The women’s qualifier here Tuesday at the US$600,000 A1 Beach Volleyball Grand Slam presented by Volksbank featured a 32-team, 24-match schedule with pairs from eight countries advancing to Wednesday’s opening Main Draw rounds in the SWATCH FIVB World Tour stop. photo FIVB

Beach Volleyball festival in this European country started here Monday afternoon in the capital of Carinthia as pairs from Brazil and Germany played women’s Country Quota playoff matches to help set the field for this week’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour stop. photo FIVB

For the sixth-time on the Plages du Prado Gaston Defferre center court, a Brazilian women’s team has topped the podium as Maria Antonelli and Talita Antunes defeated the Austrian Schwaiger sisters in two sets to win the gold medal here Sunday at the US$380,000 World Series 13. photo FIVB

Country quota playoff matches for women’s teams from Germany opened play here Monday as the SWATCH FIVB World Tour returns to the Mediterranean port city for the 16th season of international Beach Volleyball competition. photo FIVB

The “quest” for their fifth SWATCH FIVB World Tour championship in the last six seasons for Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca received a big boost here Saturday as the Brazilians defeated Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig of Germany in two sets to win the women’s gold medal at the US$600,000 1to1 energy Grand Slam. photo FIVB

With two Brazilian teams playing for a SWATCH FIVB World Tour women’s gold medal for the 43rd time in 208 international Beach Volleyball events, top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca topped the podium here Saturday at US$600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam by defeating compatriots Maria Antonelli and Talita Antunes in two sets.