Foreign teams arrive for World Beach Pro Tour

(UPDATE) PLAYERS from 17 of the more than 30 countries seeing action in the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Challenge have arrived on Monday — three days ahead of the elite beach volleyball competition set on five brand new world-class sand courts in Nuvali in Santa Rosa City.

They are Japan, Canada, USA, China, Japan, Brazil, Spain, Austria and Poland and the men’s squads from Turkiye, England, Australia, Ukraine, Italy, Lithuania, Portugal and Finland, according to host Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF) president Ramon “Tats” Suzara.

“It’s world-class beach volleyball action all of four days,” said Suzara, who thanked Ayala Land for partnering with the PNVF through the five competition and one warmup courts in sprawling Nuvali.

Tickets are available at vw.ticketmax.ph pegged at P100 for morning sessions and P200 for afternoon sessions. Tickets will also be available onsite starting Thursday.

The qualification matches for men and women are set from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, while the main draw on Friday starts at 9 a.m. with the final match at 9 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday are for the round of 16, quarterfinals, semifinals and finals of the tournament that caps the PNVF’s busy 2023 calendar and supported by gold sponsors Ayala Land, Mikasa, Senoh, Philippine Sports Commission, Pinay In Action and Smart; and PLDT, Gatorade, Maynilad, Rebisco, Ayala Malls, Department of Tourism, CBPI, Club Laiya, Foton as bronze sponsors.

The Philippines, under Brazilian coach Joao Luciano Kiodai and Mayi Molit-Pochina, has Ran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton, James Buytrago and Rancel Varga, and Alche Gupiteo and Anthony Arbasto competing in the men’s contest, and Gen Eslapor and Dij Rodriguez and newbie Sofia Pagara and Khylem Progella in the women’s division.

There are 16 teams in each of the men’s and women’s main draw while 32 teams are vying in the qualification round also for each gender.

Also expected are elite beach volleyball players from The Netherlands, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Germany, Estonia, Oman, Thailand, Latvia, New Zealand, Israel, Gambia, Morocco, Malaysia and Slovakia.