malaysiang
Santa Rosa, Laguna – The Philippine leg of the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Challenge is set to begin at the Nuvali Sand Courts in Santa Rosa, Laguna, featuring a host of Olympic and world champions, as well as top-ranked athletes from over 30 countries.
According to Philippines News Agency, The men’s division, starting Thursday, boasts a star-studded lineup headlined by reigning champions Anders Mol and Christian Sorum of Norway. Mol and Sorum, who are gold medalists at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and FIVB 2022 Beach Volleyball World Championships, also won the inaugural BPT Challenge in Doha, Qatar, last year.
Top-ranked players from Sweden, the Czech Republic, the United States, Germany, Italy, Brazil, Poland, and the Netherlands will be among Mol and Sorum’s challengers. All these countries are currently within the top 10 of the world beach volleyball rankings.
The main draw of the event includes 16 teams, featuring Philippine representatives Ran Abdilla and Jaron Requinton, plus eight additional squads progressing from the 32-team qualification round. James Buytrago and Rancel Varga, along with Anthony Arbasto and Alche Gupiteo, will also represent the Philippines in the qualifiers, capping off the Philippine National Volleyball Federation’s active 2023 calendar.
In the women’s division, reigning champions Sara Hughes and Kelly Cheng of the United States, as well as world champions Eduarda Santos Lisboa and Ana Patricia Ramos of Brazil, will be absent. However, the main draw will be headlined by World No. 7 Barbara Seixas and Carol Solberg of Brazil, and World No. 9 Chen Xue and Xinyi Xia of China.
Filipina players Jen Eslapor and Floremel Rodriguez are included in the 16-team main draw for the women, with Sofiah Pagara and Khylem Progella competing in the qualifiers. Japanese Olympian Miki Ishi, paired with Akiko Hasegawa, has already tested the venue’s courts.
The event will see participation from various countries, including Australia, Switzerland, France, England, Portugal, China, Chile, Austria, Lithuania, Estonia, Oman, Thailand, Latvia, Japan, New Zealand, Israel, Spain, Turkey, Gambia, Morocco, Malaysia, Finland, Slovenia, Ukraine, and Slovakia.
Tickets for the event, which promises thrilling beach volleyball action, are available online and onsite, with morning sessions priced at PHP100 and afternoon sessions at PHP200.
