With that special beach wrestling vibe added to the mix, another action-packed elimination phase was guaranteed, leaving everything to play for in the season finale in three weeks’ time.

In the women's 50kg, Ana PIRVU (ROU) took gold for the second time in a row as she faced Viktoria SLOBODENIUK (UKR) again, but it wasn't all her own doing as she trailed 2-0 with 25 seconds left. That didn't faze the Romanian and 10 seconds later she reduced the deficit to a single point, before securing the win with 11 seconds remaining when she landed a 3-point finisher to win 4-2. Another reminder that even when you are 2-0 up with just seconds to go, everything can change on the sand. Justine Fanny VIGOUROUX (FRA) won the bronze medal in the 3-4 match against Alevtyna LIASHENKO (UKR).

In the women's 60kg, the same Ukrainian trio of Anastasiya KRAVCHENKO, Sofiia KUSHNIR and Sofiia BORDINSKYKH took the podium after the sand settled as at the previous stop, with only the medal order changing. In Greece the overall winner remained the same, with Kushnir on top, but Bordinskykh was her opponent in the final, which she won 2-0. Bordinskykh had won the final point in her 1-1 semi-final match against Kravchenko and Kravchenko, the reigning Beach Wrestling World Champion, had to settle for bronze as she beat Elena Simona IONESCU (ROU) 3-4.

Viktoriia HRYTSENKO (UKR) was a shock omission from the elimination rounds in Greece, having won the last two legs of the Beach Wrestling World Series, but she failed to make it out of the groups in the morning session, losing to local hero Dimitra ANDROUTSOU in her third match. This gave someone else the chance to take gold in the women's 70kg category. It was a familiar name in the form of reigning Beach Wrestling World Champion Oksana HERHEL (UKR). Herhel secured the top spot with a 3-1 win over compatriot Olena NIKITINSKA. The bronze went to Androutsou who won on a tie-breaker after a 1-1 draw with Laetitia Odile Vicky BLOT (FRA) in the 3-4 place match.

Eliana BOMMARITO (USA) had looked untouchable in the women's +70kg over the last few events, but Saturday showed that nothing is guaranteed on the sandy circuit as Romanian Catalina AXENTE handed her a defeat in the group stage. The same two competitors would meet in the final and it was an epic battle. The group stage match had ended in 18 seconds, but this one went almost the distance. Olympian Axente took the lead before Bommartio fought back to level at 1-1, then the American took a 2-1 lead before Axente levelled at 2-2. It was really anyone's gold now and the next point was crucial. It was Bommarito who took it with a 3 point finisher of her own to win 5-2, all in 1 minute 38 seconds. This made it 3 gold medals in a row for The Bomm, who celebrated with a huge roar. Liudmyla PAVLOVETS TYCHYNA (UKR) won the bronze medal with a 3-4 win over Iryna PASICHNYK (UKR).

Yunus COSKUN (TUR) had returned to the sandy circuit for the first time this year at the 3rd stop and what a return it was, taking gold over reigning men's 70kg World Champion from Ukraine Oleskii BORUTA and the Turkish wrestler would make it back-to-back golds after beating Boruta in the semi-finals with just 4 seconds to go. He took the gold after a 2-0 win over Germany's Valentin SEIMETZ, who had had a great run including a fine semi-final win over Ivan SEMENOV (UKR). Boruta managed to dust himself off and win the bronze medal, beating his team mate Semenov in the 3-4 match.

The men's 80kg division had 3 different winners in the first 3 stops of this year's Beach Wrestling World Series and that would remain the case after the Greek sand stopped flying. The winner of stop 2, Vasile DIACON (MDA), secured his second gold of the series after taking silver in Romania with a 3-1 win over Gigi Marian SUBTIRICA (ROU). This gives the Moldovan some breathing space at the top of the rankings before the season finale in Croatia next month. Ramiz HASANOV (AZE) won the bronze medal with a 3-0 win over Maksym BRES (UKR) in the bronze medal match.

The amazing Ibrahim YUSUBOV of Azerbaijan has reached the last two events of the men's 90kg Beach Wrestling World Series and had to settle for silver both times, but he'll have a golden night's sleep tonight as the third time really was the charm. He faced his rival from the last two finals, Traian CAPATINA (MDA) in the semi-finals and was delighted with the win which set him up for the final against old frenemy Mahmut OZKAYA, which he won 3-0 in 1 minute 7 seconds. Capatina had to go home without a medal this time, losing out to fellow Moldovan Alexandru BORS for the bronze medal.

Reigning +90kg World Champion Fatih Yasarli looked to have regained his golden touch yesterday as the Turkish wrestler won his first two bouts, but was to miss out on the knockout rounds this time after he lost his 3rd group match to Oleksandr VERESIUK (UKR). Veresiuk went on to win the bronze medal after defeating Kyle FERRITER from the US in the 3-4 match. The glorious Georgian Mamuka KORDZAIA was looking for back-to-back golds after beating Yasarli to the gold in Romania and he was in great form to avenge his group stage defeat yesterday to Vazha DAIAURI (UKR) in Sunday's final. Kordzaia took a 3-1 win in just over two minutes to bring the curtain down on another brilliant Beach Wrestling World Series event and secure the top spot on the podium.

Katerini never disappoints and for the third time this proved to be the case in a leg that had it all. Upsets, big moves, records broken and new friendships forged showed once again that Beach Wrestling is truly the greatest show on the sand.

Next month's season finale in Croatia will be massive. With four times ranking points up for grabs, it will really help determine who will be the 2024 Beach Wrestling World Champions. The kings and queens of beach wrestling will be crowned on the 12th and 13th of October in Porec, Croatia. The event will take place at Plava Laguna.

Results Beach Wrestling World Series Katerini

Women
50kg
1. Ana Marie PIRVU (ROU)
2. Viiktoria SLOBODENIUK (UKR)
3. Justine VIGOUROUX (FRA)

60kg
1. Sofiia KUSHNIR (UKR)
2. Sofiia BORDINSKYKH (UKR)
3. Anastasiya KRAVCHENKO (UKR)

70kg
1. Oksana HERHEL (UKR)
2. Olena NIKITINSKA (UKR)
3. Dimitra ANDROUTSOU (GRE)

+70kg
1. Eliana BOMMARITO (USA)
2. Catalina AXENTE (ROU)
3. Liudmyla PAVLOVETS TYCHNYA (UKR)

Men
70kg
1. Yunus COSKUN (TUR)
2. Valentin SEIMETZ (GER)
3. Oleksii BORUTA (UKR)

80kg
1. Vasile DIACON (MDA)
2. Gigi SUBTIRICA (ROU)
3. Ramiz HASANOV (AZE)

90kg
1. Ibrahim YUSUBOV (AZE)
2. Mahmut Seyfi OZKAYA (TUR)
3. Alexandru BORS (MDA)

+90kg
1. Mamuka KORDZAIA (GEO)
2. Vazha DAIAURI (UKR)
3. Oleksandr VERESIUK (UKR)

Men’s Top Technique Winner – Ivan SEMENOV (UKR)
Women’s Top Technique Winner – Laura SCHMITT (GER)