The top Russian pair in the World Championships, Krasilnikov and Semenov will be seeded 10th in the 2015 event.  With the 2014 season being their first campaign together on the FIVB World Tour, Krasilnikov and Semenov netted three podium placements highlighted by a Moscow Grand Slam gold medal after placing second in the Anapa Open.  Krasilnikov has never played in the world championship while Semenov placed ninth twice with Yaroslav Koshkarev in 2011 (Rome) and 2013 (Stare Jablonki).  One of the tallest players (208 cm, 6’10”) on the world tour, Semenov placed ninth at the London 2012 Olympic Games with Serguey Prokopyev.  The pair qualified for London by winning six of seven World Cup matches in London to earn Russia a spot in the 2012 Summer Games.  One of the victories was in a “golden set” over Alexander Brouwer and Robert Meeuwsen of The Netherlands, the defending world champions.