A record number of teams took advantage of good beach and weather conditions at the Kaiteriteri Beach Bash volleyball tournament yesterday. Eight men's teams, nine women's teams and eight mixed groups entered the annual tournament, with female entries much higher than usual.
In the men's competition, the Nelson duo of Nick Bell and Alex Low took the title, beating Brent McGlashen (Motueka) and Armins Vensbergs (Nelson) two sets to one. McGlashen and Vensbergs played well to take the first set, 13-21, and had the chance to win the match in the second with at least one match point. Bell and Low fought back, however, taking the second, 25-23, and third, 15-11.
In the playoff for third and fourth, Jonny Skeggs and George Westenra defeated Harry Fergusson and Josh Ovsenek in one set, 26-24. The women's final was an all-Marlborough affair, with Georgie Crawford and Katie Cunningham edging out Nicole Silcock and Bonnie Pearce in three sets.
Silcock and Pearce took the first set 18-21, before Crawford and Cunningham won the next two, 22-19 and 21-19. Sophia and Jade Johnston, recently moved to Nelson from Auckland, beat Emily O'Connor and Gloria O'Connor-Leys 2-0 (21-14, 21-12) in the playoff for third and fourth.
In the social fours, the Marahau Sea Kayak Spikers beat Marahau Mischief, 2-0 (21-14, 21-18), while the Moutere Marbles beat AJs from Christchurch, 21-18, in the one set playoff for third and fourth. The next beach volleyball events in the region are likely to be held at Nelson Anniversary Weekend, with tournaments in Kaiteriteri and Nelson.