02.09.07
HARLEY & SALGADO OVERCOME WEATHER, RUSSIANS TO NET ST. PETERSBURG OPEN GOLD
St. Petersburg , Russia, September 2, 2007 - With a St. Petersburg Open crowd braving the blustery conditions on the Neva River at the Peter-And-Paul Fortress here Sunday to cheer for their host country team, Brazilians Harley Marques and Pedro Salgado overcame the cool weather and the Russian Beach Volleyball fans to win their second-straight SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event.
St. Petersburg , Russia, September 2, 2007 - With a St. Petersburg Open crowd braving the blustery conditions on the Neva River at the Peter-And-Paul Fortress here Sunday to cheer for their host country team, Brazilians Harley Marques and Pedro Salgado overcame the cool weather and the Russian Beach Volleyball fans to win their second-straight SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event.
With a 21-14 and 23-21 win in 44 minutes over second-seeded Dmitri Barsouk and Igor Kolodinsky of Russia, Harley and Salgado completed the US$400,000 St. Petersburg Open with an 8-0 record to share the $32,000 first place prize while netting their third SWATCH gold medal this season.
“It was tough playing out there today,” said the 21-year old Salgado. “I think our experience of playing in gold medal matches was the difference. The Russians were nervous in the first set and we took advantage of their errors. Dmitri and Igor settled down in the second set to get the crowd back into the match, but again, we were able to come back after trailing early.
Sunday’s win marked the third-straight year that Brazilian men’s and women’s teams captured the St. Petersburg Open titles. Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca captured their third women’s title Saturday. The first two men’s St. Petersburg Open titles were captured by Emanuel Rego/Ricardo Santos in 2005 and Marcio Araujo/Fabio Magalhaes last season.
With back-to-back gold medals on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour, Harley and Salgado will attempt to become the first team this season to win three-straight titles at the next international Beach Volleyball stop this coming week in Poland. In the season opening event in China, Harley and Pedro won Shanghai gold in their first SWATCH start together.
Barsouk and Kolodinsky, who was named the SWATCH most outstanding player for the third annual St. Petersburg Open, had defeated the previous two champions Saturday to advance to their fourth match against Harley and Salgado, who had to qualify Wednesday for the Main Draw at the Peter-And-Paul Fortress.
Before reaching Sunday’s finale, Barsouk and Kolodinsky defeated the top two teams from Brazil. After ousting top-seeded and reigning Olympic champions Emanuel and Ricardo (20-22, 21-17 and 15-8) in a contender’s bracket quarter-final match, Russians posted a 25-23 and 21-17 semi-final victory over third-seeded Marcio Araujo and Fabio.
Prior to Barsouk and Kolodinsky’s efforts this season, including eight “final four” finishes, Russian Beach Volleyball teams in the previous 20-year history of the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour had amassed only one medal and three total semi-final appearances for both men and women combined.
“It has been a remarkable run for us this season,” said the 27-year Barsouk, who had never finished higher than seventh in an “open” FIVB event prior to this year. “Igor has been a terrific partner and has improved throughout the season. His service game makes the difference.”
The 24-year Kolodinsky, who was named the SWATCH most outstanding player for the third annual St. Petersburg Open, has become the most productive server on the international tour with record readings of 110.0 km/h twice this season. Prior to this week, he had recorded 46 of the top 53 service speeds over 100.0 km/h.
In the All-Brazilian bronze medal match, Marcio Araujo and Fabio posted a 21-11 and 21-13 win in 38 minutes over seventh-seeded Pedro Cunha and Franco Neto to share the $16,000 third-place prize. Cunha and Franco, who also defeated Barsouk and Kolodinsky in the double-elimination competition, split $12,000 for fourth-place.
The SWATCH-FIVB World Tour ends its European schedule with a men’s only in Mazury region of Poland at Stare Jablonki starting Wednesday with qualification. The final double gender event will be staged at the end of September in Brazil with single gender stops during the first week of November in Bali (men) and Thailand (women) to end the 2007 campaign.
