NEVZA tournaments returning to Bridlington alongside new Beach Pro Tour event

The youth event – featuring categories at U18 and U20 levels – has been staged on the East Yorkshire coast for the past two summers, while the Senior event was staged for the first time last year. 

They will be added to the already-announced historic first Beach Pro Tour Futures event to form a near two-week festival of top-class international beach volleyball. 

Members of NEVZA – the North European Volleyball Zonal Association – include Sweden (home to the current Olympic and World and champions), Norway (home to former Olympics champions), Denmark, Finland, Iceland, the Faroe Islands and Greenland, as well as England. 

Event dates 

Sunday 21st June to Tuesday 23rd June – NEVZA Beach England (Senior men and women) 

Thursday 25th June to Sunday 28th June – Beach Pro Tour Futures Bridlington (Senior men and women). 

Tuesday 30th June to Thursday 2nd July – NEVZA Youth Beach Championships (U18 and U20 men and women). 

A warm welcome 

The NEVZA events, like the Beach Pro Tour Futures tournament, are being staged in partnership with East Riding of Yorkshire Council and local club Skyball Beach Volleyball Club. 

Matches will be staged on Bridlington’s Belvedere Beach where athletes from across England and overseas have become accustomed to enjoying the golden sands. 

“It’s fantastic to continue to build on the success of the NEVZA events staged in Bridlington during the last two years and, put together with the Beach Pro Tour Futures event, will make for a beach volleyball fortnight not to be missed,” said Councillor Nick Coultish, Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Tourism at East Riding of Yorkshire Council.   

“Working alongside Volleyball England and Skyball, the know-how and infrastructure to stage these international events has gradually grown and I have no doubt this year’s NEVZA events will continue to successfully build on what has gone before.” 

England aiming to emulate Norway and Denmark 

Last year’s NEVZA Beach England saw home favourites Niko Gleed and Enrique Bello win the men’s event, beating Norway’s Håvard Solheim and Oscar Majak, while the women’s event saw Norway’s Sunniva Helland-Hansen and Nina Pavlova defeat compatriots Julia Tennøy and Solveig Sunde in the women’s final. 

The Youth event also saw strong performances from Norway, where winning three of the four sections (Stine Finholth and Oda Skarlund in the women’s U18, Tale Fosseli and Sofia Mol in the women’s U20 and Ludwig Ringøen and Sebastian Kjermperud in the men’s U18, who went on to become U18 World champions). 

They were denied a clean sweep by Denmark’s Villads Napier and Andreas Brinck who won the men’s U20 category before going on to win the European Championships at the same age group. 

Volunteers welcomed  

Volleyball England is seeking volunteers from across the East Yorkshire area to help them deliver successful NEVZA tournaments in 2026.  

Roles include; scorers, statisticians, photographers, videographers, security, ball retrievers and rakers. Click here to apply to volunteer. 

Rob Payne, Event Director, said: “Following two successful years growing the NEVZA Beach Championships, I am really excited to progress the event again this year. 

“The introduction of the Beach Pro Tour Event brings a larger infrastructure and it promises to be a truly exciting two weeks with the NEVZA events – that have brought Youth European and World Champions to the shores of East Yorkshire – played either side.” 

‘Incredible growth’ 

The major events staged at Bridlington have been done so with the full backing of local club Skyball Beach Volleyball. 

They are ready to provide their assistance once more, and Pete Makowski, Co-founder and Chair of Skyball, said: “We’re excited to be part of the hosting team for the NEVZA events for the third year running. 

“Looking back to how it all started in 2015 as a small beach tournament, it’s incredible to see how that initial spark has grown into something so special here in Bridlington.” 

NEVZA backing 

The confidence that NEVZA has in Bridlington delivering another successful tournament has been underlined by it giving the go-ahead for the events to return to East Yorkshire for at least the next three years. 

NEVZA’s Peter Holm, who is also chair of the Faroe Islands Volleyball Association, said: “We are happy to secure the organisation of the U18, U20 and Senior beach volleyball event in Bridlington, England for the next three years.”