2017 SMART BEACH TOUR
- Saturday, May 6 – Sunday, May 7, 2017
- Muenster, Germany
- Event site
- Results
In spite of a small stumble on day 1 of the Munester Open, Olympic Champions Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst recovered on Sunday to win the title. This is their first tournament back playing as a pair since taking the triple European-Olympic-FIVB World Tour title last season – following Laura Ludwig’s off-season shoulder surgery.
The outcome of the women’s gold medal game was literally as close as it can be in the three-set beach volleyball format. Playing in the final against Chantal Laboureur and Julia Sude, Ludwig/Walkenhorst won 2-1 (27-29, 19-21, 23-25).
The result is encouraging given that Laboureur/Sude are playing extremely well this season – they finished 3rd at the FIVB World Majors Series opener in Ft. Lauderdale in February.
“The closest game in our career,” the gold-medal pair posted on their joint Facebook page after the win. “A huge thanks to our whole team – we are exhausted, but have a wide grin on our faces.”
The win comes off a 2-week training camp in southern California, where they worked out with, among others, the Olympic bronze medalists Keri Walsh Jennings and April Ross.
The Walkenhorst family had plenty of reason to celebrate. Kira’s brother Alexander and his partner Sven Winter placed 3rd in the men’s draw.
That’s a men’s draw that was ultimately won by the top Dutch pair and 2016 Olympic bronze medalists Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen – a 2-set sweep over Harms/Bergnann (21-17, 21-13).
The tour continues at the end of the month in Nürnberg.
Medal Round Results
Men’s Tournament
- GOLD – Meeuwsen/Brouwer (NED) def. Bergmann/Harms (GER) 2-0 (21-17, 21-13)
- BRONZE – Walkenhorst/Winters (GER) def. Fuchs/Stadie (GER) 2-1 (17-21, 1, 21-19, 15-13)
Women’s Tournament
- GOLD – Walkenhorst/Ludwig (GER) def. Laboureur/Sude (GER) 2-1 (29-27, 21-19, 25-23)
- BRONZE – Borger/Kozuch (GER) def. Meppelink/van Gestel (NED) 2-0 (21-16, 21-14)
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