Martin Laciga
Martin Laciga ( born January 25, 1975 in Aarberg, Switzerland ) is one of the most successful beach volleyball player of Switzerland.
As the world's number 1 in 1999, vice-champion in the same year, three times European Champion, two-time Vice-European Champion, three-time Swiss champion, with several top- ten finishes in the Olympic Games and as a Swiss team athlete of the year 1999, Martin Laciga legendary performance for the Swiss beach volleyball sports provided. Overall Laciga has played 206 tournaments - Brazilians Emanuel Rego after (225 tournaments) world's most competitions in beach volleyball. On 30 January 2013 he announced his resignation.
Achievements
Since the mid- 90s, around the time of beach volleyball, from recreational to professional sports, they were there - the brothers Martin and Paul Laciga, and have the fledgling pro beach volleyball in Switzerland decisive impact: The Laciga brothers were from 1995 until 2004 the most successful Swiss beach volleyball team. Among other things, they were 1999 World Cup runners- up 2003 and took part in three other World Cup tournaments. After the third place at the European Championships in 1997 they won the European Championship from 1998 to 2000 three times in a row; 2001 and 2002 they were European vice-champion. At the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney and 2004 in Athens, she finished fifth. After Athens, the brothers parted and Martin Laciga played 2005/2006 with Markus Egger. 2007 January Schnider was his partner, with whom he 2008 for the Beijing Olympic Games qualifying and the 9th rank earned. From 2009 Laciga played with the Brazilian Jefferson Bellaguarda and achieved considerable success with it on the FIVB World Tour.
The first time in a beach volleyball tournament kicked Martin Laciga 1992 with his brother Paul as a team in the Lucerne Lido beach. With the five- year-older brother, he finished at that time, at the first beach volleyball Swiss Championship in history, the 17.Rang and enthusiasm for the sport. Two years later the brothers Laciga already caught the first national victory and they considered for the first time to become a professional player. The following year, they played in their first World Tour. Despite the common start of the brothers Laciga the declarations of love the Swiss championship remained in the form of gold medals, but rather restrained. Three titles in all the years are according to Martin Laciga a relatively modest yield. In his defense, however, one must add that the bar for winning the league title - especially at the beginning of the new millennium - was extremely high, namely at World Tour level. The final of the Swiss Cup had was when three Swiss teams were classified in the top 10 in the world rankings, just as well may be the final of an international tournament.
Beginning of the professional career
The best players came under Martin Laciga then clear from Brazil and the United States. They were one of the few top European teams. From the best inspiration, the brothers trained very hard and the success met very soon. In 1998 they won their first European title, and even made it to the top of the world tour in Argentina Mar del Plata. The success of Martin and Paul Laciga triggered a veritable beach volley boom. The former fringe sport received increasing attention. Among other things, it is also thanks to them that today virtually can make their own teams, each European country.
Highlights
Martin Laciga looks back with satisfaction on his career: " The six tournament victories on the World Tour and the European Championship Triple 1998-2000 are one of my career highlights! To stand as a Swiss at the head of the world rankings - above all Brazilians and Americans - was athletic but equally valuable, almost sensational. And of course the home tournament in Gstaad every year is a highlight! "With his partner Jefferson Bellaguarda him the sensational jump already succeeded at the third joint World Tour starting on the podium. Bellaguarda long time belonged to the Brazilian rising stars and has already completed a number of appearances at the World Tour for his native Brazil. After his marriage to a Swiss mother he was naturalized, lucky for Laciga. The team played each other intuitively and worked for a long time as a dream team.