The 2025 Beach Volleyball Pro Tour Elite16 began in Ostrava with a remarkable display from Czech men’s teams competing at the iconic Lower Vítkovice venue. Local fans were treated to strong performances that set the stage for an exciting weekend of world-class beach volleyball.
Dominant Start for Czech Champions
World titleholders Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner made a powerful opening statement in Pool F, dispatching Chilean pair Marco and Esteban Grimalt in straight sets (21-18, 21-10). The Czech duo, who have finished runners-up at Ostrava three times, are focused on finally clinching gold on home sand. Their next battle is against Poland’s Michal Bryl and Bartosz Łosiak—a win there would launch them directly into the Round of 12.
Upset Victory by Qualifiers
Another headliner came from underdogs Jakub Sepka and Jiri Sedlak. Emerging from the qualifiers, the Czech teammates stunned Dutch Olympic contenders Stefan Boermans and Yorick de Groot—winners of the last Elite16 event in Brasília. Their hard-fought three-set win (26-24, 16-21, 15-10) secures a place in the tournament’s elimination rounds. Their upcoming match is against Brazil’s Evandro Gonçalves and Arthur Lanci.
Top Seeds Shine on Opening Day
In addition to Czech success, several of the competition's favorites also started strong:
- Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sørum, current Olympic and European champions, beat Austria’s Julian Hörl and Moritz Pristauz in straight sets.
- Swedish stars David Åhman and Jonathan Hellvig secured a Pool D win over Germans Maximilian Just and Philipp Huster.
What’s Next?
Pool play will continue through Friday, setting the scene for knockout rounds over the weekend. The semifinals and medal matches are scheduled for Sunday, promising thrilling showdowns as elite teams aim to capture early-season titles in one of Europe's top beach volleyball venues.
Full tournament details and updates are available on the official website: Volleyball World – Ostrava Elite16.
