Brazilians outgun Germans

JAKARTA (JP): The Brazilian pair of Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede outgunned the German pair of Maike Friedrichsen and Danja Muesch to win the 11th World Women's Beach Volleyball Championships at the Senayan clay tennis courts yesterday.

The well-knit Brazilian duo beat the Germans, 12-4, 12-8, in the final in front of 6,000 spectators.

Behar and Bede, seeded second, had little trouble overcoming Friedrichsen and Muesch, seeded sixth, in a heavily one-sided first set. The Germans were at sea as the dominant Brazilians set a furious pace from the outset to clinch the first set in less than 30 minutes.

In the second set, Muesch and Friedrichsen went for broke and offered stiffer resistance. They matched their rivals spike for spike early on before crumbling in the latter part of the set under a constant barrage of devastating spikes and an array of deceptive dropshots by the Brazilians.

Behar and Shelda raced to an 8-4 lead and then held match point at 11-4, giving the impression they would soon coast to a comfortable victory. But it was not to be.

The Germans staged a respectable fightback, reeling off four points in a row, much to the spectators' delight.

But Behar and Shelda regained the devastating touch and form they displayed in the opening set. They finished off the German team's challenge after Muesch failed to block a spike from Shelda.

For their win, Behar and Shelda received US$29,200 and a trophy. Friedrichsen and Muesch received $22,400.

In the playoff for third and fourth placings, Atlanta Olympic champions Jackie Silva and Sandra Pires of Brazil labored to beat Karrie Poppinga and Holly McPeak of the United States, 15-13.

Silva and Pires failed to make the final after losing to compatriots Behar and Shelda in the semifinals earlier in the day.

"After upsetting Silva and Pires, we played without pressure in the final so that we could perform up to expectations," Behar said after the final. (bas)