The “sought and the seekers” won their opening two matches here Wednesday during the first two rounds of pool play matches at this week’s US$600,000 Moscow 2008 Grand Slam as the SWATCH FIVB World Tour stop is the next to last qualifying event for the Beijing 2008 Olympics.

It was about winning the “famed” Vikings swords that inspired Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh as the top-seeded Americans captured their 34th SWATCH FIVB World Tour gold medal by defeating Vassiliki Arvaniti and Vasso Karadassiou of Greece here Saturday afternoon on the Vaagen Harbour centre court. photo FIVB

Following last week's SWATCH FIVB World Tour podium sweep in Paris, four women's teams from the United States completed pool play action here Thursday with a combined 12-0 match mark at the US$600,000 ConocoPhillips Grand Slam to earn first-round "byes" for elimination play.

It was like two different Beach Volleyball tournaments at one SWATCH FIVB World Tour stop this weekend for reigning Olympic champions Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh in capturing their third Henkel Grand Chelem gold medal in four years here Sunday on the Champs de Mars.

With four teams from the United States advancing to the women’s ‘elite eight” for the US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem here Friday, the “big” surprise during the fifth day of SWATCH FIVB World Tour competition was an upset win by Cubans Dalixia Fernandez Grasset and Tamara Larrea Peraza.

Rebekka Kadijk and Merel Mooren got a second chance at this week’s US$600,000 Henkel Grand Chelem and took advantage of a “Lucky Loser” berth in the SWATCH FIVB World Tour event here Wednesday to post two opening pool play wins. photo FIVB