We remind you that last week the challenge stage of the “Beach Pro” tour took place in Portugal, where Poles Michal Briļs/Bartosz Losjak and Olympic vice-champions Talikwa Clancy/Mariafe Artacho (Australia) won. Latvia was represented there by Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Jānis Šmēdiņš (3rd place) and Edgars Točs/Artūrs Rinkevičs (25th place). Anete Namiķe/Varvara Brailko played successfully in the “Future” stage held in Italy (5th place), while 16- and 14-year-old Daniela Konstantinova/Līva Ābere stood out in the U20 European Championship held in Turkey (2nd place).
Photo: Artūrs Stiebriņš / @denielakonstantinova
The world rank does not make a difference at the moment, now the “entry” rank is much more important, after which the respective duo immediately enters the main tournament of the “Beach Pro” tour stage, starts with the qualification or waits on the reserve list.
Disregarding the disbanded teams, in the latest “entry” ranking, Samoilovs and Šmēdins have risen from 32nd to 24th position (earned 720 in Portugal, but had to defend 400 points), returning to the “elite qualification zone”. Graudiņa and Kravčenok have kept the 11th place – it is the last one that guarantees entry into the main tournament of the elite stage.
Women’s “entry” rank
| 1. | Duda/Ana Patricia (Brazil) | 3800 |
| 2. | Tilmann/Miller (Germany) | 3080 |
| 3. | Barbara/Carola (Brazil) | 3000 |
| 4. | Pavana/Humana-Paredes (Canada) | 2920 |
| 5. | Wilkerson/Bukovec (Canada) | 2800 |
| 6. | Heydrich/Verger-Depres (Switzerland) | 2780 |
| 7. | Clancy/Artacho (Australia) | 2760 |
| 8. | Talita/Rebeca (Brazil) | 2660 |
| 8. | Hjūza/Kolinske (ASV) | 2660 |
| 10. | Huberli/Brunner (Switzerland) | 2520 |
| 11. | Graudiņa/Kravčenok (Latvia) | 2460 |
| — | ———————————————- | ——- |
| 12. | Stama/English (Netherlands) | 2320 |
| 12. | NASA/Klota (ASV) | 2320 |
Men’s “entry” rank
| 1. | Mole/Serum (Norway) | 3330 |
| 2. | Andre/Jorge (Brazil) | 3040 |
| 3. | Perusic/Schweiner (Czech Republic) | 2960 |
| 4. | Vitor Felipe/Renatu (Brazil) | 2800 |
| 5. | Grimalt/Grimalt (Chile) | 2760 |
| 6. | Sherif/Ahmed (Qatar) | 2660 |
| 7. | Nicolai/Cottafava (Italy) | 2600 |
| 8. | Bruno Schmidt/Simon (Brazil) | 2580 |
| 9. | Brouwer/Meuvsen (Netherlands) | 2560 |
| 10. | Alisson/Gutu (Brazil) | 2480 |
| 10. | Schalk/Brunner (USA) | 2480 |
| — | ———————————————- | ——- |
| 12. | Vārenhorts/van de Velde | 2400 |
| 13. | Tissar/Nelvak (Estonia) | 2320 |
| 24.* | Samoilovs/Šmēdins (Latvia) | 1820 |
Note: Samoilov/Shmedin’s position is determined without taking into account the disbanded teams.
The best men’s teams in the Baltics according to “entry” ranking points
| 1. | Tissar/Nelvak (Estonia) | 2320 |
| 2. | Samoilovs/Šmēdins (Latvia) | 1820 |
| 3. | Bedrītis/Rinkevičs (Latvia) | 865 |
| 4. | Točs/Fokerots (Latvia) | 840 |
| 5. | Točs/Rinkevičs (Latvia) | 835 |
| 6. | Knaš/Stankevičius (Lithuania) | 780 |
A turning point has taken place in the Baltic ranking – Ardis Bedrītis/Artūrs Rinkevičs have just overtaken Edgars Toča/Kristians Fokerotas. It should be noted here that Bedritis, who underwent shoulder surgery last week, will not be able to play for several months.
21-24 the “Challenge” stage of the “Beach Pro” tour is scheduled for July in Morocco, where Aleksandrs Samoilovs/Jānis Šmēdiņš, Edgars Točs/Kristians Fokerots and Marta Ozoliņa/Luize Skrastiņa are also registered. Eight days ago, Tina Graudiņa/Anastasija Kravčenok were listed there as the main favorites, but at the beginning of last week, the application was withdrawn.
Resources used:
Men’s “entry” ranking – fivb.com
Women’s “entry” ranking – fivb.com
