Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour
US$1,000,000 Beach Volleyball World Championships
June 10 - 19, 2022
(14) Samuele Cottafava/Paolo Nicolai, Italy
 
Samuele Cottafava
Italy
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: Nov 1, 1998 (26 yrs old)
Home Town: Modena
Height: 193 cm (6'4")
Weight: 82 kg (180 lb)
Seasons: 6
Tournaments: 50
Career Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$164,392.41
Paolo Nicolai
Italy
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: Aug 6, 1988 (36 yrs old)
Home Town: Ortona
Height: 203 cm (6'8")
Weight: 91 kg (200 lb)
Seasons: 19
Tournaments: 153
Career Wins: 6
Career FIVB WT Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$701,287.50
Team Career Summary 
TourPlayed1234579131725Money
FIVB3313328010330 US$312,250.00
Previous Rome Results 
YearPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2009 Did not play Matteo Varnier - 5th
2010 Did not play Matteo Varnier - 17th
2011 Did not play Matteo Martino - 9th
2012 Did not play Daniele Lupo - 25th
2013 Did not play Daniele Lupo - 9th
2019 Jakob Windisch - 25th Daniele Lupo - 17th
Recent Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 6/1-5/2022 Jurmala Elite 16 13, Q1 1st 1200 US$30,000.00
FIVB 5/25-29/2022 Ostrava Elite 16 13, Q3 9th 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 5/5-8/2022 Doha Challenge 9 2nd 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 4/14-17/2022 Itapema Challenge 13 5th 600 US$3,750.00
FIVB 3/23-27/2022 Rosarito Elite 16 15, Q7 13th 460 US$5,000.00
FIVB 3/16-20/2022 Tlaxcala Challenge 14 9th 460 US$2,500.00
Beach Volleyball World Championships Matches
DateBracketOpponentScoreTime
Sat, 6/11/2022 Pool K Johan Murray / Sneider Rivas, Colombia (35) Won 21-12, 21-15 0:33
Sun, 6/12/2022 Pool K Surin Jongklang / Banlue Nakprakhong, Thailand (38) Won 21-10, 21-10 0:28
Mon, 6/13/2022 Pool K Tri Bourne / Trevor Crabb, United States (11) Won 21-11, 21-19 0:35
Wed, 6/15/2022 Winner 1 Jorge Alayo / Noslen Diaz, Cuba (39) Won 21-18, 21-18 0:36
Thu, 6/16/2022 Winner 2 Vitor Felipe / Renato Lima, Brazil (12) Lost 21-11, 19-21, 13-15 0:56
World Championships Results 
YearEventLocationPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2009World ChampionshipsStavanger Did not play Matteo Varnier - 17th
2011World ChampionshipsRome Did not play Matteo Martino - 9th
2013World ChampionshipsStare Jablonki Did not play Daniele Lupo - 9th
2015World ChampionshipsThe Hague Did not play Daniele Lupo - 17th
2017World ChampionshipsVienna Did not play Daniele Lupo - 17th
2019World ChampionshipsHamburg Did not play Daniele Lupo - 5th
2023World ChampionshipsTlaxcala Paolo Nicolai - 9th Samuele Cottafava - 9th
World Championships Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 6/10-19/2022 Beach Volleyball World Championships 14 9th 800 US$11,000.00
FIVB 10/6-15/2023 Beach Volleyball World Championships 8 9th 800 US$11,000.00
Head to Head Results
Cottafava/Nicolai lead the series against the field 19-12 (Lead 14 Series, Trail 5 Series, 3 Series Tied)
DateTourTournamentRoundWinning TeamSeedLosing TeamSeedScoreTime
Trail the series against # 2 Bryl/Losiak, Poland 0-2
5/26/22FIVBOstrava Elite 16 Pool D Bryl/Losiak 5 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 21-13, 18-21, 23-21 0:56
5/8/22FIVBDoha Challenge Gold Medal Bryl/Losiak 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 21-18, 21-15 0:35
Series tied with # 3 Brouwer/Meeuwsen, Netherlands 1-1
3/24/22FIVBRosarito Elite 16 Pool B Brouwer/Meeuwsen 7 Cottafava/Nicolai 15, Q7 16-21, 21-11, 16-14 0:50
3/18/22FIVBTlaxcala Challenge Pool B Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Brouwer/Meeuwsen 2 21-19, 16-21, 15-9 0:46
Lead the series against # 4 Tijan/Younousse, Qatar 1-0
6/5/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Gold Medal Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Tijan/Younousse 1 16-21, 27-25, 15-12 0:56
Trail the series against # 5 Loyola/Wanderley, Brazil 1-3
6/4/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Semi-Finals Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Loyola/Wanderley 3 21-19, 22-20 0:40
5/27/22FIVBOstrava Elite 16 Pool D Loyola/Wanderley 4 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 21-16, 21-17 0:35
4/16/22FIVBItapema Challenge Winner 2 Loyola/Wanderley 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13 21-19, 23-21 0:44
4/15/22FIVBItapema Challenge Pool A Loyola/Wanderley 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13 29-31, 21-18, 15-13 1:05
Trail the series against # 8 Mol/Sorum, Norway 0-1
3/25/22FIVBRosarito Elite 16 Pool B Mol/Sorum 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 15, Q7 20-22, 27-25, 15-7 0:54
Lead the series against # 9 Grimalt/Grimalt, Chile 1-0
5/7/22FIVBDoha Challenge Winner 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Grimalt/Grimalt 15, Q2 21-14, 21-18 0:35
Series tied with # 11 Bourne/Crabb, United States 1-1
6/13/22FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Pool K Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Bourne/Crabb 11 21-11, 21-19 0:35
3/24/22FIVBRosarito Elite 16 Pool B Bourne/Crabb 10 Cottafava/Nicolai 15, Q7 24-22, 21-18 0:44
Trail the series against # 12 Felipe/Lima, Brazil 0-2
6/16/22FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Winner 2 Felipe/Lima 12 Cottafava/Nicolai 14 11-21, 21-19, 15-13 0:56
5/6/22FIVBDoha Challenge Pool D Felipe/Lima 4 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 19-21, 25-23, 15-12 0:54
Trail the series against # 17 Aravena/Droguett, Chile 0-1
3/18/22FIVBTlaxcala Challenge Winner 1 Aravena/Droguett 21, Q13 Cottafava/Nicolai 14 21-17, 21-18 0:35
Lead the series against # 18 Ermacora/Pristauz, Austria 1-0
5/6/22FIVBDoha Challenge Pool D Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Ermacora/Pristauz 16 19-21, 21-16, 15-13 0:50
Lead the series against # 19 Brunner/Schalk, United States 2-0
6/4/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Brunner/Schalk 7 21-14, 21-18 0:32
3/17/22FIVBTlaxcala Challenge Pool B Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Brunner/Schalk 11 24-22, 21-16 0:39
Lead the series against # 20 Samoilovs/Smedins, Latvia 1-0
6/3/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Pool D Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Samoilovs/Smedins 12 23-21, 14-21, 17-15 0:54
Lead the series against # 21 Gauthier-Rat/Krou, France 1-0
5/7/22FIVBDoha Challenge Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 9 Gauthier-Rat/Krou 17, Q3 30-32, 21-16, 15-9 0:56
Lead the series against # 22 Nolvak/Tiisaar, Estonia 1-0
4/15/22FIVBItapema Challenge Pool A Cottafava/Nicolai 13 Nolvak/Tiisaar 12 21-15, 21-18 0:32
Lead the series against # 23 Lupo/Ranghieri, Italy 1-0
6/3/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Pool D Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Lupo/Ranghieri 4 21-17, 21-18 0:37
Lead the series against # 27 Sarabia/Virgen, Mexico 1-0
5/25/22FIVBOstrava Elite 16 Qualifier 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q3 Sarabia/Virgen Q14 21-18, 21-11 0:30
Lead the series against # 29 Dressler/Huber, Austria 1-0
3/23/22FIVBRosarito Elite 16 Qualifier 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 15, Q7 Dressler/Huber Q10 21-16, 21-13 0:37
Lead the series against # 33 Kantor/Rudol, Poland 1-0
6/1/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Qualifier 2 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 Kantor/Rudol Q8 26-28, 21-17, 15-11 0:56
Lead the series against # 35 Murray/Rivas, Colombia 1-0
6/11/22FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Pool K Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Murray/Rivas 35 21-12, 21-15 0:33
Lead the series against # 38 Jongklang/Nakprakhong, Thailand 1-0
6/12/22FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Pool K Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Jongklang/Nakprakhong 38 21-10, 21-10 0:28
Lead the series against # 39 Alayo/Diaz, Cuba 1-0
6/15/22FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 14 Alayo/Diaz 39 21-18, 21-18 0:36
Series tied with # 47 van de Velde/Varenhorst, Netherlands 1-1
6/2/22FIVBJurmala Elite 16 Pool D Varenhorst/van de Velde 5 Cottafava/Nicolai 13, Q1 18-21, 21-17, 15-11 0:42
4/16/22FIVBItapema Challenge Winner 1 Cottafava/Nicolai 13 Varenhorst/van de Velde 7 21-17, 19-21, 15-13 0:47