The departure of successful coach Jürgen Wagner as "Head of Beach" at the German Volleyball Association (DVV) has had the effect of being swept over the playing field by the sea surf.

For a moment, everything seemed to be in disarray in the seemingly sunny sport that always moves on sandy ground.

Achim Dreis

sports editor.

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But a few leveling waves later, things continue, albeit on bumpy ground at first.

Just like this Thursday at the German beach volleyball championships on Timmendorfer Strand, which will be played until Sunday.

"Easy way out"

Alexander Walkenhorst describes Wagner's resignation as an "easy way out".

Wagner explained his withdrawal with the dismissal of Niclas Hildebrand as DVV sports director a few weeks earlier.

Wagner and Hildebrand saw themselves as a team that followed a common philosophy.

Due to Hildebrand's leave of absence, he no longer sees any opportunities "to achieve my goals and ours," Wagner said in writing.

He was no longer available for further discussions when asked.

"It's a relief for everyone," says Walkenhorst, on the other hand, about the expulsion of the "wrong cast" Hildebrand, she was "more than overdue".

In his beach volleyball podcast, Walkenhorst describes Hildebrand as a "toxic person".

Female athletes sued DVV

Some time earlier, the legal dispute between Cinja Tillmann and Kim Behrens, who sued the DVV because Hildebrand had unregistered them from international tournaments, had caused a stir.

Ultimately, although the association won in the last instance, it was forced to revise its nomination practice.

And Hildebrand, who had previously denied Tillmann the ability to be successful internationally, recently had to congratulate her on bronze at the World Cup.

Shortly thereafter, he was dismissed without the association president René Hecht having given a reason.

Organizer and defending champion

Alex Walkenhorst, on the other hand, is considered the "enfant terrible" in the sandy game, officially more tolerated than loved.

In Timmendorf he acts in the unusual double role of organizer and defending champion.

Walkenhorst and his podcast troop took over the organization of the German beach volleyball tour on their own after the marketing agency of the volleyball association went bankrupt before the season.

Even in the Corona years, Walkenhorst and Co. made sure that the colorful ball kept flying with self-made tournament formats.

Completely surprisingly, he then won the German championship in 2021 alongside Sven Winter.

This time he is playing with Max Betzien and describes himself as the "worst defending champion" because he was more busy with organization than with training and games in the summer that is now coming to an end.

Just a pragmatist.

Perfection of game elements

"Action-oriented", on the other hand, is one of Wagner's favorite terms when it comes to playing beach volleyball in the best possible way.

His philosophy does not focus on winning a point directly, but rather on perfecting the game elements in order to ultimately dominate the entire game.

In his own way, Wagner played a key role in shaping two gold medal duos: first Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann in 2012, then Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst in 2016. Both models of success were based on individual initiatives with privately assembled teams.

It was surprising that two years ago he agreed to be hired by the association.

For some time now, the DVV has been trying to gain control over the beach division, and set up a national training facility in Hamburg where the top teams should train in order to receive the status of "national team" - and the resulting benefits.

Wagner should stay on the beach

But sand always got in the way, because many teams preferred to continue to act autonomously than to submit to central leadership.

Athlete spokeswoman Karla Borger and Julia Sude continued to train in Stuttgart, as did Chantal Laboureur.

Despite her 32 years, she was downgraded to a "perspective team" along with Sarah Schulz.

Nevertheless, Laboureur/Schulz became German champions in 2021. And at the European Championships in Munich, they reached the quarter-finals, as did Borger/Sude.

The prospective doctor has now announced that she will end her sporting career at the end of the year.

On the other hand, it seems unlikely that Jürgen Wagner will no longer intervene on the beach.

Laura Ludwig already announced her comeback after the birth of her second son.

And indoor star Louisa Lippmann is already warming up after switching to the sand.

Both are among Wagner's favorite players.

It wouldn't be a surprise if the trio headed towards the Paris 2024 Olympics together.