2019-09-19 19:32:00 CEST
The week in the sands of the world
Czechs Marketa Slukova and Barbora Hermannova are competing at the Olympic qualifier in China (Photocredit: FIVB)
Hello, beach volleyball fans! The World Tour season is technically over, but the weekend ahead of us is a huge one with up to four nations securing their presences at the beach volleyball tournament of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics as two spots in each gender are in play in Haiyang.
There's also beach volleyball going on in Hawaii as the American AVP ends its season and Hawaiian-born Tri Bourne had one of the greatest experiences of his life prior to the event.
That and much more, on Beach Shorts!
Olympic Qualifier at full pace in China
In a couple of days we’ll know which two nations in each gender will join Russia (men), Canada (women) and host country Japan (in both genders) as the first qualified to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. The international qualifier is taking place in Haiyang, China, and is featuring some of the best players in the planet, who are competing for a bid at next year’s Olympics.
Daniele Lupo and partner Paolo Nicolai try to qualify Italy to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (Photocredit: FIVB)
AVP ends its season in Hawaii
The American AVP is closing its 2019 season in great style as the eighth and final stop of the year takes place in Hawaii. All the top teams in the country, including April Ross/Alix Klineman, Sarah Sponcil/Kelly Claes, Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena and Jake Gibb/Taylor Crabb, are competing at the heavenly island.
World Championships silver medalists April Ross and Alix Klineman end their season in Honolulu
Israel to enter the World Tour in November
The full calendar of the 2019-2020 World Tour season is yet to be announced, but it has been confirmed that Israel will be part of it for the first time. The European nation will host a double-gender one-star event in Tel Aviv from November 5-9. The venue will be set up at the Frishman Beach.
The Frishman Beach hosted the Israeli National Championship earlier this year (Photocredit: CEV)
Social Media: Welcome to the beach, Naia!
World Championships semifinalist Tri Bourne has another reason to remember 2019 with joy as the American player and his wife Gabrielle had the couple’s first daughter, Naia, this week. Isn’t she cute? Congrats, family!
In case you missed it
See you next week!