Athena wins Red Bull Back Line 2026 Turkey championship

The Athena team has been crowned the champion of the Red Bull Back Line 2026 Turkey finals. Held at the Kalamış Atatürk Park Beach Volleyball Courts in Istanbul, the final match saw Athena defeat the defending champion, Şepidi, with a score of 3-0.

Red Bull athlete Dilay Özdemir presented the custom-designed trophy and medals to the winning team. The event also featured a special exhibition match involving prominent volleyball figures, including Hande Baladın and Fenerbahçe Medicana captain Eda Erdem. The exhibition match, which included players from the championship-winning Athena team, ended in a 1-1 draw.

The tournament utilized unique rules distinct from traditional volleyball: sets were played to 11 points, the winning team's court area was narrowed by one meter after each set, and successful serves directly into points were awarded two points. Additionally, teams of up to five players were required to maintain at least one male and one female player on the court at all times.