2019-09-02 00:16:00 CEST
After losing the final in Manhattan Beach, April and Alix returned to their dominant form in the American AVP
April and Alix lift the AVP trophies in Chicago (Photocredit: AVP)
April Ross and Alix Klineman had their dreams of having a perfect season in the American AVP ruined by Canadians Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan two weeks ago in Manhattan Beach, but it didn’t take long for the Americans to bounce back as the A-Team won the Gold Series Championships in Chicago.
April and Alix, who had a 30-match undefeated streak and a run of five consecutive national titles won snapped by the world champions in California, dominated the tournament in Chicago in great fashion as they won all of their five matches at the Windy City without dropping any sets, including the gold medal match in which they downed Emily Day and Betsi Flint 21-12, 21-15.
The young team of Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil and the international duo of American Sara Hughes and Canadian Brandie Wilkerson tied for third. Pavan and Humana-Paredes were fifth.
The men’s title went, for the second-straight season, to Jake Gibb and Taylor Crabb, who upset veterans Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena 21-19, 21-10 in the gold medal match. The duos of Chase Budinger and Casey Patterson and Jeremy Casebeer and Chaim Schalk, who will be eligible to compete for the United States in the World Tour in October, finished third.
Borger/Sude and the Poniewazs dominant in Germany
The champions of the 2019 German Championships Borger/Sude and the Poniewazs (Photocredit: Die-Techniker Beach Tour)
The German Championships in Timmendorfer Strand also had a tandem of veteran women at the highest step of the podium as Karla Borger and Julia Sude claimed the national title after a 21-13, 24-26, 15-12 victory over Olympic champion Laura Ludwig and her partner Maggie Kozuch. Kim Behrens and Cinja Tillmann took bronze after a 21-19, 21-18 win against Chantal Laboureur and Sandra Ittlinger.
The men’s tournament had surprising winners as the Poniewaz twins David and Bennet upset veteran Jonathan Erdmann and rising star Sven Winter 21-14, 19-21, 15-9 in the gold medal match. Yannick Harms/Phillipp Bergmann and Paul Becker/Jonas Schröder tied for third due to injuries on both teams while World Championships silver medalists Julius Thole and Clemens Wickler were fifth.
Hüberli/Betschart and Heidrich/Gerson win in Bern
In the Swiss Tour, World Championships fourth-placers Nina Betschart and Tanja Hüberli won the three-set battle (21-16, 12-21, 15-9) with Anouk Vergé-Dépré and Joana Heidrich to take the title in Bern. Muriel Graessli and Sarina Schafflützel took the bronze medal.
The men’s gold medals went to Adrian Heidrich and Mirco Gerson, who prevailed 21-10, 21-13 in the final against Jonas Kissling and Michiel Zandbergen. Florian Breer and Quéntin Métral finished third in their National Championship.
The medal winners in Bern (Photocredit: Coop Beach Tour)
Fijalek and Bryl crowned in Torun
In Torun, the 2019 Polish champions were crowned and the men’s event had a predictable outcome with World Tour stars Grzegorz Fijalek and Michal Bryl coming out on top after a 16-21, 24-22, 15-11 gold medal match victory over Maciel Rudol and Jakub Szalankiewicz. The third place went to Michal Kadziola and Marcin Ociepski.
In the women’s tournament, Rio 2016 Olympian Monika Brzostek and Aleksandra Gromadowska secured the title. Jagoda Gruszczynska and Aleksandra Wachowicz finished second while Agata Ceynowa and Martina Kloda completed the podium.
Bryl and Fijalek top the podium of the Polish Championships (Photocredit: PZPS)
Herrera and Gavira champions in Spain
A veteran team also won the Spanish National Championships in Málaga as Pablo Herrera and Adrián Gavira won their third-straight title with a 21-17, 21-17 triumph over César Menéndez and Alejandro Huerta in the gold medal match. Nathan Matos and Roberto Sanfélix finished third.
The women’s tournament was won by Angela Lobato and Amaranta Fernández, who defeated rising star Belén Carro and Paula Soria 25-23, 21-16 in the final. Veterans Elsa Baquerizo and Liliana Fernández secured the bronze medal.
Six teams won medals at the Spanish Championships (Photocredit: RFEVB)