At top event in Vienna

Set-up is in full swing – stars in anticipation

In three weeks' time, the A1 Beach Pro Vienna will be in full swing - preparations for the beach volleyball hit on Vienna's Heumarkt are already in full swing. The first sand was delivered on Wednesday and the big show will be back on July 9. Tickets are still available.

Up to 120 people are working on the construction, 650 tons of sand are being brought to the Red Bull Beach Arena for the center court - on Wednesday, the first trucks with the special "playing surface" arrived at Heumarkt. Production Manager Lukas Maderböck and Jarek Bielski, Manager of Pro-Construction, also reached for the shovel.

Vienna's top star Alex Horst can hardly wait for the A1 Beach Pro Vienna starting July 9 - tickets for the 4000 Arena are still available at www.beachvolleyball.at. "I'm really looking forward to it," says the local hero, who is the only ÖVV team to qualify for the Olympics with partner Julian Hörl - and is currently putting in an athletics and strength block to build up his form. "Of course, it's important that we're in very good shape for this highlight."

Those who want to cheer on the beach stars before the Heumarkt and before the Olympics can now do so at two home tournaments: The main competition starts on Friday on the Danube Island (Sportinsel) at the Masters of the domestic win2day tour, and next weekend the FIVB Futures event takes place in Baden.