Drama, excitement and action of the highest standard were all abundantly present at the Portuguese Open in Espinho last season and having witnessed such a stupendous showcase of Beach Volleyball at the Swatch – FIVB World Tour, the locals will be back in their thousands in June for more of the same.

Ricardo Alex Costa and Emanuel Rego triumphed on the Portuguese sand in 2003 following one of the finest final matches ever seen on the Tour. The Norwegian outfit of Jorre Andre Kjemperud and Vegard Hoidalen provided the Brazilians with a stern test and as the match points flew back and forth in an epic encounter those present inside the stadium were on their feet, cheering and chanting throughout.

"That was a very difficult game, the hardest of our wins this year," said a tired Ricardo after his side’s 2-1 (21-23, 21-14, 20-18) victory. "They had a very strong service, the wind and the soft, deep sand made it very hard to deal with. The scoring was very close and showed just how hard it was, though I felt we had the title in our hands in the third set," the Brazilian added.

Esphino has long been renowned for its vast, sun-kissed beaches and wonderful selection of seafood restaurants, but over the past few years this popular holiday town in Aveiro province has also developed a reputation as a fantastic venue for the Swatch-FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour.

When it’s finally time for the male stars of the Swatch– FIVB World Tour to leave Portugal for another year, it’s on to beautiful Carolina and the Puerto Rico Open.

Men's 2003 Podium:
1.  Ricardo Alex Costa Santos and Emanuel Rego (Brazil)

2.  Jorre André Kjemperud and Vergard Hoidalen (Norway)

3.  Andrew Schact and Josh Stack (Australia)

Men's 2002 Podium
1. Wong-Metzger (USA)
    Kevin Wong Biography
    Stein Metzger Biography
2. Marcio Araujo-Benjamin (BRA)
    Marcio Araujo Biography  Profile
    Benjamin Insfran Biography - Profile
3. Ricardo-Loiola (BRA)
    Ricardo Costa Santos Biography
    José Geraldo Loiola / Profile