The second stage of the event has begun in Catania Italian Absolute Championship 2024 of beach volleyball, the first in Sicily for the national summer competition, which will be followed by the appointment in Marina di Ragusa on 2-4 August.
The precious collaboration of the Masterball Academy
The event will be hosted by the historic courts of the Lido Etneo “Le Capannine”, whose sand has long been considered the home of Sicilian and Italian beach volleyball and home in recent years of all the summer activities of the Masterball Academy, a local school of excellence in this discipline. For the Masterball of the brothers Andronico, Giosuè and Federico, “Le Capannine” are the setting for courses for all ages and levels and important events of which the company has often promoted. On this occasion, it will collaborate in the realization of the stage, as the largest reality of the territory and considering the sharing of its own; furthermore, the Masterball will see some couples of its own formation competing, in particular the couple Gerald Ndrecaj and Franco Arezzo di Trifiletto, who will start as the number 6 seed in the Main Draw and returning from the World Pro Tour Futures in Messina. The well-known Catania team has recently gained an increasingly important place in the national beach volleyball scene, collecting prestigious successes, including the latest championship in the Under 16 women’s category, won in Bibione by the very young Catanian Sofia Martinengo paired with Gaia Bozza.
Great expectations
Great expectations, therefore, for the Sicilian couples in the various categories, in which they are expected to be able to have their say albeit in the context of a highly technical competition which will see the best beachers in Italy competing on the sand. After the first Gold stage, held in Caorle in mid-June, the Catania event is a great opportunity to gain precious points in the general classification. Today is dedicated to qualifications, tomorrow the Main Draw is scheduled, while Sunday will be reserved for the finals. The scoreboards, both in the women’s and men’s games, promise high-level entertainment and matches, which will certainly be surrounded by a large audience of warm fans, which Catania is used to offering on these great occasions on the sand.
Women’s Scoreboard
In the women’s draw, the number 1 seeding couple will be Chiara They and Sara Breidenbach, third in Caorle; the second team of the tournament is that of the duo Giada Benazzi and Michela Lantignotti, second in the first Venetian stage. While the number three pair will be that of the Italians Reka Orsi Toth and Giada Bianchi, while the number four team will be made up of Alice Gradini and Federica Frasca, who will wear the Gold singlet won in the first round of the Caorle Championship. Also starting from the Main Draw will be Eleonora Sestini and Erika Ditta, Anna Piccoli and Sharin Rottoli, Greta Cavestro and Jessica Belliero Piccinin and Eleonora Annibalini and Anna Pelloia. Also added to the list were Sara Franzoni and Eleonora Gili and Ilaria Porporati and Giorgia Sambugaro, who were awarded the two wild cards following the victory obtained in the Under 20 stage which ended yesterday again in Catania. Also on the scoreboard is Ilenia Mencio from Catania, paired with Bernasconi, who after today’s two clear victories gained access to the Main Draw.
Men’s draw
There is also great anticipation for the men’s pairs with Giacomo Spadoni and Michele Luisetto, who came second in Caorle and will be seeded number one in the draw, while Manuel Alfieri and Tiziano Andreatta will be the number two team. Also starting their journey from the main draw will be Federico Geromin and Matteo Camozzi, Mauro Sacripanti and Giacomo Titta, Marco Ulisse and Matteo Bellucci, the Sicilians Gerald Ndrecaj and Franco Arezzo di Trifiletto (present at the first Venetian stage), Fabrizio Mussa and Alessandro Carucci, Luca Bigarelli and Riccardo Reggiani, Simone Podestà and Nicolas Brucini and Luca Cravera and Michele Crusca. For Daniele Lupo and Ivan Zaytsev, the new couple who thrilled the experts and aroused great curiosity, especially for Zaytsev’s transition from indoor to sand, qualifications were necessary, from which they started today under the eyes of numerous enthusiasts flocked to “Le Capannine”. The two managed to gain access to the Main Draw after a very tight match with the Di Franco brothers from Catania, Marco and Andrea, who sold their lives dearly. Also included in the scoreboard for tomorrow’s matches is the Palermo pair Caracci-Lombardo.
