NATO Volleyball Championships at RAF Halton
Recently the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation’s Air Forces Inter-Nation Volleyball Championships was held at RAF Halton. Male and female military teams from the UK, USA, Poland, the Netherlands and Germany participated in the event.
The Royal Air Force Sports Directorate organised and hosted the event which was formally opened in the Burnett Gymnasium.
The opening was followed by three days of intense rivalry on the court with the standard of the volleyball played being very high. The games were played in a ‘round robin’ style with the finals being played by the teams that topped their respective groups. The men’s competition was won by the German Air Force who beat the Polish Air Force in the final and the woman’s final was contested between the United States Air Force (Europe) team and the Polish Air Force. The USAFE team won a keenly contested game. The RAF Teams came fourth in both competitions.
Away from the courts, many friends were made and the German Captain encapsulated the spirit of the event when he said: “The tournament is more than just a sport; it is about meeting new friends and comradeship”.
After the formal closing ceremony the teams were able to relax in the Warrant Officers and Sergeants’ Mess.
The tournament was the first in a series of sporting events between the countries with the next event being a swimming competition hosted by the USAFE in Avaino, Italy.