The race for teams to secure a spot in the top 23 in the world and book a ticket to the World Championships will reach its dramatic conclusion in Malaysia this week – with some big names fighting to earn a trip to Hamburg.
The three-star tournament in Port Dickson has a huge amount at stake for two of Brazil’s biggest and most revered beach volleyball stars, Alison Cerutti and André Loyola Stein, who face a fight to reach the Rothenbaum.
In the wake of last week’s Xiamen four-star competition, reigning World Champion André and new teammate George Wanderely find themselves in the joint-22nd spot in the qualification table in the men’s rankings with 1,880 points. That puts pressure on the duo to earn a better result than those teams below in the ranking who are also in action in Malaysia – in what is the final tournament that counts towards World Championship qualification.
Fellow Brazilian team, Guto Carvalhaes and Saymon Barbosa, occupy the 23rd and final qualification place but are not in action in Malaysia this week – and that could open the door for reigning Olympic champion Alison Cerutti and his new teammate Álvaro Filho to qualify. The pair, who finished ninth in Xiamen, trail Guto/Saymon by 30 points.
400 Likes, 4 Comments - Alison Mamute e Álvaro 🇧🇷 (@alisonealvaro) on Instagram: "Encerramos nossa participação na etapa de Xiamen nas oitavas. Este foi nosso primeiro torneio..."
Brazil already have Pedro Solberg/Vitor Felipe and Evandro Gonçalves/Bruno Schmidt secure of a place in Hamburg, and national federations are restricted to four teams per gender competing at the World Championships (except hosts Germany, who can have six).
The South American nation are guaranteed at least a third spot regardless, having already secured a place through the continental qualification system but the identity of that team would be decided by the Brazilian federation.
Should four Brazilian teams quality through the top-23 then the next ranked national federation in South American qualifying will be eligible to send a team to Hamburg instead, which would be Uruguay.
Not easy, huh?! But put simply, all eyes will be on the two Brazilian teams in Malaysia to do well – if so, they could knock Guto/Saymon out of the race to the Rothenbaum.
Thankfully in the women’s side, the race is a little clearer with those in top 23 all but assured of a place in Hamburg with those ‘outside’ relying on qualification via continental routes or with a wildcard.
Among those ‘outside’ the top-23 who head to Malaysia from China, include reigning World and Olympic champ Laura Ludwig and Maggie Kozuch of Germany and three-time Olympic and World champion Kerri Walsh Jennings and Brooke Sweat of the United States.
The picture will all become clearer next week so stay tuned!
