Press Release

Edition 2001

• Final press release - 2001
• Press release no 2 - 2001
• Press release no 1 - 2001 (only in French)

Final press release - 2001
For immediate release

Winning comaback from Brazil at the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament Lausanne, despite a podium at two thirds swiss

Sport, fun and paradox came together at the 12th edition of the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament, held from 16 to 19 August 2001 in Vidy. 43 teams representing 18 nations from 4 continents competed. For the 2001 results, Brazil came back in the first position, followed by two pairs from Switzerland, a country which is well represented considering that one team out of two in the first six is Swiss!

After a 100% Swiss final last year, the 2001 edition of the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament had a Brazilian pair in the final, which has not happened since 1998. Brazilians Murilo-Klepper won two sets to one (22-20, 23-25 and 19-17), after a hard-fought game, against a Swiss pair, the number 1 seeds, Heuscher-Kobel, who were defending last year's title. Block, defence, attack, serve: all the weapons of modern beach volley were used during this one hour game in front of crowded stands. As shown by the score, the game reached a high level, indicating that the Lausanne tournament is really the best Satellite FIVB tournament worldwide.

The 'small' final saw the Swiss pair Heyer-Egger, second in last year's edition (2000), win without any great difficulties against the Spanish pair Fabio Diez-Correa, two sets to zero (21-17 and 21-19) in 36 minutes. Egger, always there and efficient in all areas of the game, could trust his partner Heyer who, as usual, has been amazing at the block giving the Spanish a hard time, despite their good defensive play.

Regarding the final rankings, the good performance of the Swiss teams should be noted, as shown by a two thirds Swiss podium and one out of two Swiss pairs in the first six. Moreover, the next Swiss generation is on its way up looking at the 13th place of Reinmann-Schütz, still juniors last year.

Fun, the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament had been once again this year, and even more, with for the first time, an exhibition match, gathering several high level athletes who came for free, in favour of the charitable organization FORCE (Fondation Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Enfant/Foundation Research on Cancer of Children). There was a great show with the adventurer Mike Horn, throwing out each ball, with the 'big' Werner Günthör as an enthusiastic team leader with his partners Nicole Zahnd, Isabelle Schmutz and Yves Plattel, with Erika Reymond-Hess who trained as every good world champion, with the young Corinne Bodmer and Gregory Martinetti, and not forgetting the LHC ice hockey players, Beat Kindler, Sacha Weibel, Florian Anthamatten, Reto Schurch, Gerd Zenhäusern and Serge Poudrier, who were all warmed up following a training session with the LUC Volleyball. A SF 10'000.- cheque was donated to the FORCE Foundation FORCE by the organizing committee and the main Tournament sponsors.

Final ranking :

All the results of this 12th edition of the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament Satellite FIVB - Lausanne are available on the Tournament website :
http://www.beachvolleylausanne.ch.

For further information, please contact the General Secretariat: 021/315.14.13 Fax: 021/315.14.19

Press release no 2 - 2001
For immediate release

Laciga brothers at the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament: a festive and sports tournament, more international than ever

4 continents, 18 nations, 43 teams, among them the Laciga brothers, 2nd in the FIVB world rankings: these are the key facts and the 'top of the bill' at the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament, which will be held from 17 to 19 August 2001 at Vidy-Coubertin in Lausanne. An exhibition match and new entertainment will make this 12th edition more exciting and more international than ever. Spectacle and sport will once again rendez-vous under the Vidy sunshine.

43 teams registered until now, among which 22 qualified automatically: Europe, South America, Oceania, North America and Asia will come together at this tournament, more international than ever! No less than 18 nations have already registered, breaking all records for this 12th edition. Not only from extreme diverse origins, but also some 'top of the bill' with prestigious rankings, especially with the Swiss pairs: the Laciga brothers, 2nd in the FIVB world rankings and finally back in Lausanne, Heuscher/Kobel, 1st in Lausanne last year and currently world-ranked 12th , and Heyer/Egger, 2nd in Lausanne in 2000 and world-ranked 26th.

Also back in Lausanne, the Venezuelan pair Rodriguez/Vasquez, 7th last year, and the Austrian pair Schroffenegger, 5th in 1999. Among the candidates for the final podium, the Spanish pair Diez/Correa, 28th in world, the Germans Beck/Reckermann, and also teams from Estonia, Norway, Australia, USA, Japan, and of course, Brazilian pairs, which regularly mount the Lausanne podium. Will one or the other of these nationalities be able to disprove the irresistible rising of Swiss beach volley to world level? Rendez-vous for the final on Sunday 19 August at 17pm at Vidy-Lausanne.

And, a first at the Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament, an exhibition match in favour of the charitable organization FORCE (Fondation Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Enfant/Foundation Research on Cancer of Children). World and European champions, an athlete from extreme sport, representatives from the glorious LHC team, some young hopefuls of Swiss sport, have agreed to compete in a friendly - once is not a habit - playing beach volley. No doubt that Erika Reymond-Hess, Werner Günthör, Mike Horn, Isabelle Schmutz, Serge Poudrier, Corinne Bodmer, Grégory Martinetti, Nicole Zahnd, Beat Kindler, Yves Platel, and some others, will alight the public at Vidy-Lausanne on Saturday 18 August at 17pm.

On the decks and microphone, DJ Othello and Patrick Matthey, of Radio Framboise, will provide all the entertainment of this festive and sports tournament. Undoubtedly, a tournament for all tastes under the Vidy sunshine!

Free entrance to the tournament and the exhibition match.

Press room and reserved seats for media at the tribune.
Tel./fax during the tournament: 021/617 45 22
All the results online at http://www.beachvolleylausanne.ch.

Press release no 1 - 2001 (only in French)
For immediate release

Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament
Spectacles et nouveautés sur le sable lausannois

Du 17 au 19 août 2001, le Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament se déroulera sur les terrains de Vidy-Coubertin à Lausanne. 12ème édition du Tournoi international de beach volleyball, cette manifestation innove une fois de plus : un nom nouveau, de nouvelles règles, des animations nouvelles et, en prime, un match exhibition avec des sportifs de haut niveau en faveur de l'oeuvre de bienfaisance FORCE - Fondation Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Enfant.

Devenu Swiss Life International Beach Volley Tournament, le traditionnel Tournoi international de beach volleyball de Lausanne porte désormais le nom de son sponsor-titre. Premier au monde à tester l'an passé le Rally Point System (système de la marque continue), le Tournoi international de Lausanne, à nouveau satellite FIVB, se déroulera sur des terrains plus petits de 8 m sur 16 m. Les matches se dérouleront au meilleur des 3 sets, les 2 premiers à 21 points, le 3ème set éventuel en 15 points. Rappelons qu'avec le Rally Point System, chaque rally donne un point qu'il s'agisse de l'équipe qui sert ou de celle qui reçoit. Un tel système et des dimensions plus petites accroîtront encore le côté spectaculaire du beach volley. Nul doute que les paires internationales et l'élite helvétique, présentes à Vidy, sauront en tirer profit.

Mike Horn, Serguei Aschwanden, Werner Günthör, Isabelle Schmutz, Corinne Bodmer, Yves Platel, une équipe du LHC et bien d'autres encore, tous sportifs de haut niveau et issus de disciplines différentes, ont accepté de participer le samedi 18 août 2001 à 17 heures, à Vidy-Coubertin, à un match exhibition... de beach volley ! En échange de leur présence bénévole, le Comité d'organisation et les principaux partenaires du Tournoi feront un don de CHF 10'000.- à loeuvre de bienfaisance FORCE - Fondation Recherche sur le Cancer de l'Enfant. Émotion et spectacle seront au rendez-vous ce 18 août, démontrant que sportifs et organisateurs ont également du coeur.

L'animation ne sera pas en reste. Le DJ Othello et Patrick Matthey, de Radio Framboise, seront aux platines et au micro, entrecoupant le Tournoi par de nombreux concours : billets de concerts, entrées au Musée Olympique, articles de sport récompenseront les spectateurs.

Entrée libre au Tournoi et au match exhibition.

Renseignements au secrétariat général : 021/315.14.13
http://www.beachvolleylausanne.ch

Archive: Edition 2003 / Edition 2002 / Edition 2001 / Edition 2000