Martin Ermacora and Moritz Pristauz won their second straight gold

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Polish Olympians Prudel and Losiak topped the podium in Münster (Photocredit: Die Teckniker Beach Tour)

Beach volleyball was all over the place in Europe this weekend as several countries in the continent hosted events of their own National Tours. Poland didn’t host a tournament this week, but it was arguably the biggest winner as teams from the nation clamed gold medals in Germany and Switzerland.

In Münster, the city that staged the first event of the German Tour, the temporary Polish tandem of Bartosz Losiak and Mariusz Prudel triumphed in the men's tournament, defeating the local team of Jonas Schroder and Paul Becker in the final. Julius Thole and Clemens Wickler finished third.

Among the women, it was an all-German podium with Teresa Mersmann/Cinja Tillmann winning gold, Julia Sude/Chantal Laboureur claiming silver and Karla Borger/Margareta Kozuch earning bronze.

The event also marked the return of Olympic champion Kira Walkenhorst to the sands. Recovered from shoulder and hip injuries, she partnered with 21-year-old Leonie Körtzinger, but the duo lost its first two matches and didn’t advance from pool play.

Comeback! Kira Walkenhorst ist nach mehr als neun Monaten Verletzungspause endlich wieder zurück auf dem Court 🏐🎉 #TechnikerBeachTour #BeachVolleyball #TBTMünster

192 Likes, 1 Comments - Die Techniker Beach Tour (@technikerbeachtour) on Instagram: "Comeback! Kira Walkenhorst ist nach mehr als neun Monaten Verletzungspause endlich wieder zurück..."

Back-to-back golds for the M&Ms in Graz

In the Austrian National Tour, Martin Ermacora and Moritz Pristauz won their second straight gold as the duo, which had won the season opener in Innsbruck a couple of weeks ago, topped the podium in Graz as well after a victory over Slovenia’s Danijel Pokersnik/Tadej Bozenk. Bronze went to another Slovenia tandem, the one of Jan Pokersnik and Nejc Zemjlak.

The women’s tournament was won by Austria’s Daniela Funkhauser and Katharina Almer, who triumphed over fellow countrywomen Franziska Frield and Nadine Strauss. Slovenians Tjasa Kotnik and Nina Lovsin completed the podium in third place.

Das sind die Sieger & Siegerinnen der Austrian Beach Volleyball Tour PRO in Graz! Wir gratulieren, lasst euch den Siegersekt von der @sektkellerei_szigeti schmecken! ️🎉️🏐 . 🥇️Fankhauser/Almer bzw. Ermacora/Pristauz 🥈️Friedl/Strauss bzw. Pokersnik/Bozenk 🥉Kotnik/Lovsin bzw. Zemljak/Pokersnik . 📸 Gert Stefan Nepel @beachbearr | @murbeach

84 Likes, 1 Comments - Austrian Beachvolleyball Tour (@austrianbeachtour) on Instagram: "Das sind die Sieger & Siegerinnen der Austrian Beach Volleyball Tour PRO in Graz! Wir gratulieren,..."

Kolosinska and Kociolek prevail in Locarno

Other Polish teams winning medals were Kinga Kolosinska/Katarzyna Kociolek and Grzegorz Fijalek/Michal Bryl, who made it to the podium in the third stop of the Swiss Tour in Locarno. Kolosinska and Kociolek won the women’s tournament defeating Swiss Dunja Gerson and Laura Caluori in the final. Spanish Angela Lobato and Amaranta Navarro finished third after local stars Joana Heidrich and Anouk Vergé-Dépré had to forfeit their last two matches because of a leg injury suffered by Hedrich.

Her brother, Adrian, though, took home the gold medal in the men’s tournament as he and partner Mirco Gerson dominated Fijalek and Bryl in the final. Nico Beeler and Marco Krattiger claimed the third spot in the podium after they prevailed over fellow Swiss Florian Breer and Yves Haussener.

Gold it is💪🥇 first win @coopbeachtour #vengadrink #drinkvenga #beachvolleyball #adidassporteyewear #schweizersporthilfe #nike #wörkwear #locarno #tessin @chef.li

167 Likes, 2 Comments - Mirco Gerson (@mirco_gerson) on Instagram: "Gold it is💪🥇 first win @coopbeachtour #vengadrink #drinkvenga #beachvolleyball #adidassporteyewear..."

Brouwer and Meeuwsen win another one in home soil

In Leeuwarden, Dutchmen Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen extended their impressive form by winning the fifth stop of the National Tour with a victory over Brazilians Harley Marques and Moises Merces. It was the eighth medal and the sixth gold in just 11 tournaments in 2018. The bronze medal of the men’s tournament went to Dutch Jannes van der Ham and Svens Vismans.

In the women’s event, the top Dutch teams didn’t compete and the podium was formed by Mexime van Driel/Flore Gravesteijn (gold), Quirine Oosterveld/Mered de Vries (silver) and Julia Wouters/Pleun Ypma (bronze).

Gold in Leeuwarden! 🥇 Thanks to the organization for putting up another great national tour event. 🙌🏻 #Plantina #VoorElkaar #EredivisieBeach #BeachVolleybal #BeachVolleyball

419 Likes, 13 Comments - Robert Meeuwsen (@romeeuwsen) on Instagram: "Gold in Leeuwarden! 🥇 Thanks to the organization for putting up another great national tour event...."