Czech Republic Hosts International Beach Volleyball Event

An international Beach Volleyball event returns to the Czech Republic for the first time in almost a decade as Brno hosts a Challenger stop.  Karlovy Vary hosted a 1997 Challenger where the gold medal match featured future Olympians from Norway and Switzerland.  The Swiss Laciga brothers (Martin and Paul) claimed their first international title by defeating Vegard Hoidalen and Jorre Kjemperud of Norway for the gold medal.  Brno is the Czech Republic's second largest city.  At the same time, it represents the centre of the province of Moravia, one of the historic lands of the Czech Crown. It is situated at the crossroads of ancient trade routes which have joined the North and South European civilizations for centuries.  Brno is situated in a picturesque countryside, surrounded on three sides by wooded hills and opening to the Southern Moravian lowlands to the south of the city.  In the north, the city is guarded by the foothills of the Drahany and Bohemian-Moravian ranges.  The city itself lies in the basin of the Svratka and Svitava rivers, somewhat to the north of their conflux at elevations ranging from 190 to 425 meters (620 to 1395 feet) above sea level.  From east to west it spans about 22 km (13 miles).  The river Svratka cuts a 29-km (17-mile) path through the city and is the main supply for the Kninicky Dam Lake, a popular recreation area in the city's northwest corner.  The Svitava River flows through the city for about 13 km (eight miles).  Geographically, Brno is part of the Danube Basin and has many historical ties to the Austrian capitol of Vienna, which is 110 km (68 miles) to the south.  Thanks to its location between the Bohemian-Moravian Hills and the Southern Moravian lowlands, Brno enjoys a very pleasant, moderate climate, ideal for recreation and everyday living.  The Beach Club Brno - KACATA is very active in the area.