The Norwegian duo has started the sand volleyball WC with three straight victories. They play their opening games in Huamantla, just under three hours east of Mexico City – indoors. – It is unprofessional to play indoor sand volleyball, under a roof. It’s a completely different situation, notes Anders Mol. – It is very special. In such a big championship, it is perhaps okay to have normal conditions, while this is completely new for us, says Christian Mol. They say that they are among those who play in a bullring with a roof in the group stage, while other teams, including Mathias Berntsen and Hendrik Mol, play their matches on two outdoor courts, also bullrings. And although Mol and Sørum actually think the arena itself is cool and fun to play in, they were both surprised and point to unfair conditions. – It is a shame that it has to be on such different terms. The ball flies in a completely different way inside than when playing outside. It’s a bit strange that it’s like that in a WC, says Mol. – Didn’t understand anything – We didn’t understand anything. We’ve been down here and trained quite a bit, then I got a list of the matches and it showed that we were supposed to be in. Anders hadn’t heard anything either, and that’s quite a big difference. We are going to Mexico and do not imagine that we will be playing inside, adds Sørum. MEDAL WINNERS: Anders Mol and Christian Sørum won their first WC title last summer. Photo: AP – You’d rather have it on the beach, that’s where it belongs, he adds. The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) informs news that there are no restrictions on whether the courts in championships are indoor or outdoor, and points out that indoor sand volleyball has been played both during the WC in Germany in 2019 and on the world tour. They also believe that the information about the WC courses has been sufficient. – Information about the arenas has been communicated to the players several times in advance of the championship, and they have gotten to know the competition courts and had training there before the pool play, and it is planned before the play-offs, they write in an email. Altitude challenge Another thing that makes the championship more challenging is that the host cities are located at an altitude of 2,500 metres. That is why the duo came to Mexico 11 days before the start of the World Cup. – It’s sickly loud. There is no doubt that we notice a big difference in our pulse and how the ball floats in the air. So it will be hard, but we just have to grit our teeth. There are equal conditions for everyone, says Mol. HARD CONDITIONS: Mol and Sørum warm up for the first World Cup match outdoors in just over 20 degrees and thin air. The match itself took place indoors. Photo: Sverre Kvamme – We are higher than Galdhøpiggen and the pulse goes up as soon as you go up the stairs, and you struggle to get it down once you have a high pulse. It is good that we have been here a few days in advance, so we can see how it affects the game, says Sørum. It is the first time the World Cup in beach volleyball has been held in Mexico, but last year they organized a major tournament. The interest in the sport is also one of the reasons why the championship was put there, explains Fivb, Mol and Sørum talk about a professional arrangement and hope for a folk festival. – They had great success here last year, and the arena was packed, and people had to have a police escort to and from the hotel, says Mol. – And hopefully we will play outdoors in the play-offs. Mol/Sørum are ready for the round of 16 in the WC. It runs on Wednesday 11 October.
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