The City of Perth played host to over one hundred volleyball teams over the 
weekend with players from around the globe including Japan, USA and Europe enjoying a marvellous festive atmosphere. It certainly felt like Perth was the volleyball capital of the world at the weekend.
This year the weather contributed towards the smooth running of the UK’s largest volleyball tournament with teams entering into the Jubilee spirit with fancy dress and fancy team names. The most original was undoubtedly the Royal Rumbles from Dunfermline with all six female members dressed like the Queen – they even set up a gazebo next to the court with its own red carpet!
As usual the tournament started on the Friday evening with its traditional ceilidh which was thoroughly enjoyed by the members of visiting nations as well as the local, Scottish teams.
Saturday morning’s sunshine on the Inch, along with the throng of people congregating for the town’s Jubilee celebrations, all meant that everyone was in good spirits and all eight divisions, three men, two women and three
mixed were in full flight.
Local teams were there in abundance with Mary Cook’s Aberfeldy side dressed as priests the most noticeable along with Andy Lochhead’s Team Awesome, Jamie Booth’s Kinross BB, Craig Donaldson’s Kelty Chiefs, Stuart Anderson’s Dodgy Spikers playing in the men’s divisions. In the mixed divisions there were Ronan Murray’s Loose Spikes, Jen Tramontanas’ Mii Fitness, Graeme Simpson’s Mrs G’s Allstars, Susan Scott’s See Me Jimmy, Motley Crew and Russell Wood’s Yfronts!
After Saturday’s play, which amazingly stopped en-mass to applaud the kilt runners, the local teams which qualified for the trophy were Kelty Chiefs in Men’s division two along with Aberfeldy, Mii Fitness, Mr G’s Allstars and See Me Jimmy in mixed division three.
Craig Donaldson’s Kelty Chiefs, with De Haan volleyballer Luc Vermeersch guesting won their Sunday games to qualify against Pascal Melgers’ Belgian side from Overpelt. This was a close fought game with the Belgians pipping the Kelty side in the third set before going on to narrowly defeat NUVOC 25-23;23-25; 15-11 to finish as champions.
In mixed division three, Aberfeldy, Mii Fitness and See Me Jimmy were all drawn together with Susan Scott’s side, See Me Jimmy qualifying for the knock out stages. They were joined by Graeme Simpson’s Mr G’s Allstars. Mr G’s met London based Cerus and the first set went to a marathon 32-30 for the Londoners only for Mr G to fight back and take the second set 25-19 before losing out 10-15 in the third.
Susan Scott’s See Me Jimmy qualified to meet Cerus in the final and this too went to three sets before Rahul Kaitheri’s Londoners again saw off their Scottish opponents 17-25; 25-17; 15-12.
Indoors in the women’s division of honour final, Kalina Kasprzyk’s Internationals defeated Anna Fischer’s NUVOC on Bell’s Sports Centre’s centre court winning by two sets to love.
In the men’s division of honour games, Team Tayside failed to make an 
impression and it was left to Nicolas Ricci’s French side FCUK and Stevie Milne’s Aberdeen side Bon Accord to play off in the final with the French side doing enough to see of their Scottish opponents, again by two sets to love.
Tournament Director, Dave Munro, thanked the teams for supporting this the 27th SOVT as well as the small band of local volunteers who make the whole thing happen year after year, adding much to Perth’s local economy over the weekend. He then introduced the SVA’s new Club & Participation Officer, Graeme Spowart to present the trophies to the various section winners.
And so the curtain comes down on yet another successful tournament in this Olympic year.
Let’s hope the Olympic volleyballers enjoy their British experience as much as the teams that were in Perth over the weekend.
| Winners | Runners Up | Plate | ||
| Mens Div of Honour | FCUK | Bon Accord | N/A | |
| Womens Div of Honour | Internationals | NUVOC | N/A | |
| Mens Div 2 | The Sheep Shearing Belgians | NUVOC | The Beaconeers | |
| Mens Div 3 | SP101 The Golden Years | Wez Sie W Garsc II | Safe Sets | |
| Womens Outdoor | Golden Girls |
|
N/A | |
| Mixed Div 1 | North Stars | Kiss My Ace | N/A | |
| Mixed Div 2 | Had to Change our Name | Alco’s Plus One | Linlithgow Hornets | |
| Mixed Div 3 | Cerus | See My Jimmy | Team Ahint |
David Munro
Tournament Director