08/04/2017 11:22
Bogatov/Dayanov set the bar high to help spark Snow Volleyball fever in Russia
2017 CEV Snow Volleyball European Tour
Kronplatz / Plan de Corones, Italy, April 8, 2017. There is probably no other country than Russia where Snow Volleyball could grow at a very fast pace. Russia offer the right weather conditions and at the same time, they have been a Volleyball powerhouse for decades already. Yury Bogatov is some kind of a Snow Volleyball pioneer since he and partner Ruslan Dayanov are contesting their third international tournament at Kronplatz / Plan de Corones – and the two have made a name of themselves standing on top of the podium at international events in Iran and Turkey earlier this season.
“I enjoy and like playing on the snow very much,” Bogatov admits. “Actually this is not something totally new to us since I have been practicing on the snow for quite some years, doing so during the winter season while preparing for my Beach Volleyball campaigns. And actually in Russia and especially in the Moscow Region, where I am based, we play outdoors – and on snow – even when temperatures drop down to -15°C or so.”
Yury seems to like cold weather and has a clear mind about the sometimes extremely diverse conditions you can find when playing Snow Volleyball: “I prefer a hard surface, this accounts for more stability, whereas when the sun comes out and the snow starts kind of melting, it becomes more difficult because you have less control and have to slice.”
A week ago, Bogatov and Dayanov finished third at the first edition of the Russian Snow Volleyball championship held at Rosa Khutor Alpine Ski Resort, a venue which hosted events of the 2014 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. “We were not quite happy with that result but the event was really cool and extremely well organised! We initially did not plan to come to Kronplatz and wanted to travel to China for a stop of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour, but once we realised we would not make it because of many more Russian teams entering the competition with more ranking points than us, we eventually decided we would come here. The goal is definitely to win a medal – and of course we dream of another gold medal on the European Tour after our first place in Turkey.”
Yury likes the venue at Plan de Corones very much and things look promising after the Russians claimed their first win in the tournament edging Austria’s David Steinberger/Simon Varges 18-16, 11-7. “I think the interest in Snow Volleyball is growing, not only in Russia,” Bogatov said. “As the sports grows and the tour becomes more structured in terms of ranking points and prize money, I think more Beach Volleyball players will be willing to try it out. They say that one day this could become an Olympic sport… That would be really cool and I wish I could be a part of that should this happen anytime soon.”
For further information on the European Tour, click here or visit SnowVolleyball.com.
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