🏖️🏆
Your Host · Steve
LDW 2026
BEACH OLYMPICS
Official Tournament Format
📟 Live Scoreboard ↓
Your Host · Steve
Official Tournament Format
📟 Live Scoreboard ↓Adult teams of 4 — 5 or more teams depending on turnout.
7 events. 1 champion.
Plus approximately 5–6 participating children, ages 3–8.
The adult tournament remains competitive, while the kids join their assigned team colors throughout the day as Junior Olympians. They'll participate directly where it works well, have kid-friendly side events where appropriate, and help cheer their teams through the championship.
We'll kick things off by randomly drawing adult teams of 4. We're planning on 5 teams — if more people show up, we'll simply add more teams of 4. The format and point system stay exactly the same.
Each team will be assigned a team color, with matching armbands provided. The participating children will then be assigned across the team colors as Junior Olympians. Some teams may have one child and some may have two.
QUALIFYING → DODGEBALL BONUS → PLAY-IN → CHAMPIONSHIP
All adult teams compete in the first four events and accumulate points based on where they finish in each game. No matter how many teams we have, only the top three finishing teams score points.
| 🥇 1st | 3 points |
| 🥈 2nd | 2 points |
| 🥉 3rd | 1 point |
| 4th and below | 0 points |
After Game 4, the standings are provisional. Game 5 can dramatically change the seeding before the final cut.
Each team selects 2 adult players to represent them. Partners face each other and toss a water balloon back and forth. After each successful catch, both players take a step backward, increasing the distance of the next throw.
All teams compete at the same time. Once your balloon breaks, you're out.
Teams are ranked by how far apart their players are after their last successful catch.
Last pair standing / longest successful distance wins.
The 2 adult teammates who did NOT participate in the Water Balloon Toss represent their team in Paddle Ball.
Each pair faces each other and uses their paddles to keep the ball in the air for as long as possible without it touching the ground.
All teams start at the same time. There is only one round.
Once your ball hits the sand, your team is eliminated. As teams drop out, their finishing positions are locked in. The last pair remaining wins.
One ball. One chance. Keep it in the air longer than everyone else.
Every adult competes in either Game 1 or Game 2 — but not both. Choose your representatives wisely.
All 4 adult teammates compete.
Each team gets a cup and a bucket positioned a set distance from the ocean.
One player at a time:
Teams continue rotating until someone reaches the designated fill line.
All 4 adult teammates compete.
Each team gets 15 minutes to build the tallest freestanding sandcastle/structure possible.
When time expires: hands off. Each structure is measured from the base of the sand to its highest point. The structure must remain standing through measurement for the height to count.
After Games 1–4, all adult competitors split into two even sides for one massive Dodgeball game (10-on-10 with 5 teams — bigger if we have more teams).
This game is different from the first four: there are no placement points.
Play continues until there is only one man or woman left standing.
Those 5 points are added to that team's cumulative score from Games 1–4 before the final tournament seeding is determined.
Your Dodgeball side is temporary — you are still ultimately competing for your original Beach Olympics team and its color.
After Dodgeball, the bonus points are added to the totals from Games 1–4 and the original teams are officially seeded from #1 on down.
The #1 seed gets to sit back and watch #2 and #3 battle for the final championship spot.
#2 SEED vs. #3 SEED
All 4 adult teammates participate.
The matchup is best 2 out of 3 pulls. First team to win two pulls advances.
There are no points awarded for Tug of War. This is win or go home.
#1 SEED
VS.
TUG OF WAR WINNER
The final two adult teams face off in 4-on-4 Beach Volleyball for the championship.
🏐 Best 2 out of 3 sets
🏐 Sets 1 & 2 → First to 15
🏐 Set 3, if necessary → First to 11
🏐 Rally scoring
🏐 Win by 2
All qualifying points are wiped clean.
Once you reach the final, there's only one thing that matters:
WIN THE VOLLEYBALL MATCH.
Every participating child receives a Junior Beach Olympics medal at the end of the competition. There will also be one Junior Olympian MVP award for enthusiasm and team spirit — not athletic ability.
Run the whole tournament from here on the day — add the teams once they're drawn, log each result as it happens, and the standings, seeding and cut update automatically.
Tap the colour dot to cycle armband colours. List the 4 competitors below each team name.
Pick who finished 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each event. Points (3–2–1) are applied automatically.
Ties are broken by most 1st-place finishes, then most 2nds. If teams are still level, settle it with a sudden-death toss.