The game is thousands of miles from its birthplace in sunny California, but 550 tonnes of imported sand has turned Regent's Park into a top beach volleyball venue.

This weekend England's leading players will gather for the Regent's Park Open. The event - a first for London - is being organised by the Royal Parks and Volleyball England as part of its 2007 Beach Tour.

"This is about taking beach volleyball to the people," said Mark Kontopoulos, beach commission president for Volleyball England.

"There are 7.5 million people in London and it's fantastic to be playing somewhere where we have large crowds.

"We hope it will encourage people to take up the sport, particularly with the Olympics on its way."
Beach volleyball originated on California's Manhattan Beach during the Forties and debuted at the Olympics in Atlanta in 1996. Although it requires skill, it is often regarded as something of a joke. Sports pundit Des Lynam once famously likened it to "going down the pub".

Competitor Gabi Medricka, 28, a fitness instructor from Islington who currently tops the Volleyball England Beach Tour league, said: "Many people still see it as just a sexy sport for girls in bikinis. But it's a serious sport that requires great skill. It's a lot harder than it looks.

"In many ways it's tougher than conventional volleyball because it's harder to run in the sand.
"It's tactically different. Because there are only two of you on a team, as opposed to six, there is a lot more contact-with the ball and you have to move fast."

Among those competing in the park are Britain's top women's pair, Lucy Bolton, 21, and Denise Johns, 28.

They are tipped for success in the 2012 Olympics, when Horse Guards Parade in Whitehall will host the competition.

Around 2,000 people are expected to watch the tournament on Saturday and Sunday, after which there will be a chance for newcomers to try their hand at the game.

The pitches - in the Hub sports ground at the park's north-west corner - will remain in place for public use until Wednesday.

Spokesman Jacob Cameron said: "We use 250,000 tonnes of sand on the pitches each year so hosting a beach volleyball tournament here makes sense. It's part of efforts to improve the diversity of sports we have on offer throughout our parks."