SAN CARLOS, Nuevo Guaymas, México (NORCECA) -- Cuba conquered the finals of the Norceca Beach Volleyball Men’s Continental Cup and claimed the ticket to the Olympic Games of Rio de Janeiro 2016.
Despite a 2-1 (20-22, 21-17, 15-11) first victory by Canadians Josh Binstock and Sam Schachter over Karell Peña and Daisel Quesada, Cuba won the series 3-1.
Sergio Gonzalez and Nivaldo Díaz defeated Sam Pedlow and Grant O’Gorman 2-0 (21-18, 21-18) and also did it against Binstock and Schachter (24-22, 21-18). Peña and Quesada took the fourth one over Pedlow and O’Gorman (21-17, 21-13) to grant the Olympic ticket.
“We are at the Olympics. This was a great tournament for us, and I dedicate it to all the people in Cuba. Thanks to Mexico for the support,” said Daisel Quesada after the Awards Ceremony. “We feel so glad for this, we have been practicing hard as we held some training camps in Mexico before the final stage of the Continental Cup,” remarked Cuban coach Leonides Regueiferros.
Mexico finished with the bronze medal when the series were decided in a golden set. Josue Gaxiola and Jose Luis Rubio defeated Hector Soto and Juan Carlos Ribas 15-9. Previously the same Soto had played along with Kevin Rodriguez in the first match of the series to win against Juan Revuelta and Ricardo Galindo in three sets by scores of 15-21, 21-14 and 15-13.
Gaxiola and Rubio tied the series to 1 after beating Fernando Morales and Juan Carlos Ribas by scores of 21-13 and 21-15 and later on won against Soto and Rodriguez in three (15-21, 21-14, 15-13), however, Puerto Rico with Soto and Rivas, triumphed in fourth match by winning 21-18 and 21-15, so the series were even 2-2.
For Gaxiola and Rubio this was another epic battle. The Silver Medal winners of the last U21 World Championship showed their quality on the sand and are still with the hopes alive of becoming the second Mexican couple looking for a ticket to Rio.
Final 1st Place
Cuba 3, Canada 1
Binstock/Schachter CAN1 d Peña/Quesada CUB2 2-1 (20-22, 21-17, 15-11), Gonzalez/Diaz CUB1 d Pedlow O’Gorman CAN2 2-0 (21-18, 21-18), Gonzalez/Diaz CUB1 d Binstock/Schachter CAN1 2-0 (24-22, 21-18), Peña/Quesada CUB2 d Pedlow/O’Gorman CAN2 2-0 (21-17, 21-13).
Final 3rd Place
Mexico 3, Puerto Rico2
Soto/Rodriguez PUR1 d Revuelta/Galindo MEX2 2-1 (15-21, 21-14, 15-13), Gaxiola/Rubio MEX1 d Morales/Ribas PUR2 2-0 (21-13, 21-15), Gaxiola/Rubio MEX1 d Soto/Rodriguez PUR1 2-1 (21-12, 12-21, 18-16), Soto/Ribas PUR2 d MEX2 (21-18, 21-15). Golden Set: Gaxiola/Rubio MEX1 d Soto/Ribas PUR2 (15-9).
Final 5th Place
Nicaragua 2, Saint Lucia 1
Mora/Lopez NCA1 d Caesar/StJean LCA1 2-0 (21-14, 21-9), Clercent/Julian LCA2 d Contreras/Lopez NCA2 2-1 (16-21, 21-16, 15-13). Golden Set: Mora/Lopez NCA1 d Clercent/Julian LCA2 (15-11)
Final 7th Place
Costa Rica 2, El Salvador 0
Smith/Valenciano CRC1 d Tato/Pepe ESA1 2-0 (21-7, 21-10), Monge/Escobar CRC 2 d Flores/Chavez ESA2 2-0(21-15, 21-19)
Losers Semifinals
Mexico 3, Nicaragua 0
Gaxiola/Rubio MEX1 d Contreras/Lopez NCA2 2-0 (21-12, 21-13), Revuelta/Galindo MEX2 d Mora/Lopez NCA1 2-0 (21-18, 21-16), Gaxiola/Rubio MEX1 d Mora/Lopez NCA1 2-0 (21-18, 21, 15).
Puerto Rico 3, Saint Lucia 1
Morales/Ribas PUR2 d Caesar/St Jean LCA1 2-0 (21-14, 21-12), Clercent/Julian LCA2 d Soto/Rodriguez PUR1 2-1 (21-18, 14-21, 15-11), Morales/Ribas PUR2 d Clercent/Julian LCA2 2-1 (18-21,21-18, 15-13), Soto/Rodriguez PUR1 d Caesar/StJean LCA1.
Saint Lucia 3, El Salvador 1
Tato/Pepe ESA1 d Caesar/StJean LCA1 2-0 (21-15, 21-15), Clercent/Julian LCA2 d Tato/Pepe ESA1 2-0 (21-12, 21-13), Caesar/StJean LCA1 d Flores/Chavez ESA2 2-0 (21-17, 21-13), Clercent/Julian LCA2 d Flores/Chavez ESA2 2-0 (21-8, 21-17).
First Eight Places
1-Cuba
2-Canadá
3-México
4-Puerto Rico
5-Nicaragua
6 –Santa Lucía
7- Costa Rica
8- El Salvador.