Haiyang, China: As far as competition venues go for the Asian Beach Games, the beach woodball site along Fengxiang Beach could hardly be bettered. Spread out over a grassy sandbank, with the waves of the Yellow Sea crashing against the shore, the scene was completed by the polite applause of the spectators. Next to the course, holiday-makers played in the amusement park and flew their colourful kites in the stiff sea breeze.

“It’s been a fantastic competition,” said Thomas Kok, President of the Asian Woodball Federation. “I attended the first and second Asian Beach Games and this one is much better in terms of the set-up, facilities and manpower. The hospitality has been wonderful and the manpower is very efficient.”

Although the game of woodball has its origins in Taipei, Thailand is the new master and won all four gold medals on offer for the second consecutive Asian Beach Games. Mr Kok believes that the Thais’ superiority stems from the fact that they train on a sand course as opposed to grass, where the ball travels much quicker and is more difficult to control.

“With sand, the Thai players are able to apply full force with their first shot, whereas you do not need a full swing on grass. Ever since the Asian Beach Games was introduced in 2008, Thailand have put their focus and training and playing on the sand beach.” With China and Vietnam now putting more resources into beach woodball, Mr Kok believes it has a bright future thanks to its exposure in the Asian Beach Games.