Our look-back at the latest stop on the Brazilian national tour

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Alvaro and Saymon celebrate their victory in Brasilia. Photocredit: CVB.

Brazilian beach volleyball’s new generation was on display last weekend in the country’s capital Brasilia as Alvaro Filho and Saymon Barbosa won their first title together at the National Tour’s second stop of the 2016/17 season. The women’s tournament had three-time Olympians Larissa França and Talita Antunes topping the podium.

Playing only their second tournament as a team, Alvaro and Saymon defeated Hevaldo Sabino and Oscar Brandao in straight sets (21-15, 21-13) to win their first gold, following a silver medal in Campo Grande at the season opener, two weeks ago.

“We’re just getting started as a team, so we are not putting much pressure on us yet. Every day we improve our chemistry and our relation as partners. We know we still have a lot to improve because the level is very high, but we also know we are doing it right,” said 2013 FIVB World Championships Most Valuable Player Alvaro Filho.

The local duo of Averaldo Pereira and Leo Vieira won bronze as they defeated Luciano Ferreira/Bruno de Paula 2-1 (12-21, 21-15, 15-10). Olympic champions Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schimdt – playing in their first tournament since winning the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals – finished fifth.

Larissa and Talita pose for photographs after winning the Brasilia competition for the second year running. Photocredit: CBV.

In the women’s tournament, Larissa and Talita won back-to-back golds in Brasilia as the Olympic tandem topped the podium in the city last year as well. The experienced duo overcame Rebecca Cavalcante and Elize Maia 2-0 (21-19, 21-13), who were playing their first tournament as a team.

“We know them pretty well individually, but not as a team. We tried to watch their matches and had to adapt our style to play them. They were very happy and played an amazing tournament, what makes our victory even more special,” said Talita.

Bronze medals were delivered to Juliana Felisberta and Taiana Lima, who defeated the debuting Fernanda Alves and Barbara Seixas 2-1 (21-16, 21-23, 15-6).

The third stop of the Brazilian Tour will be disputed in Uberlandia, Minas Gerais, between 28th and 30th October.