England Hosts 2009 SWATCH FIVB Junior World Championships

The ninth edition of the SWATCH FIVB World Championships for players under the age of 21 returns to England for the second-straight year as the seaside resort of Blackpool hosts the junior finals September 15-20.  Lying along the coast of the Irish Sea, Blackpool is 40 miles (64 km) northwest of Manchester and less than 30 miles north of Liverpool City centre.  As England's major seaside resort, Blackpool features an endless stretch of sand, a famous tower and Pleasure Beach, one of the United Kingdom’s best roller coaster theme parks.

“These events have been critical to create a new generation of Beach Volleyball athletes,” said Angelo Squeo, the FIVB Beach Volleyball Events Director.  “In a few years, these players will challenge for SWATCH FIVB World Tour medals and vie for berths in future Olympic Games.  he winners of these events will also be rewarded by the FIVB and the respective organizers with wild cards and free transportation to take part in the main draw of a SWATCH FIVB World Tour event in 2009 or 2010.”
The 2008 SWATCH FIVB Junior World Championships were held in Brighton as the European confederation (CEV) has also hosted the U-21 finals in France (Le Lavandou 2001 and Saint Quay Portrieux 2003), Italy (Catania 2002 and Modena 2007), Poland (Myslowice 2006) and Portugal (Porto Santo 2004). The South American confederation hosted the 2005 event in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Of the eight previous SWATCH FIVB World Championships for players under 21 years old, Brazilians have captured three men’s and six women’s titles.  Pablo Herrera, who won the 2002 U-21 title for Spain with Raul Mesa, captured sthe silver medal at the Athens 2004 Olympic Games with Javier Bosma.  Martins Plavins and Aleksandrs Samoilovs, the 2005 U-21 champions from Latvia, placed ninth at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.  The Latvians upset eventual 2008 Olympic gold medal winners Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers of the United States in their first Beijing match.  Brazilian Pedro Salgado, the 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour champions with Harley Marques, captured the 2003 and 2006 U-21 titles with Pedro Cunha and Bruno Oscar Schmidt, respectively.

Russian Alexandra Shiryaeva, who competed in Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, captured the gold medal at the 2003 women's U-21 world championships with Anna Morozova. The Schwaiger sisters (Doris and Stefanie), who placed fifth at the Beijing Summer Games for Austria, claimed the bronze medal at the 2005 U-21 championships.

Francesco Giontella and Paolo Nicolai of Italy won their second U-21 title in 2008 after claiming the title in 2007 when the event was held in Modena, Italy. At the 2006 U-19 in Berumda, Giontella and Nicolai claimed the silver medal with compatriots Matteo and Paolo Ingrosso placing third for Italy. The Ingrossos captured the 2008 U-21 bronze medal.

Marleen Van Iersel realized her gold medal aspirations at a SWATCH FIVB Junior/Youth World Championship event as she teamed with Dutch partner Daniëlle Remmers to capture the 2008 U-21 title for women. Van Iersel was playing in her ninth FIVB Junior/Youth world finale since first competing internationally for the first-time in 2003. A bronze medal winner at the past two worlds for players under the age of 21 with Marloes Wesselink in Italy and Poland, Van Iersel was teaming with Remmers on a FIVB podium for the second-time as the pair was second at the 2006 U19s in Bermuda.