Press release
VISA Beach Volleyball Test Event is world class
USA's Jennifer Kessy and April Ross will be one of the top beach volleyball pairs participating in the Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International - the London 2012 test event
London, UK, July 15, 2011 - Twenty four world class teams have been selected for the Visa FIVB Beach Volleyball International, the London 2012 test event, which will be held at Horse Guards Parade from 9 - 14 August 2011.
As part of the London Prepares Series, the international competition will play host to some world class teams and players including the current number one world ranked team Jennifer Kessy and April Ross from USA, Sydney Olympic gold medal winner and one half of the Australian team Natalie Cook, and Beijing bronze medal duo Zhang Xi and Xue Chen from China, who also recently secured the bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships in Rome.
Two teams from Great Britain will take to the courts at the iconic London landmark ready to do battle against the best in the world. The two pairs are Lucy Boulton and Denise Johns, and Shauna Mullin and Zara Dampney. LOCOG and FIVB are keen to demonstrate their support for Beach Volleyball to become an official sport at the Commonwealth Games, by having selected ten teams from six Commonwealth countries.
The test event also offers a competition opportunity to those teams who are not included in the European Beach Volleyball Championships in Kristiansand, Norway, which is an important Olympic Qualification tournament and is being held at the same time. Colin Grannell, head of partnership marketing at Visa Europe, said: " This event will be the perfect opportunity not only to ensure we're fully prepared for the millions of visitors who will come to London and use their Visa cards at Games venues but also for the athletes to get a feel for what we hope will be the best Games ever."
Team list:
Louise Bawden / Becchara Palmer (AUS)
Natalie "Nat" Cook / Tara West (AUS)
Vivian Danielle da Conceição Cunha / Taiana Lima (BRA)
Liliane Maestrini / Angela Vieira (BRA)
Heather Bansley / Elizabeth Maloney (CAN)
Jamie Lynn Broder / Ashley Voth (CAN)
Kacie MacTavish / Julie Rodrigue (CAN)
Fan Wang / Yuanyuan Ma (CHN)
Chen Xue / Xi Zhang (CHN)
Changning Zhang / Jingjing Ding (CHN)
Alejandra Simon/ Andrea Garcia Gonzalo (ESP)
Mari-Liis Graumann / Anu Ennok (EST)
Shauna Mullin / Zara Dampney (GBR)
Lucy Boulton / Denise Johns (GBR)
Christina Roubanis / Joanna Papageorgiou (GRE)
Viktoria Orsi Toth / Giada Benazzi (ITA)
Beh Shun Thing / Luk Teck Hua (MAS)
Candelas Bibiana / Mayra Garcia (MEX)
Jolien Sinnema / Margo Wiltens (NED)
Yarleen Santiago / Dariam Acevedo (PUR)
Tealle Hunkus / Heather Lowe (USA)
Jennifer Kessy / April Ross (USA)
Josephine Nammanda / Okecho Alice Gitta (UGA)
Miller Elwin / Linline Matauatu (VAN)
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As part of the London Prepares Series, the international competition will play host to some world class teams and players including the current number one world ranked team Jennifer Kessy and April Ross from USA, Sydney Olympic gold medal winner and one half of the Australian team Natalie Cook, and Beijing bronze medal duo Zhang Xi and Xue Chen from China, who also recently secured the bronze medal at the 2011 World Championships in Rome.
Two teams from Great Britain will take to the courts at the iconic London landmark ready to do battle against the best in the world. The two pairs are Lucy Boulton and Denise Johns, and Shauna Mullin and Zara Dampney. LOCOG and FIVB are keen to demonstrate their support for Beach Volleyball to become an official sport at the Commonwealth Games, by having selected ten teams from six Commonwealth countries.
The test event also offers a competition opportunity to those teams who are not included in the European Beach Volleyball Championships in Kristiansand, Norway, which is an important Olympic Qualification tournament and is being held at the same time. Colin Grannell, head of partnership marketing at Visa Europe, said: " This event will be the perfect opportunity not only to ensure we're fully prepared for the millions of visitors who will come to London and use their Visa cards at Games venues but also for the athletes to get a feel for what we hope will be the best Games ever."
Team list:
Louise Bawden / Becchara Palmer (AUS)
Natalie "Nat" Cook / Tara West (AUS)
Vivian Danielle da Conceição Cunha / Taiana Lima (BRA)
Liliane Maestrini / Angela Vieira (BRA)
Heather Bansley / Elizabeth Maloney (CAN)
Jamie Lynn Broder / Ashley Voth (CAN)
Kacie MacTavish / Julie Rodrigue (CAN)
Fan Wang / Yuanyuan Ma (CHN)
Chen Xue / Xi Zhang (CHN)
Changning Zhang / Jingjing Ding (CHN)
Alejandra Simon/ Andrea Garcia Gonzalo (ESP)
Mari-Liis Graumann / Anu Ennok (EST)
Shauna Mullin / Zara Dampney (GBR)
Lucy Boulton / Denise Johns (GBR)
Christina Roubanis / Joanna Papageorgiou (GRE)
Viktoria Orsi Toth / Giada Benazzi (ITA)
Beh Shun Thing / Luk Teck Hua (MAS)
Candelas Bibiana / Mayra Garcia (MEX)
Jolien Sinnema / Margo Wiltens (NED)
Yarleen Santiago / Dariam Acevedo (PUR)
Tealle Hunkus / Heather Lowe (USA)
Jennifer Kessy / April Ross (USA)
Josephine Nammanda / Okecho Alice Gitta (UGA)
Miller Elwin / Linline Matauatu (VAN)
Download highresolution