Swatch-FIVB World Tour action returns to Phuket
 

PHUKET 2007 - After staging women’s FIVB Challenger/Satellite events in Pattaya (2001), Bangkok (2005) and Phuket (2005), followed by its first World Tour stop last year, Thailand continues its tradition in 2007 with the final stop on the women's calendar.  The 2005 Phuket stop served as a prelude to the 2006 season-finale where the competition was part of the Andaman Festival to mark the first anniversary of the Tsunami of 2004.  Jennifer Kessy and Heather Lowe won the 2001 Pattaya events for the United States while China’s Linjun Ji and Whenhui You captured the Bangkok stop.  Lijun Ji was 18 years old when she won the event to become the youngest player ever to win “any” international Beach Volleyball event.  Eiko Koizumi and Shinako Tanaka captured Japan’s first-ever international Beach Volleyball gold medal by winning the 2005 Phuket event. At the 2006 event, China's teams rounded off a strong season with a 1-2 sweep by Xue/Zhang Xi and Tian Jia Wang, who finished third and second respectively in the final season ranking.

PAST SOUTHEAST ASIA WOMEN’S PODIUM PLACEMENTS

Total Medals - Brazil 5, USA 3, China 3, Cuba 1, Czech Republic 1, Germany 1, Greece 1