The international beach volleyball tournament Vzajemna Portorož Open 2017 started today in Portorož, under the auspices of the Central European volleyball federation MEVZA. The competition began with qualifications. The best players will compete in the main draw tomorrow and on Saturday.
Besides the Slovenian pairs, competitors from the Czech Republic, Italy, Austria, Poland, Croatia, Slovakia, Hungary and Israel will play on the Portorož sand. For the second year in a row, Portorož is the venue. The tournament is organized by Volley Club Portorož in cooperation with the Slovenian Volleyball Federation, on three courts on the central beach and two courts at Marina Portorož.
From the tournament director
I am glad that, alongside the Ljubljana Challenge, this year too we are hosting one of the strongest beach volleyball tournaments in Slovenia, namely Vzajemna Open Portorož 2017. Once again we will be able to watch some of the best men’s and women’s pairs from Central Europe, who have also competed at world championships. Our eyes are of course focused above all on our local players and national champions, Tjaša Jančar and Tjaša Kotnik, but we are also looking forward to the performances of the other home pairs, who have trained diligently and prepared for the upcoming tournament. Both the players and the spectators will be well looked after, so I invite all beach volleyball fans to join us over the coming days on the central beach in Portorož. You are welcome to attend.
Jasmin Čuturić, tournament director
Slovenian pairs
Six Slovenian pairs will take part in the main draw. In the women’s competition: Tjaša Jančar and Tjaša Kotnik, national champions from the end of July; Špela Morgan and Tajda Lovšin, third at this year’s national championship; and Ana Skarlovnik and Jelena Pešič, former national champions returning to the sand.
The men’s draw will probably take place without Nejc Zemljak and Jan Pokeršnik, the first Slovenian pair to qualify for the European Championship in Jurmala, Latvia. Competing instead are the current national champions Danijel Pokeršnik and Tadej Boženk, and the promising home players Aleksander Dulai and Manuel Grünwald.
Other Slovenian teams — the runners-up Potočnik/Jakopin, plus Košenina/Vrhunc, Marovt/Bošnjak, Port/Markovič and Tepič/Plahutnik in the men’s draw, and Kontrec/Pene, Lovšin/Sakovič and Kersnik/Bevc in the women’s draw — will have to reach the main draw through qualifications.
Saturday, 19 August
| Time | On the schedule |
|---|---|
| 2:30–4:30 PM | Women’s semifinals |
| 4:30–6:30 PM | Men’s semifinals |
| 6:30 and 7:30 PM | Matches for 3rd place |
| 8:30 PM | Women’s final |
| 9:30 PM | Men’s final, then the awards |
The main draw has 16 women’s pairs and 16 men’s pairs. The prize fund for the top four teams in each competition is 6,000 euros.