Thinley Namgay

Bhutan will host its first-ever international beach volleyball tournament, the Beach Volleyball CAVA Championships 2024, at Changlimithang in Thimphu from August 1 to 3.

Funded by the Central Asian Volleyball Association (CAVA), the annual tournament will feature more than 20 players from five countries – Bhutan, Nepal, the Maldives, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan. Six players from Bhutan, including a women’s team, will compete.

These participating countries are classified as category B in the Central Asian region, with category A including countries such as Iran, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, India, and Kazakhstan.

The tournament aims to promote beach volleyball, which is still in its early stages in Bhutan.

This event marks the third international competition appearance for Bhutanese beach volleyball players since the sport’s inception in the country in 2022.

BVBF Coach Tandin Wangchuk said that beach volleyball is unique compared to regular indoor volleyball as the game involves two players in each team contesting on a sand court.

The game is played in the best of three sets, with each set going to 21 points, and the deciding set to 15 points. Unlike indoor volleyball, where teams switch courts after each set, beach volleyball teams switch courts every seven points.

The court size for beach volleyball is 8 by 8 metres, compared to 9 by 9 metres for indoor volleyball.

Coach Tandin Wangchuk is optimistic about the tournament. “Our players have prepared for almost two months, and we want to give our best. I have also included a young team to ensure that they get game exposure,” he said.

Sonam Tenzin, 23, from Trongsa, has been a volleyball enthusiast from an early age and has been playing beach volleyball since 2014. “Preparation has been on track. I aspire to win and make our country proud,” he said.

Beach volleyball originated in 1915 in the United States.