BVR International Open kicks off in Cagayan

In their final training Friday, Tuguegarao’s Charo Soriano and Bea Tan pose with other international players competing in the Beach Volleyball Republic International Santa Ana Open. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

Windy conditions create more challenge for the local and international players in the Beach Volleyball Republic Santa Ana Open, which begins Saturday in Santa Ana, Cagayan.

Squads from Singapore, Hong Kong, Malaysia and South Africa will slug it out against the Filipino bets in the two-day battle, BVR’s second international event, which dangles a total of $19,000 in cash prizes.

Two Singapore pairs and a Hong Kong duo will vie for the crown in the eight-team women’s field while squads from Singapore, Malaysia, and South Africa will slug it out in the 10-team men’s competition.

BRV founders Charo Soriano and Bea Tan will be representing the Philippines along with BVR women’s champions Lot Catubag and Karen Quilario of Davao, and Iloilo’s DM Demontaño and Jackie Estoquia.

The three pairs are coming off a stint in last month’s FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Manila Open.

Other Filipinos competing in the women’s side are Far Eastern University’s MJ Ebro and Ivana Agudo, and Cebu’s Therese Ramas and Dij Gutierrez.

They face stiff competition from Singapore’s Kelly Sim Son Shwu Yuen and Huang Zihui, and Tin Lai Ng and Tan Shiang Theng, as well as Hong Kong’s Chen Mei Kit and Yip Wai Yan.

Start of the pool play starts at 7 a.m.

In the men’s division, BVR titleholders Jade Becaldo and Calvin Sarte of Ato ni Bai spearhead the country’s campaign along with Kevin Juban and Raphy Abanto of University of Visayas, and Bryan Bagunas and James Natividad of  National U.

Singapore’s Kam Lung Chui and Masato Itabashi, Malaysia’s Raja Nazmi Hussin and Mohd Aizzat Zokri, and South Africa’s Dominik Same and Martin Sramek are the foreign participants in the men’s side.

The top two teams from each bracket in the women’s and men’s division will advance to Sunday’s semifinals. The gold medal and bronze medal matches will be played in the afternoon.