New Zealand Beach Volleyball Open 2015

Overview

Do you want to watch good looking people jump around with very little clothing on? Of course you do. Beach volleyball sounds like the ideal spectator sport for all us voyeuristic types, who get kicks out of staring at attractive sportspeople whilst never actually having to stand up or do anything active whatsoever. Fortunately for us, the New Zealand Beach Volleyball Open is on at the ASB stadium. Excellent.

No doubt you’ve witnessed the superhuman jumps and dramatic dives that the sport is known for, but there is more to beach volleyball than sculpted athletes eating sand. It kicked off in Santa Monica around a hundred years ago, about 30 years after its indoor counterpart. The game initially mirrored indoor v-ball with the usual six aside setup, and it was only by happy accident and late players that the number of athletes each side of the net was reduced to just two. Other than player numbers, the two breeds of volleyball are fundamentally very similar, both aiming to ground the ball on the opponent’s side, and battling not only the other team but the tall net separating the sides.

The very court upon which we watched the tennis mere weeks ago is now a giant sandpit, covered with 100 cubic metres of sand, in preparation for the three day tournament. Current national champions, Sam O’Dea and Mike Watson are yet to be defeated on home turf, and are favourites to take home the win the Open. Get your binoculars ready, spectators.