Munich organisers sights are set on delivering a memorable WUC Beach Volleyball

MUNICH — With less than 90 days to go to the 9th edition of the World University Beach Volleyball Championship preparations are underway. With the summer sports season soon approaching, Munich organisers are dialling in their event delivery plans. This past week the event committee had their fifth pre-event meeting.

FISU Executive Committee member Dr. Verena Burk, who is also President of WUC Beach Volleyball 2018, led the latest April session. The meeting focused on furthering the coordination planning stages for the event, which is set to take place 9-13 July.

Abiding by the mantra “for students, by students” the organisers also placed special emphasis in these meetings on volunteering. At the Munich event, volunteers won’t just be getting sunburns and getting the proverbial cup of coffee; they will hold be charged with overseeing activities such as assisting delegations, to public relations to sport-related and protocol tasks.

By last December, Munich organisers had received numerous applications for the volunteer program; now, all those who sought to be involved in the World University Championship event by the deadline have had their applications  screened in the recent weeks. The final selection of the volunteers was then made by telephone and personal interviews.

“We are very pleased that more than 70 highly qualified volunteers will be involved in the World University Beach Volleyball Championship,” Dr. Burk said. “All volunteers will be prepared for their areas of work as best as possible until the beginning of the event, because they form the backbone of the event.

While most of the volunteers are studying at the Technical University Munich, organisers also had hopeful volunteers seek to join the event from all over Germany — and event abroad. 

Lina Rüterbories, a teaching student from the northern Germany city of Lüneburg, recently got accepted to the program. “I work as an event and competition organizer in the university sports Lüneburg,” Mrs. Rüterbories said.  “After learning about the WUBC volunteer program, I immediately applied. At the WUBC I will have the opportunity to contribute to the success of an international top-class sporting event. I would like to gain practical experience in carrying out a highly professional event. I’m looking forward to working in a motivated team, where everyone is excited for the organization of major sporting event like me.”

Other topics of the OC meeting included the cultural program, the venue branding, the press work and the logistics. The next OC meeting will take place on 4 May in Munich.