Ludwig and Walkenhorst dropped the opener, but recovered to seal a 19-21, 21-13, 21-9 victory amid scorching conditions in the Austrian capital.

The German team took a while to settle into the final before they seized control in the second set on their way to adding the world title to the Olympic gold they claimed at last year's Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The pair are now the current holders of the Olympic, world, FIVB World Tour and European crowns.

They will get the chance to defend their continental gold medal at the European Beach Volleyball Championships in Jurmala in Latvia later this month.

Their triumph also saw them become the first European winners of the women's World Championships in the event's 20-year history.

"It was definitely a tight match which went back and forward," said Ludwig.

"After losing the first set we had to get more into the plays, we wanted to serve better and after the break we said to each other that we had to step up.

"It is unbelievable - we don't realise what we have achieved.

"We always believed in ourselves.

"We grew in confidence game by game and we are so happy."

Brazil's Talita Antunes and Larissa França took home the bronze medal as they beat Canada's Sarah Pavan and Melissa Humana-Paredes in three sets.

The Brazilian duo banished the demons of their defeat in the bronze medal match at Rio 2016 with a 21-12, 16-21, 18-16 success in front of a raucous crowd.

In the men's quarter-finals, Canadian duo Ben Saxton and Chaim Schalk, who knocked out Olympic gold medallists and defending champions Alison Cerutti and Bruno Oscar Schmidt of Brazil yesterday, were beaten by Andre Loyola Stein and Evandro Junior.

The Brazilian team were able to do what their compatriots were unable to as they progressed with a 21-17, 20-22, 15-10 win.

Maarten van Garderen and Christiaan Varenhorst of The Netherlands overcame Spain's Pablo Herrera and Adrian Gavira Collado 20-22, 21-19, 16-14 to also reach the last four.