The Alcohol. Think Again Beach Volleyball Tour (ATABT) launched its 2020/2021 season this past weekend, with Round One kicking off the tour at City Beach.
Taking place on the weekend following Friday the 13th, it was to no surprise that the weather was less than kind to the 96 competitors. Gale force winds and horizontal rain ripped through the coast on Saturday, but all beach volleyball athletes know that this is just part of the game, so they simply played on.
All 48 teams competed in the wind and rain with smiles and laughter. The happiest teams were the four division winners who progressed into finals on Sunday and finished the weekend with a gold medal.
Women’s Elite Winners – Shelby Maher & Cassie Dodd
Men’s Elite Winners – Gabriel Abbott & Daniel Piggott
Women’s Competitive Winners – Phoebe Lewis & Ella Schabort
Men’s Competitive Winners – Jackson Barnett & Samuel Bateman
Coming off an undefeated beach tour in 2019/2020, Women’s Elite player Shelby Maher kicked off the season the only way she knows how: winning. In 2019/2020, Maher won all six tournaments she competed in, each with a different partner. Last weekend she continued her winning streak with first-time Elite winner and 16-year-old, Cassie Dodd.
“It was pretty awesome seeing Cassie win her first AAA (Elite) event. All of her training and efforts are definitely paying off, and she really held her own against some experienced teams.” Said Maher.
After winning Beach (and Indoor) Player of the Year at the Volley Awards in October, Maher was asked on stage to share what her goal was for the 2020/2021 beach season. With no hesitation, she replied, “Just win everything.”
So far, so good for Maher.
Round Two of the Alcohol. Think Again Beach Tour will be held at Sorrento Beach on the 28th – 29th November. This will be the final tournament in 2020, with the six remaining tour stops to be held next year.
Stay up to date on the fixtures and live results as they become available on BracketPal.
For more information about the Alcohol. Think Again Beach Tour, please contact the Volleyball WA office.