World's best to play in Phuket
[BEACH VOLLEYBALL] Some of the world's best women's players will be in action when the Phuket Thailand Open kicks off from November 1-5 at Karon Beach on the southern resort island.
The five-day event, part of the FIVB Swatch Beach Volley World Tour, will be the biggest beach volleyball tournament ever held in Asia. A total of 50 teams from 23 countries, including world champion Misty May-Treanor and Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Silva and Larissa Franca and Kerri Walsh of the US, will be playing for a share of the US$200,000 (Bt8 million) prize money. The world's top 10 teams - from Brazil, China, US, Germany, Cuba, Australia, Japan, Switzerland, France and Norway - have entered the event. As the host country Thailand can field six teams, with the first two squads eligible to play in the main draw. The other four Thai teams, who will play in the qualifying round, will first have to make it through a selection trial held by the Volleyball Association of Thailand (VAT) at Ramkhamhaeng University. The trial started yesterday and will finish on Wednesday. "This is the first time our country has staged a world-class [beach volleyball] event and only Thailand and China can host the world tournament in Asia now," said VAT secretary general Shanrit Wongprasert. "This is a good opportunity for the Thai teams to sharpen their skills before the Asian Games in Doha in December." The qualifying rounds will be played on November 1, while the first and second rounds will be played the following day. The quarter-finals will be on November 3, the semi-finals and the final will be on November 4-5 and will be televised live on iTV from 3pm. Admission is free.
Somporn Suphop The Nation
|
