Lausanne, Switzerland, July 5, 2013 - As we approach the single elimination phase of the Beach Volleyball World Championships in Stare Jablonki, Switzerland’s Martin Laciga tells FIVB.org why he believes there is a greater likelihood of the younger teams making a mark in the men's competition this year.

“Although Alison and Emanuel are in the running for the World Championship title, I am not sure about their consistency. They had a good run in Rome but had a few problems finding their rhythm early on in Stare Jablonki.  But they know how to play in the World Championships and they will only get stronger as the tournament goes on. They had three wins in their pools and this will give them the confidence.

“The Dutch pair Nummerdor and Schuil is stronger now compared to Rome and they have improved a lot. They are starting to get back their confidence but I do not know if this is enough to keep a high level game. They played a close match against the German team and although they won, it was evident that it took a lot of energy out of them. No doubt they are experienced players but they need more than just two or three competitions this season to take them far in the Championship this week.

“The younger teams, like Poland’s Kantor and Losiak on the other hand are more powerful and have more of a chance to reach the semifinals this year. I believe that the crowd will help Fijalek and Prudel to give their best performance. They always like to play on their home ground and this will give them an extra boost.

“Latvians Smedins and Somoilovs really fit together well and have managed to win two close games in the competition. As the leader of the pool it will get easier for them as they go along.  But I do wonder how long they can keep up the pace as they play an extremely physical game. They are aggressive with a high block and this takes a lot of energy.  It helps that they are playing only one or two games a day and it should  allow them to conserve their energy until the end of the Championship. 

“Last year’s finalists, Austrians Doppler-Horst, are also in with a chance judging from their performance to date.  I know from experience that it always good to come back to a place where you have played some of your best games. It gives you a lot of confidence and for me they are a team that could pull a surprise win out of the hat at these Championships.

“Spain’s Pablo Herrera and Adrian Gavira put in a particularly amazing performance in these World Championships as they have not been playing at their best lately on account of Pablo’s knee problems.  They have been in a tough pool with Pedro and Bruno and have managed to make an excellent come back.

“The results of the Mexican team of Virgen-Ontiveros have taken some by surprise.  These two players love to play the big events and are usually on fire when there are the big games to win.

“It’s going to be an interesting race to the finish line. And I can’t wait to see the final result.”