FIVB and CEV announce details of first Snow Volleyball World Tour

Following on from the success of Snow Volleyball Night at the PyeongChang 2018 Olympic Winter Games and of the first edition of the CEV European Snow Volleyball Championships in Wagrain, Austria last year, the Tour will be open to teams from volleyball’s five Continental Confederations

The 2019 FIVB Snow Volleyball World Tour will feature events in Wagrain, Austria from 28 to 31 March and Plan de Corones / Kronplatz, Italy from 4 to 7 April. Both events were iInitially scheduled to take place as part of the CEV Snow Volleyball European Tour 2019, but will now be open to teams from around the world and be a part of the FIVB’s first-ever Snow Volleyball World Tour.

Taking place on consecutive weekends, the two tournaments will be organised jointly by the FIVB, the European Volleyball Confederation and event promoters Chaka2, who are key partners in the development of snow volleyball. A third event organised by the FIVB could also take place in early August in Bariloche, Argentina following ongoing discussions with the National Federation.

The tournaments in Austria and Italy will both include a day of qualifiers featuring 16 teams and a three-day main draw including four pools of three teams each, with all teams advancing to a single elimination phase in the run-up to the matches for gold, silver and bronze.

In accordance with the 2018-2020 Snow Volleyball Rules, teams will feature three players plus one player for substitutions and each match will be played to a standard best of three sets, 15 points and a two-point lead. The dimensions of the court remain unchanged, measuring 16 x 8 metres with a free zone of at least two metres.

The FIVB and CEV have decided to open these events to teams from all five Confederation territories in order to involve more countries in the development of snow volleyball around the world. Both organisations are working closely to the development of snow volleyball by supporting all National Federations in their efforts to develop this version of the game. The aim is to provide a consistent framework and structure that will lead to its ultimate long-term and sustainable growth, and provide fans with a truly unique experience.

The FIVB have committed to continue growing the Snow Volleyball World Tour with the introduction of additional events in 2019/2020. The events will be part of a seven-year plan which may also include showcases and competitions at the Lausanne 2020 Youth Olympic Games, the 2021 CISM World Winter Games and other events.