CLASSIC BACK FOR 42ND YEAR!

The Weymouth Beach Classic is back on the beach this weekend for its 42nd  year  with lead sponsors  We Are Weymouth and Ultra Maritime.  For the first time this year the event is being run by UKBT (United Kingdom Beach Tour)  and will be supported by Weymouth Volleyball Club

The Weymouth event is the pinnacle of UKBT’s British Tour which takes in some 200 events around the UK  but  is just one of two  events given ‘Grand Slam’ status  and attracts nearly all the top players across the country to the town.

The  event held at the Pavilion end of the beach will include a Centre Court which provides free seating for 150 in a new covered grandstand ,The   Bacaro bar will be situated at one end of the Centre Court  and there will be commentary and music to entertain the crowd  throughout the weekend.

The Classic kicks off on Thursday evening with the traditional Charity Event where 24 local businesses will battle it out for the title. For the first time this year this is being organised by Weymouth Round Table.

This is followed on Friday afternoon with the qualifying event. 16 teams will compete in the mens and womens competitions with the final two sides going into Saturday’s main draw. The qualifier includes local two local teams, Liam Tewkesbury and James Bibby represent Weymouth in the Mens event and Charlie Chambers and Immy Hollands compete in the womens competition.

Play starts 9am on Saturday morning with matches in the Mens and Womens early rounds of competition. Play will finish with the final group matches at about 7pm on Saturday evening.

Sunday will begin with the Quarter Finals in both mens and  womens event and then the day will build to a climax with the womens final at 3pm followed by the men.

The Mens event looks like it will be the highest standard event for a number of year. The stars will be Issaa Batrane and Freddie Bialokoz ,  they won the event in 2021 but haven’t been back to Weymouth since because of clashes with World Tour events, they currently sit with a World ranking of 52. However they wont have it all their own way , last year’s winner Harry Jones will be keen to win again this time playing with  Dalton Bunde. Also keen to win will be Scottish Internationals Ross McElvie and James Mc Hardy and 2023 Champions Jan-Joost van den Bogert and Cole Durant .

In the womens event there will be some interesting combinations. For instant past rivals Meissa Coutts from Scotland has teamed up with England International Vicky Palmer. Meanwhile Melissa’s ex partner  and Great Britain captain Lynne Beattie is playing with another Scottish player Mhairi Wallace.  As well as this a wildcard has been given to Aleksandra Wachowicz  from Poland currently ranked 47 in the World and her partner Violeta Slabakova from USA who will be playing in their first ever British event and will be a very strong threat.