05/08/2015 17:28
Pioneer on and off the sand
2015 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship - Biel/Bienne Masters
Biel/Bienne, Switzerland, August 5, 2015. Former European champion Sascha Heyer recounts his personal story from success on the sand to becoming Tournament Director in the 2014 and 2015 editions of the CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship Biel/Bienne Masters while waiting for next year’s CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship – Final to take place on the shores of Lake Biel.
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The 2015 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship – Biel/Bienne Masters is being covered extensively also on Twitter and Facebook with the official hashtags being #EuroBeachVolley and #Beachmania
Every young Volleyball fan in Switzerland knows the name of Sascha Heyer, who is now a national idol in his home country. He started his journey towards sporting greatness when he earned his place in the Swiss national team only two years after starting to play Volleyball. His other major achievements include silver medals from the 2004 European Championships and the 2005 FIVB World Championships in Berlin. He also has a bronze medal from the 2003 European Championship in Alanya to add to his resume.
Now retired from competitive sport, he is the Tournament Director and the driving force behind the 2015 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship Biel/Bienne Masters.
“I’m very excited about it,” he says speaking under the floodlights of the centre court. “We’ve been working for more than three weeks here at the venue, but the planning has been going on for over a year. Now we’re finally set to launch the tournament here in Biel.”
Heyer always appears keen to show his pride in the responsibility of directing the event which officially started on Wednesday. “I am very proud and I relished the opportunity of changing role from player to promoter,” he admits. “I wanted to give back some of the experience and good advice that I received from promoters early in my own career.”
Heyer’s own career came to an end in 2012, taking home the Swiss Championship for a seventh time before capping off a remarkable journey in style by competing in the London 2012 Olympics. His teammate at that time, Sébastien Chevallier, will feature in this week’s tournament in Biel.
“Every player who I’ve played with is charismatic, including Chevallier,” he says. “It was fantastic to end my career at Horse Guards Parade in London, and although we didn’t go all the way, I feel like we played very well. For me this remains a great highlight of my career.”
He is also optimistic about the chances of the teams representing the host nation in Biel/Bienne, drawing attention to the high expectations in the Swiss camp, particularly on the women’s side. “I’m looking forward to seeing the Swiss teams play, both our men and women. We’ve got some promising young talents coming through particularly in the women’s teams. We expect a Swiss women’s side to push for the semis or even to reach the final.”
With the European Championships set to take place in Biel next year, Heyer makes no effort to hide his eagerness for the competition which is set to follow in 2016. “We are in the midst of a three-year project here in Biel with the European Championships taking place next year. A major final in Switzerland in a fantastic arena like this is a prospect we are all very excited about. With great spectators, a great atmosphere and great athletes I think it will truly be a highlight in Swiss sporting history.”
But firstly, having taken on the role of Tournament Director, revered national Volleyball icon Sascha Heyer’s focus must for now shift toward this week’s Masters before next year can even be talked about, for a tournament which Beach Volleyball players and fans alike have simply been unable to wait for. And in the heat of an enthralling opening day in Biel, it seems that this is a championship which won’t disappoint at all.
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