Our look-back at a wonderful and wacky week by the Wörthersee

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There was no singing in the rain on Center Court. Photocredit: Bernhard Horst

#5 Rain, rain go away…

It was only the second day of the tournament when the storm clouds gathered over Center Court… For the first time in 21 years of competition in Klagenfurt history was made when a match on Center Court was played behind-closed-doors with no spectators due to safety reasons. But despite the weather and disappointment it became a unique and unreal moment.

England’s Jake Sheaf took dedication to beach volleyball to a whole new meaning

#4 English guys travel in a van to Klagenfurt

Forget flying and sleeping in hotels to get to tournaments. England’s only team on the FIVB World Tour, Jake Sheaf and Chris Gregory drove in a van to Austria, stopped off for a competition in Liechtenstein, and even slept in it for a few nights. Now that’s commitment! 

Babsi with Beach Majors CEO Hannes Jagerhofer. Photocredit: Bernhard Horst.

The tears were flowing on Center Court during the week as Austrian beach fans said Auf Wiedersehen to one of their darlings of beach volleyball. Babsi Hansel revealed during the tournament that she would be retiring come the end of the season and she was given a special send-off on Center Court on the Saturday.

Ermacora/Pristauz-Telsnigg burst onto the scene in Klagenfurt. Photocredit: Martin Steinthaler

#2 Young stars do their thing

It was a tournament for the next generation of beach volleyball stars to turn up the heat and there was youthful exuberance on show by the bucket load. With Austria’s Ermacora/Pristauz-Telsnigg, Norway’s Mol/Sørum, American wildcards Kelly Claes and Sara Hughes and men’s finalists Guto/Saymon all wowing the crowds, the future of the game looks in good hands. Fist pumps please!

Samoilovs and Smedins celebrate in Klagenfurt again. Photocredit: Andreas Langreiter.

#1 Samoilovs and Smedins success

They were number one seeds and favorites right from the start and the Latvians showed their class on the Sunday with two superb victories to land their latest title. It was a good week too for both families: Smedins celebrated his 29th birthday on the day of the final, while the Samoilovs family had double cause for celebration as Aleksandrs’ brother Mihail came third in the U19 World Championships.