PARIS — It may have been unrecognizable from the blue skies of the promotional photographs. But even the dayslong downpour soaking Paris 2024 could not detract from arguably the Games’ most epic venue, the Eiffel Tower Stadium, which hosted its first beach volleyball events Saturday.
What makes this temporary venue so visually stunning is also the reason it’s so exposed to the elements. Its 11,800 seats are not hindered by any roof or awning, so every seat in the house can see the Eiffel Tower backdrop looming over them.
It also meant that everyone got drenched.
Not that many people seemed to mind. Even a defeat for the United States against Cuba could not dampen the spirits of the crowd, which was dotted with fans proudly touting American colors.
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Miles Partain and Andy Benesh, the youngest American volleyball duo in U.S. history, were beaten in straight sets by Nolsen Diaz and Jorde Alayo from Cuba in the first match of the men’s Pool D. It was closer than the headline suggested, however, with both sets finishing a narrow 21-18.
“I’m proud of how we fought, and we will get better for the next one,” Benesh told his sport’s national governing body afterward, looking forward to their next game against Egypt on Tuesday.
The day’s second game saw top-ranked pairing, Sweden’s David Ahman and Jonatan Hellvig, defeat Australia’s Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher in Pool A.
Some spectators not familiar with the sport may have assumed it would be canceled amid the torrent. After light rain in the morning, the dark clouds over the Eiffel Tower waited until play started at 2 p.m. to really start hammering it down.
It takes more than a bit of rain to put off beach volleyballers, however. And their every serve, block and “dig” — where a player manages to somehow keep the ball in play from an opponent’s shot — was met with gasps, whoops and applause.
During the downtime, the bedraggled crowd under ponchos and umbrellas kept their spirits high with Mexican waves, chants and clattering, unified stamping on the temporary bleachers.
“We didn’t really know what was going on with all the moves, but we joined in anyway,” said Garrett Gravesen, 43, a consultant from Atlanta who defied the deluge with his Stars-and-Stripes suit and tie, red sunglasses and necklace. “We had a blast!”
Brighter days are ahead. The rain is forecast to stop Sunday, and there will be beach volleyball games here every day until the men’s gold and bronze medal matches Aug 10.
The other American male pairing is Chase Budinger and Miles Evans. And Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss, alongside favorites Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes, make up the women’s teams for the U.S. Cheng and Hughes in particular will be hoping to defend the gold medal won by Alix Klineman and April Ross in Tokyo 2021.
They will do so in front of one of the most spectacular backdrops in world sport — just hopefully while the sun is shining.
“For Americans, we always want tickets to the basketball, but these were the tickets we wanted this time,” said Blake McCall, 38, who runs spas and hair salons in San Francisco. “Just for the venue and the view of the Eiffel Tower. It’s so special.”
