COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Sep. 5, 2023) – The 2023 Beach World Championships draw ever closer, and this week’s beach update checks in on the latest FIVB world rankings and sets the field for the U.S. pairs after the pools were announced last week.
World Championship Pool
The pools for the 2023 Beach World Championships in Tlaxcala, Mexico, are set. Forty-eight teams in each gender across 40 different countries are now split into 12 pools ahead of the 14th edition of the World Championship. On the line is a direct bid to the Paris 2024 Olympics and $1 million in prize money. The event runs from October 6-15.
Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth drew Pool B. They will battle against Andressa/Vitoria (BRA), Paulikiene/Raupelyte (LTU) and Akiko/Yurika (JPN)
Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes drew Pool C. They will face Agatha/Rebecca (BRA), Ittlinger /Borger (GER) and Albarran/Vidaurrazaga (MEX).
Sarah Sponcil and Terese Cannon drew Pool I. Joining them in Pool I are Xue/X.Y. Xia (CHN), Alvarez M./Moreno (ESP) and Torres/Rivera (MEX).
Betsi Flint and Julia Scoles drew Pool J. They are with Gottardi/Menegatti (ITA), Klinger D./Klinger R. (AUT) and Quesada/Williams (CRC).
World Championship wild card pair Alix Klineman and Hailey Harward drew Pool K. The will compete with J.Dong/Wang (CHN), Taina/Victoria (BRA) and Muller/Tillmann (GER).
In the men’s bracket, Miles Partain and Andy Benesh are in Pool C. They are joined by Krou/Gauthier-Rat (FRA), Mol H./Bernsten (NOR) and Peter/Hernan (VEN).
Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner are in Pool D. They will see George/Andre (BRA), Popov/Reznik (UKR) and Jawo/Koita (GAM).
Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk were placed in Pool F. They join Ehlers/Wickler (GER), Kantor/Zdybek (POL) and Aravena/Droguett (CHI).
World Rankings
All four women’s team’s need just three more events to reach 12, with Elite16 Paris the next big event on the FIVB ceach calendar coming at the end of September.
In the women’s ranking, Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes still hold steady at number two in the world behind Ana Patricia/Duda (BRA). Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss are just 200 points behind, taking third place in the world rankings with 7280 points.
Sarah Sponcil and Terese Cannon are sitting at eighth in the world rankings with 5940 points. Julia Scoles and Betsi Flint are one slot behind them in ninth with 5860 points.
Emily Stockman and Megan Kraft are inside the top 25, coming in tied at No. 18 with 4980 points.
In the men’s rankings, Miles Partain and Andy Benesh are still tied for number three in the world with Qatar’s Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan.
Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner are ranked No. 25 with 4180 points. Just below them are Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk, who have 4160 points.
Current World Rankings – Women
Provisional Olympic Ranking – Men
Provisional Olympic Ranking – Women
Futures
2023 Miguel Pereira BPT takes place Sept. 7-10. U.S. pairs Iya Lindahl/Tiffany Creamer and Teegan Van Gunst/Katie Lindstrom are set to compete at this year’s event.
AVP Chicago
Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss won AVP Bally’s Gold Series Chicago Open on Sunday in what was a rematch of last year’s final. The duo defeated Canadian Olympians Melissa Humana-Paredes/Brandie Wilkerson in three sets (21-14, 15-21, 15-8) to claim the 2023 title.
Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner upset top-seeded Miles Partain and Andy Benesh 21-18, 21-19 in the men’s final. Crabb wins his second consecutive Chicago Open title while it is the first victory for Brunner.