The Hindu

MANGALORE, Mar 4: Before the temperature rose and the vast expanse of sand on the Panambur beach heated up on Wednesday, volleyball players took their positions in small sand courts. As the sun rose higher in the sky, they decided to disperse after just one game and returned to try their luck in the evening.

“It is difficult to play when sand gets warmer due to hot sun,” said Virupaksha K.V., a player of the New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT) team. “Hence we played only one game in the morning,” he said.

Players from major port trusts in the country gathered at the beach to participate in the seventh All India Major Ports’ Beach Volleyball Competition.

It was hosted by the NMPT Sports Council. Teams from 10 ports are participating in the three-day competition, which began on Wednesday.

“Rules of the beach volleyball differ from regular volleyball game,” said Mr. Virupaksha who played in the inaugural game.

In all, four players — two from each team — play in beach volleyball. While in regular volleyball, there will be six players in each team. Beach volleyball courts are smaller, he said.

P.C. Chako, an NMPT official and in-charge of conducting the competitions, said: “Beach volleyball courts will not have any central line, attack line and two short lines in service zone. There will not be penalty area and front zone,” he said.

According to Mr. Virupaksha, it is difficult to move on sand courts especially to move backwards to hit the ball.

Paradip Port Trust team won the first game 21-13; 21-9 against the NMPT team.

There were only a few spectators to watch it when the first game got over by 10.15 a.m.