Baden, Austria. The countdown has started in Baden for the return of international Beach Volleyball competition, with the FIVB World Tour Baden Open due to take place in the outskirts of Vienna from August 19 to 23 – followed shortly afterwards by the Austrian national championship from August 28 to 30, 2020. These two events signify the return of some sort of normality after the very long break imposed by the coronavirus pandemic.
“The safety of players, fans, officials, volunteers, referees and all staff remains our top priority,” says Dominik Gschiegl, Managing Director of promoter Vision05. Therefore, things will look slightly different from usual this time around: “We are thrilled to be able to host two major events as the world still deals with the pandemic. We love Beach Volleyball and we never gave up the idea of hosting a competition even in such difficult times,” he continues.
This time, the venue of the tournament will be the Weilburgpark and not the iconic Strandbad. Access to the site will only be possible with an accreditation or a ticket. Because of the restrictions still in place in Austria to curb the spread of the disease, only a maximum of 200 people will be able to visit the event area at the same time. Tickets will be available from August 1 at http://www.beachvolleyball-baden.at.
International participants must provide a negative COVID-19 test. In addition, a mobile test station will be set up at the event area, where players can undergo further testing. The organisers will implement a series of additional precautionary measures as well, including social distancing, the provision of personal protective equipment and contact tracing.
Clemens Doppler is among the star players expected to steal the show in Baden
There are no grandstands, but there will be deckchairs and standing seats as well – and the organisers will downscale the entertainment programme too, with no Beach Volleyball party at all planned for the 2020 edition of the Baden event. There will be a VIP area, however, with the Amterl restaurant supplying food for around 120 players and their coaches as well.
What does not change at all is the guarantee of high-level competition. Next to all of the top Austrian teams, including reigning national champions Robin Seidl/Philipp Waller and last year’s gold medal winners Clemens Doppler/Alexander Horst, 2018 EuroBeachVolley silver medal winners Nina Betschart and Tanja Hüberli of Switzerland have announced their plan to play in Baden. The bronze medallists from 2019, Nadine and Teresa Strauss will not have an easy time with high-profile international competitors, while Katharina Schützenhöfer (defending champion with Lena Plesiutschnig) is not yet sure to return to Baden since she is still recovering from shoulder surgery.
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