Beach Volley Christmas Open way of thanking fans for support

Charo Soriano prepares to serve during a beach volleyball match. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Volleyball fans will get one last treat as a two-day, 10-team tournament wraps up an eventful year for beach volleyball.

The Beach Volleyball Republic Christmas Open, scheduled on December 19 and 20 at SM By The Sands, pits some of the best spikers against each other.

“It’s our way of thanking the people who supported beach volleyball this year,” said Bea Tan, one of the players in the said tournament, on Tuesday in the weekly PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate. “It’s a good mix of players from the UAAP, V-League, Super Liga, and the NCAA as well.”

Tan will pair up with Petron import Rupia Inck, while Charo Soriano teams up with Alexa Micek in a loaded field featuring the country’s premiere volleybelles.

Other teams competing will be Fille Cainglet and Denden Lazaro, April Hingpit and Maica Morada, Julie Ann Tiangco and Mariel Sinamban, Rica Rivera and Cherry Rondina, Janine Marciano and Bang Pineda, April Romero and Rose Cailing, Judy Caballejo and Camille Abanto, and Arielle Estranero and Vina Alinas.

The Open will have the ten teams broken down into two groups, all playing a round robin elimination in the first day starting at 8 a.m. The top two teams advance in the crossover semis the next day, with the winners facing off for the championship.

The second day will be aired live over ABS-CBN Sports from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.

“We’re planning to bring it around the country and play in seven to eight regions,” said Soriano, as their Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) group, together with Gretchen Ho, Cainglet, Micek, and Tan, looks at the Open as a tipping point for bigger beach volleyball tours nationwide come 2016.

“The group is created by athletes for the athletes in the hope of providing the opportunity to come up with a sustainable platform for beach volleyball in the country,” she added.

Technical official Adrian Tabanag joined Tan and Soriano in the public sports program presented by San Miguel Corp., Accel, Shakey’s, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.