Horseshoe Bay has been transformed into a beach volleyball paradise for the next four days.

Professional-looking courts ? not to mention an impressive grandstand ? have sprung up atop the pink sand as toned and muscular teenagers from across the globe prepare to do battle for the World Under 19 crown.

Two courts were used to decide the final four teams for the men?s draw, with a good few dozen spectators kept fully absorbed by some early displays of sublime skill and mind-boggling athleticism.

Six men?s teams battled it out for the four places in today?s round-robin main draw, with the Italian duo of Francesco Giontella and the giant Nicolai Paolo the first to book their sport in the competition for real.

?It was so very hot, I found it hard,? said Giontella, whose full-length dives combined with the awesome blocking of his lanky team-mate were enough to see off the German pair of Florian Malescha and Ferdinand Tille.

?We are not used to this weather plus we have problems with, how do you say, the time difference. We have only been here two days and we have to get used to it.

?We go to bed early to prepare for more matches.?

Giontella, who claimed his national crown recently at Under 19 level but with a different partner, was keen to point out that the victory over the Germans mirrored that of the Italian World Cup-winning side who beat Juergen Klinsmann?s men in the semi-finals in Germany this summer.

?I think we can do well here,? he continued.

?We make a good team, my partner he is very tall, lots of blocks, makes it easier.?

The other pairs to make it through to the main event yesterday were Icaro Gregorio do Nascimento and Watson Trovati Matos of Brazil, Julien Lyneel and Vincent Lacombe of France as well as the Swiss pair of Benni and Zeno Cueni.

At a draw late last night, organisers placed the pairs ? which included young Bermudian duo Ian Bucci and Matthew Sinclair ? into six groups of four with each team playing three matches over the coming two days.

The top two teams in each group and the four best third-placed teams go through to the final 16 with four rounds of knockout competition taking place Saturday and Sunday. A similar draw will be used for the ladies.

A number of the women?s pairs and the higher-ranked men?s twos ? some of whom have been here for a good few days ? hit the practice courts ahead of today?s action, with women?s pair of Kelly Irwin and the 16-year-old Ashley Lee looking particularly good.

In a practice hit on one of the spare courts, they gave a masterclass in killing rallies, making Spanish duo Marta Garcia and Silvia Bedmar look very ordinary.

On the men?s side, Canadian pair Duncan Cairns and Tom Podstawka were feeling very confident.

The Toronto boys, in ?awesome and gorgeous? Bermuda for the first time, have played and won all three practice games in recent days and are feeling good ahead of the main event.

?I think we have a good chance.? said Cairns, who, like his team-mate, wants to go pro in the future.

?If we are at the very top of our game, play the best we can, there is no reason why we can?t win it all come Sunday.?

With games taking place across all six courts tomorrow, there will be plenty for spectators to watch from 1 p.m. but there will be one pair who may get special attention.

Ian Bucci and Matthew Sinclair will carry the flag for Bermuda in the tournament courtesy of a wildcard and their victory in the local junior King of the Beach competition.

Although they will struggle to compete against the top-level opponents, possible Olympic gold medallists of the future, their presence alone is a massive shot in the arm for the local sport.