RAROTONGA, Cook Islands — Samoa, New Zealand and Australia emerged as champions at the 2026 Oceania Beach Volleyball Championships, which concluded Friday after four days of competition featuring senior and junior teams from across the Pacific.
Organized by the Oceania Zonal Volleyball Association (OZVA) in partnership with the Cook Islands Volleyball Federation, the championships were held Oct. 13-16 in Rarotonga, bringing together athletes competing in four divisions: senior men, senior women, under-20 men and under-20 women.
Samoa captured the senior men’s championship, New Zealand secured the senior women’s title, while Australia completed a sweep of the two under-20 divisions.
The senior men’s final delivered one of the closest contests of the tournament as Samoa’s Eneliko and Rhapsody defeated Australia’s Candy and Roberts 2-1 (21-16, 26-28, 19-17).
After winning the opening set, the Samoan pair faced a strong challenge from their Australian opponents, who forced a deciding set with a 28-26 victory in the second. Eneliko and Rhapsody eventually prevailed 19-17 in an extended third set to claim the championship.
Australia’s Lewis Jupp and Smith finished third in the senior men’s competition.
In the senior women’s division, New Zealand’s Dickson and Hauraki claimed the title after overcoming Australia’s Smith and Lavinia Tyrrel in a three-set final.
The victory secured New Zealand’s place at the top of the senior women’s competition, with Australia finishing as runners-up. Host nation Cook Islands also celebrated a podium finish as Tangirere and Mitchell secured third place.
Australia dominated the junior competitions, winning both under-20 championships.
In the under-20 men’s final, Australia’s Edmunds and Edvardsson defeated New Zealand’s Els and Couch in straight sets to secure the title. Fellow Australians Bergemann and Patten completed the top three.
The under-20 women’s championship featured an all-Australian final, with Akanoa and Hannagan defeating compatriots Curtis and Famous to emerge as champions.
Guam’s Chen and Eugenia finished third, adding another Pacific nation to the list of teams achieving podium finishes at the championships.
The results highlighted the competitive depth of beach volleyball across Oceania, with teams from Samoa, New Zealand, Australia, Cook Islands and Guam securing top-three finishes across the four divisions.
Beyond the results, the championships provided an important platform for athlete development and regional cooperation.
For Pacific Island nations, where the cost and logistical challenges of international travel can limit opportunities for regular competition, regional tournaments play a significant role in providing athletes with international experience.
The event also offered emerging players the opportunity to test their skills against competitors from neighboring countries, supporting the development of stronger national teams and future international representatives.
The participation of senior and under-20 teams reflected OZVA’s commitment to strengthening the region’s athlete development pathways and encouraging member federations to invest in their national beach volleyball programs.
The championships also brought together coaches, referees, technical officials and volleyball administrators, providing opportunities to strengthen cooperation and share experiences among member federations.
OZVA expressed its appreciation to the Cook Islands Volleyball Federation, local organizing committee, volunteers and technical officials for their contributions to the successful staging of the competition.
The association reaffirmed its commitment to working with its member federations, the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) and the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) to expand competition opportunities and support the continued development of volleyball throughout the Pacific.
The successful conclusion of the 2026 Oceania Beach Volleyball Championships marked another step in strengthening the region’s volleyball community and providing more opportunities for athletes to compete and develop.
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