Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst are attempting to complete “grand slam” of sorts:
• Rio 2016 Olympic champions.
• 2016 European champions
• 2016 German champions
• 2016 SWATCH FIVB World Tour Finals?
Both teams will have revenge on their minds:
• Ludwig/Walkenhorst defeated Heidrich/Zumkehr 2-1 (24-22, 14-21, 15-11) in the 51-minute A1 Major Klagenfurt gold medal match - July 30, 2016.
• Heidrich/Zumkehr defeated Ludwig/Walkenhorst 2-1 (10-21, 21-16, 15-8) in a Thursday pool play match.
The German and Swiss women will be meeting for the third-time for a FIVB World Tour gold medal with each country winning once.
• Ludwig/Walkenhorst defeated Heidrich/Zumkehr 2-1 (24-22, 14-21, 15-11) in the 51-minute A1 Major Klagenfurt gold medal match - July 30, 2016.
• Simone Kuhn/Zumkehr defeated Ludwig/Sara Goller Niedrig 2-0 (21-12, 21-18 in a 41-minute gold medal match at the Rome Grand Slam - June 17, 2012.
Switzerland has now earned two podium spots for only the fourth-time since the start of women’s FIVB World Tour competition in August 1992. The Swiss men have accomplished the feat twice
Women:
• Sochi 2015: Forrer/Verge-Depre silver, Heidrich/Zumkehr bronze
• Xiamen 2015: Heidrich/Zumkehr gold, Forrer/Verge-Depre bronze
• Klagenfurt 2016: Heidrich/Zumkehr silver, Betschart/Huberli bronze
• Toronto 2016: Heidrich/Zumkehr gold or silver, Forrer/Verge-Depre bronze
Men:
• Mallorca 2004: Lacigas gold, Egger/Heyer silver
• Rio de Janeiro 2004: Heuscher/Kobel silver, Egger/Heyer bronze
For the first-time, Germany and Switzerland teams are winning FIVB World Tour medals in Canada.
• However, Heidrich and Verge-Depre were part of gold medal winning teams at the FIVB under-21 world championships in Halifax, Canada, in 2011 and 2012, respectively.
• The best previous finish by a German team in a FIVB World Tour event in Canada was a fourth by Stephanie Pohl/Okka Rau with a fourth in 2006 at Montreal
• The best previous finish by a Swiss team in a FIVB World Tour event in Canada was a fourth-place by Patrick Heuscher/Stefan Kobel at a 2006 stop in Montreal