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The Bournemouth Grand Slam 2024, the latest stop on the UK Beach Volleyball Tour, took place over a rain-soaked weekend from September 6th to 8th. Despite the typically British weather, the event delivered high-intensity matches, with the sun finally breaking through just in time for the Sunday afternoon finals.
The tournament kicked off with exciting qualifiers on Friday, where Mihail Stoev/Filip Denchev and Karol Baginski/Luca Rushchetti earned their spots in the main draw.
Scottish duo James McHardy and Ross McKelvie triumphed in the men’s competition, but their road to victory was anything but straightforward. The top-seeded pair suffered an early setback in their opening match, losing to Robins/Pollock in three sets in the first match of the pool stage. However, they fought their way back through the knockout stages, taking the long road to the finals.
McHardy/McKelvie found their form in the quarterfinals, defeating local favourites Harry Jones and Matt Hunter in straight sets, 21-17, 21-17, advancing to the semifinals. There, they faced Van Rensburg/Gleed, another strong pair, but McHardy/McKelvie claimed a solid victory (21-15, 21-17) to secure their place in the final.
The final was a thrilling showdown against Number 9 seeds Cole Durant and Jan-Joost Vandenbogert. After dropping the first set 17-21, McHardy/McKelvie rallied back to win the second set 21-17 and took the third set 18-16 in a nail-biting finish, completing their hard-fought journey to the top.
In the bronze medal match, van Rensburg and Gleed claimed third place, comfortably defeating Robins/Pollock in straight sets, 21-10, 21-15.
On the women’s side, Number 2 seeds Yulia Tokarenko & Maria Sviridova delivered a commanding performance throughout the tournament, securing their title in the final with a straight-set win over the energetic Number 4 seeds, Lorena Tussis & Gerda Berstautaite, taking the game 21-14, 21-18 to claim the championship.
In the quarterfinals, Tokarenko/Sviridova bested the strong pairing of Jess Grimson and Liv Macdonald, winning 21-15, 21-18, while Tussis/Berstautaite won an intense three-setter against Magdalena Fila and Kamila Kurek, 19-21, 21-19, 15-10.
In the semifinals, Tokarenko/Sviridova overcame Kirsty Star and Alice Jagielska in a dominant performance, winning 21-17, 21-7. Star and Jagielska later took on Tsoumi/Forapani in the bronze medal match, winning in a hard-fought battle, 21-11, 24-26.
Meanwhile, Tussis and Berstautaite, who became known for their lively and energetic approach to games, made an impressive run to the final, defeating the experienced pair of Maria Tsoumi and Valentina Forapani in the semifinals (21-19, 21-16).
The Bournemouth Grand Slam 2024 was made possible thanks to the generous support of sponsors Wilson, Dryrobe, MSP Capital, Saffery, and DX2, as well as the crucial assistance of BCP Council and Volleyball England. A special shoutout goes to all the referees and volunteers whose dedication ensured the smooth running of the tournament, rain or shine.
With the event delivering thrilling action from start to finish, the Bournemouth Grand Slam proved once again to be a highlight of the UK Beach Volleyball Tour, offering top-tier competition in a stunning coastal setting.
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