Guillaume Rivest and Martin Litch: A New Ambitious Duo at Hardriven

We are proud to officially announce the new partnership between Guillaume Rivest and Martin Litch as part of the Hardriven family.

Teaming up at the start of the 2026 season, the two Canadian athletes have formed an exciting beach volleyball duo. Their shared journey through Volleyball Canada's programs, combined with a common vision for performance and development, made this partnership a natural fit.

Guillaume and Martin spent several years together on Canada's summer national team and as full-time members of the Next Gen program during the 2025 and 2026 seasons. When the opportunity to join forces arose before the start of the 2026 season, the decision came naturally.

"He called me before the start of the season and asked if I wanted to join forces for 2026, and I was really excited about the opportunity to play with him!"

— Guillaume Rivest

Their connection goes back several years. Through their experiences as teammates, they developed a strong relationship both on and off the court. That mutual trust, combined with their shared ambitions, helped create a solid foundation for their new team.

"We knew it would be a great match, both off the court and on the sand."

— Martin Litch

Their strengths complement each other perfectly. Martin plays the blocker role while Guillaume anchors the defense. Both athletes are known for their athleticism, intensity, and competitive drive. They also share a similar mindset built around growth, communication, and continuous improvement.

"We share a very similar mindset and are always open to communication and getting better."

— Guillaume Rivest

Together, their goal is to continue developing as quickly as possible, compete against the world's best teams, and earn opportunities on the biggest stages in international beach volleyball.

Martin's Journey

Martin first discovered volleyball in elementary school after being inspired by family members who had played the sport before him.

As a teenager, he balanced both hockey and volleyball before eventually deciding to focus entirely on volleyball, a decision that would shape the path of his athletic career.

He continued his development with the Scarborough Titans before joining the University of Toronto men's volleyball program, where he won three OUA medals and qualified for the U SPORTS National Championship in each of his seasons.

At the same time, Martin developed a passion for beach volleyball. A silver medal at the U18 Canadian Beach Championships opened the door to his first international experience at the U19 Beach Volleyball World Championships.

That success eventually led him into Volleyball Canada's development pathway, culminating in his acceptance into the full-time Next Gen program in 2024. Since then, he has continued to establish himself among Canada's top emerging beach volleyball athletes.

Since the beginning of the 2026 season, Martin and Guillaume have been building toward a common goal: continuing their rise on the international stage and creating a long-term project capable of competing at the highest level.

"The ultimate goal is to perform on the world stage and continue pushing toward the 2028 Olympic Games."

— Martin Litch

We are excited to support Guillaume and Martin as they begin this new chapter together and look forward to following their journey on both the national and international stages.

Welcome to the Hardriven family, Martin. 🌴