Nordhäuser talents win 5th place at the U18 Beach Championship!

Nordhäuser talents win 5th place at the U18 Beach Championship!

Last weekend the German U18 male youth beach volleyball championship took place in Barby, Saxony-Anhalt. From July 11th to 13th, 2025, 32 teams from all over Germany fought for the coveted trophy. The event was organized by SVpädik Schönebeck e.V. and attracted numerous talented teams. Among the participants were Noah König from Nordhausen and Leo Rieder from Erfurt, who had previously qualified as winners of the Stadtwerke Beach Cup. These two young athletes showed that they have a knack for beach volleyball.

Noah and Leo started with an exciting first game, which they lost 2-1 to a Berlin team. But the two were not discouraged. In the second match against a team from Saxony-Anhalt they were able to shine with a clear 2-0 win. Things also went well in the third game: They won again - this time 2-0 against a team from Saxony. On Sunday, the two talents met a strong Hamburg team and unfortunately had to admit defeat 0-2, which meant that they had to go into the loser's pool.

The entire championship at a glance

In the loser pool, Noah and Leo proved once again that they are not easy to give up. They won 2-1 against a team from Brandenburg and moved into the quarter-finals. There they met a team from the Hamburg national volleyball base, but had to admit defeat again, this time 1:2. Nevertheless, the two can be proud of their performance: With a 5th place out of 32 teams, they achieved the best placement of a SVC Nordhausen player at a German beach volleyball championship.

• Platzierung: 5. von 32
• Erstes Spiel: 1:2 gegen ein Berliner Team
• Zweites Spiel: 2:0 gegen ein Team aus Sachsen-Anhalt
• Drittes Spiel: 2:0 gegen ein Team aus Sachsen
• Viertes Spiel (Loser-Pool): 2:1 gegen ein Team aus Brandenburg
• Viertelfinale: 1:2 gegen ein Hamburger Team

The family backgrounds

What is particularly noteworthy is that Noah's father, Tobias König, has been playing in the first men's team at SVC Nordhausen for many years. It's a similar story for Leo Rieder: his parents have already won the Thuringia beach volleyball championship several times. This family sporting spirit and passion for beach volleyball seem to have been transferred to the two talents and make them promising players for the future.

The German Beach Volleyball Championship U18 was not only a competition, but also a sign for the next generation of volleyball in Germany. Who knows, maybe we'll see Noah and Leo in the pros again one day. The volleyball association is already offering a variety of championships for the next few years that offer a lot of development potential for the young players. Anyone interested should register in good time so as not to miss the chance to take part. The next championship in this age category is expected to take place next year. Registration takes place via the DVV Beach portal and should take place by the registration deadline, which has already been set for 2026.

The enthusiasm for beach volleyball continues to grow, and the hospitality in Barby was also a real highlight. The organizers have created the best conditions to organize an unforgettable event. So if you're interested in beach volleyball, you should definitely keep an eye on the next championships. Further information, results and social media updates can be found on the official homepage or the host's social media channels.