The beach volleyball World Tour comes to the tiny Alpine resort of Gstaad for the early-season Grand Slam Gstaad tournament. Musical acts, a beach party and kids' and seniors' tournaments add to the fun.
Beach volleyball has grown rapidly in popularity since the mid-1990s, fuelled by increased exposure - both on television and in the flesh, with women's teams actually required by the rules to don skimpy bikinis.
Nonetheless, success still requires precision, strength and perfect team play. The two-set game is fast and the maximum of 12 seconds between the rallies doesn't leave much time for taking a breather. In contrast to six-player standard volleyball, there is less chance to set up complicated plays, putting a premium on spikes and effective blocking. This is a fast, exciting and colourful sport to watch.
Nonetheless, success still requires precision, strength and perfect team play. The two-set game is fast and the maximum of 12 seconds between the rallies doesn't leave much time for taking a breather. In contrast to six-player standard volleyball, there is less chance to set up complicated plays, putting a premium on spikes and effective blocking. This is a fast, exciting and colourful sport to watch.
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