A record 125 teams converged on Cootamundra for the wildly popular Coota Beach Volleyball Carnival today.
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Teams came from as far as Sydney, Melbourne and Canberra, as well as all over regional NSW.
Coota Beach competitors are used to battling through extreme conditions, so it was no surprise that some uncharacteristic drizzle failed to dampen the spirits of those competing at the annual event.
Hundreds enjoyed the festive atmosphere which featured blaring music, 700 tonnes of freshly dumped sand and a visually striking array of costumes.
The beach sprints also attracted plenty of attention, with Tom Tooth taking out the under eight boys title and Willow Hull emerging victorious among the girls.
Jack Ruslan was the best of the under 14 boys, while Ashley D-Aran won the girl’s competition.
Coota Beach Volleyball Carnival committee member Doug Phillips declared the jam-packed first day a success.
“It’s been fantastic,” he said.
“It’s growing all the time and it has become a bit of a ‘back to Coota’ weekend.
“Everyone comes home, brings their friends and stays in town.
“It brings you together with people that you might not have seen all year.”
It was a day to remember for young Murrumburrah duo Harry Forsyth and Austin Grace, who tried their hand at volleyball on the day and had a ball in the process.
“You get to meet a bunch of new people and there’s a great atmosphere here,” Austin said.
“It’s also something a bit different, we never normally get to play volleyball.”
Harry was quick to echo his friend’s sentiments.
“It’s a fun change from touch footy and a chance to play alongside our Coota mates,” he said.
“We’re very keen to come back, we want to get all our mates together for it next year.”
The carnival has grown dramatically since its humble beginnings in 2001, when it attracted a comparatively modest 16 teams.
Play will resume tomorrow, with the A-grade finals beginning just before 3pm.
Beach sprint winners
Under 8 boys: Tom Tooth
Under 8 girls: Willow Hull
Under 14 boys: Jack Ruslan
Under 14 girls: Ashley D-Aran
14-34 men: Grant Langfield
14-34 women: Louise Raleigh
34+ men: Greg Weinke
34+ women: Annette Pilon
