Scottish teams reign supreme on final day in Ayr

In true Scottish fashion, Sunday at the SCA Zonal Tour in Ayr delivered every season in a single afternoon: sunshine, showers, and all. But the drama on court outshone the weather, as the competition came to a thrilling close with six semi-finals, four medal matches, and an almost clean sweep of podium finishes for the host nation. 

Scotland entered the day with five teams in the final four across the men’s and women’s draws, but strong opposition from Monaco, Northern Ireland, and Wales meant nothing could be taken for granted. 

The women’s semi-finals opened proceedings, with an all-Scottish encounter featuring Melissa Coutts and Alexandra Clegg-McKeown - both Commonwealth and Youth Commonwealth athletes respectively - against the seasoned Beach Pro Tour pairing of Alexis Crusey and Kathryn Barbour. In a match full of momentum swings and watched closely by FIVB Empowerment funded Scotland Beach Head Coaches Seain Cook and Rachael Gunn, Barbour/Crusey saved match point in set two before closing out a nail-biting decider to reach the final. On the other side of the draw, Lynne Beattie/Mhairi Wallace, representing Scotland’s most experienced pairing, faced off against Tara Mooney/Grace Allen of Northern Ireland. The Scottish duo showed their class, dispatching the challenge in straight sets to set up an all-Scottish final. 

In the men’s draw, Euan Fraser/Ben McHardy were first to take the sand, facing a determined Welsh side in Conor Robins/Matthew Pollock. Both sets were tightly contested, but backed by a growing and vocal home crowd, the Scots pulled through 2-0 to book their place in the final. They were soon joined by James McHardy/Ross McKelvie, who battled back from a set down against Monaco’s Ferry brothers, Pascal and Vincent. After levelling the match with a dominant second set, the Scots took control of the decider. Despite an awkward collision under the net late on, they held their nerve to win the tie and set up an all-Scottish showdown for gold – including the two McHardy brothers.  

While the spotlight was firmly on the finals, classification matches gave other teams a chance to end their campaign on a high. Malta’s Monica Zammit Munro/Jana Kenkovski overcame Ireland’s Fiona Lamont/Lara McNichols in straight sets, while fellow Maltese pairing Tamara Kenkovski/Mikaela Galea edged out Scots Samantha Fowler/Charlotte Morgan. In the men’s draw, Andorra’s Lluc Macia de las Heras/Sergi Navas, attending their first SCA event, finished strong with a 2-0 win over Ewan Ramsay/Cole Turnbull (SCO), and Iceland’s Emil Mar Diatlovic/Tomas Davidsson capped their debut with a solid victory over Murray Paterson/Keir Paterson (SCO). 

In the bronze medal matches, Clegg-McKeown/Coutts showed resilience and composure to bounce back from semi-final heartbreak and secure a podium finish; Scotland’s first medal of the day. In the men’s match, Monaco’s consistency shone through as the Ferry brothers handled the heavy Ayrshire rain better than most, earning themselves a well-deserved bronze with a straight sets win, split between a first set downpour and second set sunshine. 

In the women’s final, Beattie/Wallace started with control and confidence, taking the first set comfortably thanks to some sharp blocking and clever placement. Barbour/Crusey responded with aggressive serving and dynamic movement in set two, edging a tense finish 25-23 to force a decider. The third set was a battle of nerves, with both sides exchanging points before Beattie/Wallace finally secured the title on their third Championship point, 16-14. 

The men’s final was briefly interrupted by a thunderstorm, with lightning forcing a 40-minute delay before warm-up could even begin. Once play resumed, Fraser/McHardy adjusted quickly and took the opening set. However, McHardy/McKelvie came roaring back in set two, showcasing their power and precision to level the match. In the deciding set, the experience of McHardy/McKelvie proved decisive, as they edged ahead early and managed the game expertly to claim the gold and round off a dream weekend for Scottish Beach Volleyball. 

With five of the six medals going to Scottish teams, and both gold medal matches featuring all-Scottish finals, the 2025 edition of the SCA Zonal Tour in Ayr has been a resounding success for the host nation. From youth debutants to seasoned internationals, Scotland’s athletes delivered on home sand, inspiring the next generation – and reminding Europe’s small countries that Scottish Beach Volleyball is on the rise. 

Scottish Volleyball would like to extend its thanks to all the partners and sponsors who made this event possible: South Ayrshire Council and South Ayrshire Active Schools for their local support and commitment to growing the sport; the CEV and the Small Countries Association (SCA) for their continued investment in international opportunities; Zeon Teamwear for providing kit support across all teams; Sportshotels.com for keeping athletes and staff well looked after throughout the event; and FIVB Empowerment for supporting Scottish Volleyball to have a Performance staff. 

Pictures courtesy of Lynne Marshall and Michael McConville / volleyballphotos.co.uk