GERMANY IS OUT OF THE WOMEN’S TOURNAMENT

European Championship Final

Timmendorfer Strand/Luxembourg, June 11, 2004. The defending champions Pohl/Rau lost in the quarterfinal to Glesnes/Maaseide (Norway), Ahmann/Vollmer lost to Gattelli/Perrotta (Italy).

Switzerland, Italy, the Czech Republic or Norway – one of these countries will become the new women’s Beach Volleyball European Champion. The quarterfinals at the tournament in Timmendorfer Strand resulted in the following pairings for the semi-finals: Simone Kuhn/Nicole Schnyder-Benoit (SUI) against Daniela Gattelli/Lucilla Perrotta (ITA) and Eva Celbova/Sona Novakova (CZE) against Susanne Glesnes/Kathrine Maaseide (NOR). These draws also mean that Germany has relinquished its leading role in the women’s European scene.
Last year, the Germans won gold and silver in the scorching heat of Alanya (TUR). This year, however, they were to leave empty handed in front of their home crowd. Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau gave away the chance to defend their title in a straight set loss (22:24, 19:21) to Glesnes/Maaseide. Through their victory in the quarterfinals the Norwegians have become the most feared opponents for all German teams, also due to having eliminated the world’s number four pair Susanne Lahme and Danja Müsch in the previous round.
The German setback was completed by the quarterfinals elimination of Andrea Ahmann and Jana Vollmer. They were defeated by the 2002 European Champions, Gattelli/Perrotta, in two sets (12:21, 21:23). Andrea Ahmann blamed the defeat on their poor performance: “It’s very disappointing when you’re eliminated so early in the final rounds. Now it’s my husband’s turn to earn some money.” Jörg Ahmann and his partner Axel Hager are still in the men’s Main Draw. Andrea Ahmann, however, is out of the running for the pot of gold: 17,000 Euros go to the winner, 12,500 to the runner-up.

European Championship Final

Results Women Last Sixteen

Kuhn/Schnyder-Benoit (SUI) - Holtwick/Kleefisch (GER)	2:0	21:11, 21:15
Bruschini/Solazzi (ITA) - Felbabova/Novotna (CZE)	2:0	23:21, 21:18
Yanchulova P./Yanchulova T. (BUL) - Gattelli/Perrotta (ITA)	1:2	16:21, 21:17, 10:15
Ahmann/Vollmer (GER) - Minusa/Pulina (LAT)	2:0	21:17, 21:17
Celbova/Novakova S. (CZE) - Arvanity/Koutroumanidou (GRE)	2:0	21:16, 21:17
Karadassiou/Sfyri (GRE) - Nikolaidou/Tsiartsiani (GRE)	2:1	20:22, 21:17, 16:14
Pohl/Rau (GER) - Arjona/Kadjo (FRA)	2:1	24:26, 21:19, 15:9
Glesnes/Maaseide (NOR) - Lahme/Müsch (GER)	2:1	21:18, 15:21, 15:6

Results Women Quarterfinals

Kuhn/Schnyder-Benoit (SUI) - Bruschini/Solazzi (ITA)	2:1	18:21, 21:18, 15:7
Gattelli/Perrotta (ITA) - Ahmann/Vollmer (GER)	2:0	21:12, 23:21
Pohl/Rau (GER) - Glesnes/Maaseide (NOR)	0:2	22:24, 19:21
Celbova/Novakova S. (CZE) - Karadassiou/Sfyri (GRE)	2:1	13:21, 21:16, 15:13

Results Men Preliminary

Pool J
Egger/Heyer (SUI) - Ronnes B./Maas (NED)	0:2	18:21, 20:22
Ahmann/Hager (GER) - Koulikovski/Karassev (RUS)	2:0	21:11, 21:19
Egger/Heyer (SUI) - Koulikovski/Karassev (RUS)	2:0	21:16, 21:18
Ahmann/Hager (GER) - Ronnes B./Maas (NED)	2:0	21:18, 21:18

Pool K
Reckermann/Dieckmann M. (GER) - Klemperer/Rademacher (GER)	2:0	21:16, 21:15
Kais Kr./Vesik (EST) - Scheuerpflug/Dieckmann C. (GER)	0:2	13:21, 18:21
Reckerm./Dieckmann M. (GER) - Scheuerpfl./Dieckmann C. (GER)	2:1	21:16, 18:21, 15:12
Kais Kr./Vesik (EST) - Klemperer/Rademacher (GER)	1:2	16:21, 21:8, 12:15

Pool L
Berger/Doppler (AUT) - Ronnes G./De Gruijter (NED)	2:0	21:14, 21:18
Bosma/Herrera (ESP) - Berg/Dahl (SWE)	2:1	16:21, 21:17, 15:10
Berger/Doppler (AUT) - Berg/Dahl (SWE)	2:1	21:17, 22:24, 15:13
Bosma/Herrera (ESP) - Ronnes G./De Gruijter (NED)	2:1	21:16, 22:24, 15:13

Pool M
Kjemperud/Hoidalen (NOR) - Brizida/Pedrosa (POR)	2:0	21:14, 21:17
Cyvas/Vasiliauskas (LTU) - Deulofeu/Molinier (FRA)	1:2	21:19, 20:22, 13:15
Kjemperud/Hoidalen (NOR) - Deulofeu/Molinier (FRA)	2:1	21:13, 20:22, 15:11
Cyvas/Vasiliauskas (LTU) - Brizida/Pedrosa (POR)	0:2	18:21, 18:21

Pool N
Barsuk/Arkaev (RUS) - Tabarini F./Tabarini A. (SMR)	2:0	21:9, 21:16
Grinbergs/Stals (LAT) - Maaseide/Horrem (NOR)	2:0	21:17, 21:18
Barsuk/Arkaev (RUS) - Maaseide/Horrem (NOR)	0:2	19:21, 16:21
Grinbergs/Stals (LAT) - Tabarini F./Tabarini A. (SMR)	2:0	21:8, 21:12

Pool O
Canet/Hamel (FRA) - Sayfulin/Kushnerev (RUS)	2:0	21:16, 21:16
Schneider/Brink (GER) - Heuscher/Kobel (SUI)	0:2	17:21, 18:21
Canet/Hamel (FRA) - Heuscher/Kobel (SUI)	1:2	21:16, 18:21, 6:15
Schneider/Brink (GER) - Sayfulin/Kushnerev (RUS)	2:0	22:20, 21:14

Match Schedule
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

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.lu or + 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.comor +41 43 244 9977.

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