Beach Shorts

The third week of the New Year is done and that means more beach volleyball updates are about to be spread over the globe. That’s why your weekly column Beach Shorts is back for its third edition in this Olympic year of 2020.

This week’s highlights include a promising reunion in Brazil, an important coaching change in one of the top American teams, an update on the African Continental Cup and great news coming from Switzerland.

Ready? Yes? So, let’s do it!

Pedro and Guto back together

One of the most successful Brazilian teams of the 2017 Beach Major Series season is back together as 33-year-old Pedro Solberg and 26-year-old Guto Carvalhaes decided to be partners again after they spent the last two seasons with different teammates. The team, which won the Poreč Major in that season, will be first seen again from January 24-26 in the first event of the Brazilian Tour in 2020, in João Pessoa.

Walsh and Sweat announce new coach

Currently ranked second among the American female duos vying for spots at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, veterans Kerri Walsh Jennings and Brooke Sweat start 2020 under new management. The team is now coached by Brazilian Luciano Kioday, who most recently trained Carol Salgado and Maria Elisa Antonelli until the team split at the end of last season.

 

 

 

 

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Acabou o suspense, apresento a vocês a nova dupla que irei treinar: @kerrileewalsh e @brookesweat. Nos aguardem, estamos chegando com tudo!🏐🏖🏆 -//- 🇺🇸: The suspense is over, and I'm introducing you to the new Team I'll train: @kerrileewalsh and @brookesweat. Wait for us, we are coming with everything!🏐🏖🏆 #tokyo2020 #voleidepraia #beachvolleyball #olympicgames #roadtotokyo #finishstronger #together #competitiveadvantages #workout #beachvolley #thebayclub #manhattanbeach

A post shared by Coach João Luciano Kioday (@coach.kioday) on Jan 14, 2020 at 1:09pm PST

Four African nations keep their Olympic hopes alive

The week also had progress in the African Continental Cup, which will define the continent’s representatives at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. After Zonal tournaments hosted in three different nations, men’s teams from the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo and female duos from Rwanda, Kenya and the Democratic Republic of Congo moved on to the second stage of the process.

Social Media: Tanja is back on her feet!

The first Beach Shorts edition of 2020 informed you that Swiss star Tanja Hüberli had had a tough end of 2019 as she to undergo surgery because of a medium-heavy pulmonary embolism case that affected her heart rhythm. We’re now glad to bring an update on her health and it’s a great one as the 27-year-old blocker has been cleared to work in the sand again. That’s great news, Tanja!

 

 

 

 

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Good to feel sand between my toes again 🤩🥰🏐⛱️👯‍♀️ #beachvolleyball #roadtotokyo #comingback #swissvolley #beachvolley 📸 @valerianodd

A post shared by Tanja Hüberli (@tanjahueberli) on Jan 14, 2020 at 11:35am PST

See you next week!