EBVC meeting sets tone for record-breaking beach volleyball season

http://www.fivb.org/en/BeachVolleyball/viewPressRelease.asp?No=50516&Language=en

The members of the European Beach Volleyball Commission (EBVC) had a productive meeting at the CEV premises in Luxembourg to lay the foundations of another record-breaking season for the sport in Europe

Luxembourg, January 16, 2015 - Wednesday and Thursday's European Beach Volleyball Commission (EBVC) meeting, chaired by CEV Vice-President Renato Arena, marked the beginning of a busy few weeks for Europe’s volleyball family, with more meetings to follow before the end of the month.

The EBVC had much to discuss and review, also drafting a series of proposals that will be submitted for approval to the CEV Board of Administration at their next meeting in February.

The EBVC President was particularly pleased with the figures taken from a record-breaking 2014 season, when as many as 47 events were held across Europe, with a terrific increase from the 30 organised just one year earlier. The 2014 season also coincided with the start of the 2014-2016 CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Round, which also set a record in terms of participation with 44 national federations involved in the competition whose eventual winners – to be crowned next year – will qualify for the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

The Commission also evaluated a series of rule tests that were performed throughout the 2014 season at various age-group competitions, and their conclusions – combined with the analysis which is being carried out by the FIVB – will now be forwarded to the CEV Board of Administration for further study and consideration.

The EBVC also reviewed the tentative calendar for the 2015 season that the CEV released last week and which features two major highlights: the inaugural European Games in Baku scheduled for this coming June and the 2015 CEV Beach Volleyball European Championship Final in Klagenfurt, one of the major venues of this sport. The programme for the upcoming season will also include the third and fourth rounds of the CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup and the EBVC worked on drafting organising and participation conditions for this competition. This stage of the Continental Cup will also see the top eight countries from the CEV ranking joining the competition after by-passing the first and second rounds organised last year.

As the 2015 season is just around the corner, the EBVC also assessed plans to strengthen the image of European Beach Volleyball competitions, where social media will be used extensively to engage with the fans and specifically address the young ‘digital’ generations, bringing them closer to the spirit and flavour of the sport.

The Commission reviewed all regulations and official forms drafted for the 2015 season that are now to be approved by the CEV Board. After last year’s European qualification successfully organised for the inaugural FIVB World Championship in this age group, the 2015 campaign will also see the introduction of a U17 competition, for which the EBVC has worked on a competition format and ad-hoc specifications which are now also to be studied and eventually endorsed by the BoA.

As the CEV continues to work on developing the sport at a grassroots level, via a comprehensive Youth Development Project that was started in 2013, the EBVC will propose to the CEV Board of Administration the organisation of additional seminars and clinics addressed to specific target groups that will be held before the start of the 2015 season, or in its early stages. This action follows the very successful seminar organised back in December 2013 in Milano, where the Beach Volleyball Coordinators of as many as 47 national federations were in attendance to share best practices and their vision on the future of the sport. This move also goes along with the Commission’s and the CEV’s continuous efforts to support the organisers of the various competitions held in Europe in order to make all of them a major success in terms of the legacy they leave behind and also to improve the participation of all national federations in European events.

The EBVC also acknowledged the important role that coaches are now playing and which is being increasingly recognised on the international beach volleyball scene; the EBVC President and members exchanged views with Lissandro Dias Carvalho, one of the world’s most renowned experts and the mentor to many elite players.

“We had a very productive meeting,” said EBVC President Renato Arena. “I was pleased with the contribution of all members who share the same passion, enthusiasm and drive for our sport. They are all highly motivated to further grow the sport in Europe and we are determined to pursue this goal in close cooperation with all other institutional bodies at CEV as well as by supporting our main partners, the national federations and the local organisers. We can already look forward to another ‘hot’ summer where beach volleyball will be in the spotlight, mesmerising thousands of people all over Europe.”