#EuroBeachVolleyU20 zonal qualifier in full swing in rainy Vilnius

On Friday morning, the first-round zonal qualifier for this year’s #EuroBeachVolleyU20 run by the Eastern European Volleyball Zonal Association (EEVZA) started in Lithuania’s capital city, Vilnius. It is the first time such zonal qualifying events are organised for the U18 and U20 continental championships. The event in Vilnius features teams from Azerbaijan, Armenia, Georgia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, and Ukraine – all hoping to secure a ticket to the #EuroBeachVolleyU20 event scheduled for later this summer in Madrid, Spain. 

The competition begins with a group stage, where a single round robin is being played followed by a play-off round. Twelve teams will proceed to the playoffs and only two teams in each gender will eventually claim the direct ticket to the U20 European Beach Volleyball Championships. 

The first competition day featured pool play, with all teams aiming for the top spot in their group to advance straight to the quarterfinals. Teams from Ukraine, Poland, and Latvia emerged as the dominant forces, with those representing hosts Lithuania looking like potential contenders as well. 

This event is organised for the very first time and so this is a new challenge for the LOC, as much as for the players, who very much enjoy this extra possibility to compete with their peers from across Eastern Europe.