Euro teams volley in for North Inch event The 31st Scottish Open tournament back in Perth
High-profile teams from Europe will again be included in this weekend’s 31st Scottish Open Volleyball Tournament.
The event, recognised as the most popular in the UK, is being staged at Perth’s North Inch.
More than 100 teams from home soil and abroad will be in action with the European interest coming from Leuven Volleyball Club of Belgium and a squad of Faroese women.
“As well as the men’s and women’s competitions, once again the most popular is the mixed divisions, seeing 63 teams divided into three levels,” said tournament director David Munro.
“Mixed division three alone is attracting 41 entries. The 35 men’s teams are also divided into three levels.
“The volunteer organising committee was pleased to see the long term weather forecast for the competition weekend predicted to be warm and sunny.
“Although the bulk of teams come from near and far, local teams are very much in evidence with a number of Perth District League sides taking on new fun names entering into the fun aspect of the competition, some playing in fancy dress.”
Play begins at 10am on Saturday morning following the set-up of nearly 40 volleyball courts on the Fair City turf.
Munro added: “It provides a spectacle of fun as well as promoting volleyball as a tremendously social sport enjoyed by boys and girls, men and women around the world.
“Sunday’s play starts at 9am and continues throughout the day with the knockout stages culminating in finals for all seven divisions.”
Men’s Division One features three local teams which are Craig Donaldson’s Kinross based side Kelty Chiefs, Colin McGinley’s Glenrothes based Teach Fife and former Kinross High School pupil Ruari Soutar’s Newcastle based multinational Six Nations.
Meanwhile, former Kinross Volleyball Club player Calum Law’s Tip City compete in men’s Division Two, with men’s Division Three featuring Andy Lochhead’s Team Awesome, Mathew Moloney’s M&M Minions and Carole Hardy’s Dunfermline Phoenix.
Mixed Division Three features local sides including Mary Cook’s Aberfeldy, Susan Scott’s Plus Perth, Mae Lucas’ Mae’s Mysterons, Kirsty Imlay’s M&Ms, Greg Marshall’s Renegades and Declan Greenwood’s Sail Away to Victory. The tournament is always enjoyed by players