Beach volleyball player Katja Stam from Klijndijk has reached the final of the Challenge tournament in Itapema, in Brazil, with Raïsa Schoon. In the semifinals they defeated the Brazilian duo Andressa and Vitoria in 21-10 and 21-16.
The Challenge tournament is part of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour, the beach volleyball season of the International Volleyball Federation. It is split into three levels: the Elite 16 Tour, the Challenge Tour and the Future Tour, with the Elite 16 being the highest level. At the end of the season, the top ten duos play in the Beach Pro Tour Finals.
Stam and Schoon already have a win in the current season. In Mexico, they won an Elite 16 tournament last month. They also already won a final place together in a Challenge tournament, also in Mexico.
The 23-year-old Stam will play in the final in Brazil against the American duo Sara Hughes and Kelley Kolinske.