Five Canadian teams advance to beach playoffs at Hamburg Major
Five Canadian beach volleyball teams have advanced to the playoffs from group stage, including the duo of Sarah Pavan and Heather Bansely heading to round two of the Hamburg Major.
Pavan and Bansley earned an automatic berth to the second round after winning their pool with a 2-1 record. The two opened the tournament with a 2-0 (21-9, 21-17) win over Dubovcova/Nestarcova of Slovakia before falling to Germany’s Laboureur/Sude 1-2 (17-21, 21-12, 8-15).
The Canadians rebounded with a 2-1 (21-19, 17-21, 15-13) victory over Switzerland’s Forrer/Verge-Depre on Wednesday, clinching Pool E.
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The team of Jamie Broder and Kristina Valjas finished third in Pool B with a 1-2 record. They’ll now face Americans Ross/Walsh in round one of the playoffs, with Pavan/Bansley awaiting the winner.
Melissa Humana-Paredes and Taylor Pischke have also advanced to the playoff round, finishing third in Pool H with a 1-2 record. Humana-Peredes/Pischke will face Germany’s Holtwick/Semmler in round one.
On the men’s side, the pairing of Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter will appear in round one, taking on Nummerdor/Varenhorst of the Netherlands. Binstock/Schachter finished third in Pool D with a 1-2 record.
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Chaim Schalk and Ben Saxton have also advanced to the playoff round after finishing 1-2 in Pool F. They’ll take on Brazil’s Pedro Solberg/Evandro in round one.
The Hamburg Major ends on June 12.
