Casey Patterson and Stafford Slick join Anouk Vergé-Dépré and Joana Heidrich waterside in Fort Lauderdale

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Go big or go home! The Fort Lauderdale Major is the single biggest international beach volleyball tournament on US soil – and in this beautiful part of the US, two competing teams from rival continents came together in the calm yet glamorous surroundings of one of the most iconic parts of America: the Intracoastal Waterways.

The palm tree-lined location beside the glistening waterways of Eastern Florida was the perfect spot to bring two contrasting teams together. Americans Casey Patterson and Stafford Slick put the ‘wild’ into their wildcard status as they served and spiked with smiles across their happy faces.

On the other set of the net were the cool, calm and collected Swiss stars Anouk Vergé-Dépré and Joana Heidrich. The elegant duo are chasing the dream to become the first European women’s team in history to win a gold medal on American sand.

The resulting images paint a picture of what makes this location so special for all the teams that travel from every corner of the globe to compete.

For Casey, Fort Lauderdale holds a special place in the hearts of the players. “For us players, Americans especially, Fort Lauderdale is a historic volleyball location, so the Beach Majors returning here and starting the season is really special,” he said.

Anouk, meanwhile, was delighted to embrace her time on American soil. “The sport is huge in the US which is a great thing. It’s great to play in this warm, beautiful weather too. We always feel welcome when we come to Florida and we’re excited to play.”

Both partnerships will be among 64 top teams descending on Fort Lauderdale for what will be the third year in a row that top class beach volleyball is held in the city.

Get ready for to feel the goosebumps when the action gets under way on February 27. It promises to be yet another epic six days on the beach where the best athletes, including Olympic and World Champions, will compete in front of a packed Red Bull Beach Arena crowd.