A day to remember in Karpacz as #EuroSnowVolleyU20 gets underway!
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The first day of the U20 Snow Volleyball European Championships 2025 is behind us. A total of 20 group-stage matches for women and men were played on Friday. The weather conditions were just ideal, and the fans could enjoy themselves as well as the action in southern Poland.
After last year’s premiere in Georgia, #EuroSnowVolleyU20 is played for the second time in history and the first time in Poland. Snow Volleyball is a relatively young discipline, but it has already gained a considerable fan base. The entry list features nine women’s teams and an equal number of men’s teams, with as many as seven representing Poland across the two genders.
The first session of the day was marked by two exciting matches. The men’s home side competing as Poland 2 played an extremely intense battle against Italy. The visitors started the match stronger, adapting more quickly to the conditions in Karpacz. The Polish team needed more time but managed to catch up, although the opening set ended with Italy emerging victorious at 21-19. The next two sets were also decided by the smallest possible margin, but ultimately, the home team comprising of Szymon Kobyliński, Alan Robak, Oliwier Pawlicki, and Jakub Zdrojewski triumphed.
The second high-level match featured the women’s teams competing as Poland 1 and Poland 3. The favourites were the players from Poland 1, representing SMS Spała: Wiktoria Leśniewicz, Zofia Preweda, Paulina Łabuz, and Zuzanna Rapczyńska. However, their opponents unexpectedly posed a significant challenge. Emilia Żurawska consistently finished attacks following solid defensive plays by Wiktoria Surażyńska and Maria Pietrin. The third Polish team won the first set 11-9 and was on the verge of securing a 2-0 victory in the second. Rapczyńska saved the set with three excellent serves. In the tie-break, however, Żurawska was once again unstoppable, eventually leading Poland 3 to their first win of the tournament.
After a two-hour break, the afternoon session began. The Turkish team delivered an outstanding performance, playing nearly flawlessly against Poland 2. “The conditions are tough, but they are the same for everyone. Those who can move well, are mobile, have good coordination and technique, seem to perform better. On the other hand, taller players may struggle. We made crucial attacking errors in the first set and did not put up much of a fight in the second. It’s a shame, but we have another day ahead, and we will keep fighting,” said Damian Kostrzewa, the coach of Poland 2.
On the winning side were the players of Poland 1, who defeated Moldova 2-0, having previously beaten Poland 4 without dropping a set. “We felt great, especially with such a crowd and in such weather. It was a lot of fun. It is an interesting variation, something new for us. What sets Snow Volleyball apart from Beach Volleyball is mainly that it is harder to move. You could see that we struggled at times, but match by match, we are becoming a better team in terms of communication,” agreed Tomasz Warych, Marcel Wanat, Michał Kucharski, and Wiktor Musiał, emphasising that they had come to Karpacz to fight for the medals.
Friday concluded with victories for the other two Polish teams, Poland 3 and Poland 4, who defeated Ukraine and Moldova, respectively.
Michał Matyja“We are delighted that so many people decided to visit the stands on Friday for the first day of our event. For most, this is a completely new sport, so we are even happier to share our passion for it. The weekend forecast looks very promising, so we hope for an even bigger turnout.”
Tournament Director and former ‘King of the Snow’ on the elite European Tour
On Saturday, the group stage will resume from 10:00 am, with knockout matches starting at 4:20 pm. The finals will be played on Sunday (March 9) at 2:20 pm (women) and 3:00 pm (men).
