Four-nation beach volley slated at SM

MANILA, Philippines - Teams from Malaysia, Hong Kong, New Zealand and the Philippines will see action in an international beach volleyball invitational set n Sept. 25 to 27 at the Sands SM by the Bay.

The event, put up by Solar Sports, is dubbed “Fit to Hit” Philippine Beach Volleyball Invitational. A total cash prize $19,000 will be divided among the eight teams depending on placing.

Three teams from the Philippines will compete against two teams each from Hong Kong and Malaysia and one from New Zealand, according to Solar Sports head Ralph Roy.

“We are doing this to promote beach volleyball in the country. That’s the intention,” said Roy during yesterday’s PSA Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

There are bigger plans ahead, including a local beach volley circuit that is open to all players with four or five legs per year.

“The intention is to bring beach volleyball all over the country and to places like Bohol. The different local governments can host different legs,” he said.

“The end result is the development of the sport,” Roy added.

Joining the weekly forum are “Fit to Hit” project director Polo Bustamante, and players Bea Tan, Lindsey Dowd, Alexa Micek and Charo Soriano.

Tan will team up with Down while Micek will work with Soriano. The other Filipina pair has yet to be named.

The Larong Volleyball ng Pilipinas, Inc. has no participation in the tournament, according to LVPI president Jose Romasanta.

Bustamante said matches will start at 2 p.m. and will be aired daily on a delayed basis on Solar Sports. He said the eight teams will be divided into two groups. A single-round robin will lead to the semis and finals and rankings matches.

“We’ve been working hard. It’s going to be tough but we will try our best and hope to win games,” said Tan, formerly of the Ateneo Blue Eagles squad.

Dowd and Micek, both with Filipino roots, are from California but it’s the former who’s making her first stint in the Philippines.

“Our best efforts will be put on the sand,” said Dowd.