Hutton/Clifford and Oretoye/Robinson 'excited' by U18 Beach Euros challenge

Tilly Hutton and Robyn Clifford first get their campaign underway in the women's competition tomorrow (Wednesday) in the qualifying tournament.  

NEVZA Youth Championships bronze medallists Emmanuel Oretoye and Luca Robinson then begin their bid on Thursday, having been handed a place in the main draw. 

Both have landed in Tűrikye and are ready to give their best taking on Europe's best. 

"Tilly and Robyn are really excited to have the opportunity to compete at the European Championships," said Coach Iwona Grabon.  

"They’re looking forward to being exposed to a very high level of beach volleyball, competing against some of the best young teams in Europe, and experiencing such a great tournament environment." 

In terms of aims, the NEVZA Youth semi-finalists of 2025 are keeping things simple. 

Iwona added: "First of all, we’re taking it one step at a time and our full focus is on the qualification match on Wednesday. 

"We have to respect every opponent and concentrate on our own performance. Of course, the goal is to reach the Main Draw, but that’s still a step away. Right now, Wednesday is all that matters." 

Robyn and Tilly have put together "strong" preparations for the tournament, says Iwona, including both in terms of training and matchplay. 

She said: "Tilly and Robyn completed a two-week training camp in Croyde, and we’re very grateful to British Volleyball Federation for supporting and funding that opportunity. 

"They’ve also competed in two tournaments as part of their preparation, reaching the semi-finals in their most recent event. 

"That preparation and competitive experience gives us plenty of reasons to go into the European Championships feeling positive and confident." 

The men, meanwhile are also relishing the opportunity to test themselves against the continent's elite having stood on the podium at NEVZA in Bridlington. 

The team is really looking forward to the tournament and to the opportunity to compete in Tűrikye," said Coach Pete Makowski. "It’s an exciting experience for everyone, and we’re eager to get started and test ourselves on the international stage. 

"Our approach is to take it one game at a time, trust the process, stay calm and composed, and play with strong belief in our ability to achieve a good finish. 

"It’s definitely a benefit (not playing ni the qualifiers). We can start the tournament feeling fresher, with fewer games in our legs, which should allow us to perform at our best from the beginning. Hopefully, that will help us produce a strong result. 

Pete says the team has been working on key specific themes ahead of the Euros getting underway. 

He added: "We’ve had a strong focus on our out-of-system play — being comfortable playing with freedom, taking high risks when the opportunity is there, but also remaining accountable and disciplined as a team." 

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