Ukraine and France Dominate U22 European Beach Volleyball Championships

Ukraine and France emerged victorious at the 2025 CEV U22 European Beach Volleyball Championships, held in Baden, Austria, reaffirming their place among Europe’s top youth development nations in the sport.

Dominant Performance from Ukraine in Women’s Division

Ukrainian duo Yeva Serdiuk and Daria Romaniuk secured the women’s title with an impeccable record. The former U19 world champions didn't drop a single set throughout the tournament. In an impressive final, they overcame Czechia’s Katerina and Anna Pavelkova in straight sets: 21-16, 21-18.

Bronze-medal honors went to Poland’s Malgorzata Ciezkowska and Urszula Lunio who triumphed over Switzerland’s Muriel Bossart and Leona Kernen in a competitive three-set battle.

France Reigns Supreme in Men’s Competition

Teo Rotar and Arthur Canet of France added another title to their growing list of accolades. Building on their success as U19 World Champions (2021) and U20 European gold medalists (2023), they dropped only one set the entire tournament. The French pair captured gold after a commanding 2-0 victory over Latvia’s Olivers Bulgacs and Kristians Fokerots with scores of 21-14, 21-18.

Host nation Austria had reason to celebrate, as Timo Hammarberg and Tim Berger secured bronze with a win against Lithuania’s Karolis Palubinskas and Povilas Piesina.

Participation and Development Impact

The championships featured:

  • 64 total teams
  • 32 men’s and 32 women’s pairs
  • Representation from 27 European federations

Countries like Ukraine, France, Czechia, and Austria are reaping the benefits of the FIVB’s Volleyball Empowerment initiative, which provides targeted investment into infrastructure, coaching, and athlete development programs.

Future of European Beach Volleyball

The U22 European Championships continue to be a vital step in the developmental ladder, acting as a bridge between age-group competition and elite-level play for Europe’s most promising young athletes.

For more on the championships and Volleyball Empowerment, visit the original article on the FIVB website.