The spotlight turns to China as the Xiamen Challenge welcomes some of the top talents in international beach volleyball. The event, commencing on Wednesday, May 14, is part of the 2025 Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour and is the second Challenge-tier stop following the Yucatan Challenge earlier this year.
Top Contenders and Returning Medallists
Leading the men’s lineup are Olympic bronze medalists Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan of Qatar. The duo, who were previously ranked world No.1, kick off their international season in Xiamen after claiming gold at the Asian Beach Tour.
Returning from the Yucatan Challenge are several strong contenders, including:
- Yves Haussener & Julian Friedli (Switzerland) – Silver medalists
- Joao Pedrosa & Hugo Campos (Portugal) – Bronze medalists
- Christoph Dressler & Philipp Waller (Austria) – Semifinalists
Olympians and Veteran Competitors
The event features a mix of experienced Olympians and fresh partnerships. Notable names to watch include:
- Miles Evans & Chase Budinger (USA)
- Arnaud Gauthier-Rat (France)
- Mark Nicolaidis & Izac Carracher (Australia)
- Robin Seidl & Alexander Horst (Austria)
- Tri Bourne (USA), competing with a new partner
Tournament Structure
The competition features a 32-team main draw consisting of:
- 24 seeded teams
- 8 from the qualification rounds
Matches begin with modified pool play and then move to a single-elimination bracket to decide medal placements.
Significance and Venue
This year marks the second consecutive time Xiamen has hosted a Beach Pro Tour event, and it becomes the first city in the Eastern Hemisphere to stage a Challenge-level tournament in 2025. Men’s qualification rounds are set to begin at 9:50 a.m. local time on May 14.
More than just medals are at stake, as teams also aim to collect crucial ranking points and build momentum ahead of the upcoming FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships.
For further details, visit the official tournament page at Volleyball World.
