Porto, Portugal, July 31, 2010—The world’s four best young women’s Beach Volleyball tandems from four different countries provided their own brand of hot performances Saturday at the Porto complex to advance to Sunday’s semifinals and medal matches at the 2010 SWATCH FIVB Youth World Championships, the ninth annual event for players under 19.

The 2010 SWATCH FIVB Youth World Championships, started Wednesday with a total of 88 teams (46 women’s and 42 men’s) from 32 countries playing in Porto.

Australia’s Clancy/Hynes earned their semifinal slot by defeating Italy’s 15th-seeded Giada Benazzi/Sara Lombardi, 21-10 and 22-20 in 37 minutes.

The USA’s Croson/Ross won their quarterfinal match over Spain’s 17th-seeded Angela Lobato/Paula Soria, 21-10 and 21-12 in 30 minutes, the shortest of any of Friday’s women’s quarterfinals.

Russia’s Karapischenko/Ushkova pulled out their three-set quarterfinal win by defeating Ukraine’s 16th-seeded Olena Basanova/Valentyna Hyrstvuk, 21-16, 17-21 and 15-12 in 44 minutes, the longest of any of the women’s quarterfinals. Karapischenko also won a bronze medal in 2008 in The Hague, Netherlands.

Brazil’s Cavalcanti/Simeo advanced to their semifinal with a 21-19 and 23-21 win in 39 minutes over Germany’s second-seeded Anna Behlen/Sandra Seyfferth in their quarterfinal match Saturday.

After losing in the quarterfinals, Italy’s Benazzi/Lombardi, Spain’s Lobato/Soria, Ukraine’s Basanova/Hyrstvuk and Germany’s Behlen/Seyfferth all leave Porto with fifth place finishes.