’s just a very long scheduling conflict….Menegatti is on the starting list for The Hague, with Cicolari, and Orsi Toth is listed with another partner). And of course it’s great to see some non-traditional volleyball nations, too (if you’re stumped by the abbreviation MRI, don’t worry, so was I — final answer is Mauritius).
Casey and Spiker have got to be the favourites on the men’s side, unless Alison and Emanuel get it all figured out and put together this week (which they very well may). Women’s side, I’d pick Talita/Maria in a heartbeat if they’d been playing together, but as is, I don’t know. I’d sooner tab Holtwick/Semmler or Kessy/Ross.
Over $300,000 in prize money is up for grabs (less than World Tour Grand Slams, but more than Opens). The women’s final is Saturday, the men’s final Sunday.
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