20/08/2020 09:00
Four EuroBeachVolley medallists to compete at exhibition event in Switzerland
News from the National Federations
Luxembourg, August 20, 2020. A Beach Volleyball exhibition tournament officially approved by the CEV will be taking place in early September in Reichenburg, Switzerland. This is the hometown of two-time EuroBeachVolley silver medal winner Tanja Hüberli (pictured), whose family and friends have come up with the idea of holding an invitational event to fill the void of international competition caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
The event will feature four elite Swiss teams, including Hüberli and her partner Nina Betschart, plus two visiting teams from Italy and Poland. Hüberli and Betschart, who finished fourth at last year’s World Championship in Hamburg, are currently the highest ranked European team in the world at no. 8 – followed by their compatriots Joana Heidrich/Anouk Vergé-Dépré (12), who are due to play in Reichenburg as well.
Other Swiss teams taking to the court at the exhibition running from September 5-6 are Esméé Böbner/Zoé Vergé-Dépré and Laura Caluori/Anna Lutz.
Italy’s top team Marta Menegatti/Viktoria Orsi Toth will contribute some stiff competition to the home sides – as will do Poland’s Agata Ceynowa/Katarzyna Kociolek.
Tanja Hüberli (right) and partner Nina Betschart will be the home favourites at the exhibition event due to take place in Reichenburg in early September
Overall, the event in Reichenburg features as many as four EuroBeachVolley medallists. Next to Hüberli and Betschart, Menegatti and Kociolek have made the podium of the flagship continental competition as well – with Menegatti winning gold in 2011 and Kociolek securing silver last year in Moscow alongside Kinga Wojtasik.
“I am excited that, during this special time, I get the chance to play where I grew up, in a really small village,” Hüberli says. “So many people have been working hard in the last weeks to make this possible and they give everything to make this event a special one! I guess the other teams right now are happy about any tournament they can play against good and international opposition! The organisation is a big challenge; I am thankful that our people accept this sort of challenge and they are doing a great job!”
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