Second Major gold puts Norwegian sensations on top of the world

Second Major gold puts Norwegian sensations on top of the world posted: 06/08/2018

Invincible Vikings conquer Vienna

The era of the Beach Volley Vikings is showing no signs of stopping as the new superstars of the sand Anders Mol and Christian S rum shot to the top of the world rankings after storming to the A1 Major Vienna presented by Swatch title.

The Norwegians' 21-12, 21-17 victory over Poland's Michal Bryl and Grzegorz Fija ek in the Red Bull Beach Arena secured the Vikings second Beach Major Series title in succession - and stretched their unbeaten run of matches to a mind-boggling 19 matches.

Anders and Christian proved too strong for valiant Poles Bryl and Fija ek, who had no answer to the Vikings' strength and determination. The Norwegians' latest victory enables the rising stars - who are just 21 and 22 years old - to realize their dream of completing a stunning hat-trick of tournament wins in the past month that has also seen them scoop the European Championships.

Having missed last year's World Championships in Vienna, Mol and S rum's first volleyball-related visit to the Austrian capital saw them scale new heights by rising the city's iconic Riesenrad Ferris wheel. However, this success on the sand has elevated their careers and reputations to a new level.

Having eliminated home favorites Alexander Horst and Clemens Doppler, the Scandinavians had the full backing of thousands of new fans, who had taken the young duo to their hearts.

I can't believe it right now, said the gravity-defying Mol who was imperious at the net. We are super happy to be playing so well at the moment. We are playing some great beach volleyball - whoever beats us will do so with honor.

Christian, who covered every grain of sand on the march to glory, added: There's no secret to our success - just having fun. We just play with smiles on our faces and concentrate on sideout.

This gold means a lot. After our rise on the Riesenrad this is the perfect ending.

The losing finalists were gracious in defeat as they celebrated their first World Tour medal together as a team.

Bryl, an Under-19 and Under-21 World Championship champion, said: We tried different things but it wasn't enough. I hope we can beat them in the future in another final. I've played them a lot in youth and junior tournaments and I feel proud because they are showing it's time for our generation to shine. We want to kick the older players out of the top.

The bronze medal went to Qatari duo Cherif Younousse Samba and Ahmed Tijan Janko after the qualifiers shocked Major Series regulars and Olympic bronze medalists Alex Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen in a three set thriller. In doing so, Cherif and Ahmed became the first men's team from Asia to win a Major Series medal following their 25-23, 17-21, 15-12 triumph.

Christian Sandlie S rum (NOR) and Anders Berntsen Mol (NOR)

The curtain came down on the mother of all beach volleyball tournaments with almost 100,000 fans flocking to the Danube Island, but attention now quickly turns to the Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals presented by Vodafone in Hamburg. The action on the Rothenbaum for the biggest prize of the season begins on August 15. Can Anders and Christian extent their incredible winning spree?

Next up: FIVB World Tour Finals Hamburg 2018 presented by Vodafone (Aug 15 - 19)

www.BeachMajorSeries.com

About Beach Volleyball Major Series

Serve, dig, spike, repeat Since 2015, the Beach Volleyball Major Series has showcased the best athletes in the world of beach volleyball. A joint venture between Red Bull and Hannes Jagerhofer, the series has rapidly expanded to become the most spectacular and popular in the sport. The stops of the Major Series are the highest ranked tournaments on the FIVB World Tour calendar, offering the biggest prize money and guaranteeing world-class entertainment for athletes, partners and fans all around the globe.

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