Before the 2008 Olympics, I didn't realize that beach volleyball was a competitive sport.
That's not to say it isn't interesting or fun to watch--or play. I played a pretty fair amount of volleyball in my youth, and I can tell you that playing it well requires quite a bit of conditioning and practice. I'm sure that much of what I did on courts is more difficult on sand. Or, at least, the timing and coordination are different.
Once I started to watch the tournaments, I wasn't surprised to see that Brazil and the United States had two of the best teams. I was, however, surprised when the Belgian team gave the American women a scare in one match.
I have to admit, the day before I saw that match, I never would have associated Belgium with beach volleyball. I know there are beaches in that country. Some have a rather austere kind of beauty, but in terms of weather, they're nothing like their counterparts in California, Hawaii or Ipanema. People don't travel from other countries to take in the sun and surf in Belgium as they might, say, in Spain or some parts of the US.
I don't think Denmark fielded a team in that tournament. Like Belgium, it has beaches. Also like its Flemish neighbor (well, almost), they're not the first things people associate with the country.
But people do indeed go to those seaside havens for pretty much the same reasons people flock to sea, sand and sun (well, sometimes not so much of that: look at Blackpool!) everywhere. And, there is beach riding in Copenhagen.
It seems, though, that the Danish idea of a cruiser--or beach cycling attire--is a bit different from that in Daytona or Malibu:
That's not to say it isn't interesting or fun to watch--or play. I played a pretty fair amount of volleyball in my youth, and I can tell you that playing it well requires quite a bit of conditioning and practice. I'm sure that much of what I did on courts is more difficult on sand. Or, at least, the timing and coordination are different.
Once I started to watch the tournaments, I wasn't surprised to see that Brazil and the United States had two of the best teams. I was, however, surprised when the Belgian team gave the American women a scare in one match.
I have to admit, the day before I saw that match, I never would have associated Belgium with beach volleyball. I know there are beaches in that country. Some have a rather austere kind of beauty, but in terms of weather, they're nothing like their counterparts in California, Hawaii or Ipanema. People don't travel from other countries to take in the sun and surf in Belgium as they might, say, in Spain or some parts of the US.
I don't think Denmark fielded a team in that tournament. Like Belgium, it has beaches. Also like its Flemish neighbor (well, almost), they're not the first things people associate with the country.
But people do indeed go to those seaside havens for pretty much the same reasons people flock to sea, sand and sun (well, sometimes not so much of that: look at Blackpool!) everywhere. And, there is beach riding in Copenhagen.
It seems, though, that the Danish idea of a cruiser--or beach cycling attire--is a bit different from that in Daytona or Malibu:
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| From San Jose Bike Party |
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