Beach Volleyball Setting Does Not Disappoint

When Rio was chosen to host the Olympic Summer Games in 2009, one of the exciting parts of the bid was the notion of a temporary beach volleyball venue on Copacabana Beach. Now that the stadium has been constructed (even if it took organizers until the last minute to complete it), the venue, while temporary, does not disappoint.

This is the second consecutive Olympic Games that have placed beach volleyball in an iconic setting after the sport was staged at Horse Guards Parade in London. And it’s hard to imagine future hosts won’t take advantage of a stadium that really can be placed anywhere.

Security lines have been long getting into the venue in the first week, but once inside, spectators get views of the Atlantic Ocean, Sugarloaf Mountain or Copacabana Beach, depending on their seats. And this is one venue where a seat near the top may be the best seat in the house.

But underlying that need for security, it’s also hard not to notice the Brazilian Navy ship parked just off the beach. Nonetheless, with sessions that start at 10 a.m. and go through midnight, there is a constant stream of people coming in to catch the action.