PUNTA CAÑA — Two Canadian teams have punched their tickets to November's FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Australia.
Canada's Marie-Alex Belanger and Lea Monkhouse beat Maria Gonzalez and Allanis Navas of Puerto Rico 14-21, 21-17, 16-14 to win gold at the NORCECA Beach Volleyball World Championship qualification tournament at Los Corales Beach in Punta Cana on Sunday.
Belanger and Monkhouse defeated Dominicans Yari Cleto and Julibeth Payano 21-15, 21-15 in the semifinals.
Two-time Olympian Sam Schachter and Jonny Pickett earned the bronze match for Canada by beating Ruben Mora and Dany Lopez of Nicaragua 21-11, 21-19 to earn a men’s berth in the worlds at Adelaide from Nov. 14-23.
The top four teams from each gender at the continental qualifier earned tickets to Australia.