Jūrmala is set to play host to a FIVB Beach World Tour three-star event ©FIVB

Latvia's Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Jānis Šmēdiņš will aim to build on their triumph at last week's International Volleyball Federation Beach World Tour four-star event in Moscow, at their home three-star competition in Jūrmala.

The duo defeated Brazil's Álvaro Morais Filho and Alison Cerutti on Sunday (August 18) to secure the successful defence of their title in Russia's capital. 

They come into the men's-only Jūrmala Open as second seeds behind compatriots Mārtiņš Pļaviņš and Edgars Točs.

Competition in Jūrmala will take place on Majori Beach, 40 kilometres west of Latvia's capital Riga.

Qualification is tomorrow, with the main draw running from Friday (August 23) to Sunday (August 25).

Latvia's Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Jānis Šmēdiņš are on a winning streak ©FIVB
Latvia's Aleksandrs Samoilovs and Jānis Šmēdiņš are on a winning streak ©FIVB

As a three-star event, the winning team will receive $10,000 (£8,200/€9,000) and 600 ranking points, which will count towards Olympic qualification for Tokyo 2020.

Jūrmala Beach hosted the European Beach Volleyball Championships in 2017, when Italy's Paolo Nicolai and Daniele Lupo defeated Samoilovs and Šmēdiņš in the gold medal match.

A year later, it staged the 2018 Under-22 European Beach Volleyball Championships.

Samoilovs and Šmēdiņš topped the podium at the 2016 Jūrmala Masters in front of 2,800 fans at the purpose-built arena.