France and the Netherlands celebrated strong performances at the Joao Pessoa Elite stop of the Beach Pro Tour, held from September 17–22 in Brazil. The event drew international competitors with a 32-team men’s lineup representing 24 nations, and both European teams emerged with podium finishes.
France's Silver-Winning Campaign
Rémi Bassereau & Calvin Aye of France were seeded 21st and launched their campaign from the qualification stage. They recorded five consecutive victories, including a notable semifinal win over fellow European rivals Alexander Brouwer & Steven van de Velde of the Netherlands. Although they fell short in the final with a 2-0 loss (21-15, 27-25) to Brazil's Evandro Oliveira & Arthur Mariano Lanci, the silver marks their first-ever Elite level medal and second podium finish on the Beach Pro Tour together.
Bronze for the Netherlands
Dutch duo Stefan Boermans & Yorick de Groot, seeded second, rebounded after a semifinal defeat to the eventual Brazilian champions. They secured third place by beating their compatriots Brouwer & Van de Velde in straight sets, 2-0 (21-16, 21-13). This result adds to their growing legacy, now with 11 podium finishes on the Tour.
Home Success for Brazil
Hosts Evandro & Arthur Lanci delivered a dominant performance, overcoming early setbacks to win six matches and claim their fourth Tour title, all achieved on Brazilian soil.
American Women Achieve a Clean Sweep
In the women’s bracket, American teams dominated:
- Kelly Cheng & Molly Shaw went undefeated, winning every match in straight sets to claim their first title as a team.
- Terese Cannon & Megan Kraft placed second.
- Brazilian duo Ana Patricia Ramos & Duda secured bronze, adding to their impressive total of 19 career medals.
Support Through Volleyball Empowerment
The event highlighted the success of the FIVB’s Volleyball Empowerment program. Both France and the Netherlands have benefited significantly:
- France received more than USD 1 million in strategic funding and development support.
- The Netherlands was awarded over USD 200,000 to advance its beach volleyball program.
Looking Ahead
The next Elite stop in the Beach Pro Tour heads to Rio de Janeiro from September 24–28, continuing a vibrant stretch of global beach volleyball competition.
