For the seventh-straight season, Shanghai will host a 2010 SWATCH FIVB World Tour event as the host country will seek to extend its streak of podium finishes and a pair of Brazilian players will look for repeat gold medals at the May 3-9 tournament in the Jinshan District.  The Chinese women have claimed medal finishes the past four seasons, including gold medals in 2006 and 2007 by the tandems of Chen Xue/Xi Zhang and Jia Tian/Jie Wang, respectively.  Olympian Talita Antunes finished first on the Jinshan center court podium in 2008 with Renata Ribeiro and 2009 with Maria Antonelli. Wang placed second both times to the Brazilian winners with Tian in 2008 and Man Zuo in 2008. Wang and Tian captured the silver medal at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games with Xue and Zhang placing third after defeated Talita and Renata in the bronze medal match.  Brazilian Harley Marques has topped the Shanghai men’s podium the past three seasons, including gold medal finishes in 2007 and 2008 with Pedro Salgado, and a 2009 title with Alison Cerutti. Penggen Wu and Linyin, the most successful Chinese men’s team in the 23-year history of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour, captured a silver medal in 2008 after losing the finale to Harley and Salgado.  Situated in the middle of China's east coastline, Shanghai has four distinct seasons and a population over 13 million.  Shanghai’s inhabitants are among the most hospitable and cheerful in the world and the city in which they live is both colorful and diverse.  In addition to hosting a SWATCH FIVB World Tour event, Shanghai is noted for its many festivals, including the Shanghai Tourism Festival, the Longhua Temple Bell Striking on New Year’s Eve, the Longhua Temple Fair, the International Tea Culture Festival and the Orange Festival.  For shoppers, culinary connoisseurs and sight-seers, Shanghai is worth the visit, especially with China’s tallest building the Jim Mao Tower, which stands at 480 meters.  The Chinese city has often been referred to as a “shopping paradise” and all tastes are catered to in Shanghai.  Favorite foods from France, Russia, Italy, England, Japan and India will be found along with 16 styles of Chinese food that can be tasted in any of the 1,000-plus restaurants throughout the city.  Pictured to the left below are 2009 Shanghai women winners Talita Antunes (left) and Maria Antontelli of Brazil.

BRAZIL & BEACH VOLLEYBALL - Brazil has been the site of the most SWATCH FIVB World Tour events, including 31 men’s and 26 women’s tournaments  The 2010 Brasília stop marks the 24th year that Brazil has hosted a men’s SWATCH stop and 18th-straight season staging a women’s event.  Except for the 2004 men’s event in Rio de Janeiro, teams from the South American country have medaled for host Brazil.  Brazil also staged the 2007 PanAm Games in Rio de Janeiro where Brazilians Emanuel Rego/Ricardo Santos and Juliana Felisberta Silva/Larissa Franca captured the titles.