NEVZA Youth Beach 2026 day three round-up - Swedes Brus and Turneqvist prevent Norwegian clean sweep

It was another superb tournament for the Norwegians on the sands of Belvedere (South) Beach, but, just as in 2025, they were unable to quite wrap up all four titles. 

Last year it was Denmark who denied them, clinching the U20 men's crown – a team who went on to become European champions. 

This time, it was their closest neighbours who intervened, enabling Brus to go two better than the bronze he claimed 12 months ago in tandem with Teddie Engvall. 

Having lost to Norway's Ludvig Sødal Ringøen and Liam Karlsen by the narrowest of margins in the pool stages to the same opponents, Sweden came out pumped up and determined to ensure a different outcome at the second time of asking. 

And so it proved, with the giant Turneqvist inspired at the net and Brus covering behind to frequently keep the ball off the sand in securing a 21-17, 21-16 victory. 

The U18 Women's competition saw familiar winners in the shape of Oda Skarlund and Stine Finholth, who successfully won the title they won in 2025. 

The Norwegians stormed through the pool and knockout stages without dropping a single set across their five matches, eventually defeating Maisa Kyröläinen and Nelli Waldén in the final (21-16, 21-11), the Finns having competed well in other senior events across the Bridlington fortnight. 

Norway were also the gold medalists in both U20 categories with, first, Cathrine Hjeltnes and Tiril Skjold triumphant in the women's gold medal match, beating their compatriots Hermine Fosmark and Maren Våge (21-18, 21-18). 

It was another successful revenge mission as the overall champions had lost to their previously unbeaten opponents in the pool stages, but turned the tables when it mattered. 

For Hjeltnes, it brought a happy ending to her time in Bridliington, having finished an agonising fourth in the Beach Pro Tour Futures event in partnership with Melina Mol. 

Concluding a successful two weeks of action on the East Yorkshire Coast was a compelling U20 Men's final between Norway and Finland. 

Favourites going in, Sebastian Kjemperud and Johannes Ringøen set their stall out early mixing power with guile to post the first set against Kaapo Vanhatupa and Konsta Viljamaa. 

And though the game Finns battled back to take an early lead at the start of the second set, with the help of some great blocking from Vanhatupa, the Norwegians raised their game when it mattered at the business end of the set to come through 21-16, 22-20. 

It completes a stellar two weeks for Kjemperud - NEVZA Youth and World U18 champion along with Ludvig Ringøen in 2025 - as he also won the NEVZA Beach England event for seniors with brother Jonah. 

The final day was also a decent one for host nation England, who claimed the two bronze medals in the two men's categories, battling back manfully after losing close semi-finals. 

First, Emmanuel Oretoye and Luca Robinson booked their place on the podium by overcoming Norway's Martin Tollefsen and Emil Torsæter, a side they had beaten in their pool, in straight sets (21-16, 22-20). 

Then Lewis Bunton and Bailey Harsum, fourth at NEVZA Beach England, this time picked up something for the efforts by overcoming Amund Brundtland and David Stenberg, cruising through the first set and then edging a much tighter second (21-11, 22-20). 

In the women's bronze medal matches, Norway's Johanna Krane and Sina Straumstøyl saw off Finland's Miina Kojo and Isla Juselius at U18 level, registering a comfortable 21-11, 21-11 success. 

U20 third place was taken by Finland’s Anna Laaksonen and Sole Juuri-Oja who denied Denmark, represented by Mila Lyø and Clara Skovsgaard, their first medal (21-14, 21-18). 

The Queen and King of the Court event, held for those players not involved in competitive NEVZA action on the final day saw an enjoyable, quickfire tournament where rapid points against the clock was the name of the game. 

In the end, England's Lauren Thorn and Molly Quinn won the women's contest, while Finland's Martti Talvia and Julius Uusitalo were victorious in the men's. 

Volleyball England would like to thank all the volunteers, officials, players, staff and supporters and families of the competitors for making all three of the event sin Bridlington such a success. 

In particular, the organisation would like to thank East Riding of Yorkshire Council and Skyball Beach Volleyball Club for their unstinting support.

Images by Simon Clarke, Rosie Williams and Matt Halfpenny