Finland’s Taru Lahti and Niina Ahtiainen produced the biggest upset of the second day of main draw matches for the women at this week’s Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Elite event in Hamburg and topped their pool in Germany on Friday.

Like the Finnish, five other teams completed pool play undefeated and advanced directly to the Round of 12. The remaining six spots in that phase were awarded later in the day at the Am Rothenbaum Stadium, during the Round of 18.

• Watch the Beach Pro Tour Hamburg Elite live on VBTV

After winning their first Pool D match in Hamburg on Thursday, Lathi and Athiainen were faced with Brazilian Olympians Carol Salgado and Rebecca Cavalcanti, who are currently in second place in the FIVB World Ranking, and delivered a strong and consistent performance to win in straight sets (21-15, 21-19) and continue undefeated, advancing to the elimination rounds as the top team in the pool.

In the Round of 12, the Europeans will play against the home team of Sandra Ittlinger and Anna-Lenna Grüne, who swept (22-20, 21-16) Americans Kylie DeBerg and Xolani Hodel in the Round of 18.

The Germans had the chance of advancing directly from pool play to the Round of 12, but lost their second-round Pool B match to FIVB World Ranking leaders Thamela Coradello and Victoria Lopes in the tie-breaker (21-11, 15-21, 15-9). The Brazilians, instead, moved to the Round of 12, where they will face French Clémence Vieira and Aline Chamereau, who eliminated Dutch Raisa Schoon and Mila Konink with a three-set (21-16, 13-21, 15-11) victory in the Round of 18.

Reigning Olympic champions Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa and Ana Patrícia Ramos of Brazil were also among the pool winners, coming out on top in Pool E thanks to a two-set (21-17, 23-21) win over Germans Linda Bock and Louisa Lippmann. Their Round of 12 opponents will be Czechs Markéta Svozilová and Marie-Sára Štochlová, who progressed thanks to a three-set (21-17, 26-28, 15-10) victory over Estonians Heleene Hollas and Liisa Remmelg in the Round of 18.

Germans Svenja Müller and Cinja Tillmann beat Svozilová and Štochlová for first place in Pool A thanks to a 2-1 (20-22, 21-15, 15-11) victory earlier in the day. The home team will meet compatriots Paula Schürholz and Lea Kunst, who eliminated Ukrainians Yeva Serdiuk and Daria Romaniuk in straight sets (21-15, 21-19), in the Round of 12.

Earlier on Friday, Schürholz and Kunst fell to Latvian Olympians Tina Graudina and Anastasija Samoilova in two sets (21-18, 21-18) in the Pool C final. In the Round of 12, the Europeans are set to face Carol and Rebecca, who, after falling to Lahti and Ahtiainen, took down compatriots Hegeile ‘Hegê’ Almeida and Vitória Rodrigues in the tie-breaker (18-21, 21-13, 15-13) in the Round of 18.

The top team in Pool F thanks to their sweep (23-21, 21-16) of Vieira and Chamereau, Italians Valentina Gottardi and Reka Orsi Toth will now play against Bock and Lippmann, who returned to winning ways in Hamburg with a three-set (19-21, 21-18, 15-10) victory over Czechs Kylie Neuschaeferova and Martina Maixnerova in the Round of 18.

Beach Pro Tour Hamburg Elite – Match Schedule & Results

Saturday’s match schedule in Hamburg for the women will feature the Round of 12 and the quarterfinals. The semifinals and medal matches will be held on Sunday.

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