Elite16 - Gstaad, SUI - 2023

Benesh and Partain stun Olympic champions in Gstaad

The Americans secured the biggest win in the first day of the main draw in the Swiss Alps

Published 02:46, 06 Jul 2023

Mol, A./Sørum, C. (NOR) vs. Partain/Benesh (USA) - Pool A #5627626

Partain faces Mol's block during the first-round match

Americans Andy Benesh and Miles Partain caused the biggest upset of the first day of the main draw of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Gstaad Elite16, starting their campaign in the Swiss Alps on the right foot on Thursday.

Seeded ninth in the Swiss event, the USA duo took down top-seeded Anders Mol and Christian Sørum on Norway in one of the eight men’s matches held in the first round of pool play.

Watch the Beach Pro Tour Gstaad Elite16 live on VBTV

Coming from a third-place finish at the Ostrava Elite16 event one month ago, the 28-year-old Benesh and the 21-year-old Partain started behind, but had the power to turn the tables and defeat the reigning Olympic, world and Beach Pro Tour champions 2-1 (19-21, 24-22, 15-12), winning the first duel between the teams.

The Americans now share the top spot in Pool A with Dutch Olympic medallists Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen, who also needed three sets (21-19, 18-21, 15-13) to overcome Czech qualifiers Jakub Sepka and Tomas Semerad.

Mol, A./Sørum, C. (NOR) vs. Partain/Benesh (USA) - Pool A #5627638

Benesh makes a save under the net

On Friday, the second day of pool play in Gstaad, Americans and Norwegians will face Dutch and Czechs. The top team in the pool will advance directly to the quarterfinals while the second and third duos will need to play in the Round of 12.

Beach Pro Tour Gstaad Elite16 – Match Schedule and Results

Starting ahead in Pool B were Cherif Younousse/Ahmed Tijan and Daniele Lupo/Enrico Rossi. The Qataris swept (21-15, 21-13) defending Gstaad Elite16 champions Marco and Esteban Grimalt of Chile while the Europeans posted a 2-1 (22-20, 15-21, 15-11) victory over Brazilians Andre Loyola and George Wanderley.

Pool C had a pair of two-setters, with Poland’s Michal Bryl and Bartosz Łosiak topping Austrian qualifiers Alexander Horst and Julian Hörl 21-13, 21-11 and Brazilians Pedro Solberg and Gustavo ‘Guto’ Carvalhaes getting the better of French Youssef Krou and Arnaud Gauthier-Rat 2-0 (21-11, 21-15).

Bryl/Łosiak (POL) vs. Hörl/Horst (AUT) - Pool C #5624634

Łosiak pokes the ball over the Austrian block

In Pool D, teams from Italy and Germany remain undefeated after the first day of action. Italians Adrian Carambula and Alex Ranghieri needed the tie-breaker (21-16, 13-21, 15-7) to beat the home team of Marco Krattiger and Florian Breer while Germans Nils Ehlers and Clemens Wickler triumphed 2-0 (21-17, 23-21) over Spain’s Pablo Herrera and Adrián Gavira.

The conclusion of pool play is on the schedule for Friday, with the elimination rounds taking place on Saturday. The medal matches will be held in the Swiss Alps on Sunday.