Whitefield Volleyball Tournament 2008

18/19 July 2008

After last years washout everyone was ready for this year's Whitefield tournament. Riga mens' first team playing indoors and a mixed Riga team taking part in Div 1 in the outdoors. We all arrived on the Friday night and set up camp and headed into town for drinks and food. The weather was good as we all settled down into our tents for the night. However, it wasn't waking to the usual squak of the sea-gulls but to torrential downpour (the joy of volleyball tournament camping!). Still when it was time to get up the rain had stopped and the weather looked fairer.

The mixed team consisted of Clare, Mummy Jayne and back from retirement Sarah with Chris, Paul (Pingu), Olivier and Richie. Starting steady the team easily won the first game of the day. And the good results continued with Riga only narrowly missing out on a couple of games. Although the group stages were not completed until the Sunday morning, the team was well positioned. Safe in the knowledge of this, the team showered and set off out of the nice little authentic Italian restaurant that Sarah and Jayne had booked (that would be a Strada then!) which served us well in the absence of our favourite Bath haunt which had closed down!!! A good night was had by all.

Sunday morning saw the team wait a few hours before their first game! But with the sun shining we weren't too worried!Riga took that game and finished third in the pool. This meant they went through to the plate semi final and were playing the team 6th in the pool (yes, the poor souls hadn't won a game all weekend). Riga are a generous club and thought this couldn't possibly be fair so despite it being a semi-final Riga let it go to three sets and then in the true charitable set lost it in the final set 17-16! Just one point away from that trophy! Must work on that hunger for winning prior to Gloucester!

Congrats also to Riga's Alex Smith who was playing for Swiss Cottage in the ladies indoor tournament. A nail biting final just saw Swiss Cottage lose out but after taking a set from a strong team with a lot of caps to names!