Emanuel/Loiola Capture Italian Open Gold Medal Despite Second-Round Loss
Lignano Sabbiadoro (July 18, 1999) - Emanuel Scheffer and Jose Loiola rebounded from a second-round loss to win seven-straight matches enroute to capturing their second-straight FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Gold Medal by defeating Para Ferreira and Guilherme Marques 15-13 here Sunday (July 18) in the $170,000 Italian Open finale.
Played before a standing room-only crowd of 4,500 in near-perfect weather conditions, the fourth-seeded Emanuel and Loiola duplicated their Gold Medal performance in Norway last Sunday where they scored a come-from-behind 15-13 win over Para and Guilhemre in an All-Brazilian finale.
The win was fourth in six meetings for Emanuel and Loiola over the fifth-seeded Para and Guilherme, who have now dropped three Gold Medal matches this season. Emanuel and Loiola, who netted their seventh FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, also denied their Brazilian rivals a chance to successfully defend their Italian Open crown.
The reigning FIVB Beach Volleyball World Champions, Para and Guilherme defeated Martin and Paul Laciga of Switzerland 12-6 and 12-8 in the 1998 Italian Open Gold Medal match. Sunday's finale also marked the 22nd-time in 94 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour men's events that a pair of Brazilian teams were battling for the Gold Medal.
Emanuel and Loiola, who dropped a 15-10 decision to 13th-seeded Jan Kvalheim and Bjorn Maaseide of Norway in the second-round of the winner's bracket Friday, advanced to the finals with a 15-12 win Sunday in 65 minutes over seventh-seeded Esteban Martinez and Martin Conde of Argentina.
Competing in their 17th FIVB event together with 10 title match appearances together, Emanuel and Loiola have now posted a 37-7 match mark this season with $135,500 in combined earnings. Individually, Emanuel has a record 22 FIVB titles.
Para and Guilherme were playing in their 19th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Gold Medal match in 54 career events together. The Brazilians have now posted a 29-11 match mark this season with $92,000 in combined earnings.
Brazil, which has now won 55 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour events in the 12-year history of the circuit, has now been represented in 23-straight international championship matches. The last time the South Americans did not reach the finals was September 7, 1997 in Tenerife, Canary Islands. Brazil also has had a team in a FIVB "final four" in each of the last 38 international events since being denied a semi-final berth in the 1996 Portugal event..
Martinez and Conde, who won the 1997 Italian Open title by defeating Emanual and Ze'Marco de Melo in the Lignano Gold Medal match, defeated Heidger and Wong 15-6 to split $15,000 for the Bronze Medal. It was the second win of the weekend for the Argentineans over Heidger and Wong, including a 15-9 victory Saturday.
Despite Sunday's defeats, Heidger and Wong helped restored some American "pride" by advancing to the Italian Open semi-finals. The United States had one of its "poorest" showings internationally last week in Norway where all three American Main Draw entries tied for 17th after being eliminated on the opening day of play.
Heidger and Wong, who shared $11,000 for fourth-place, had defeated Para and Guilherme earlier this season with a 15-8 win in 46 minutes in Berlin earlier this month. Para and Guilherme are now 3-1 against United States teams this season while Heidger and Wong are 1-4 against Brazilian teams this season.
Following the seventh annual Italian Open, the international competition moves to Marseille, France for the $600,000 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships starting Monday. The event, which will feature both men's and women's competition, concludes Saturday for the women and Sunday (July 25) for the men. The winning teams at the World Championships will net the prestigious Gold Medal and the $60,000 first-place prize.
With record crowds watching the five days of Italian Open competition, the event was the seventh of 13 events on the 1999 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour schedule. All the FIVB events from the start of the 1999 season through August 15, 2000 serve as qualification tournaments for the 2000 Sydney Games where a total of 24 teams for both men and women battle for the Olympic Gold.
Italian Open Main Draw Results
Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy (July 18, 1999) - Here are the results from the third of three days of men's Main Draw competition in the Italian Open here Sunday (July 18). The $170,000 (US) Italian Open, the seventh of 13 men's events on the 1999 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, concludes Sunday.
Semi-finals - Para-Guilherme, BRA (5) def. R. Heidger/Wong, USA (14), 15-1 (30 minutes); Emanuel-Loiola, BRA (4) def. Martinez-Conde, ARG (7), 15-12 (65).
Bronze Medal Match (3 p.m. Sunday; winners place third; split $15,000; losers place fourth, split $11,000) - Martinez-Conde, ARG (7) def. R. Heidger/Wong, USA (14), 15-6 (36).
Gold Medal Match (4:30 p.m. Sunday; winners place first; split $30,000; losers place second, split $20,000) - Emanuel-Loiola, BRA (4) def. Para-Guilherme, BRA (5), 15-13 (75).
Italian Open Gold Medal Match
Emanuel Scheffer/Jose Loiola, Brazil (4) 8-1 match mark
Def. Berg-Dahl, SWE (29, 9th qualifying seed) 15- 5 (36)
Lost to Kvalheim-Maaseide, NOR (13) 10-15 (52)
Def. A. Hannemann-N. Hannemann, ASA (30-13) 15- 9 (56)
Def. Prosser-Zahner, AUS (22) 15- 8 (55)
Def. Blanton-Fonoimoana, USA (15, 7) 15- 7 (42)
Def. Child-Heese, CAN (6) 15- 9 (60)
Def. Ze'Marco/Ricardo, BRA (1) 15- 8 (50)
Def. Martinez/Conde, ARG (7) 15-12 (65)
Def. Para/Guilherme, BRA (5)) 15-13 (75)
ELOIOLA - Emanuel and Loiola were competing in their 17th FIVB event together with 13 "final four" finishes to their credit. The pair was competing in their 10th title match with seven event titles, including four last season and Gold Medals this season in Argentina, Norway and Italy. The Brazilians have a 37-7 match mark this season with $135,500 in combined earnings. Individually, Emanuel has 22 FIVB titles, including 15 wins with Ze'Marco Scheffer. Emanuel ranks first in FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour medals with 45 followed by ZeMarco at 41.
Para Ferreira/Guilherme Marques, Brazil (No. 5-seeded team) 5-1 match mark
Def. Karasev-Sayfulin, RUS (28, 8th qualifying seed) 15- 7 (35-minute match)
Def. Ian Clark-Boulliane, USA (21) 15- 2 (25)
Def. Kvalheim-Maaseide, NOR (13) 15- 8 (42)
Def. Ze'Marco/Ricardo, BRA (1) 15-11 (65)
Def. R. Heidger/Wong, USA (14) 15- 1 (30)
Lost to Emanuel/Loiola, BRA (4) 13-15 (75)
P&G Report - Para and Guilherme were competing in their 54th FIVB event together with 26 "final four" finishes to their credit. The pair has seven event titles, including four last season in Italy, New York, Moscow and Brazil. Para/Guilherme have now advanced to their 19th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Gold Medal, but have not won in three Gold Medal attempts this season. The Brazilians have a 29-11 mark this season with $92,000 in combined earnings. Para and Guilherme are the reigning FIVB Beach Volleyball World Champions after capturing the title in 1997 at Los Angeles. Individually, Guilherme has eight FIVB titles, including a win with Andre Perlin in 1990 in France. Guilherme ranks third in FIVB medals behind Emanuel (44) and Ze'Marco (41) with a total of 34.
THE SERIES - Emanuel/Loiola now lead the series 4-2 with Para/Guilherme, who defeated Emanuel/Loiola 15-12 in a 48-minute elimination match earlier this season in Mexico. Emanuel/Loiola defeated Para/Guilherme 15-13 in the Norwegian final last week in 36 minutes.
Italian Open Bronze Medal Match
Esteban Martinez, Argentina (7) 5-1 match mark
Def. Penigaud-Jodard, FRA (26) 15- 7 (50)
Def. Giovane-Tande, BRA (10, 1) 16-14 (60)
Def. Blanton-Fonoimoana, USA (15, 7) 15-13 (57)
Def. Heidger-Wong, USA (14) 15- 9 (45)
Lost to Emanuel/Loiola (4) 12-15 (65)
Def. Heidger/Wong, USA (14) 15- 6 (36)
MC HAMMER - Martinez and Conde were competing in their 65th FIVB event together with 22 "final four" finishes and combined earnings of $633,126 together. The pair has won three events, including a 1997 Gold Medal in Lignano, a 1998 crown in Canada and a 1996 win in Turkey. The Argentineans have a 29-15 mark this season with $65,500 in combined earnings.
Rob Heidger/Kevin Wong, United States (14) 4-3 match mark
Def. C. Dieckmann-M. Dieckmann, GER (19) 15-11 (55)
Def. P. Laciga-M. Laciga, SUI (3) 15- 8 (46)
Def. Child-Heese, CAN (6) 15- 9 (45)
Lost to Martinez-Conde, ARG (7) 9-15 (45)
Def. Bosma-Diez, ESP (8) 15-1 7 (40)
Lost to Para/Guilherme, BRA (5) 1-15 (30)
Lost to Martinez/Conda, ARG (7) 6-15 (36)
THE AMERICANS - Heidger and Wong were competing in their fifth FIVB event together with two "final four" finishes. The pair was third in Canada last month for their best individual international finish ever. Heidger/Wong have a 16-11 mark this season with $38,500 in combined earnings together.
THE SERIES - Martinez/Conde now lead the series 2-1 after defeating Heidger/Wong twice in the Italian Open. The Americans won 15-9 in Canada last month.
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