Where did the medals go in the FIVB World Tour’s final stop before Toronto?

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April and Kerri have been in red-hot form this season! Photocredit: Mihai Stetcu.

There was no rest for the wicked for the world’s beach volleyball stars in the wake of the Olympic Games at the Long Beach Grand Slam.

Just days after the sand settled in Brazil, teams tussled for important points for a place at the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals in Toronto – and there were plenty of thrills and spills in the sunshine in California on what was the last stop of the regular season.

Keeping up their blistering form in 2016 to take the women’s gold were Americans April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings, who saw off the challenge of Spain’s Liliana/Elsa in the final. The champions, who picked up bronze in Rio, have now scooped gold five times in 10 FIVB World Tour tournaments this season and have stood on the podium an amazing nine times.

The Spaniards claimed silver – their first medal since bronze in Cincinnati in May – while Germans Laboureur/Sude continued their fine season, which has seen them win gold at the Poreč Major, with third place on the podium.

Pedro and Evandro won gold again! Photocredit: Mihai Stetcu.

For the men, Gstaad Major champions Pedro Solberg and Evandro Goncalves made it two golds in their last three tournaments by overcoming Americans and home favorites Lucena/Dalhausser in the final.

After a shock early exit in Rio, Latvian A1 Major Klagenfurt winners Samoilovs/Smedins bounced back to form at Long Beach with a bronze – their fifth medal in their last nine tournaments.

The question on everybody’s lips is who will be heading to Toronto in two weeks’ time? Well we’ll soon have all the details of who’s made it and who as our countdown to Canada continues!

Watch this space!