Frescobol

A true carioca at heart, frescobol was created in the Copacabana of the 1940s, driven by the changes the South Zone neighborhood was undergoing. Regulars of the famous beach began its reshaping, moving away from the nighttime glamour of the nightclubs and starting to occupy the immense seaside leisure area. Since many of these residents had tennis as a hobby, adapting the sport to the sand followed a natural flow.

One of the versions about the origin of frescobol credits its creation to the architect, Copacabana resident, and spare-time tennis player Caio Rubens Romero Lyra, who used to bring rackets and tennis balls to practice on the beach, between posts 4 and 5. Since the equipment suffered damage caused by the wind, the sand, and the sea spray, the tennis player had the idea of designing wooden rackets resistant to salt water and smooth balls, without the fuzz of those used in tennis matches. The owner of a carpentry shop on Rua Souza Lima made the rackets, and thus, frescobol — played in pairs or duos on the harder stretch of sand near the water — was said to have been invented.

Luiz Carlos Silva (Luiz Negão), frescobol ambassador, tells the story of the sport. Yasmin Aguiar

Another narrative has different protagonists, but the plots are similar. A regular at the stretch of beach between the Hotel Copacabana Palace and Rua Duvivier, Lian Pontes de Carvalho is said to have created the sport in 1945. He owned a factory that made surfboards, pool furniture, and wooden frames, and began manufacturing frescobol rackets to sell on Praia de Copacabana, with the help of the lifeguards.

There is also a third version that identifies as the father and inventor of the sport the Rio-born writer and cartoonist Millôr Fernandes. He is the author of a panel honoring frescobol at Praça Sarah Kubitschek, where he wrote: "the only sport with sporting spirit, with no formal competition, losers or winners."

Millôr Fernandes playing footvolley at Arpoador. L&PM Publishing House – Zona Curva website

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph. In the foreground, we see a man with his back to the camera, wearing short shorts and holding a frescobol paddle. He is smiling and looking at the camera. In the background, we see ocean waves.

In 1984, frescobol went from being the beach crowd's favorite pastime to an organized sport, with the creation of federations, state tournaments, and world championships. Along with its growing popularity came regulation as well: in Rio, for example, matches must follow rules that specify the times and locations in which they are allowed.

Image description: This is a photograph of three people on the beach. On the left, a man with his back turned is standing, wearing white shorts and a blue shirt with pink details. In the center, another man jumps high, holding a yellow frisbee. On the right, a third man stands watching, wearing red shorts. The background features a mountainous landscape with rocky peaks covered in green vegetation. In the distance, there are urban structures and tall buildings. The sky is light blue and cloudless.