Matches and rules

If you’re looking for a team to play in or you can’t find a player to complete your team, you can post your request in the Facebook group “Cerco squadra e giocatore BeachVolleyMarathon” (“Looking for a team and athlete BeachVolleyMarathon”).

You can download the “BeachVolleyMarathon” app for free from the site: www.bvm-app.it, to check the schedule of the matches, the match scores, the general ranking, the court locations, the tournament rules, and to access a lot of other interesting contents.

To participate in the Tournament as “Athlete” you must have a medical certificate for non-competitive sports (certificate of good health issued by your family doctor) or, alternatively, a medical certificate for competitive sports – which must be valid during the event.  At registration, all medical certificates of all team’s members must be uploaded online. An exception is made for all Athletes, members of a recognized sports promotion body or of a national sports federation recognised by the CONI (the Italian Olympic Games Committee), who have a sport medical certificate valid for the season. These Athletes, at registration, state the body/federation they are members of and declare that their sport medical certificate is valid at the time of the event. Note: during the event a doctor is at the disposal of the participants who want to be visited to get their health certificate for sport. It is possible to get a payment doctor’s appointment (without booking) in the medical area near the central court as below scheduled:

• Thursday from 6.00 p.m. to 9.00 p.m.
• Friday from 7.45 a.m. to 9.00 p.m.
• Saturday from 7.45 a.m. to 12.00 p.m.

The team composition (roster) is decided by entering the names of the Athletes at registration. Any change to the team composition (e.g.: replacing/removing/adding new Athletes, variation in the required data and uploading of medical certificates) can always be made as following:

• After registration by sending an email to the organising office with your request (bvm@radunisportivi.it)
• Asking for the change at check-in.

An Athlete can also be added during the qualifying matches with a formal request to the Tournament Director who, after verifying the regularity of the request, updates the team composition, provided that the new Athlete has not already played matches in the same game category. Only one Athlete can be added to the 2×2 F/M/Mixed categories and up to two Athletes for the 3×3 F/M and 4×4 Mixed categories, without exceeding the limit of the possible reserves for the category. Important note: if the players in the court are not the same as the team composition (roster), the team is immediately expelled from the Tournament. No repechage of other teams takes place. The expelled team has no refund rights or any awarding of prize money.

The 2×2 M/2×2 F matches take place on Friday and Saturday and include a qualifying round (on Friday) and a final round (on Saturday) following a competition bracket with 32 teams with double elimination system: after the first game lost the team will move to the losing bracket and the team will be eliminated after the second lost match. The matches on Friday and Saturday are played in a single set to 21 points, with a 2 points lead with a 23 points limit; the finals matches only (1st -2nd and 3rd -4th places on Saturday) are played using the two out of three sets, to 21 points, with a 2 points lead with a 23 points limit and eventual 3rd set is played to 15 points with a, 2 points lead without a score limit. For May Edition, to the final phase on Saturday, accede, for both game categories, the best 64 teams of the qualification phase divided into two different competitions brackets: Gold bracket (1st-32nd) and Silver bracket (33rd-64th). For the September edition, to the final phase on Saturday, accede, for both game categories, the best 32 teams of the qualification phase: Gold (1st-32nd). Note: Teams that do not show up at the assigned court, or show up more than 5 minutes later than  the scheduled time on the scoresheet, or are incomplete (without the minimum Athletes’ number based on the category) will be declared defeated by forfait with a score of 0-21. As an exception to the above mentioned rule, teams with one or more Athletes playing a match in a different category at the same time of the beginning of the match, are granted a 40-minutes delay from the scheduled time on the scoresheet. Beyond that time -40 minutes- the Tournament Director asks the team to choose which match they play and, therefore, which match they are going to lose by default. Giving up a match doesn’t entail any obligation of refund to the team by the Organisation of the event. Teams playing several final round matches in different categories are required to let the Tournament Director know of any concurrent matches.

The 2×2 Mixed matches take place on Friday and on Sunday (for the Special Edition matches take place on Saturday and on Sunday). The playing formula is composed of a qualifying phase (on Friday – on Saturday for the Special Edition – from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.) with pools of various teams. A provisional ranking, based on the quotient of the scores of each team, is established at the end of the qualifying round. In case of an equal score, the best places are going to be assigned according to the registration date and in case of further equal score lots will be drawn. The final round is played on Sunday with a bracket with 32 teams, following the double elimination system: after the first defeat the team moves to the losing bracket; after two defeats the team is eliminated. For May Edition, the best 64 teams of the qualification phase accede to the final phase on Sunday, divided into two different competitions brackets: Gold bracket (1st-32nd) and Silver bracket (33rd-64th).

For the Special Edition and the September edition, the best 32 teams of the qualification phase (Gold bracket 1st-32nd) ) enter the final phase on Sunday. All matches are played in a single set to 21 points, with a 2 points lead with a 23 points limit; the finals matches (1st-2nd place and 3rd-4th place) are also played in a single set to 21 points but in this case with a 2 points lead without a score limit. Note: teams that do not show up at the assigned court, or show up more than 5 minutes later than the scheduled time on the scoresheet, or are incomplete (without the minimum Athletes’ number based on the category) are declared defeated by forfait with a score of 0-21. As an exception to the above mentioned rule, teams with one or more Athletes playing a match in a different category at the same time of the beginning of the match, are granted a 40-minutes delay from the scheduled time on the scoresheet. Beyond that time -40 minutes- the Tournament Director asks the team to choose which match they play and, therefore, which match they are going to lose by default. Giving up a match doesn’t entail any obligation of refund to the team by the Organisation of the event. Teams playing several final round matches in different categories are required to let the Tournament Director know of any concurrent matches.

The matches of the 3×3 F, 3×3 M and 4×4 Mixed categories take place on Saturday and Sunday and include a qualifying round (on Saturday) with pools of various teams for each pool. A provisional ranking, based on the quotient of the scores of each team, is established at the end of the qualifying round for each category. In case of an equal score, the best positions are assigned according to the registration date and in case of further equal score lots will be drawn. The final round (on Sunday), based on the ranking above, is played with a single elimination system until the final matches in all the brackets. On Saturday and Sunday the matches are played in a single set to 21 points with a 2 points lead with a 23 points limit; the finals matches (1st-2nd place) are also played in a single set to 21 points with but in this case with a 2 points lead without a score limit. For the 3x3M /3x3F and 4×4 Mixed categories, the best ranked 768 teams in the qualifying round access the final round, divided in four different brackets: Platinum Bracket (1st -192nd); Gold Bracket (193rd -384th); Silver Bracket (385th -576th); Bronze Bracket (577th -768th). In the event that the bracket of a final round has less than 32 teams, those teams are included in the bracket that precedes it, for example: a Bronze Bracket with 30 registered teams will be included in the Silver Bracket. For the 3×3 M/F and the 4×4 Mixed categories the final match for the 3rd and 4th place isn’t played: the two losing semi-finalist teams are both placed 3rd and are awarded with an equal prize money. Note: teams that do not show up at the assigned court, or show up more than 5 minutes later than the scheduled time on the scoresheet, or are incomplete (without the minimum Athletes’ number based on the category) is declared defeated by forfait with a score of 0-21. As an exception to the above mentioned rule, teams with one or more Athletes playing a match in a different category at the same time of the beginning of the match, are granted a 40-minutes delay from the scheduled time on the scoresheet. Beyond that time -40 minutes- the Tournament Director asks the team to choose which match they play and, therefore, which match they are going to lose by default. Giving up a match doesn’t entail any obligation of refund to the team by the Organisation of the event. Teams playing several final round matches in different categories are required to let the Tournament Director know of any concurrent matches.

The schedules may change.

• 2×2 F/M categories: Friday (qualifying round) from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday (final round) from 8:30 a.m. and finals matches starting at 3:30 p.m.
• 2×2 Mixed category: Friday – Saturday for the Special Edition -(qualifying round) from 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sunday (final round) from 8:30 a.m., and finals matches starting 3:30 p.m.
• 3×3 F/M and 4×4 Mixed categories: Saturday (qualifying round) from 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.; Sunday (final round) from 8:30 a.m. and finals matches starting at 5:00 p.m.

Athletes are refereeing the matches according to the Tournament schedule available in the dedicated section of the “BeachVolleyMarathon App”. The finals matches are refereed by official referees. All matches must be played in accordance with fair play values, Athletes must accept the referee’s decisions and be respectful to all the other participants and referees; otherwise, in the most serious cases, the Tournament Director can decide, at his own discretion, to disqualify one or more players without any refund obligation. In case of disqualification of one or more players, the team cannot be awarded any prize money.

The participants refereeing the matches have to fill in scoresheets. The final score of the match has to be clearly readable and must be signed by both teams in acceptance. In case of non-authentication, the final result of the match is still considered valid and hence registered. Note: those scoresheets that do not allow a clear assignment of the result due to incomplete, false or unreadable data aren’t taken into consideration.

For the 2×2 Mixed, 3×3 F, 3×3 M and 4×4 Mixed categories, teams must check and verify the accuracy of the final results of their matches displayed in the dedicated section of the “BeachVolleyMarathon App“. The results of the morning matches (8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.) have to be checked before 2:00 p.m.; the results of the afternoon matches (1:30 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.) have to be checked before 7:00 p.m.– Corrections requested after this deadline cannot be accepted.

In the qualifying rounds of the 2×2 Mixed, 3×3 F, 3×3 M and 4×4 Mixed categories, the matches ended by forfait assign to the losing team a score of 0 (zero) points won and 21 points suffered, this scoring will determine the quotient for the provisional ranking. However, the team winning the match by forfait gains no points.

At the end of the qualifying rounds, the ranks for the 2×2 Mixed, 3×3 F, 3×3 M and 4×4 Mixed categories are available after 9:00 p.m. of the qualifying day, in the dedicated section of the BeachVolleyMarathonApp, where you can verify the schedule of the matches and the refereeing assigned for the final round of all categories.

Teams that do not show up at the assigned court, or show up more than 5 minutes later than the scheduled time on the scoresheet, or are incomplete (without the minimum Athletes’ number based on the category) are declared defeated by forfait with a score of 0-21. As an exception to the above mentioned rule, teams with one or more Athletes playing a match in a different category at the same time of the beginning of the match, are granted a 40-minutes delay from the scheduled time on the scoresheet (option not available during the Special Edition). Beyond that time -40 minutes- the Tournament Director asks the team to choose which match they play and, therefore, which match they are going to lose by default. Giving up a match doesn’t entail any obligation of refund to the team by the Organisation of the event. Note: teams playing several final round matches in different categories are required to let the Tournament Director know of any simultaneous matches.

For the finals and for all the other matches played at the central court, Athletes must wear the official event tank-top (handed at check-in). Note: should any team not comply, they cannot be awarded any prize money.

The event is going to take place in any weather condition. In case of particularly adverse weather conditions or circumstance (other external events), The Tournament Director may decide, at his absolute discretion, to suspend one or more matches and choose to resume them when external conditions allow it. With the resumption of the match, the score set at the time of suspension is maintained. The Tournament Director, at his absolute discretion, may modify the playing format:  deciding that matches shall be played at 15 points instead of 21 and/or  decide that matches, even during the qualifying phase, shall use a knockout format and/or foreseen a reduction in the number of matches of the round and/or any other necessary modification, including the eventual permanent suspension of the matches.

For the 2×2 F/M categories:
• In case of permanent suspension of the qualifying round matches, for the teams still playing, the placement in the provisional ranking not yet assigned is decided according to the registration date or, in case of a tie, by drawing lots. If all the qualifying round matches cannot be played, the ranking is decided according to the registration date or, in case of a tie, by drawing lots.
• In case of permanent suspension of the finals round matches, the prize money of each Bracket, except for the part that may have already been awarded, is equally divided among the teams still in game at the time of the suspension. When the amount of the award for each team is less than € 100.00, no prize money is assigned.

For the 2×2 Mixed categories:
• In case of permanent suspension of the qualifying round matches, the provisional rank is established according to the results of each team at the time of the suspension; a default score, based on the average score (quotient points) of all the matches so far played in the same category, is assigned to those teams that haven’t played any games. In case of equal score, placement in the provisional ranking is assigned according to the registration date or, in case of a tie, by drawing lots. If any qualifying round matches cannot be played, the ranking is decided according to the registration date or, in case of a tie, by drawing lots.
• In case of permanent suspension of the finals round matches, the prize money of each Bracket, except for the part that may have already been awarded, is equally divided among the teams still in game at the time of the suspension. When the amount of the award for each team is less than € 100.00, no prize money is assigned.

For the 3×3 and the 4×4 categories:
• In case of permanent suspension of the qualifying round matches, the provisional ranks is established according to the results of each team at the time of the suspension; a default score, based on the average score (quotient points) of all the matches so far played in the same category, is assigned to those teams that haven’t played any games. placement in the provisional ranking is assigned according to the registration date or, in case of a tie, by drawing lots. In case of permanent suspension of the qualifying round matches, the prize money for each category is equally divided among the Brackets, according to the percentages applied to the different positions in the ranks.
• In case of permanent suspension of the finals round matches, the prize money of each Bracket, except for the part that may have already been awarded, is equally divided among the teams still in game at the time of the suspension. When the amount of the award for each team is less than € 100.00, no prize money is assigned.