Top women’s teams rubber-stamp their pass to the Finals

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It’s been a truly golden 2016 for Kira and Laura. Photocredit: Sebastian Marko.

The breathless and dramatic FIVB World Tour has almost reached its climax and eight elite women’s teams have booked their tickets for the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals in Toronto.

It truly is the best of the best who have battled through a rollercoaster season on the sand on the World Tour who will be in action at Polson Pier between 13-18 September.

But who exactly has made it through to compete for the biggest prize in the game this summer?

By far and away the most impressive performers this season have been German duo Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst. The Olympic champions have enjoyed an incredible 2016 season that has also seen them win gold at the smart Major Hamburg, the A1 Major Klagenfurt and the European Championships.

Second in the ranking are Americans Kerri Walsh Jennings and April Ross. After winning bronze in Rio the pair scooped gold on home sand at the Long Beach Grand Slam – their ninth medal in 10 FIVB events this year.

Incredibly four of the top five teams in the ranking hail from Germany – but only two teams can head to Toronto. Edging ahead of both Borger/Büthe and Holtwick/Semmler by just 260 points to claim their spot are Poreč Major champions Laboureur/Sude.

Last year’s champions Larissa/Talita, who won gold at the Gstaad Major are next in line, while Liliana/Elsa of Spain, Switzerland’s Forrer/Vergé-Dépré and Gallay/Klug of Argentina are also on their way to the Swatch World Tour Finals.

The last spot in the top eight belongs to Italians Menegatti/Giombini. The pair competed in the Olympics together following Viktoria Orsi Toth’s suspension and will go in search of gold again in Toronto.

Like the men, that’s eight places taken care of…and all we need now is four more teams per gender to complete the line-up. Stay tuned to our website and social media channels to see who else will be heading to Polson Pier!

Or click here, to know who got the wildcards for the #TorontoFinals!