12 teams compete in BVR int’l tourney
Fresh from its successful staging of the National Championships, the Beach Volleyball Republic goes global as it holds the BVR International beginning Thursday at the Anguib Beach in Sta. Ana, Cagayan.
Four pools of three teams headed by Brazilians Erica Adachi and Rupia Inck and Mimi Amaral and Bruna Figueredo and former two- time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist Yupa Phokongploy and Rachel Sherman of Thailand will banner the strong field in the four- day event ending Sunday.
“This is part of BVR’s goal to spread beach volleyball awareness in the Philippines,” said Charo Soriano, one of BVR’s founders during yesterday’s media launch at Max’s Restaurant in Scout Tuazon, Quezon City.
Tournament director Tony Liao presided over the drawing of lots with Adachi and Inck bracketed in Group C alongside Yupa and Sherman and Singapore 2’s Rachel Lau Yue Ting and Eliza Chong Hui Hui while Amaral and Figueredo are in Group A with Singapore 1’s Tan Shiang Theng and Ong Wei Yu and BVR 2’s Jennifer Cosas and Dij Rodriguez.
BVR 1’s Soriano and Bea Tan will be with Americans Jennifer Snyder and Chara Harris and Hong Kong 2’s Kong Cheuk Yee and To Wing Tung.
Alexa Micek, a Fil-Am, will team up with Leah Hinkey for the USA 2 squad as they slug it out with New Zealand’s Julia Tilley and Alice Bain and Hong Kong 1’s Lo Wai Yan and Yueng Yuk Mei in Group D.
Soriano, who was joined by BVR co-founders Gretchen Ho, Dzi Gervacio and Fille Cainglet-Cayetano and ABS-CBN Sports and Action HD head Jojo Estacio said the winner will receive $6,000 and the second to fifth placers $ 4,500, $ 3,500, $ 2,500 and $1,500, respectively.
The sixth to 12th placed squads get $1,000 each.
The “BVR On Tour” was an eightleg tournament that took participants across the country and culminated in a National Championship leg at the Sands by the Bay in SM Mall of Asia in Pasay City where Bea Tan and Fiola Ceballos reigned supreme.
Games will be shown on ABS-CBN Sports + Action Channel 23.