Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour
US$1,000,000 Beach Volleyball World Championships
Friday, October 6, 2023 Stadium Court 19:00
Match #15: Pool H
(8) Samuele Cottafava/Paolo Nicolai, Italy
vs.
(41) Jorge Barajas/Gabriel Cruz, Mexico
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: 7
Tournaments: 55
Career Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$176,517.41
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: 154
Career Wins: 6
Career FIVB WT Wins: 4
Career Winnings: US$705,037.50
Team Career Summary 
TourPlayed1234579131725Money
FIVB3413328011330 US$319,750.00
Previous Tlaxcala Results 
YearPartner - ResultPartner - Result
2022 Paolo Nicolai - 9th Samuele Cottafava - 9th
Recent Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 9/27-10/1/2023 Elite16 Paris 6 5th 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 8/16-20/2023 Elite16 Hamburg 13, Q3 2nd 1100 US$20,000.00
FIVB 7/26-30/2023 Elite16 Montréal Q8 17th 400 US$0.00
FIVB 7/20-23/2023 Challenge Edmonton 13 3rd 720 US$7,000.00
FIVB 7/13-16/2023 Challenge Portugal 7 9th 460 US$2,500.00
FIVB 6/15-18/2023 Challenge Jurmala 3 9th 460 US$2,500.00
FIVB 5/31-6/4/2023 Elite16 Ostrava Q2 17th 400 US$0.00
FIVB 4/26-30/2023 Elite16 Uberlândia 9 9th 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 3/22-26/2023 Elite16 Tepic 9 5th 760 US$8,000.00
FIVB 2/1-5/2023 Doha Elite16 9 9th 600 US$6,000.00
FIVB 1/26-29/2023 Beach Pro Tour Finals 6 3rd 0 US$50,000.00
FIVB 11/2-6/2022 Cape Town Elite 16 4 5th 760 US$8,000.00
Beach Volleyball World Championships Matches
DateBracketOpponentScoreTime
Fri, 10/6/2023 Pool H Jorge Barajas / Gabriel Cruz, Mexico (41) Won 21-9, 21-11 0:31
Sun, 10/8/2023 Pool H Paul Burnett / Christopher McHugh, Australia (32) Won 21-18, 21-18 0:35
Mon, 10/9/2023 Pool H Adrian Gavira / Pablo Herrera, Spain (17) Lost 15-21, 18-21 0:38
Wed, 10/11/2023 Winner 1 Nicolas Capogrosso / Tomas Capogrosso, Argentina (35) Won 21-17, 21-12 0:34
Thu, 10/12/2023 Winner 2 Anders Mol / Christian Sorum, Norway (1) Lost 19-21, 17-21 0:39
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
2022World ChampionshipsRome 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

Jorge Barajas
Mexico
Photo: FIVB
Personal Info
Birth Date: May 7, 1991 (34 yrs old)
Home Town: Corona
Height: 188 cm (6'2")
Weight: 80 kg (176 lb)
Seasons: 2
Tournaments: 5
Career Best: 5th (FIVB Miguel Pereira 2023)
Career Winnings: US$1,850.00
Gabriel Cruz Mendoza
Mexico
Photo: NORCECA
Personal Info
Birth Date: May 23, 1996 (28 yrs old)
Height: 196 cm (6'5")
Weight: 90 kg (198 lb)
Seasons: 2
Tournaments: 8
Career Best: 5th (FIVB Miguel Pereira 2023)
Career Winnings: US$4,850.00
Team Career Summary 
TourPlayed12345791317212537Money
FIVB3000010000101 US$3,700.00
Previous Tlaxcala Results  Neither player has played in this venue before
Recent Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 9/7-10/2023 Futures Miguel Pereira 6 5th 240 US$300.00
FIVB 3/22-26/2023 Elite16 Tepic Q16 21st 340 US$0.00
Beach Volleyball World Championships Matches
DateBracketOpponentScoreTime
Fri, 10/6/2023 Pool H Samuele Cottafava / Paolo Nicolai, Italy (8) Lost 9-21, 11-21 0:31
Sun, 10/8/2023 Pool H Adrian Gavira / Pablo Herrera, Spain (17) Lost 13-21, 12-21 0:32
Mon, 10/9/2023 Pool H Paul Burnett / Christopher McHugh, Australia (32) Lost 17-21, 21-23 0:40
World Championships Results 
TourDateTournamentSeedFinishPointsMoney
FIVB 10/6-15/2023 Beach Volleyball World Championships 41 37th 160 US$3,400.00
Head to Head Results
Cottafava/Nicolai lead the series 1-0
DateTourTournamentRoundWinning TeamSeedLosing TeamSeedScoreTime
10/6/23FIVBBeach Volleyball World Championships Pool H Cottafava/Nicolai 8 Barajas/Cruz 41 21-9, 21-11 0:31