Nuvali, Philippines - The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour (BPT) Challenge Philippine leg commences in Nuvali with 48 qualification matches spanning 10 hours. This event, starting Thursday, is heralded as the largest beach volleyball competition ever hosted in the country.
According to Philippines News Agency, The event's scale necessitates the use of at least five hotels in and around Santa Rosa City to accommodate the athletes and officials.
Suzara, speaking on Wednesday, described the event as both the biggest and most prestigious beach volleyball competition the Philippines has ever seen, attracting Olympic and world champions and top-ranked athletes from over 30 countries. The main draw features 16 teams each for men and women, while the qualifiers alone include 32 teams for each gender. Additionally, numerous reserve teams for both genders are present in the area.
Nuvali, supported by Ayala Land, has constructed four world-class, FIVB-standard sand courts and a practice court for the event. Due to the high demand for accommodation, the PNVF has booked hotels not just in Nuvali but also in nearby areas like Silang, Alabang, and Batangas.
The qualification matches are set to begin at 8 a.m. on Thursday across all four new courts, with the last matches scheduled for 6 p.m. The main draw will start on Friday, featuring simultaneous matches starting at 9 a.m., concluding with 9 p.m. matches. Teams have been training on the courts since last Tuesday, including the Philippine squads coached by Brazilian Jao Luciano Kiodai.
Kiodai emphasized the significance of the tournament in showcasing high-level beach volleyball in the Philippines. He stressed the importance of the process over the results for the national teams, who have been undergoing rigorous preparation. The Philippine women's teams are represented by veterans Jen Eslapor and Floremel Rodriguez, and newcomers Sofiah Pagara and Khylem Progella. Eslapor and Rodriguez are noted for their fifth-place finish in Asiad beach volleyball in Hangzhou.
The men's teams feature Ran Abdilla and Jeron Requinton, Anthony Arbasto and Alche Gupiteo, and the experienced duo of James Buytrago and Rancel Varga. The event presents an opportunity for the Philippine teams to showcase their skills on an international platform.