MANILA, Philippines – Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) is proving to be relentless in bringing quality beach volleyball competition to Philippine sands. Following a triumphant “BVR On Tour” tournament that culminated with a pulsating national championship last month, BVR is back with another highly-competitive tourney, this time featuring some of the most exciting athletes in the global beach volleyball scene at the first ever BVR Invitational tournament.
In a presscon held Monday (June 6), BVR spokesperson Charo Soriano, BVR member Alexa Micek, BVR Invitational tournament director Tony Boy Liao, and ABS-CBN Sports + Action HD channel head Jojo Neri-Estacio revealed the details on the group’s newest beach volleyball tournament, which will feature 10 teams from the international field and two from the Philippines.
Four pools of three teams will play in a round robin in order to accommodate the initial ranking of the 12 participating teams. After pool play, all teams will advance to a double elimination bracket wherein a loss will send them to the loser’s bracket for possible redemption. The competition, which is sanctioned by the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas, Inc., will happen at the Anguib Beach, Sta. Ana, Cagayan on June 9 to 12, 2016. ABS-CBN Sports + Action and Sports + Action HD will be airing some of the tournament matches on June 18 and 19 starting at 11am.
The participants in the inaugural “BVR Invitational” were divided into four pools with Group A being comprised of Brazilian pair Mimi Amaral and Bruna Figueredo, “BVR On Tour” runner-ups Jennifer Cosas and Dij Rodriguez, and Singaporean nationals Tan Shang Theng and Ong Wei Yu. Group B is made up of USA’s Jennifer Snyder and Chara Harris, BVR founders Soriano and Tan, and Hong Kong players Kong Cheuk Yee and To Wing Tung. Group C is composed of the pairs of Yupa Phokongploy and Rachel Sherman, Brazilians Erica Adachi and Rupia Inck, and the second apir from Signapore, Rachel Ting and Eliza Hui. Group D features the tandem of Alexa Micek and Leah Hinkey, New Zealand’s Julia Tilley and Alice Bain, and the second tandem from Hong Kong of Lo Wai Yan and Yueng Yuk Mei.
“BVR On Tour” was an 8-leg tourney that took participants across the country and culminated in a National Championship leg held at the Sands by the Bay at the SM Mall of Asia last May. Emerging as first national title holders and “Queens of the Sand” are Bea Tan and Fiola Ceballos. BVR has partnered with the Cagayan Economic Zone Authority for the BVR Invitational, which also aims to boost sports tourism in the country.
BVR’s mission is to bring high-level beach volleyball programs in the country to promote the sport of beach volleyball in the Philippines. This is aligned with ABS-CBN Sports’ commitment to support sports development in the nation, especially among Filipino youth.
Don’t miss the broadcast of the first-ever international tournament of Beach Volleyball Republic on ABS-CBN Sports + Action and ABS-CBN Sports + Action HD, the official broadcast partner of BVR, on June 18 and 19 starting at 11am. ABS-CBN Sports, ABS-CBN Sports + Action, and ABS-CBN Sports + Action HD are all under the ABS-CBN Integrated Sports division of ABS-CBN, the country’s leading media and entertainment company. For more information about ABS-CBN Sports and Beach Volleyball Republic, visit sports.abs-cbn.com, and follow ABS-CBN Sports’ official Facebook and Twitter accounts, @abscbnsports.