26 Jun 2024
NEVZA Youth Beach Championships 2024 – day two round-up
Both Tiri Skojld and Maren Våge (Women’s U18 Women Pool B) and Jonah Kjemperud and Eskil Engås (Men’s U20) won hard-fought matches over leading English duos to claim first place in their pools.
Skojld and Maren Våge dropped the second set against Alice Jagielska and Molly Quinn – and also the first set against Icelanders Audur Petursdóttir and Lilja Kristjánsdóttir – but in each prevailed in the two tie breaks, 15-10 and 15-11.
Kjemperud and Engås, meanwhile, had to dig in to come out on top against Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallists Rob Morgan and Peter Soczewka, losing the first set 21-17, but then reeling off the next two 21-13, 15-8.
It was more straightforward for a third Norwegian pairing of Mathias Smørholm and David Stenberg, who maintained their imperious form from the first day to notch up a set difference of +81 from their four matches.
The country’s other team will still hope to be on the top step of the podium, too, with Tale Fosseli and Solveig Sunde recovering well from defeat in their very first match to England to finish second in their Women’s U20 Pool behind the Red Rose’s Maia Darling and Anja Darling, who won five out of five.
The only representatives from Norway’s neighbours, Sweden’s Ebba Welander and Ellen Källströmer were in equally impressive form in winning Women’s U18 Pool A, conceding just 87 points in securing every set played in their five matches.
Although the two big Scandinavian countries fared well, hosts England were not without their successes too.
As well and the Darling/Erminio partnership underlining their credentials, Bailey Harsum and Lewis Bunton also won five out of five to head up Men’s U18 Pool B.
An English pair also finished second in five of the six pools played across the age groups, including Yorkshire’s Maks Makowski and Josh Cosgrove, who lost a close three-setter to their compatriots Harsum and Bunton, 15-8 in the decider.
After a disappointing opening day for Scotland, there were brighter moments for them on day two as Jessica Burns and Holly Scott held their nerve to beat Robyn Clifford and Olivia Cross 15-13 in a deciding third set for a first victory of the tournament.
The same pair were also competitive against Ireland’s Kate Pedraja Cahill and Angela Mulcahy before the Emerald Isle duo pulled away to win 15-9 in the third.
One of the most competitive games of the day pitched Scotland’s Gabriel Caesar and Aaron Gillies against the Faroe Islands’ Hákun Nón and Rani Ákason - and it was the latter who edged home 16-14 in a tense final set.
Iceland’s best performing pairs were Ágúst Sigurfinnsson and Emil Diatlovic (Men’s U18 Pool A) and Heba Stefánsdóttir and Helena Einarsdóttir (Women’s U20) who both finished third in their Pools.
Don’t forget to tune into day three’s live streaming by clicking here.
Check out the Pool standings and knockout schedule by clicking here.
