Beach volleyball fast gaining popularity

THE DTS/NHP beach volleyball tournament held at the weekend saw a total of 21 teams battling it out for top honours in a sport that is fast gaining popularity in the country.

There were eight women’s teams, eight youth sides and five men’s teams. The tournament was the third in a series of six for the year 2006 season on the beach volleyball calendar.Spectators saw exiting and nailbiting matches, especially in the women’s competition.The first- and second-seeded teams of Wiebke Hoeritzauer and Antje Kesselmann, and Theopolina Shikulu and Maria Shikongo, lost their second match against the number three and four seeds.The number three seeds are Selma Nahambo and Martha Andreas with Karin Curschmann and Anita Kinder seeded fourth.The top two teams had to fight their way through the losers’ round and both teams managed to reach the final.Hoeritzauer and Kesselmann proved once again why they have been the top Namibian women’s team for the past two years as they beat Shikulu and Shikongo in the final.They won 22-20, 21-15.Third place went to Curschmann and Kinder and fourth seeds Nahambo and Andreas.The youth competition saw the number-one seeded team of Viggo von Schelia and Helmo Minz playing against the number-three seeded team of Hanjo Kubisch and Reiner Engberts in the final.After a dramatic 23-21 victory for the first-seeded team in the first set, they managed to win the second set easily 21-11.The playoff game for third and fourth place was won by the fifth-seeded team of Filepus Nghikofa and Michael Mulunga against the brother-and-sister team of Bernhard and Olga Grosse-Weschede, who were seeded fourth.The men played a round robin competition, with Joseph Amakali and partner Rehabeam Hengari winning tbe final against Deon Cloete and Michael de Koe.In third place were John Beukes and Jerome de Wee.The full results were as follows: Women 1.Wiebke Hoeritzauer/ Antje Kesselmann 2.Theopolina Shikulu/ Maria Shikongo 3.Anita Kinder/ Karin Curschmann Youth: 1.Viggo von Schelia/ Helmo Minz 2.Hanjo Kubisch/ Reiner Engberts 3.Filepus Nghikofa/ Michael Mulunga Men: 1.Joseph Amakali/ Rehabeam Hengari 2.Deon Cloete/ Michael de Koe 3.John Beukes/ Jerome de WeeThe tournament was the third in a series of six for the year 2006 season on the beach volleyball calendar.Spectators saw exiting and nailbiting matches, especially in the women’s competition.The first- and second-seeded teams of Wiebke Hoeritzauer and Antje Kesselmann, and Theopolina Shikulu and Maria Shikongo, lost their second match against the number three and four seeds.The number three seeds are Selma Nahambo and Martha Andreas with Karin Curschmann and Anita Kinder seeded fourth.The top two teams had to fight their way through the losers’ round and both teams managed to reach the final.Hoeritzauer and Kesselmann proved once again why they have been the top Namibian women’s team for the past two years as they beat Shikulu and Shikongo in the final.They won 22-20, 21-15.Third place went to Curschmann and Kinder and fourth seeds Nahambo and Andreas.The youth competition saw the number-one seeded team of Viggo von Schelia and Helmo Minz playing against the number-three seeded team of Hanjo Kubisch and Reiner Engberts in the final.After a dramatic 23-21 victory for the first-seeded team in the first set, they managed to win the second set easily 21-11.The playoff game for third and fourth place was won by the fifth-seeded team of Filepus Nghikofa and Michael Mulunga against the brother-and-sister team of Bernhard and Olga Grosse-Weschede, who were seeded fourth.The men played a round robin competition, with Joseph Amakali and partner Rehabeam Hengari winning tbe final against Deon Cloete and Michael de Koe.In third place were John Beukes and Jerome de Wee.The full results were as follows: Women 1.Wiebke Hoeritzauer/ Antje Kesselmann 2.Theopolina Shikulu/ Maria Shikongo 3.Anita Kinder/ Karin Curschmann Youth: 1.Viggo von Schelia/ Helmo Minz 2.Hanjo Kubisch/ Reiner Engberts 3.Filepus Nghikofa/ Michael Mulunga Men: 1.Joseph Amakali/ Rehabeam Hengari 2.Deon Cloete/ Michael de Koe 3.John Beukes/ Jerome de Wee