While Canberra doesn’t immediately conjure up images of golden sandy beaches, that won’t stop some of the biggest stars of beach volleyball in Australia converging here this weekend, 12-13 March, for the ACT Open at the Lyneham Beach Sports Facility. 

The two-day pairs beach volleyball tournament is the highest level of beach volleyball competition played in the ACT. It is associated with the greater Australian Beach Volleyball Tour (ABVT) circuit which attracts players of the highest calibre including Olympians and current world beach volleyball tour players.

Big names include Victorian beach volleyball icon Martin Kaufer, along with 2021 NSW Beach MVP Sam Halley, who will join local ACT stars and Australian Volleyball Academy (AVA) athletes in what promises to be an epic men’s competition.

Many Canberrans will remember Kaufer and Halley from their successful indoor volleyball careers with the Canberra Heat. Both are back in town with their eye on the ACT Open crown.

Halley and playing partner Mateusz Zieba are considered the team to beat. Both have had success on the ABVT; Zieba finished fourth at the recent Mollymook event, and Halley is in outstanding form having defeated Tokyo Olympian Chris McHugh earlier this season and earning Bronze at Cobram in the first round.

In the women’s competition, all teams will be pressed for the title with number one seeds Tarryn Angermeier and Lisa Moegle, from Victoria and NSW respectively, presenting a tough challenge for the likes of ABVT Bronze medallist Sarah Burton. Meanwhile, the ever-competitive AVA teams, along with ACT state representative and Canberra Beach Program athletes, will ensure none of the games are easy.

This year’s ACT Open is also the culmination of the ACT Beach Series, which consisted of nine beach volleyball events across the 2021-2022 Summer season. On top of medals and prize money for the ACT Open, winners will also be the top-ranked season MVP trophies.

Competitions start at 9am on Saturday with finals starting at 11am Sunday. Entry for spectators is free and games will also be live-streamed through Volleyball ACT Facebook pages.

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