Modena hosts 2007 SWATCH-FIVB U-21 World Championships

The SWATCH-FIVB World Championships for players under 21 years old returns Europe for the fourth-time as Poland hosts the sixth annual event August 23-27 in Myslowice, Poland.  A main draw will determine the 24 teams that will be spread across six pools to battle it out for the title in a pool-play competition format.  "There has always been considerable interest for the SWATCH-FIVB World Championships Under 21," said FIVB President Dr. Ruben Acosta, "since it is the tournament that produces the stars of tomorrow and helps to maintain the dynamic young image that Beach Volleyball enjoys."  Located in the Upper Silesia region of Poland, Myslowice was a crossroads in the era of the German, Austro-Hungarian and Russian empires.  Myslowice has a population of around 75,000, is home to various international companies and has excellent international transport connections by road, rail and air.  The first four SWATCH-FIVB U-21 World Championships were held in France at Le Lavandou (2001) and Saint Quay Portrieux (2003), Catania, Italy (2002) and Porto Santo, Portugal (2004).  Brazil's world famous Copacabana Beach in Rio de Janeiro hosted the 2005 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships where Carolina Solberg Salgado and Camillinha Saldanha captured the U-21 women's title.  Brazil has now won four of the five women’s title (2001, 2002, 2004 and 2005) with six overall medals. Russia claimed the other gold medal in 2003 as that country also had a silver medal in 2001. Other countries that have medaled are Germany (two silvers), the Czech Republic (two bronzes), France (one silver), Austria (one bronze), and Switzerland (one silver).  Two former women's SWATCH-FIVB U-21 Champions from Brazil have claimed titles on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour. Juliana Felisberta Silva, the 2002 U-21 world champion, won her first event on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour in 2004 at Mallorca with Larissa Franca. Juliana and Larissa also finished as the top team on the 2005 SWATCH-FIVB World Tour with six gold medals and 14 podium placements in 15 events.  Shaylyn Bede, the younger sister of two-time SWATCH-FIVB World Champion Shelda, captured the 2001 U-21 title before winning for the first-time on the SWATCH-FIVB World Tour in 2005 with Beach Volleyball Olympian Ana Paula Connelly at Osaka, Japan where they defeated Juliana and Larissa in the finals.  The Salgado sisters have also claimed U-21 women's gold medal.  Carolina won the 2004 and 2005 gold medals with Taiana Lima and Camillinha, respectively.  Maria Clara won the inaugural U-21 women's title in 2001 with Shaylyn.  The Salgados have also won a SWATCH-FIVB World Tour bronze medal in the 2005 south African season finale in Cape Town to join their mother (Isabel) in gaining a podium placement at an international Beach Volleyball event. Brazil took their fifth gold medal in six events at the 2006 U-21 Women's World Championships, with European teams securing the silver and bronze for the third consecutive year.

2006 Women's U21 champions Carolina Aragao (left) and Barbara Seixas