Katja Stam and Raisa Schoon of the Netherlands made a stunning comeback at the Veracruz Challenge, winning gold at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour after Stam’s recent injury recovery. Demonstrating resilience and dominance, they clinched victory by maintaining an unbeaten streak throughout the tournament.
Despite being ranked 26th and entering through the qualification round, Stam and Schoon won all seven of their matches, six of them in straight sets. Their tournament concluded with a commanding 2-0 (21-16, 21-14) win over the top-seeded U.S. team of Corinne Quiggle and Chloe Loreen. This victory marked:
- Their fourth career title
- Their 10th overall podium finish on the Beach Pro Tour
Quiggle and Loreen earned the silver medal, which was their first podium finish this season. They had also reached the final without a loss, dropping just one set before meeting the Dutch pair.
Meanwhile, Puerto Rico’s Allanis Navas and Maria Gonzalez captured the bronze medal by defeating New Zealand’s Shaunna Polley and Olivia MacDonald 2-0 (21-15, 21-17). As the 28th seed and first-time podium finishers at this level, their breakout performance was one of the highlights of the event.
The Veracruz Challenge, part of the 2025 tour season, has already showcased up-and-coming talent and could shape future rankings significantly. Tournaments like this are essential for teams striving for placement within the elite beach volleyball ranks.
For more details, visit the full article on the Volleyball World website.
