Paphos beach volleyball festival draws its biggest crowd yet

What began six years ago as a small amateur tournament on a single court has grown into one of the busiest weekends on the Cypriot summer sporting calendar. This year's Paphos beach volleyball festival ran across four courts over three days, mixing an open amateur bracket with an invitational professional exhibition that drew players from several neighbouring countries.

Organisers estimated foot traffic along the beachfront roughly doubled compared with last year's event, helped by good weather and a schedule that kept matches running from late morning until sunset each day.

The professional exhibition final went the distance, decided by a tight final set in front of a crowd several rows deep along the sand. The amateur bracket, meanwhile, was won by a mixed team of university students from Nicosia making their first appearance at the festival.

With this year's edition drawing its biggest crowd yet, festival organisers have already confirmed a return next August, with talk of adding a fifth court to handle growing demand from clubs wanting to enter.