Despite challenging windy and rainy conditions in Vilnius, Lithuania, teams from Poland and Ukraine emerged victorious at the EEVZA U20 Beach Volleyball Championships, securing the first qualification spots for this year`s #EuroBeachVolleyU20. The event also served as a first-round qualifier for the continental championship. Teams from Lithuania and Latvia also reached the podiums in the men`s and women`s categories.
The young players in Vilnius demonstrated excellent ball control and stamina, overcoming the difficult conditions of strong winds and rain. The pool stage quickly highlighted the strongest contenders. In the men`s tournament, teams from Lithuania, Latvia, Poland, and Ukraine proved to be the dominant forces, all reaching the semifinals.
In the men`s semifinals, Jakub Krzeminski and Wiktor Musial from Poland secured a confident 2-0 victory (21-19, 21-15) against Latvia`s Markuss Maculevics and Oskars Kilks. The second semifinal saw Ukraine`s Dmytro Kozii and Sviatoslav Nahornyi win in two tight sets (22-20, 22-20) against the Lithuanian home team, Raigardas Macionis and Dovydas Sinkevicius.
The final match saw Kozii and Nahornyi maintain their strong form, defeating the Polish pair 2-0 (21-15, 21-18) to claim the title. In the bronze medal match, Lithuania`s Macionis and Sinkevicius secured a 2-0 win (21-18, 21-14) against Maculevics and Kilks of Latvia, earning the host nation its only medal.
In the women`s competition, teams from Latvia, Lithuania, and Ukraine also dominated their pools. The semifinals featured teams from Poland, Ukraine, Latvia, and Lithuania. Zuzanna Kudlik and Zuzanna Rapczynska of Poland, along with Sofiia Kurnikova and Kateryna Biliak of Ukraine, successfully advanced to the final, guaranteeing their spots at #EuroBeachVolleyU20.
The women`s final was a hard-fought match, with Kudlik and Rapczynska ultimately defeating Kurnikova and Biliak in straight sets (23-21, 21-17). The bronze medal match was a dramatic three-setter where the Lithuanian home team, Gunda Brazaite and Dominyka Lape, narrowly lost to Latvia`s Deneva Šauberga and Rezija Puskundže 1-2 (21-18, 9-21, 7-15), despite strong effort to secure a medal for the hosts.
The top two teams from each gender category have now secured their participation in the upcoming #EuroBeachVolleyU20 championship, scheduled to take place from August 21-24 in Madrid, Spain.
Jasper Thornfield 
Finley Blackwood