215 feet above the streets of Vienna, Austrians Alexander Horst and Clemens Doppler (red shirts) serve to Norwegians Anders Mol and Christian Sorum on top of the Vienna Riesenrad, ahead of the A1 Major Vienna presented by Swatch on June 5, 2018. // Stefan Moertl / Beach Volleyball Major Series/ Red Bull Content Pool //
Vienna, Austria. The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships 2017 and the Major tournaments held on the Danube Island are somewhat legendary. After the pandemic-related break this year, Vienna will be celebrating a sensational comeback in 2021 – with an absolute highlight, the next edition of CEV EuroBeachVolley.
The event will be taking place from August 11 to 15, shortly after the postponed Olympic Games in Tokyo, when the European Beach Volleyball elite will meet in Vienna. ACTS are currently working intensively on the concept for next year’s EuroBeachVolley. The CEV, organisers ACTS and the Austrian Volleyball Association will be disclosing all relevant details at a press conference due to take place in early 2021.
Hannes Jagerhofer and his ACTS team have succeeded in bringing the European Championship to the capital of Austria! “We are incredibly happy that we succeeded in this coup,” says Jagerhofer. “It is extremely important for us to send a positive message in times like these,” continues the promoter, “and it is also a wish of ours to organise a real highlight again – especially for the best beach fans in the world!” Mr Jagerhofer emphasises the importance of the support provided by the Austrian Ministry of Sport, the State of Vienna and the sponsors: “Without their support, a European Beach Volleyball Championship in Vienna would not be possible.”
CEV President Aleksandar Boricic is enthusiastic as well: “We could not have asked for a better place than Vienna where to hold the highlight of the 2021 Beach Volleyball season, right after the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympics. We very much look forward to delivering such a major event in a safe environment for all involved, thus adding another chapter to the success story that the Austrian Volleyball Federation and ACTS have been writing for many years already. I am sure that all players are looking forward to performing in a city that has become synonymous with the delivery of world-class sporting and especially Beach Volleyball events, and knowing the experience of the local organisers, I have no doubt that next year’s EuroBeachVolley will be a tremendous success. I wish to thank the City of Vienna and the Austrian Ministry of Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport for their invaluable support – working together as one team, we will make EuroBeachVolley 2021 something to remember and an event whose legacy will be lasting for many years.”
Beach Volleyball fans still have fond memories of the 2013 and 2015 editions of EuroBeachVolley held at another Beach Volleyball ‘temple’ in Austria – Klagenfurt. “In 2021, we want to go a step further in Vienna,” promises Jagerhofer, “naturally taking into account all preventive measures.”
Gernot Leitner, President of the Austrian Volleyball Association (ÖVV): “For the first time since the World Championship summer fairy tale in 2017 such a major international competition will be taking place in Austria. The CEV Board of Administration unanimously awarded EuroBeachVolley 2021 to Austria. The tradition of top international Beach Volleyball events in Austria continues. As a National Federation, we are obviously happy and grateful that ACTS is a professional and reliable partner capable of organising events of this size. For our top teams, such a home tournament is of course a great opportunity and a wonderful platform to present themselves as well. The date immediately after the Summer Games in Tokyo will also make this European Championship in Vienna a very special sporting treat.”
Werner Kogler, Vice Chancellor of the Republic of Austria, Federal Minister for Art, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport: “I congratulate Hannes Jagerhofer and his team, who managed to bring a major Beach Volleyball event to Austria for the fifth time. Immediately after the Olympic Games in Tokyo, the beach aces will be taking centre stage at the European Championship in Vienna. This guarantees goose bumps like in 2013, when Doris and Stefanie Schwaiger won gold in front of their own audience. As the responsible minister, I am pleased that my ministry can contribute to the success of this major sporting event.”
Peter Hacker, Executive City Councillor for Social Affairs, Health and Sport: “The people of Vienna love Beach Volleyball. They have demonstrated this impressively at tournaments over the past few years. After the COVID-19 related break, I am very pleased that we can welcome the European top stars to our city again in 2021. For the Austrian athletes, the home tournament will of course be a special incentive to have a say in the medal race.”
Peter Hanke, Executive City Councillor for Finance, Economy, Labour, and International Affairs: “The award of EuroBeachVolley to Vienna is an important and, above all, positive signal for our city; especially after the difficult coronavirus period, we very much need such highlights for the city and for the people of Vienna. Events like this stimulate the economy, tourism, generate millions in revenues and have a high international advertising value.”
Marcus Grausam, CEO of title sponsor A1: “With EuroBeachVolley 2021 in Vienna, A1 is celebrating one of the longest partnerships in Austrian sport. We have supported Beach Volleyball in Austria for over 20 years. We are very happy that together we can bring the goose bumps feeling and the beach atmosphere to the most liveable city in the world.”
Clemens Doppler, a two-time European champion earlier in his career and a silver medallist with Alexander Horst at the 2017 World Championships in Vienna: “Finally, after the 2015 edition in Klagenfurt, the European Championship is returning to Austria. Alex and I have already won bronze at a joint European Championship [in 2014], he was also able to take silver once and I was able to secure the title twice. The competition is very strong because Europe is home to the strongest teams in the world. The Austrian duos will also present themselves well! Regardless of the format in which the tournament takes place, we will do our best and look forward to delivering a good result in front of the fans! I hope that we can ride the post-Olympic wave in Vienna! See you @ the beach!”
Lena Plesiutschnig, who finished ninth at EuroBeachVolley 2019 in Moscow together with Katharina Schützenhöfer: “We are really looking forward to a home European Championship. We have always performed well in front of our own audience, and we hope for this positive trend to continue in the coming year too! In addition to the Olympic Games, the European Championship is an extra motivational push. We hope to be able to build on our good results and to rock Vienna as well as Tokyo. With the domestic fans behind us, we will try to deliver a top performance.”
Visit the official event website here.
News:
CEV – European Volleyball
ÖVV – Volleyball Austria
Beach Major Series
