Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) national champions Team Ato Ni Bai and Team Tagum-PNP lead the Philippine contingent at the first ever FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Manila Open, dubbed as the biggest international beach volleyball event to be held in Philippine shores, which will be held on May 3 until May 6 at the SM Sands By The Bay.
Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) national champions Team Ato Ni Bai and Team Tagum-PNP lead the Philippine contingent at the first ever FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Manila Open, dubbed as the biggest international beach volleyball event to be held in Philippine shores, which will be held on May 3 until May 6 at the SM Sands By The Bay.
The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour is the worldwide professional beach volleyball tournament for both men’s and women’s competition organized by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB). ABS-CBN Sports, as the official broadcaster of the tournament, will livestream all matches on the ABS-CBN Sports Youtube channel, and will air the matches on the last day on ABS-CBN S+A and S+A HD on May 17 and 18 at 4 pm.
Jade Becaldo and Calvin Sarte reigned supreme in the recently-concluded BVR National Championship to earn a ticket to the World Tour that is brought to the country by BVR in its quest to give fans the best in beach volleyball action. Joining them in representing the Philippines are BVR runners-up Kevin Juban and Raphy Abanto of Team UV and Ranran Abdilla and Edwin Tolentino of Air Force, plus Kris Roy Guzman and Henry Pecana of Team Tigers.
For the women’s division, Team Tagum-PNP, composed of Lourdilyn Catubag and Karen Quilario, will lead the Filipinas’ charge together with runners-up Jackie Estoquia and DM Demontaño of Team Ilo-Ilo, and Charo Soriano and Bea Tan of Seafront Residences, and the pair of Dzi Gervacio and Sisi Rondina.
A press conference was held on April 26 at the Coconut Club in Bonifacio Global City graced by Soriano, Tan, Gervacio, Guzman, Pecana, and Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc. secretary-general Ricky Palou to announce the arrival of the prestigious tournament to the country.
For the Men's Division, they will have a qualification round with a single elimination knock out round. Then four teams that will qualify from this round will advance to the main draw where 12 teams are waiting. 16 teams will compete in the main draw with a modified pool play format. The Women’s Division will have the main draw right away that will be composed of 16 teams, four of which is from the Philippines.