The last time the Alcohol. Think Again Beach Tour players were in Bunbury was during the 2019/2020 season so there was a level of excitement among the Perth based players to be taking to the sand at Koombana Bay. Locals even happier to have home court advantage.
There were near perfect playing conditions for beach volleyball and players enjoyed good support from family who were able to make the trip to Bunbury for the weekend. Volleyball WA’s Regional Development Coordinator staffed a Discover Volley activation offering spectators the opportunity to “have a go” and grab themselves some giveaways. The local Café was well supported by players and spectators over the weekend.
Volleyball WA would like to thank the Bunbury Volleyball Association for all their support in the lead up to and during the weekend to help us create a wonderful player experience.
In the Women’s competition local south west players Carol Hogden and Erica Claydon won the Competitive Division. In the Elite Division, there was a very tight battle between the two teams, the eventual winners were Elizabeth Alchin and Kirsty Gordon with a second set score of 28-26.
The Elite Men’s match was fought out between two very strong teams, the combination of Maksim Bacovic/Gabriel Abbott coming out on top of their competitors Jonathan Hunt/Matthew Worthy with Jonathan having to withdraw due to injury. In the Competitive Men’s division, young guns Logan Burns and Kiefer Lake won their first gold medal on the beach tour in a tight three set match.
“Volleyball WA was happy to collaborate with the City of Bunbury to bring a high-level beach volleyball event to this regional town. Bunbury has a thriving volleyball community of its own, and we hope that our tour players have inspired the next generation of players” said Volleyball WA CEO, Robyn Kuhl.
As always, we thank our naming rights sponsor Healthway, for supporting our sport and enabling us to take the game out into regional communities.
The final round of the tour is happening on March 19 & 20 at City Beach for more information visit the Volleyball WA website.
Photography: Thanks for the image Trevor Spivey
Final Results:
Men’s Elite
Maksim Bacovic/Gabriel Abbott Winners
Jonathan Hunt/Matthew Worthy Runners Up
Men’s Competitive
Kiefer Lake/Logan Burns Winners
Dustin Kendall/Nathan Stacey Runners Up
Women’s Elite
Elizabeth Alchin /Kirsty Gordon Winners
Jasmine Serra/Caitlin Whincup Runners Up
Women’s Competitive
Carol Hogden/Erica Claydon Winners
Ava Tweedie/Rosie Alchin Runners Up