Friday, March 7, 2025
The U20 Snow Volleyball European Championships 2025 commenced with an exciting first day in Karpacz, Poland. Twenty group-stage matches, featuring both women`s and men`s teams, were played on Friday under ideal weather conditions, much to the delight of the fans.
This marks the second edition of the #EuroSnowVolleyU20 and its debut in Poland, following last year`s inaugural event in Georgia. Despite being a relatively new sport, Snow Volleyball has rapidly grown in popularity. This year`s championship includes nine women`s and nine men`s teams, with Poland proudly fielding seven teams across both categories.
The morning session saw two particularly thrilling encounters. In the men`s bracket, Poland 2 faced Italy in an intense showdown. Italy initially gained an advantage, adapting swiftly to the Karpacz conditions and clinching the first set 21-19. However, the Polish squad – Szymon Kobyliński, Alan Robak, Oliwier Pawlicki, and Jakub Zdrojewski – mounted a strong comeback, securing victory in a tightly contested three-set battle where every set was decided by the narrowest margin.
Among the women`s matches, Poland 1 (comprising Wiktoria Leśniewicz, Zofia Preweda, Paulina Łabuz, and Zuzanna Rapczyńska from SMS Spała) met an unexpected challenge from Poland 3. Despite being considered favorites, Poland 1 struggled against the impressive offense of Emilia Żurawska, supported by strong defensive work from Wiktoria Surażyńska and Maria Pietrin. Poland 3 took the first set 11-9 and nearly closed out the match in the second. Although Rapczyńska`s clutch serves forced a tie-break, Żurawska`s relentless performance ultimately led Poland 3 to their inaugural win of the competition.
Following a two-hour intermission, the afternoon session commenced with a dominant display from Turkey, who played almost flawlessly against Poland 2. Reflecting on the match, Poland 2 coach Damian Kostrzewa noted:
“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.”
Poland 1`s men`s team, comprising Tomasz Warych, Marcel Wanat, Michał Kucharski, and Wiktor Musiał, secured a 2-0 victory over Moldova, building on an earlier win against Poland 4. The team expressed their enjoyment: “We felt fantastic, especially with the crowd and perfect weather. Snow Volleyball is an exciting new challenge for us. The main difference from Beach Volleyball is the increased difficulty in movement. We had some struggles, but our team communication improves with each match.” They reaffirmed their goal of competing for medals in Karpacz. The day wrapped up with further Polish successes, as Poland 3 and Poland 4 secured wins against Ukraine and Moldova, respectively.
Michał Matyja, Tournament Director and former ‘King of the Snow’ on the elite European Tour
Looking ahead, the group stage continues on Saturday from 10:00 am, followed by knockout matches 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.
