Switzerland’s Tanja Huberli and Nina Betschart came from behind to defeat Brazilian giantkillers Taina Bigi and Victoria Tosta to secure their place in the last 16 of the International Volleyball Federation Beach Volleyball World Tour four-star event in Sochi.

Losiak set up a meeting for the first place in Pool B.Dutch duo Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

Rio 2016 Olympic champion Alison Cerutti and team mate Álvaro Filho of Brazil progressed to the quarter-finals of the men's competition at the third and final International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Cancún.

past two tournaments in Mexico who eliminated The Netherlands' Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

The contest for the second United States spot in women's beach volleyball for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games continues to heat up following Kerri Walsh Jennings and Brooke Sweat's progression to the last 16 stage of the final Beach Volleyball World Tour event in Cancún.

Pedlow and Sam Schachter 20-22, 21-18, 15-13.Their compatriots Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

Austrians Lena Plesiutschnig and Katharina Schützenhöfer have kept their Tokyo 2020 hopes alive after a strong start to the second of three International Volleyball Federation Beach World Tour four-star tournaments in Cancun in Mexico.

hard-fought 21-14, 18-21, 22-20 win, and are set to meet Dutch duo Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

Adrian Heidrich and Mirco Gerson of Switzerland boosted their hopes of qualifying for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games after winning their pool at the second of three International Volleyball Federation Beach World Tour events in Cancun.

and Juan Espinoza of Mexico 21-12, 18-21, 15-9.The formidable Norwegian team also beat Steven van de Velde

Sport in 2020 has been a tale of the unexpected and as Hallowe'en approaches, the time seems right to recall some moments when it has also been a horror story.

Norman never did get to wear the green jacket.In 1999 Frenchman Jean van de Velde had an even stronger

I had it in my hands and it slipped away," said a rueful Van de Velde years later, yet he remains better

did let in five more and their 10-1 defeat remains the heaviest recorded at the finals.Jean van de Velde

The Netherlands' two-time Olympic speed skating champion Kjeld Nuis has caused the closure of a training camp after he returned a positive test for COVID-19.

the same ice also tested positive which led to the closure of the facility.Nuis, his coach Gerard van Velde

Top seeds Viacheslav Krasilnikov and Oleg Stoyanovskiy made it through to the quarter-finals of the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World Tour after a straight sets win in round two in Doha in Qatar.

Volleyball Cup as favourites, but had to work hard in their second set to defeat Dutch duo, Steven van de Velde

There are people out there who, should I pre-decease them - at some date very, very far into the future, obviously - will remember me primarily as that bloke who fell asleep on the toilet in a Madrid restaurant and only got out when armed police, and the owner, arrived to investigate a triggered alarm.

By the time picked herself up and got across the line, gold had turned to silver.France’s Jean de Velde

Which of course they go on to win.French golfer Jean van der Velde has found his golfing career being

Norway’s Anders Mol and Christian Sørum were the winners of the men's event in Itapema as beach volleyball teams from Europe swept all medals from an International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) World Tour stop on Brazilian soil for just the second time.

partner Piotr Kantor on the court.With that, the Netherlands’ Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

Norway's beach volleyball world ranking leaders Anders Mol and Christian Sørum will have the chance to go one better than the silver they claimed last year after they again reached the final of the Itapema Open in Brazil.

21-18 in the last eight before seeing off the Netherlands' Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

Brazil’s Agatha Bednarczuk and Eduarda Santos Lisboa progressed to the quarter-finals in front of a home crowd at the Itapema Open.

who beat Maria Elisa Antonelli and Carol Salgado of Brazil.Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

Brandie Wilkerson.In the men’s competition, the Dutch duo of Christiaan Varenhorst and Steven van de Velde

Years ago, back in the days when you had to feed the television with farthings to keep it working - actually I may be misremembering this. Half-crowns? Florins?

against Croatia ©Getty ImagesAnd while we're on the subject of French sportsmen, remember Jean van de Velde

was reality for a player who had arrived at the 72nd hole with a three-shot lead.Despite that, Van de Velde

After taking his bemused paddle, Van de Velde decided to take a drop ball, and then bunkered his fifth

Dutch long track speed skating coach Geert Kuiper has joined Speed Skating Canada as a technical coach advisor.

the "world renowned coach", who has guided skaters to six Olympic gold medals.He coached Gerard van Velde

Italy's Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo were eliminated from the European Beach Volleyball Championships in The Netherlands today as their hopes of securing a fourth men's title in five years came to an end.

Republic’s Ondrej Perusic and David Schweiner, who overcame The Netherlands’ Dirk Boehlé and Steven van de Velde