Alexander Huber & Robin Seidl (© Huber/Seidl)

© Huber/Seidl

Experienced Austrian beach volleyballers Robin Seidl & Alexander Huber announced their reunion for a second period together. The pair’s first period lasted from 2009 to 2016 and peaked with their appearance at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

“We've made a full circle. Huber & Seidl's comeback is intended to be a positive conclusion to the career of the most successful Carinthian beach team of all time,” 39-year-old Xandi Huber said in a press release. “I felt like something was still open. For me, it's a last dance, a final chance to reach the top of the world. I want to give it my all again. I'm really excited to test what I and we as a team are capable of. Robin is absolutely world-class, one of the best blockers in the world, who has always been at the top in recent years. For me, it was a huge opportunity, when such a strong player came knocking. I couldn't say no.”

“I wanted to build on my achievements and chose a player with whom I could be successful right from the start. That's why I chose Xandi,” 34-year-old Robin Seidl said. “I value him and I know that we get along very well. At the same time, I will also train with young players and play one or two national tournaments to explore the options for the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028. We'll see who I'll be competing with in the Olympic qualification.”

During their first period together, Seidl & Huber picked up a number of continental medals from various European competitions. A 2016 Doha Open silver and a 2013 Fuzhou Open bronze were their best results on the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour. In 2013, they made it to number 7 at the end of the World Tour season. Huber & Seidl also triumphed as Austrian national champions twice. At the Rio 2016 Olympics, the duo finished in ninth place before splitting up.

In 2025, Huber & Seidl hope to make a full international re-start and write a successful final chapter of their partnership. Qualifying for the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship in Adelaide and the CEV European Championship are their main goals for the upcoming season. The team will be based at the national team training centre in Klagenfurt and they will be supported by the Austrian volleyball federation.

Meanwhile, Seidl’s previous long-term partner, 28-year-old Moritz Pristauz, with whom they fell just two spots below the cut-off in the Olympic ranking for Paris 2024, has teamed up with 32-year-old Julian Horl, who competed at last summer’s Games alongside legendary four-time Olympian Alexander Horst. This pair will be based at the training centre in Vienna.

“We mastered the first training sessions well. First of all, it's about finding our rhythm again and getting to know each other,” said Horl.

“It's particularly important to finally feel sand under my feet again after an injury break. That's an additional motivator, of course," Pristauz added.