Cardiff Open Returns to Kick Off 2025 UKBT Open Series

The 2025 UK Beach Tour 4* Open series gets underway this weekend with the much-anticipated Cardiff Open, hosted once again by Fireball at the Cardiff Beach Centre in Wales. Taking place on 17–18 May, the tournament has rapidly established itself as an iconic part of the UKBT calendar,  with players battling it out for the iconic dragon trophy and a place in the Cardiff Open hall of fame.

This year's event promises even more excitement with a packed weekend of beach volleyball, music, and entertainment. The tournament will follow the double elimination format, featuring 24 men’s and 24 women’s pairs, with quarterfinals and beyond taking place on the on Sunday.

In addition to the high-calibre volleyball matches, spectators and players alike can look forward to a vibrant atmosphere throughout the weekend, with a live DJ providing music on both days, live streaming of all centre court games, a professional photographer capturing the action, engaging live commentary, and a barbecue available for players to enjoy across the weekend.

A new addition for 2025 is the King of the Court tournament on Sunday, open to all entered players and kicking off at 11:00 a.m., ensuring there is guaranteed Sunday action for everyone involved.

The competition also boasts £400 in prize money per gender, with £250 awarded to the winners, £100 for second place, and £50 for third.

Players to Watch:

In the Women's Draw, top seeded players Lynne Beattie & Mhairi Wallace both had strong performances in Weymouth last year with different partners, now forming the highest rated pair for Cardiff. Another pair of strong contenders are Gerda Berstautaite & Lorena Tussis, the 2024 Bournemouth Grand Slam runners-up.

The men's top seeds are Cezary Lesniak & Mariusz Kozik a strong pair with good results from the 2024 season. Also to watch out for is the second seeded team, Sam Dunbavin & John Morgan, last year’s Cardiff runners-up and part of Fireball’s 2024 Club Championship winning squad. Conor Robins & Matthew Pollock are another solid partnership with top finishes at both Bournemouth and Weymouth last season.

Matches will run from 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. each day. With top-tier talent, the 2025 Cardiff Open is set to be a thrilling weekend of beach volleyball not to be missed.