FIRST DAY SURPRISES

European Championship Final

Timmendorfer Strand/Luxembourg, June 11, 2004. At the beach volleyball European Championship in Timmendorfer Strand there were numerous surprises on the first day of the women’s tournament. Hardly any of the favoured teams won both of their preliminary round matches.

The defending European Champions, Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau (Germany) were sidetracked in their opening match against the sister duo Petia Yanchulova/Tzvetelina Yanchulova from Bulgaria. They lost on centre court in three sets (20:22, 21:18, 13:15) sealing their fate with a large number of unforced errors. However, at least they were able to pick up their game in the second match, easily beating the Russians Anna Bobrova/Natalya Uryadova in straight sets (21:12, 21:18).
The 2002 European Champions, Daniela Gattelli and Lucilla Perrotta (Italy), have also already a defeat to their name. After an easy opening match against Greeks Katerina Nikolaidou and Efthalia Koutroumanidou, they were beaten in surprisingly decisive fashion by Susanne Glesnes/Kathrine Maaseide in two sets (10:21, 19:21).
The third German team, however, Susanne Lahme and Danja Müsch, played up to their billing. The duo who had excellent finishes in the past few weeks on the World Tour, catapulting them to the small circle of elite teams, were in command throughout and left their opponents Inguna Minusa and Inga Pulina from Latvia no chance, winning in straight sets (21:13, 21:12). And all this coming from a German team that isn’t even in top shape following a gruelling trip to China and Japan. “Due to the time difference we always wake up at five in the morning”, Danja Müsch says, “those aren’t the best conditions for playing well here.”

The remaining pool round matches will finish this morning deciding on the last sixteen to fight for the crown from 14.00h onwards. The men’s Qualification Tournament came to an end yesterday with the preliminary rounds continuing today at 11.00h. The elimination draw of the last sixteen men’s teams will commence tomorrow at 14.00h.

European Championship Final

Match Schedule
Friday

11.00-20.00	Preliminary Round Men
09.00-11.00	Preliminary Round Women
14.00-16.00	Last Sixteen Women
18.00-20.00	Quarterfinals Women

Saturday

10.00-12.00	Semi-finals Women
13.00	Bronze Medal Match Women
16.00	Final Women
09.00-13.00	Preliminary Round Men
14.00-16.00	Last Sixteen Men
17.30-20.00	Quarterfinals Men

Sunday

12.00-14.00	Semi-finals Men
16.30	Bronze Medal Match Men
18.00	Final Men

Results Women Preliminary

Pool A
Kuhn/Schnyder-Benoit (SUI) - Lysenko/Shumeyko (UKR)	2:0	21:14, 21:14
Baburina/Oshevko (UKR) - Arjona/Kadjo (FRA)	0:2	15:21, 19:21
Kuhn/Schnyder-Benoit (SUI) - Arjona/Kadjo (FRA)	2:0	21:19, 21:17
Baburina/Oshevko (UKR) - Lysenko/Shumeyko (UKR)	2:0	21:16, 21:14
Kuhn/Schnyder-Benoit (SUI) - Baburina/Oshevko (UKR)	2:0	21:16, 21:10
Lysenko/Shumeyko (UKR) - Arjona/Kadjo (FRA)	0:2	10:21, 13:21

Pool B
Gattelli/Perrotta (ITA) - Nikolaidou/Tsiartsiani (GRE)	2:0	21:13, 21:17
Kilchenmann Di./Schwer L. (SUI) - Glesnes/Maaseide (NOR)	1:2	13:21, 21:19, 13:15
Gattelli/Perrotta (ITA) - Glesnes/Maaseide (NOR)	0:2	10:21, 19:21
Kilchenmann Di./Schwer L. (SUI) - Nikolaidou/Tsiartsiani (GRE)	0:2	16:21, 18:21
Gattelli/Perrotta (ITA) - Kilchenmann Di./Schwer L. (SUI)	1:2	21:19, 19:21, 13:15
Glesnes/Maaseide (NOR) - Nikolaidou/Tsiartsiani (GRE)	2:1	25:23, 22:24, 15:11

Pool C
Celbova/Novakova S. (CZE) - Erni/Trüssel (SUI)	2:0	21:16, 21:15
Minusa/Pulina (LAT) - Lahme/Müsch (GER)	0:2	13:21, 12:21
Celbova/Novakova S. (CZE) - Lahme/Müsch (GER)	2:1	15:21, 21:19, 19:17
Minusa/Pulina (LAT) - Erni/Trüssel (SUI)	2:0	27:25, 21:19
Celbova/Novakova S. (CZE) - Minusa/Pulina (LAT)	2:1	21:10, 20:22, 15:13
Lahme/Müsch (GER) - Erni/Trüssel (SUI)	2:0	21:15, 21:12

Pool D
Ahmann/Vollmer (GER) - Arvanity/Koutroumanidou (GRE)	2:1	19:21, 21:15, 15:10
Bruschini/Solazzi (ITA) - Alcon/Pol (ESP)	2:0	21:12, 21:18
Ahmann/Vollmer (GER) - Alcon/Pol (ESP)	1:2	19:21, 24:22, 13:15
Bruschini/Solazzi (ITA) - Arvanity/Koutroumanidou (GRE)	2:1	23:21, 19:21, 15:11
Ahmann/Vollmer (GER) - Bruschini/Solazzi (ITA)	2:1	21:16, 16:21, 18:16
Alcon/Pol (ESP) - Arvanity/Koutroumanidou (GRE)	0:2	15:21, 16:21

Pool E
Pohl/Rau (GER) - Yanchulova P./Yanchulova T. (BUL)	1:2	20:22, 21:18, 13:15
Hakedal/Toerlen (NOR) - Bobrova/Uryadova (RUS)	0:2	22:24, 18:21
Pohl/Rau (GER) - Bobrova/Uryadova (RUS)	2:0	21:12, 21:18
Hakedal/Toerlen (NOR) - Yanchulova P./Yanchulova T. (BUL)	2:1	21:18, 19:21, 20:18
Pohl/Rau (GER) - Hakedal/Toerlen (NOR)	1:0	16:14 abandoned
Bobrova/Uryadova (RUS) - Yanchulova P./Yanchulova T. (BUL)	0:2	17:21, 19:21

Pool F
Karadassiou/Sfyri (GRE) - Holtwick/Kleefisch (GER)	2:0	21:19, 21:12
Felbabova/Novotna (CZE) - Hansel/Montagnolli-Ebenb. (AUT)	2:1	16:21, 21:12, 15:8
Karadassiou/Sfyri (GRE) - Hansel/Montagnolli-Ebenb. (AUT)	2:0	21:18, 21:16
Felbabova/Novotna (CZE) - Holtwick/Kleefisch (GER)	2:1	19:21, 21:18, 15:12
Karadassiou/Sfyri (GRE) - Felbabova/Novotna (CZE)	2:0	21:19, 21:17
Hansel/Montagnolli-Ebenb. (AUT) - Holtwick/Kleefisch (GER)	1:2	19:21, 21:15, 13:15

Men’s Pools
Pool J
Egger/Heyer (SUI)
Ahmann/Hager (GER)
Koulikovski/Karassev (RUS)
Ronnes B./Maas (NED)

Pool K
Scheuerpflug/Dieckmann C. (GER)
Reckermann/Dieckmann M. (GER)
Klemperer/Rademacher (GER)
Kais Kr./Vesik (EST)

Pool L
Berger/Doppler (AUT)
Bosma/Herrera (ESP)
Berg/Dahl (SWE)
Ronnes G./De Gruijter (NED)

Pool M
Kjemperud/Hoidalen (NOR)
Cyvas/Vasiliauskas (LTU)
Deulofeu/Molinier (FRA)
Brizida/Pedrosa (POR)

Pool N
Barsuk/Arkaev (RUS)
Grinbergs/Stals (LAT)
Maaseide/Horrem (NOR)
Tabarini F./Tabarini A. (SMR)

Pool O
Canet/Hamel (FRA)
Schneider/Brink (GER)
Sayfulin/Kushnerev (RUS)
Heuscher/Kobel (SUI)

Background information on the European Championship Tour
The European Championship Tour is the highest ranked series of European Beach Volleyball tournaments that promotes the sport and its star players on a European level. The series of tournaments culminates into the European Championship Final as the season's highlight.
For further information please visit www.eurobeachtour.com and/or contact the Communication Managers of the European Championship Tour Klaus Wegener and Felix Meininghaus at communications@eurobeachtour.com.

Background information on the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball
The CEV is the FIVB supporting institution responsible for governing 54 National Volleyball Federations throughout Europe and is recognised as such by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) for Volleyball and Beach Volleyball. The CEV has the authority and responsibility for organising all European Competitions, especially the European Championship Tour (Men & Women).
For further information please contact the CEV Head Office in Luxembourg, Olivier Mottier at olivier.mottier@cev.luor + 352 25 46 46 25.

Background information on Global Sports Marketing Ltd. (GSM)
GSM is dedicated to the development and implementation of innovation in sports and entertainment. The company positions and markets international sports and entertainment properties on behalf of the respective rights-holders. Besides, it offers all services related to the marketing of commercial rights - media, sponsorship and licensing/merchandising rights as well as development of sports brands. GSM, based in Zurich (Switzerland) develops, promotes and markets the European Championship Tour within a long-term partnership with the European Volleyball Confederation CEV.
For further information please contact Global Sports Marketing, Christian Scholbrock at christian.scholbrock@gsmglobalsports.com or +41 43 244 9977.

LIVE scoreboard from the stadium in Timmendorf (10.-13. June 2004): www.eurobeachtour.com -> Scoreboard