Date: 01-11-2008 - BRAZILS Pedro Cunha and Alison Cerruti clinched the Bahrain Open title last night with a straight-sets victory over Frances Kevin and Andy Ces at the Al Fateh Corniche.

The victors registered a 22-20, 21-19 result in 44 minutes to claim their first set of gold medals on this years Swatch-International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) Beach Volley World Tour, as well as the $28,000 (BD10,557) cheque for first place.

The Brazilian duo ended the prestigious competition unscathed, having won all six of their matches and beating the Ces brothers twice in three days.

The win was three times as sweet for 25-year-old Cunha, who also bagged the Most Valuable Player award and avenged his defeat in last years Bahrain final when he was teamed with a different player.

(This is awesome,) a delighted Cunha told the GDN. (We were perfect here and we passed through some really good teams, and I feel like I am the prince of Bahrain - finishing runner-up here last year and this time winning the gold medal).

In the see-saw first set, the French were one point away from taking the opener after Andy made a good block on Cerruti at the net for a 20-19 edge.

But after a service error forged a deadlock at 20-apiece, Cerruti scored the next two points, including the deciding ball, to guide his team to the crucial one-set advantage.

The second began similarly to how the first had ended, with both teams matching each other point for point before Cerruti broke a 10-all tie with a powerful spike. The play seemed to spark the Brazilians, as they powered ahead to a 16-11 lead and appeared to be pulling away.

The Ces pair, however, would not go down easily. Trailing 15-19, they mounted a late comeback behind Andys superb blocking, and they once again managed to level the proceedings at 19-apiece on a point from Kevin.

But a well-placed ball from Cerruti outsmarted the French defence, and on the ensuing play, the towering six-foot, eight-inch Brazilian blocked Kevins attempt to tie as he finally iced the game and sealed the famous victory.

(It was a tough match, a final is always a final and it will be well contested by both teams), said Cunha. (I think we played better today than when we beat them the first time, and we are happy that we gave a great show for the crowd who once again inspired us).

Cerruti, who won the first gold medal of his career and became the 21st Brazilian player on the World Tour to do so, added: (A lot of credit goes to Pedro for his great play behind my play at the net. A single player does not win championships, as teamwork is essential. I am honoured to join a list of great Brazilian players in winning a Swatch gold medal).

For the Ces siblings, it was not the dream ending they envisioned to an historic competition in which they became the first French pair to win a medal since the 1994 World Tour.

(Everything was perfect until the final), said Andy, who will share $19,500 (BD7,352) in prize money with Kevin. (We are disappointed, but we played a good game and it was a good show, so that is a positive.

(We are not happy that we lost 2-0 and did not even go to a third set, although, overall, it has been a great tournament for us. We want to thank all the French people who came to support us. It was a great atmosphere here, and we gave our best every day, and it has been a pleasure being here).

Bronze

Germanys Sebastian Dollinger and Stefan Windscheif won the bronze medals and a $14,000 (BD5,279) cheque. Prior to the final, they defeated Polands Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel 21-14, 21-14 in the match for third place, which lasted 39 minutes.

The winners were presented with their medals and trophies by Bahrain Royal Equestrian and Endurance Federation (Breef) president Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Breef first vice-president Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, General Organisation for Youth and Sports president Shaikh Fawaz bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, Bahrain Volleyball Association president Shaikh Ali bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, and Swatch and FIVB officials.

From Bahrain, the World Tour moves on to its season-ending stop in Sanya, China.