Ljubljana holds spectacular Volleyball on Water event

The Ljubljanica river set the scene for a spectacular Volleyball on Water event on Tuesday, just ten days before the start of the FIVB Volleyball Men’s World Championship in the Slovenian capital. Ljubljana is one of three host cities set to welcome the Men’s World Championship, which will take place in Slovenia and Poland from August 26 to September 11.

Nina Lovšin and Asja Šen took all the glory in the women’s tournament with a 2-0 win against Maja Marolt and Živa Javornik. “Playing volleyball on water was an incredible experience,” said Lovšin. “I would definitely have regretted missing this.” Her teammate, Šen agreed. “I am glad that we proved it is possible to play volleyball on water too. The atmosphere was great and it helped us enjoy the game even more.”

In the men’s tournament, Urh Port and David Renko claimed first place after a spectacular 2-1 win against Tadej Boženk and Danijel Pokeršnik. “Playing on the Ljubljanica’s surface was truly a crazy experience,” said Port. “Especially since this season, David and I have played only one beach volleyball tournament together. In the end we managed to defeat Boženk and Pokeršnik, two of Slovenia’s best beach volleyball players. And we did it on water!”

The last part of the evening featured a match between foreign and Slovenian players. Josip Pribanić of Croatia, Felix Friedl of Austria, and Piotr Ilewicz of Poland represented Team World, while national team players Alan Košenina and Uroš Pavlović, together with Volleyball on Water tournament winner Urh Port represented Slovenia.

The international players claimed the win, but the result came second to how much players and spectators enjoyed the event.

“I am amazed after this game. When I was watching the finals of the men’s tournament, I thought it would be easier to play, but honestly, when I started to play, I saw that it was really tough,” said Ilewicz. “Nevertheless, it was great fun! Playing against Slovenians in this great atmosphere and awesome scenery was unforgettable.”

Stay tuned for more action when the Men’s World Championship begins on Friday next week. Visit the competition website for information about tickets. You will also be able to watch all the matches on Volleyball TV.