18/07/2012 12:00
The ball flies high over the sand in Assen!
2012 CEV U23 Beach Volleyball European Championship
Assen, Netherlands, July 18, 2012. The action takes the lead in the 2012 CEV U23 Beach Volleyball European Championship being held in the Dutch city of Assen, as the best Beach Volleyball teams in Europe under 23 years started on Wednesday the exciting quest for the continental title.
Clouds and drizzle welcomed players at Stadsbroek and Koopmansplein venues for the first day of competition. Regardless the weather, the participating teams are presenting their best debut in the first matches of the tournament, marked by the initial nerves for competing in such an important event.
The games for the group round are taking the floor in the courts in Assen in this start of tournament on Wednesday, as the favourites are trying to impose their lead in the pools by taking advantage in the first matches of the day. It is not an easy task for the boys and girls taking part in the tournament though, as the first upsets have soon appeared.
In fact, the first surprises materialized early in the starting matches of the tournament, in a clear token of the emotion that grips the competition. One of the most relevant results in the first games of the day was the defeat of current World Youth Champions, Ieva Dumbauskaite and Monika Povilaityte who lost in their debut against Polish team, Daria Paszek/Kinga Kolosinska. “It was definitively a surprise for us”, said Daria Paszek, “it was the first time we play an important tournament like this one together and I think after the way we played today, we are maybe in the way to be favourites”.
Each team will play their first two matches of the first round on Wednesday, as the competition will derive to finish the group phase on Thursday.
Click here for more information, including detailed results and match schedule
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