The snowy slopes of Armenia recently hosted a different kind of competitive heat. From February 14 to 16, 2025, the Mayler Mountain Resort in Aparan became the battleground for the National Snow Volleyball Championship, organized by the Volleyball Federation of Armenia (VFA) with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports. The event saw 10 men’s and seven women’s teams trade their usual indoor or sand courts for a demanding snow-covered arena.
Choosing Mayler Mountain Resort as the venue was a first for the championship. Reportedly, significant effort was invested by both the VFA and the resort management to ensure optimal playing conditions. This included the specific construction of two high-quality courts tailored for snow volleyball, proving that dedication can indeed turn a ski slope into a volleyball pitch. Teams navigated through initial subgroup stages, leading to knockout semi-finals and ultimately, the climactic medal matches.
Men`s Competition: A Tight Race to the Top
The men`s tournament was characterized by its intense competitiveness. Local observers suggested that nearly two-thirds of the participating teams harbored genuine hopes of clinching the title, making for an unpredictable path through the brackets. A young Nor-Nork team showed flashes of potential, securing two victories in their pool before being halted by more experienced adversaries. While eliminated this year, their performance hints at future challenges for the established teams – a classic “wait till next season” scenario, played out in the snow.
The battle for the bronze medal added a unique twist, featuring two teams from the same club, FIMA. In this internal contest, FIMA-1 demonstrated slightly stronger form to secure third place honors over FIMA-2. The championship culminated in a highly anticipated final between the team representing Gyumri and opponents from Yerevan. This match was singled out as the most visually appealing and strategically tense encounter of the tournament. After a gripping display of snow volleyball prowess, the Gyumri squad emerged victorious, earning the coveted title of national champions.
Women`s Competition: Van Claims the Crown
The women`s championship was equally fraught with tension and delivered a series of compelling matches. Four teams – Van, Perfect Smile, BSU, and KHMOMM – successfully navigated their way to the semi-final stage. Indicative of the balanced competition, both semi-final matches concluded with identical, narrow 2-1 scorelines. Team Van advanced from their semi-final clash, as did BSU from the other, setting the stage for the women`s final.
Before the final showdown, KHMOMM faced Perfect Smile for the bronze medal. KHMOMM proved stronger in this encounter, securing the third spot on the podium. In the championship decider, Team Van took on BSU. Van established an early lead in the final match and demonstrated strategic control to maintain their advantage throughout, ultimately crowning themselves the 2025 women`s national champions.
The championship concluded with the formal presentation of medals and trophies to the top three teams in both the men`s and women`s categories. Members of the VFA Managing Board, alongside Mr. Arshavir Hakobyan, Operations Director of the Mayler Mountain Resort, were present to honor the athletes and acknowledge the successful collaboration that brought this exciting snow volleyball event to life.
