Beach Volleyball Portugal
Beach Volleyball

Volleyball practice on Portuguese beaches has its origins in the 50’s, when, in some of the most popular beaches, like, Espinho, Matosinhos, Póvoa de Varzim, Figueira da Foz, Vila Praia de Ancora, Costa da Caparica, Carcavelos, Paços de Arcos and Praia das Macas, bathers began their practice.
In 1967, the Portuguese Volleyball Federation decided to hold the first ever official beach volleyball contest, the ‘’ Beach Tournament’’. The finals took place on the beautiful sands of Figueira da Foz, on September 23, and were won by the Catedráticos, a duo from Póvoa de Varzim.
During the 70s, the practice of this sport declined in Portugal, but officially returned in 1986 with the Costa da Caparica Tournament.
In Portugal, the sport regained an international strength in the mid 90’s, due to the enormous success of an International Beach Volleyball Tournament in Espinho. Following this, in 1993, the first National Beach Championship in the sandy beaches of Carcavelos, won by the duo of Miguel Maia and João Brenha. During the 90’s, Maia and Brenha dominated the Portuguese Beach Volleyball scene.
In 1994, starts the women’s championship, where the victory fell to Maria José Schuller and Cristina Pereira.
The year 1993, however, was determinant for the definitive consecration of the sport as on Olimpic Sport. So, in 1996, in Atlanta, USA, the debut was registered with great success, having the gold medals, in male category, been handed to the Americans and in the women’s, to Brazil. Portugal recorded a successful campaign, winning fourth place, due to the fantastic performance by the duo Miguel Maia and João Brenha.
Four years later, in Sydney, Australia, the success of this duo renews itself when they place fourth place again.
Nowadays, Espinho is a national meca for beach volleyball players, and one of the locations of the World BeachVolley Circuit.