Let's get back on the beach!

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Previous Qinzhou champ April Ross is in action in China with Kelly Claes

Beach volleyball is back! It’s been two months since our season came to a spectacular close at the World Tour Finals in Hamburg – but this week the beach stars are back on the sand in China.

The three-star event in Qinzhou has a number of high-profile names taking part as well as a number of new teams taking their first steps at the beach together.

The tournament might not be at the top of everyone’s priority list, but it takes on significance for a number reasons.

Most importantly, it will trial a block touch rule, whereby players will have an extra third touch available to them after a block at the net.

However, for the teams involved it will give them the chance to earn all-important ranking points for the 2018 season, which has of course officially started! So for those partnerships who are down the ranking table it provides them with a great chance to wrack up some big points!

New constellations will also be on show, including American World Championship silver medalist April Ross and Kelly Claes, and Brazilian Poreč Major champ Guto Carvalhaes and Vitor Felipe.

Action started on Wednesday before the competition reaches its climax on Sunday. Stay tuned for news of all the winners on swatchmajorseries.com!