Girvan Volleyball Club has hosted a highly successful beach volleyball event in partnership with the Scottish Volleyball Association as part of their National Beach Volleyball Tour 2012.
The open event was the first time the Scottish Tour had come to Girvan in and it follows the successful launch of the permanent court on Girvan beach in August 2011.
Since then, the town’s sporting credentials received a huge boost, after the South West Scotland Community Justice Authority (SWSCJA) received a grant from the Scottish Government for almost £54,000 from the Cashback/Payback Sports fund. Part of this funding went towards setting up a second beach volleyball court at the seafront helping to secure the SVA’s commitment to the beach volleyball event.
The day saw a host of opportunities for volleyball players of all ages to showcase their skills and included categories for men, women, mixed and junior teams to take to the sands and play their part.
Men’s Division 1 was hotly contested with some very tough matches. Number 1 seeds Konrad Krawczyk and Marcin Mosinski made it into the final undefeated to play Giannos Panayiotakis and Colin Paterson. Panayiotakis and Paterson took the first set 21-14 and it looked as though a deciding third set was going to be necessary as Krawczyk and Mosinski led 18-13, however Panayiotakis looked up his serving manual and served 8 straight serves to take the set and the match 21-18.
Women’s Division 1 was won by Anna Fischer and Emma Clarkson, winning the final 21-12, 21-5 against local South Ayrshire girls Victoria Blaikie and Lauren Gray.
Men’s Division 2 was won by Connor Boyle and Ross Kirkwood, beating Chris Gill and Alex MacKenzie 15-5, 15-6.
Spectators and supporters were vocal during the day and were well catered for with the Girvan Youth Trust selling hot food and drinks and playing popular music to entertain the crowds and keep contestants motivated.
“The Girvan Volleyball Club and the Youth Trust have done an excellent job in organising this tournament and it really did draw the crowds. The long beach, soft sand, enthusiastic local support and excellent weather worked brilliantly together to sell this corner of Carrick in its best possible light and I really hope the SVA will make this a regular venue.
Speaking on behalf of the Girvan Volleyball Club Nicola Sykes said: “We would like to thank our sponsors South Ayrshire Council, South Carrick Community Leisure and Girvan Youth Trust for making this event possible.
“The turnout was superb and we really put Girvan on the map as a prime location for beach volleyball. We’re now hoping this success will see the SVA come back year after year and we’ll be working with them in coming months to see if we can make this excellent event an ongoing national fixture for the town.”
Margaret-Ann Fleming, CEO of Scottish Volleyball, came to support the event and commented “Scottish Volleyball was absolutely delighted with the Beach Volleyball competition on Girvan beach, Saturday 26th May 2012, in what only could be described as the sunshine day of the year! Girvan was a fantastic venue and host and the beach volleyball was blistering hot! This is the first year that the opening tournament of the Scottish Volleyball Association tour has started in Girvan and what a way to start. I personally loved the whole experience, with music, food, entertainment and beach volleyball all placing Girvan Volleyball Club firmly at the heart of beach sport. Congratulations to all involved and roll on next year, I can’t wait!”