The ultimate showdown of the European Snow Volley season is set to electrify Prato Nevoso!
The highly anticipated final round of the CEV Snow Volley European Tour is fast approaching, with Prato Nevoso, Italy, ready to host the thrilling event this weekend, March 30th-31st. Enthusiasts are gearing up for a spectacular display of snow volleyball talent against a stunning Alpine backdrop.
Twenty-six elite teams, representing ten different nations, will converge to compete in both Men`s and Women`s categories. Saturday will feature intense pool and elimination rounds, setting the stage for Sunday`s decisive final phases, including the championship matches and award ceremonies in the early afternoon. The celebration of snow volleyball will then extend into Easter Monday with the ongoing Snow Volley Festival.
Men`s Tournament: A High-Stakes Contest
The Men`s tournament features eighteen formidable teams, including twelve from Italy and six international contenders from Switzerland, Türkiye, France, Poland, Belgium, and a special wild card entry from Uruguay.
Among the top competitors are the French duo Adrien Pédèches and Iskander El-Ghouti, who previously triumphed in Round 2 of the European Tour in Erzurum, Türkiye, alongside Daniel Petrov. This time, Pédèches and El-Ghouti will join forces with Julien Saint-Vanne and Nicolas Salmon. Polish athletes Piotr Groszek, Michal Matyja, and Mikolaj Kaczmarek are eager for a rematch, having lost the final to France in the Turkish leg. Karole Szczepanik completes the powerful Polish quartet.
Attention will also be focused on the Italian trio of Massimo Di Risio, Federico Geromin, and Matteo Camozzi, who started the season strong by winning the inaugural round in Bakuriani, Georgia, against Poland 1 (Matyja, Ciemachowski, Janiak, Groszek) earlier in March.
High expectations also surround Italian stars Alessandro Carucci and the Pizzileo brothers (Filippo, Tommaso, Edoardo), alongside Michele Bennato, Matteo Carlon, Enrico Lupatelli, and Gaetano Vespero. Local favorites Thomas Berger, Michael Burgmann, and Peter Seeber, who clinched the Italian snow volleyball championship title in Prato Nevoso last year, are set to defend their home turf.
Women`s Tournament: Intense Rivalries
The Women`s draw features eight skilled teams: two from Hungary, one from Turkey, one from the Czech Republic, one from Austria, and three representing Italy. The reigning Italian champions, Sofia Arcaini, Sara Breidenbach, and Anna Dalmazzo, are anticipated to be key challengers to the dominant Turkish team comprising Erve Celebi, Zeynep Dila, Nursel Yaren Sencel, and Simge Yalcin.
The Turkish quartet has showcased their prowess this season, securing victories in both the Bakuriani round in Georgia (defeating fellow countrywomen Simdim, Sayar, Yuceturk, Civan) and their home round in Erzurum against Romania (Hododi, Miu, Bradatan, Shahzada).
The entire event, encompassing both the tournament and the associated Snow Volley Festival, is expected to draw over 250 participants, including athletes, referees, and staff, to the vibrant slopes of Prato Nevoso.
Finley Blackwood