The UK Beach Tour (UKBT) is the United Kingdom's national competition for beach volleyball players, coordinated in partnership with Volleyball England,[1] Scottish Volleyball,[2] and the Northern Irish Volleyball Federation.[3] It was started in 2018 by Commonwealth Games Team England player Jake Shaef,[4][5] and now delivers dozens of beach volleyball events annually at venues around the UK, catering for all levels of ability, from entry level to elite. A Junior Tour was introduced in 2021, though experienced juniors can also play in adult events. The tournaments are organised by individuals and clubs, in line with UKBT guidance.[6][7] Participant players are awarded points based on their ranking in UK and international tournaments, and these are coordinated into a national ranking system.[8]
As well as Volleyball England, UKBT has partnerships with its ball sponsor, Wilson, and the disability charity My AFK.[9]
UKBT event structure edit
The following UKBT event structure is detailed in the UKBT Handbook:[6]
- Junior Tour: These are events for players in the Under-14 and Under-18 age categories. They last 1–2 days.
- 1-Star, 2-Star and 3-Star tournaments: These are local events for mixed or single gender teams. They last 1–2 days.
- 4-Star tournaments: These 2-day events are aimed at "the UK’s top and developing players".
- 5-Star tournaments (Grand Slam Series): These 2-day events are aimed at elite players.
References edit
- ^ "UK Beach Tour". Volleyball England. Volleyball England. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "Scottish Volleyball partnership with UKBT, 22nd April 2022". Scottish Volleyball. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "Northern Ireland: Welcome to the Tour!". UK Beach Tour. Retrieved 17 June 2023.
- ^ "UK BEACH TOUR LTD". Companies House. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "Jake Shaef". Team England. Team England. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ a b "UKBT Handbook 2021" (PDF). UK Beach Tour. UKBT. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "UKBT Event Organiser Guide" (PDF). UK Beach Tour. UKBT. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "UKBT National Rankings". UK Beach Tour. UKBT. Retrieved 12 April 2021.
- ^ "UKBT Partners". UKBT.