The MEVZA Senior Championship 2026 got underway on Friday in Schladming, Austria, with the opening day bringing the first pool-stage matches in both the men’s and women’s competitions.
The tournament, running from 4 to 6 September, has brought together teams from across the MEVZA region for three days of beach volleyball action in Schladming.
Men’s competition
In Pool A, Waber/Jezek (AUT) opened their campaign with a 2-0 victory over Croatia’s Bacic/Sos (21-13, 21-8). Oliva/Kuthan (CZE) also recorded a straight-set win, defeating Goldshmid Fisher/Gozlan (ISR) 2-0 (21-15, 21-17). Later in the day, Hilbert/Weber (LUX) beat Ranen/Ziv (ISR) 2-0 (21-7, 21-13), while Boyd/Huber (AUT) edged Hilbert/Weber 2-1 (21-14, 16-21, 15-12).
Pool B saw Jevšnik/Mugerli (SLO) claim two wins, defeating Wolff/Pernossi (LUX) 2-0 (21-16, 21-13) and Bercik J./Bercik V. (CZE) 2-0 (21-16, 21-14). Bercik J./Bercik V. had earlier beaten Pongracz/Goudie (HUN) 2-1 (20-22, 21-12, 15-8). The match between Hammarberg/Berger T. (AUT) and Mrkous/Pihera (CZE) was recorded as a forfeit for Team B.
Photo: Harald Steiner
In Pool C, Nemec/Jancok (SVK) began with a strong 2-0 victory over Kitzmüller/Holzner (AUT) (21-10, 21-13) before defeating Friedl F./Schnetzer (AUT) 2-0 (21-17, 21-16). Friedl F./Schnetzer had earlier beaten Polednik/Ruml (CZE) 2-0 (21-15, 21-19).
Pool D featured victories for Olsansky/Westphal (CZE), who defeated Votava/Kudrnovsky (CZE) 2-0 (21-15, 21-15) and Hilbert/Weber (LUX) 2-0 (21-17, 21-15). Hilbert/Weber had previously opened the pool with a 2-0 win over Tusek/Novotny (CZE) (21-19, 21-19).
Women’s competition
The women’s tournament also delivered plenty of competitive action across all four pools.
In Pool A, Klinger D./Klinger R. (AUT) defeated Mascherbauer/Saric So. (AUT) 2-0 (21-15, 21-18), while Nemec Elekova/Bundzelova (SVK) overcame Nemlaha/Spevarova (SVK) 2-1 (19-21, 21-15, 15-12). Klinger D./Klinger R. later added another straight-set victory, beating Nemec Elekova/Bundzelova 2-0 (21-11, 21-17), while Mascherbauer/Saric So. defeated Nemlaha/Spevarova 2-0 (21-13, 21-14).
Pool B saw wins for Poszmikova/Kapralova (SVK), who defeated Sebova/Mifkova (CZE) 2-0 (21-13, 21-19), and Rabitsch Mag./Shkarupa (AUT), who beat Noskova/Bartosova (SVK) 2-0 (21-10, 21-8). Noskova/Bartosova then claimed a three-set victory over Sebova/Mifkova, winning 2-1 (17-21, 24-22, 15-13), while Rabitsch Mag./Shkarupa also defeated Poszmikova/Kapralova 2-0 (21-11, 21-18).
Photo: Harald Steiner
In Pool C, Kotnik/Lovsin T. (SLO) started with a 2-0 win over Schottl/Pfau (AUT) (21-5, 21-11), while Hammerberg/Bisanz (AUT) defeated Simickova An./Simickova Ad. (CZE) 2-0 (21-13, 21-8). Later, Schottl/Pfau beat Simickova An./Simickova Ad. 2-1 (18-21, 21-15, 16-14), while Kotnik/Lovsin T. recorded another straight-set victory, defeating Hammerberg/Bisanz 2-0 (22-20, 21-11).
Pool D produced two wins for Terenova/Reginova (SVK), who defeated Kallai/Jambor (HUN) 2-0 (21-18, 21-16) and Sturm/Mayr A. (AUT) 2-1 (19-21, 21-16, 15-11). Sturm/Mayr A. also defeated Dostalikova/Lajkebova (CZE) 2-1 (19-21, 21-12, 15-10), before Dostalikova/Lajkebova closed the day with a 2-0 victory over Kallai/Jambor (21-18, 21-16).
The action continues on Saturday with the knockout stages, as teams battle for a place in the final stages of the MEVZA Senior Championship and the titles draw close.
