First-ever Beach Volleyball club champions crowned in Lithuania

At the end of August, winners were crowned following completion of the inaugural national championships for Beach Volleyball clubs held in Vilnius, Lithuania, thereby also determining the sides due to represent the Baltic country in the second edition of the CEV Beach Volley European Cup scheduled for early October (10-13) in Montpellier, France. 

The competition featured eight men’s (Owl volleyball, RMDA, Never cold, Tado school, Sixty-nine, Sandy balls, Felicitari, and Iki raktų) and three women’s clubs (Klaipeda Beach Volleyball Club, Oxyklinika, and Klubas). 

After two days of intense competition, Klaipeda Beach Volleyball Club, represented by well-known players such as Ieva Dumbauskaite, Jekaterina Kovalskaja, Daniele Kvedaraite and Ieva Vasiliauskaite, proved their experience and class against the two remaining clubs and claimed their ticket to the European Cup. 

The fight was not easy though, with a golden set needed to determine the eventual winners.  Klaipeda Beach Volleyball Club played their rivals from Oxyklinika in the final, with this club fielding renowned and experienced players as well such as Urte Andriukaityte, Marija Karaliute and the Grudzinskaite sisters.  In the first game, Urtė Andriukaityte/Marija Karaliute were defeated by Daniele Kvedaraite/Jekaterina Kovalskaja 1-2 (14-21, 21-18, 11-15). However, the Grundzinskaite sisters did not want to let it go that easily and called for a golden set after defeating Ieva Vasiliauskaite/Ieva Dumbauskaite in straight sets (21-15, 21-15). In the golden set, the Klaipeda Beach Volleyball Club made an unexpected move opting for the Ieva Dumbauskaite/Jekaterina Kovalskaja combo and the Grudzinskaite sisters from Oxyklinika had to accept defeat by 9-15.

In the men’s competition, Owl volleyball club, with a roster including the experienced Robert Juchnevič and Artur Vasiljev plus youngsters Dovydas Skrebys and Raigardas Mačionis played RMDA (represented by Mykolas Suchanekas, Redas Mastebrockis, Andžej Sevostenok and Deimantas Jarmalavičius) for the title. The outsiders proved to be feisty enough to take their opponents to the golden set. In the first matchup, Andžej Savostenok/Deimantas Jarmalavičius defeated Dovydas Skrebys and Raigardas Mačionis 2-0 (21-17, 21-19) before Robert Juchnevič/Artur Vasiljev proved their worth in the game with Mykolas Suchanekas/Redas Mastebrockis (21-9, 21-16). In the deciding golden set, Juchnevic and Vasiljev coped with the pressure and eventually triumphed 15-13 to secure the victory for Owl volleyball club – and the qualification for the Beach Volley European Cup as well. 

Final standings 

Women 

1. Klaipėdos pliažo tinklinio klubas (Klaipeda Beach Volleyball Club) 
2. Oxyklinika
3. Klubas 

Men 

1. Owl volleyball 
2. RMDA
3. Never cold
4. Tado school 
5. Sixty-nine
6. Sandy balls
7. Felicitari
8. Iki raktų