Leuven, Belgium recently hosted a highly successful Beach Pro Tour Futures event. Beach Volleyball has steadily grown in popularity in the city, with similar high-calibre competitions being held for several years running. To mark the event`s success, the Organizing Committee received a special award from the City of Leuven: a commemorative stone was laid on the Monseigneur Paulin Ladeuze square.
The Leuven event offered valuable training and educational opportunities for aspiring national referees.
Beyond the competition, the tournament served as a crucial platform for developing and inspiring the next generation of Belgian Beach Volleyball referees. They had the unique chance to learn from experienced international officials like Fabio Ancora and Christos Kouvelos. Arturo Di Giacomo, President of the European Refereeing Commission (ERC), also attended, underscoring the ERC`s commitment to nurturing young refereeing talent across Europe to enhance the overall quality and consistency of Volleyball and Beach Volleyball officiating.
The double-gender Leuven Futures proved to be a resounding success across all aspects. It drew a large crowd of enthusiastic fans, and Belgian home teams performed exceptionally well, securing three medals, including a gold in the men`s category. Given this triumph, the City of Leuven is expected to continue, and possibly even increase, its support for future events and initiatives that elevate the city`s profile on the European sports stage.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood