The opening day of the U20 Snow Volleyball European Championships 2025 in Karpacz has concluded. A total of 20 group-stage matches were played on Friday for both women`s and men`s teams. The weather conditions were ideal, allowing fans and participants in southern Poland to fully enjoy the action.
This year marks the second edition of #EuroSnowVolleyU20 and Poland`s debut as host, following the premiere event in Georgia last year. Snow Volleyball is a relatively new sport, yet it is quickly attracting a substantial fan base. The entry list includes nine women’s teams and nine men’s teams, featuring a strong presence of seven Polish teams across both genders.
The day`s initial session featured two particularly exciting matches. In the men`s event, the Poland 2 team engaged in an intense battle against Italy. Italy adapted quicker to the Karpacz conditions, starting strong and winning the first set 21-19. However, the Polish squad—Szymon Kobyliński, Alan Robak, Oliwier Pawlicki, and Jakub Zdrojewski—mounted a comeback, securing victory by winning the next two sets with the narrowest possible margin.
Another high-quality match saw the women`s Poland 1 team, comprising Wiktoria Leśniewicz, Zofia Preweda, Paulina Łabuz, and Zuzanna Rapczyńska, face Poland 3. Despite being considered favourites, Poland 1 faced a significant challenge from their opponents, led by Emilia Żurawska`s effective attacks, supported by solid defense from Wiktoria Surażyńska and Maria Pietrin. Poland 3 took the first set 11-9 and came close to a 2-0 win in the second, but Rapczyńska`s crucial serves saved the set. However, in the tie-break, Żurawska`s performance was decisive, earning Poland 3 their first tournament win.
Following a two-hour break, the afternoon session began. The Turkish team delivered an outstanding performance, playing almost flawlessly against the men`s Poland 2 team. Damian Kostrzewa, coach of Poland 2, commented on their match: “The conditions are tough, but they are the same for everyone. Those who can move well, are mobile, have good coordination and technique, seem to perform better. On the other hand, taller players may struggle. We made crucial attacking errors in the first set and did not put up much of a fight in the second. It’s a shame, but we have another day ahead, and we will keep fighting.”
Meanwhile, the men`s Poland 1 team had a successful afternoon, defeating Moldova 2-0, adding to their earlier straight-sets victory against Poland 4. Team members Tomasz Warych, Marcel Wanat, Michał Kucharski, and Wiktor Musiał shared their thoughts: “We felt great, especially with such a crowd and in such weather. It was a lot of fun. It is an interesting variation, something new for us. What sets Snow Volleyball apart from Beach Volleyball is mainly that it is harder to move. You could see that we struggled at times, but match by match, we are becoming a better team in terms of communication,” they stated, emphasizing their goal to compete for medals in Karpacz.
Friday concluded with additional victories for the other two Polish teams, with the women`s Poland 3 defeating Ukraine and Poland 4 beating Moldova.
Michał Matyja
Tournament Director and former ‘King of the Snow’ on the elite European Tour
The group stage continues on Saturday from 10:00 am, with the knockout rounds scheduled to start at 4:20 pm. The championships will culminate on Sunday, March 9, with the women`s final at 2:20 pm and the men`s final at 3:00 pm.
