Tour return spikes interest again for top player
FORMER leading Townsville beach volleyball player Christian Matheson said the return of the Queensland Beach Volleyball Tour to the city had been the kick up the backside he needed.
After two years of sitting on the sidelines due to Covid-19, Matheson admitted he had let himself go.
A two-decade veteran of the sport, Matheson was involved the last time the tour was in Townsville in 2004 and won the premier division when the tour last came north to Cairns in 2018. But that was the last time he took part in the state’s top competition.
“I am definitely not as well conditioned as I used to be,” Matheson said.
“I was trying to get to as many events as I could, but I haven’t played as much as I would like.
“I have been training out of the university the last couple of months. (The return of the QBVT) was the precursor to get fit again and stop being slack.
“If it hadn’t been here I would have struggled. I may have done Cairns, but if it was not in the North, I would have stayed out of it. That is why it is great for the tour to return to Townsville.”
Matheson said he hoped the tournament would reignite the competitive volleyball scene in North Queensland, a region that has produced several stars over the years, including Olympic gold medallist Natalie Cook.
The beach volleyball scene has taken a hit with the recent closure of the City Sands complex next to the Townsville Showground, but the business has based itself out at James Cook University, while Town Beach has also opened at Garbutt.
QBVT organiser Shannon Zunker said Townsville used to be a hotspot for beach volleyball.
“What Townsville can expect is a mini version of how we deliver it on the Gold Coast,” he said. “The courts will be the same and we have some really strong players coming from around the state.”
The QBVT is from October 23-24, with games played under lights at night on the shores at Strand Park.