GUANACASTE, Costa Rica, April 16, 2016 – Michael Plantinga (Langley, BC) and Cameron Wheelan (Barrie, ON) won their first gold medal on 2016 NORCECA Beach Volleyball tour beating Daneil Williams/Fabien Whitfield of Trinidad and Tobago in two sets (25-23, 21-15) in the final.

The tournament took place over the weekend in Tamarindo Beach, a coastal community that has become a hub for North American tourists and expat residents.

The Canadians took an early lead in the second set, and did not allow their rivals to recover, getting their best result so far this year. Wheelan and Plantinga were fourth at the previous stop in La Paz, Mexico.

Wheelan and Plantinga advanced to the final after winning 2-1 (21-19, 13-21, 15-12) over McLachlin/Evans of United States. In the other semi-final, Williams/Whitfield outscored Andy Leonardo/ Luis Garcia of Guatemala by 2-0 (21-16, 21-15).

The pair from Trinidad and Tobago was fourth in the first leg of the tour in Guatemala City earlier in the season.

On the women’s side, Canada’s Brandie Wilkerson and Julie Gordon (CAN-A), who won gold last week in Mexico, did not reach the podium here after a loss to Cuba’s Yanisleidis Sanchez/ Lidiannis Echeverria in the quarter finals.

Costa Rica’s Karen Cope and Natalia Alfaro finished fourth in this tournament.

Men’s Final standings: 1. CAN-A, 2. TRI ,3. GUA; 4. USA-A; 5. USA-B; 6. CRC-A; 7. CRC-B; 8. PUR; 9. ESA; 10. HON; 11. NCA; 12. CRC-C; 13. CAN-B (Redmann/Humana-Paredes); 14, GDP, 15. SKN.

Sunday’s results
Gold Medal: CAN-A d TRI 2-0 (25-23, 21-15). Bronze Medal: GUA d USA-A 2-1 (21-10 14-21 15-12) Semifinals: CAN-A d USA-A 2-1 (21-19, 13-21, 15-12); TRI d GUA 2-0 (21-16, 21-15); Positions 5-8: USA-B d CRC-B 2-0 (21-18, 21-11); CRC-A d PUR 2-0 (21-17, 21-19). USA-B d CRC-A 2-0 (); CRC-B d PUR (Injury); Positions 9-12: ESA d HON 2-1 (21-17, 17-21, 15-12); NCA d CRC-C 2-0 (21-10, 21-18).

Women’s final standings: 1. USA-A; 2. CUB; 3. USA-B; 4. CRC-A; 5.MEX-A; 6. CAN-A; 7.CAN-B (Cockrell/Saxton); 8. CRC-B; 9. MEX-B; 10. ESA; 11. CAY; 12. NCA; 13. GUA; 14. HON; 15. ISV. 16. TRI.

Sunday’s results
Gold Medal: USA-A d CUB 2-0 (21-14, 21-18) Bronze Medal: USA-B d CRC-A 2-0 (21-16, 21-16) Semifinals USA-A d USA-B 2-0 (21-17, 21-14); CUB d CRC-A 2-1 (21-19, 21-23, 15-10); Positions 5-8: MEX-A d CRC-B 2-0 (21-15, 23-21); CAN-A d CAN-B 2-0 (21-15, 21-19); MEX-A d CAN-A (16-21, 21-19, 20-18); CAN-B d CRC-B 2-0 (21-12, 21-14). Positions 9-12 MEX-B d ESA 2-0 (21-14, 21-12); CAY d NCA 2-0 (21-14, 21-16).