July 21, 2019: Sarah Pavan (Kitchener, ON) and Melissa Humana-Paredes (Toronto) won gold today at the FIVB US$150,000 Edmonton Open.
 
"It was so much fun to play in front of our home fans this week. It was easy to tell that everyone here really appreciates beach volleyball and we could feel it on the court in every match,” Humana-Paredes said after today’s match.
 
Canada’s top-seeded women’s team – also 2019 World Champions - won 2-0 (21-11, 21-16) over tournament second-seeded Emily Day and Betsi Flint of the United States in the final. 
 
It was the fifth title for the Canadian stars in 28 FIVB events following victories in Porec in 2017, Xiamen and Gstaad in 2018 and the World Championships two weeks ago. Pavan and Humana-Paredes also won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, the first edition of the event to feature beach volleyball. They have also locked up their spot in the 2020 Olympic Games.
 
The women’s bronze medal in Edmonton today went to Japanese team Azusa Futami and Akiki Hasegawa, who beat Australians Nicole Laird and Becchara Palmer 21-19, 21-17 to win their second World Tour medal.
 
Canada’s Ben Saxton (Calgary, AB) and Grant O’Gorman (Scarborough, ON) took the silver in the men’s event.  Marco Krattiger and Nico Beeler of Switzerland posted a 2-1 win over Canadians (21-15, 23-25, 15-8) in the final this afternoon. 
 
The Edmonton Open men’s podium featured a second North American duo as USA’s Stafford Slick and Billy Allen posted a 2-0 ( 21-13, 21-16 )win over Italy’s Alex Ranghieiri and Marco Caminati to secure the bronze medal.

• FULL reports and results: http://worldtour.2019.fivb.com/en/720

In other World Tour news: Canada’s Sam Schachter (Richmond Hill, ON) and Sam Pedlow (Barrie, ON), competing at a 4-star event in Espinho, Portugal, finished fifth overall on Saturday.

Web site for Espinho: http://worldtour.2019.fivb.com/en/721
 
Previously in Edmonton, Canada’s Nicole and Megan McNamara were eliminated in the second round of playoffs on Friday. The Canadian twin sisters finished ninth overall.
 
Canadian women’s teams finished ranked 17th were Julie Gordon/Shanice Marcelle, and Taylor Pischke/ Sophie Bukovec. Marie-Christine Lapointe/Amanda Harnett, who will represent Canada at the Pan Am Games next month, were 25th.
 
On the men’s side, Canadians Jake MacNeil/Will Hoey, Aaron Nusbaum/ Mike Plantinga and Cam Wheelan/Sergiy Grabovskyy finished Edmonton ranked 25th.
 
 

Photo and info: FIVB

Volleyball Canada media contact:
Jackie Skender 
Mobile: 613-794-7676