Counting down to the opening whistle
July 17, 2003 - From the July 21 to August 3 Italy will be the theatre of dreams for the elite of women's volleyball when the 2003 World Grand Prix takes place in three gorgeous cities Matera, Gioia del Colle and Andria. The stunningly attractive Matera and Gioia del Colle will play host to 12 of the best teams in women's volleyball in round robin play, before the World Grand Prix Finals are held in Andria on the striking Adriatic coast line. <br> This year is a very special year for the World Grand Prix with this 11th edition of the most important annual women's event being hosted for the first time outside of Asia. More Spanish Pic: Defending champions Russia will be the ones to beat in 2003
USA

USA Women Lose to Azerbaijan, Finish Fourth in Russia
EKATERINBURG, Russia. June 17, 2003 – Elena Shabovta scored a team-high 21 points to lead Azerbaijan to a 3-2 win over the USA women’s national volleyball team in the third-place match at the Yeltsin Cup tournament in Russia Monday night. More

USA Women advance to Yeltsin Cup Championship Semifinals
NIZHNYI TAGIL, Russia, June 14, 2003 – Ekaterina Gamova scored a match-high-tying 17 points to lead Russia to a sweep of the USA women's national volleyball team as pool play concluded at the Eltsin Cup tournament in Russia late Friday night. More

USA women sweep Japan to start Yeltsin Cup tournament in Russia 
NIZHNYI TAGIL, Russia. June 12, 2003 – Logan Tom scored a match-high 18 points to lead the USA women’s national volleyball team to a 3-0 win over Japan to begin the Yeltsin Cup tournament in Russia late Wednesday night. Tom had 11 kills, a match-high six service aces and one block in the 25-21, 25-23, 25-14 win, which snapped a three-match losing streak for the United States (3-3). More
Pic: Logan Tom is one of the stars of the United States line-up

Brazil beats USA in Montreux Third-Place match
MONTREUX, Switzerland – Valeska Menezes scored a match-high 17 points and Raquel Silva added 16 to lead Brazil to a 3-1 win over the USA women’s national volleyball team in the Montreux Volley Masters third-place match at Pierrier Hall on Sunday. More

Russia beats USA in Montreux Semifinals
MONTREUX, Switzerland – Evguenia Artamonova scored a match-high 19 points to lead a balanced attack as the world's top-ranked team, Russia, defeated the USA women's national volleyball team in five sets in the championship semifinals of the Montreux Volley Masters on Saturday. More

China Beats USA Women to win Pool B at Montreux
MONTREUX, Switzerland – Ruirui Zhao and Jinling Chu each scored 16 points to lead five players in double figures as China edged the USA women's national volleyball team in five thrilling sets on the final day of pool play at the Montreux Volley Masters on Friday. More

USA and China first semifinalists in Montreux
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 5 June 2003 – USA and China are the first two teams who booked a place in the semifinals of the Montreux Volley Masters. In Thursday’s Pool B action, USA cruised to a 3-0 win over the Dominican Republic while China won impressively against Olympic Champions Cuba by the same scoreline. More

USA begin season with win over Cuba
MONTREUX, Switzerland, June 3, 2003 - Logan Tom scored a match-high 20 points as the USA women’s national volleyball team opened the 2003 season with a 3-1 win over three-time defending Olympic gold medallist Cuba Tuesday night at the Montreux Volley Masters. More

USA head for Montreux
May 29, 2003 - COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The USA Women’s national Volleyball team, which earned a silver medal at the 2002 World Championships, departs Sunday, June 1, for Montreux, Switzerland, to compete in the season-opening Montreux Volley Masters. More

Women's Training Team play for places
May 1, 2003 - COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - The Women's National Training Team of USA Volleyball starts a series of three intersquad matches today running over the next three days. According to Team USA Head Coach Toshi Yoshida, the matches will be used to determine which players will be invited to train with the returning veteran members of the National Team during the summer. More
Report courtesy of USA Volleyball.

Cuba

Cuba wins Carribean battle
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 4 June 2003 – Cuba took a 3-2 victory over Dominican Republic in a spectacular Caribbean battle on the second day of the Montreux Volley Masters. The current Olympic Champion needed five sets to defeat the Dominican opponent on Wednesday evening. In other action, Brazil won the match against Italy, while Russia defeated Japan 3-1. More

China

China announces final line-up for Grand Prix
July 19, 2003 - China has announced their final line-up which will be responsible for trying to improve on their second placing at last year's World Grand Prix at the 2003 edition of the women's premier annual tournament in Italy starting on Monday. More
Story by the AVC Press Officer Wang Yongsun

Chinese Women's Volleyball team gains more confidence 
June 23, 2003 - After nine wins out of ten international matches recently in Switzerland and Russia, the Chinese women's Volleyball team has gained a lot of confidence in the international tournaments and are eager to return to the top of the FIVB World Rankings, a team official said. More
Story by the AVC Press Officer Wang Yongsun
Pic: China lost to Russia in last year's World Grand Prix final

China defeats defending champs to take Montreux title
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 8 June 2003 – China became the new Montreux Volley Masters champion on Sunday after defeating defending champions Russia in a thrilling five-set showdown 3-2. Earlier in Sunday action Brazil took the bronze medal. More

China to meet Russia in Montreux final
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 7 June 2003 – Russia and China will play Sunday’s final of the Montreux Volley Masters after Russia defeated the USA in a five-set thriller (3-2) and China dismissed Brazil in the second semifinal (3-1) on Saturday. Both Russia and China will enter the final undefeated. More

China Beats USA Women to win Pool B at Montreux
MONTREUX, Switzerland – Ruirui Zhao and Jinling Chu each scored 16 points to lead five players in double figures as China edged the USA women's national volleyball team in five thrilling sets on the final day of pool play at the Montreux Volley Masters on Friday. More

China and USA first semifinalists in Montreux
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 5 June 2003 – China and USA are the first two teams who booked a place in the semifinals of the Montreux Volley Masters. In Thursday’s Pool B action, USA cruised to a 3-0 win over the Dominican Republic while China won impressively against Olympic Champions Cuba by the same scoreline. More

China leave for for Swiss tournament
June 2, 2003 - Beijing, China -- The Chinese women's national volleyball team left here on Monday for Switzerland to attend a yearly international tournament which will kick off on Tuesday. More
From Wang Yongsun, Confederation Press Officer, Asia

China on track for Olympic Gold says women's coach
April 22, 2003. The head coach of the Chinese women's team Chen Zonghe says his team will win the next two Olympic titles, as long as he stays in charge. Zonghe, who has been with the women's national team for more than two decades but took over as head coach in 2001, believes that despite his side's world ranking of two behind Russia, his inexperienced team has improved significantly and will be peaking in time to claim Olympic glory in 2004 and 2008. "Currently, our women's team remains as number two in the world, but I am full of confidence to win the Olympic title both in Greece and in Beijing," Zonghe said. More 
Report courtesy of People's Daily Online
Pic: Chen Zonghe has his team on track for the Olympics.

Brazil

Brazil get ready for Italy
July 18, 2003 - The Brazilian national team is gearing up for its second challenge of the season. After the bronze medal in the Montreux Volley Masters in June, the team commanded by coach Marco Aurelio Motta traveled on Thursday to Italy to play in the FIVB Women's Grand Prix from July 21 to August 3. Brazil will play in group B with China, Russia, Korea, Thailand and Canada. "Our first goal in this event will be to qualify for the final round," said coach Motta. "But we are in a difficult group and with three teams going to the final China, Russia and Korea will be our main opponents in the first round where the technical criteria will be decisive for success. We will play round robin and the best team will be the champion". More Pic: Brazil hope to improve upon their seventh place finish at last year's World Championships

Brazil prepares for the Grand Prix
July 01, 2003 - Following the draw of the 2003 World Grand Prix last week Brazilian coach Aurélio Motta admits his side are in the toughest Pool but he is confident looking ahead to the tournament, which starts in Italy on July 18. Brazil is in Pool B and will have to front Russia, the defending champions, China, Korea, Thailand and Canada. Italy, United States, Cuba, Japan, Holland and Germany form the group A. "We are in the group most difficult," Motta said. "But of all these teams, the only stranger for us is Canada. The others we have faced on many occasions. We are always crossing paths with Russia and China in the main competitions. We played with Thailand in the last Grand Prix and in the World Championships, in which we also faced Korea". More  Spanish
Pic: Brazil are aiming for their fourth Grand Prix title

Brazil beats USA in Montreux Third-Place match
MONTREUX, Switzerland – Valeska Menezes scored a match-high 17 points and Raquel Silva added 16 to lead Brazil to a 3-1 win over the USA women’s national volleyball team in the Montreux Volley Masters third-place match at Pierrier Hall on Sunday. More

Russia and Brazil complete final four in Montreux
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 6 June 2003 – Russia and Brazil joined China and USA as semifinalists of the Montreux Volley Masters after both teams were victorious on Friday night. Russia claimed pole position in Pool A after dismissing Italy 3-0 while Brazil booked its second victory of the tournament with a 3-0 win over Japan and confirmed second place being the Russians. More

Brazil men's and women's team destined for Europe
May 28, 2003 - The national men's and women's teams of Brazil finished their final training sessions in Rio de Janeiro on Wednesday and have departed for Europe. More     Spanish

Brazil get together for World Grand Prix preparation
May 5, 2003 - The meeting of the experienced one Virna Dias with the youngster Fabiana Oliveira marked the presentation of the final players on Monday that will make up the Brazilian women's national team that will prepare ahead of a season, which includes the World Grand Prix in July. More

Canada

Canada eye World Grand Prix opportunity
May 1, 2003 - Following last year's 17th-place finish at the World Championship in Germany, World Grand Prix debutants Canada can't wait to have another chance to test themselves against the super powers of world volleyball and are keen to show to the world their improved volleyball prowess when the tournament starts in July.
The Canadian women's team were called up into the elite group of 12 teams last month to represent the Continental Confederation of NORCECA, which covers the region of North and Central America, after the Dominican Republic withdrew because of conflicting commitments with the Pan Am Games. More
Canada celebrate some success at last year's World Championship.

FIVB welcomes Canada to World Grand Prix
Lausanne, Switzerland, April 25 - The International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) on Thursday announced that the women's national team of Canada would join the World Grand Prix, the top annual Volleyball competition for women which carries prize money of $1 million. Canada makes it's debut into this elite group of 12 teams to represent the Continental Confederation of NORCECA, which covers the region of North and Central America.  more. Click here for Spanish/French. Pic: Barbara Bellini attacks Egypt at the 2002 World Championships.


Thailand

Thailand eye improved form
July 1, 2003 - Despite having a tough draw in Pool B of this year’s World Grand Prix, Thailand are still upbeat of mounting a strong challenge and are expecting to register two wins. The redraw of the world’s premier women’s Volleyball tournament, of which all matches will take place entirely in Italy, was made recently which put Thailand in Pool B with reigning champions Russia, China, Canada, South Korea and Brazil. More Spanish
Pic: Thailand are hoping to beat last year's finish of eight place. Story by Preechachan Wiriyanupappong AVC South East Asian Zonal Press Officer

Thailand forms new team for 2003 World Grand Prix
With a new coach at the helm, a new look Thailand women's volleyball team is hoping for much improved results in the 2003 World Grand Prix. Nutthapol Srisamutnark, 42, who has been appointed to take charge of the women's team for the second time, takes over in unfavorable conditions. More
Story by Preechachan Wiriyanupappong, AVC South East Asia Zonal Press Officer

Russia

China defeats defending champs to take Montreux title
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 8 June 2003 – China became the new Montreux Volley Masters champion on Sunday after defeating defending champions Russia in a thrilling five-set showdown 3-2. Earlier in Sunday action Brazil took the bronze medal. More

Russia beats USA in Montreux Semifinals
MONTREUX, Switzerland – Evguenia Artamonova scored a match-high 19 points to lead a balanced attack as the world's top-ranked team, Russia, defeated the USA women's national volleyball team in five sets in the championship semifinals of the Montreux Volley Masters on Saturday. More

Russia and Brazil complete final four in Montreux
MONTREUX, Switzerland, 6 June 2003 – Russia and Brazil joined China and USA as semifinalists of the Montreux Volley Masters after both teams were victorious on Friday night. Russia claimed pole position in Pool A after dismissing Italy 3-0 while Brazil booked its second victory of the tournament with a 3-0 win over Japan and confirmed second place being the Russians. More

Russia open up with victory over Japan
Montreux, Switzerland, 4 June 2003 – Russia played its first match on Wednesday after the defending champion had a free day on Tuesday. The current European Champion and World Championship bronze medallist had a tough time against Japan in the Pool A clash before prevailing 3-1. More

World Grand Prix champs plot their course
April 30, 2003 - 2002 champions Russia has started their preparation for their defense of the World Grand Prix title having gone into their first training camp last weekend in Croatia. Nikolay Karpol's team will be in camp until May 15 working on the disciplines and skills which saw them defeat China in last year's final in Hong Kong and claim their third World Grand Prix title. Four days later they will then have a chance to apply all that they have learnt in a series of up to three matches against Azerbaijan, ranked 36 in the world, from May 19 till May 26. More
Russia reflect on a 3-1 defeat of China in last year's 2002 World Grand Prix final.

Italy

Big guns warm up for World Grand Prix
July 10, 2003 - World Champions Italy are one of four teams currently in warm up mode for the World Grand Prix, which starts on Italian soil on July 21 through to August 3, playing the Netherlands in a series of friendly matches. Germany and Russia are the other two teams involved in friendly fixtures. On Wednesday, Italy utilised most of their squad during a hard fought 3-2 (23-25, 25-19, 25-20, 20-25, 15-13) win over the Netherlands, who are ranked 11th on the FIVB world rankings, in Rome. The two sides will continue playing agaisnt each other throughout the rest of the week. More
Pic: Russia beat Germany in the 2002 World Grand Prix 3-0

Italy go down to Brazil
Montreux, Switzerland, 4 June 2003 – World Champion Italy is not one of the top favorites in Montreux this
year. Coach Marco Bonitta took a lot of young players to the event on the edge of Lake Geneva in Switzerland to give them some experience at the highest level. It was therefore no surprise that Brazil defeated the Italian team 3-1. More

Germany

German Coach Names World Grand Prix Squad
June 26, 2003 - Germany's national trainer Hee Wan Lee has announced his 12-member squad to contest the FIVB World Grand Prix, the premier women's annual women's volleyball competition, this year to be held in Italy. The German team, third last year in Hong Kong, are now moving into concentrated preparation for the event (July 21- Aug. 3) with three international friendlies against World Championship bronze medalists Russia on the program. More  German  Story: Thilo von Hagen, German Volleyball Federation; Pic: German coach Hee Wan Lee during the 2002 World Grand Prix