Hamburg, Germany, August 27, 2017 – Beach volleyball fans from Hamburg were privileged to watch the 12 best men and women teams in the world competing in the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals presented by Vodafone over the last five days.
But more than that, they could also interact and even play with their idols as FIVB Development programme Volleyball Your Way provided fans the opportunity to meet the players in one of the courts of the Rothenbaum Stadium.
Players from four countries, including Brazil’s Evandro Goncalves, Andre Loyola, Alvaro Filho and Saymon Barbosa, Canada’s Heather Bansley and Brandie Wilkerson, Czech Republic’s Marketa Slukova and Barbora Hermannova and Germany’s Karla Borger and Margareta Kozuch, took some time to have fun with the supporters over the weekend.
“It was so much fun”, reigning world champion Evandro said. "I love kids and anytime I have a chance I like being with them. It's a really cool experience for both sides. They see us as idols and that's priceless. I hope they can keep sports on their lives for a long time".
Czech Republic's Barbora Hermannova helps a young fan to serve
Fans could also take part on sports clinics and participate on challenges developed to entertain and connect people from all ages with volleyball in a 18-hour schedule organized for Saturday and Sunday. The events were executed by the team led by local coordinator Oliver Camp and volunteers.
A similar action happened in Vienna, three weeks ago, during the FIVB World Championships, when over 40 athletes, including Olympic and world champions, joined the fans in the Danube Island.
Brazilians Saymon Barbosa (with the camera) and Alvaro Filho take selfies in the Volleyball Your Way court