First it was the seniors’ turn; then it was the juniors’ turn.
Thompsons Beach came alive on Monday, February 5 and Tuesday, February 6, for the Cobram Barooga Classic junior tournament.
The tournament, part of the Australian Beach Volleyball Tour, had up-and-coming volleyball stars from across Australia come together to duke it out on the sandy shoreline of the Murray River.
In the men’s under-21 Jed Walker and Luke Ryan teamed up to gain victory, while the women’s under-21 event was won by Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist Cameron Zajer and Leilani Burnell.
Walker and Ryan faced top seed Jett Rocker-Graham and Killian Donovan and, though victorious, Walker had nothing but praise for his opponents.
“They were in really good sync – they’re a really talented team,” Walker said.
After receiving his medal Walker said he was over the moon with his achievement.
“It’s incredible,” he said.
“I feel like it’s a long time coming and I worked really hard for it. My first ever junior medal and we’re so stoked that it could be a nice shiny gold one.”
As for Thompsons Beach, Walker couldn’t praise the area enough and said that as soon as he finished the formalities, he planned to jump into the cool Murray River.
“I love it (Thompsons Beach),” he said.
“It’s pretty special to be here. You got the river right there and it’s such a nice place to visit.”
Cobram Barooga Business and Tourism president Nicky Goldsworthy was ecstatic about the event and noted that the players appreciated the cooler weekday weather.
“The cooler conditions were more suited for the play; the heat was much more tolerable for the players,” Goldsworthy said.
Goldsworthy said the event was great for businesses, including the hotels in the area, and that the junior players spent their off time touring and taking in sites like the big strawberry at Koonoomoo.
“It was a great event for all,” Goldsworthy said.