Latvian Beach Volleyball Teams Kick Off CEV Nations Cup Finals
Latvia's women's and men's beach volleyball teams are set to compete in the CEV Nations Cup finals, with group matches beginning on July 16.
Both Latvian beach volleyball national teams—women's and men's—have qualified for the CEV Nations Cup finals after securing their spots at the qualification tournament held in Riga.
The women's team consists of Tīna Graudiņa/Anastasija Samoilova and Līva Ēbere/Deniela Konstantinova. They have been placed in Group A alongside Italy, Czech Republic, and Norway. Group B features Ukraine, Netherlands, Hungary, and Slovenia.
The men's team includes Mārtiņš Pļaviņš/Kristians Fokerots and Edgars Točs/Gustavs Auziņš. They are also in Group A, competing against Norway, Israel, and Portugal. Group B consists of Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, and Turkey.
The tournament format dictates that if the score in a head-to-head duel between two national teams reaches 1-1, a golden set to 15 points will be played. The coach then decides which duo represents the team in that decisive set.
To advance to the quarterfinals, a team must finish at least third in its group. The group winners automatically progress to the semifinals.
Prize money for the top teams is as follows: champions receive €15,000, silver medalists €10,000, and bronze medalists €6,500.
Additionally, the champions will earn a quota spot for the 2026 European Beach Volleyball Championships, scheduled for August 12-16. This quota is particularly crucial for duets like Ēbere/Konstantinova and Točs/Auziņš, for whom it might be the only realistic chance to qualify for the championships.
The first matches are scheduled for July 16, starting at 11:00. In the women's event, Ēbere/Konstantinova will face Czech pair Kleiblova/Dvornikova, while Graudiņa/Samoilova take on Lorenzova/Tomašova. On the men's side, Točs/Auziņš meet Israel's Herško/Lankjano, and Pļaviņš/Fokerots play against Elizars/Kuzmičovs.
