The Danish duo of Andreas Sejer Kofod Brinck and Villads Flugge Napier triumphed at the 2025 CEV U20 Beach Volleyball European Championship in Madrid, capturing gold after an unbeaten run through the tournament. Over the course of seven matches, they dropped only two sets, highlighting a dominant performance capped by their 2-1 (21-18, 21-23, 15-11) victory over Finland’s Veeti Viljamaa and Aleksi Hanninen in the final.
This marks their second European title—the pair previously won gold at the U18 Championship in 2023. Their success reflects the strength of Denmark’s youth beach volleyball development pipeline, bolstered by the FIVB’s Volleyball Empowerment program which provides essential funding, coaching, and resources.
Other Podium Finishers
- Men’s Bronze: Hungary’s Bence Tari and Akos Veress defeated Italy’s Andrea Sanguanini and Matteo Marchesan 2-1, continuing their strong form after earning bronze at U18 level in 2024.
- Women’s Gold: Poland’s Zuzanna Kudlik and Julia Radelczuk dominated the tournament without losing a set, defeating France’s Romane Sobezalz and Saofe Duval 2-0 in the final.
- Women’s Bronze: Austria’s Lia Berger and Lilli Hohenauer overcame Latvia in straight sets to secure third place.
Impact of International Support
The championship featured 32 national teams in both men’s and women’s categories, showcasing the expanding talent pool in European youth beach volleyball. Leading programs such as those in Denmark and France have benefited significantly from Empowerment support, which includes:
- Funding for national federations
- Access to elite coaching and training resources
- Provision of professional-grade equipment
The 2025 tournament underscored how structured international initiatives are playing a pivotal role in shaping the future of European volleyball by nurturing players from the grassroots to elite levels.
For more information, visit the full article on the FIVB official website.
