#TO25 Snow Volleyball Festival combines sport and fun in Bardonecchia

The #TO25 Snow Volleyball Festival brought incredible action to Bardonecchia, Italy last weekend as the fun and unique sport of snow volleyball proved to be a hit with athletes and the public alike.

Organized by the Organizing Committee of the Torino 2025 International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Games Winter, the #TO25 Snow Volleyball Festival included a tournament featuring snow volleyball stars and Queen & King of the Court, among others.

Snow volleyball has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to the work of the FIVB and the European Volleyball Federation (CEV), as well as the Italian Volleyball Federation and Snow Volley Italia. Snow volleyball is one of the sports to be presented at the FISU Games Winter 2025 in Torino.

Dunks, jumps on the white surface, spectacular saves and loud music made for a show that drew many curious people to Campo Smith on both Saturday and Sunday, including the après-ski event at the neighboring Harald’s Ski Restaurant.

The men’s tournament of #TO25 Snow Volleyball Festival ended with the triumph in straight sets (15-12, 21-19) for Poland’s Piotr Groszek, Karol Szczepanik and Michal Matyia against the Czech team consisting of Jan Mrkous, Filip Stastny and Frantisek Pihera. However, the latter consoled themselves with success at the King of the Court event, a very addictive format derived from beach volleyball with continuous rotations on the court.

Poland’s Piotr Groszek, Karol Szczepanik and Michal Matyia triumphed in the snow (Photo: Torino 2025 Organizing Committee)

In the women’s category there were double successes for Sara Breidenbach, home game heroine Anna Dalmazzo and Sofia Arcaini, winner in three sets (15-8, 6-15, 15-10) in the final of the #TO25 Snow Volley Festival against Andrea Giudici, Monica Pastorino and Cristiana Parenzan shortly after they also won the Queen of the Court event.

Italy’s Breidenbach, Dalmazzo and Arcaini won the women’s competition as well as the Queen of the Court event (Photo: Torino 2025 Organizing Committee)

dr Ary S. Graça F°, FIVB President: “The FIVB is committed to the development of the sport of snow volleyball around the world and we always stand behind initiatives that provide opportunities for people to engage in this sport. The Snow Volleyball Festival in Bardonecchia really captured the universality of our sport, as well as the fun and unique spirit of Snow Volleyball.”

Aleksandar Boričić, CEV President: “We always welcome any action that helps to promote Snow Volleyball and draw attention to the youngest and coolest version of the volleyball game. Since its launch in 2016, Snow Volleyball has helped us bring volleyball to truly iconic locations and provide an experience for players and fans alike. I am confident that the event in Bardonecchia will contribute to the further development of snow volleyball in Italy and also throughout Europe and will lay the foundation for organizing more such competitions in the near future.”

Alessandro Ciro Sciretti, President of Torino 2025 and Edisu Piemonte: “The #TO25 Snow Volleyball Festival was the first sporting event organized by the Torino 2025 Committee in view of the games that await us in less than two years and we are enthusiastic response that we received both in terms of the participation of international athletes and the public who could discover a new discipline on the snow. Bardonecchia has responded to our call to a large extent and I am convinced that Pinerolo, Pragelato and Torre Pellice will do the same, since together with Torino they want to enrich the offer of sporting and cultural events on the way to the World University Games Winter 2025.”

A final group photo with players and officials at the end of the hugely successful Snow Volleyball event Festival in Bardonecchia (Photo: Torino 2025 Organizing Committee)

Giuseppe Manfredi, President of the Italian Volleyball Federation: “We are very happy that such an important international snow volleyball event was held in Bardonecchia. I am convinced that it will be an excellent showcase for this discipline in which the federation invests significant resources. After last season’s first edition of the Italian Championship, which consisted of two stages, this year the national snow circuit has been expanded to four events. I know that all participants had a lot of fun and thank the organizers of the festival.”

Chiara Rossetti, Mayor of Bardonecchia: “Two beautiful days full of sport, fun and exchange. Two years before the event, Bardonecchia enters the atmosphere of Torino 2025 more than ever. Until January 2025, when Bardonecchia returns to the global spotlight, eighteen years after the 2007 Universiade, there will be a multitude of sporting and cultural events that we will host and organize in order to best prepare ourselves to welcome the many young people and athletes who to take part in the next World University Games. Sport and culture are an indispensable combination for Bardonecchia, we are more ready than ever for 2025 and the success of these two days, where snow volleyball played a leading role, proves it and is certainly an excellent starting point.”