Air volleyball enthusiasts gather as 'ZheVA' commences in Quzhou

Thrilling matches are staged at the Qujiang District Gymnasium in Quzhou, Zhejiang province. [Photo/Tide News]

The 2026 Zhejiang Urban-Rural Air Volleyball Open, known as "ZheVA", commenced its first leg on June 6 in Qujiang district, Quzhou, Zhejiang province. The event included thrilling matches that garnered enthusiastic applause from spectators.

As a newly introduced provincial-level sports event in Zhejiang, the "ZheVA" features a five-stage competition format, including four qualifying rounds and a final. The event aims to promote public participation and strengthen links between urban and rural communities through sports.

Following the Qujiang leg, the competition will continue in Hangzhou's Yuhang district, Lishui's Jingning She autonomous county, and Shaoxing's Shengzhou county-level city. The top two teams in each category will advance to the final, which is set to take place in Jinhua Pan'an county in late October.

The inaugural event in Qujiang attracted 48 teams and nearly 500 participants, ranging in age from 16 to 70. Participants came from diverse backgrounds, including government offices, enterprises, universities, individual businesses, and retired villagers.

Air volleyball in this format uses a larger, lighter ball than traditional volleyball and is played on a court approximately 12×6 meters, about the size of a badminton court. Its lightweight nature, slower speed, and lower net make it accessible and safe for players of all ages.