Why we're running camps with Sand Champions (and what happened in Ibiza)
by Alex & Raphi, founders of Paero
When we started Paero, it was never just about an app. Sure, we’re building a product, matchmaking, groups, courts, the whole thing. But the actual reason we’re doing this is simpler: we want people to play sports together. Not someday, not in theory, but for real. On the court, in the sand, with people that they would have likely never met without the app.
And at some point you sit there and realize: the digital part is only half the story. The best moments happen offline.
That’s exactly where Sand Champions come in.
Not another sports camp
Sand Champions runs beach volleyball camps, but anyone who’s been to one knows that “camp” doesn’t really capture it. Their claim, not another sports camp, isn’t a marketing line. Yes, it’s a week of training with genuinely great coaches. But it’s just as much about shared meals, sunsets, hikes, people from different countries at the same table, and conversations that go well beyond “nice serve.”
The first time we talked to their team, it took about ten minutes to realize: these people think exactly like we do. Sport as a vehicle for real connection. That’s literally why Paero exists.
So we didn’t overthink it. We said: let’s do this together.
Next stop: Crete
At the end of September, Sand Champions are heading to Plakias, Crete, and we’re coming with them. Beach volleyball for all levels with certified coaches, stretching and breathwork sessions, hikes through he Crete wilderness, beach hopping along the south coast, and sunsets that alone are worth the trip.
We’re bringing the Paero Cup to the final day of camp. If you’ve played through the app this year, you already know the format.
And if you can’t make it this autumn: in February 2027, they’re going to Brazil. Yes, really. We intend to be there too.
A little bonus for our community: at the Paero Birthday Cup / Munich qualifier, the top three won vouchers for the Crete camp. If you meet one of the winners there, ask them about the final.
What this means for Paero
For us, the partnership with Sand Champions isn’t a sponsor logo on a website (even though our logo is actually on theirs, hi 👋). It’s a piece of how we picture Paero long-term: the app connects you with the right people, and experiences like these camps are where matches turn into friendships.
The camps are theirs. They built them, they run them, they’re better at this than we would be. What we bring is the people, the Cup, and the city events between camps. That division of labour is the whole reason it works.
And Paero stays what it is: free for everyone who just wants to play. That’s not changing.
Come to Crete
27 September to 3 October, Plakias, Crete. Seven days, all levels, from 550EUR for the camp pass.
Everything about the camps is at sandchampions.com. Tell them we said hi.
See you in the sand. ✌️
Alex & Raphi are the founders of Paero, an app for finding people to play sport with: matchmaking by skill level, groups, and courts near you.
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