PRESENTATION
Finns and Swedes unite once more for PAF Open |
It is rare for a FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour stop to
have the support from two federations, but following on from a
successful 2010 event, the $190,000 Paf Open will take place on the
Isle of Åland at Mariehamn and will again have the support of both
the Finnish and Swedish Volleyball Federations when it takes place
this season from August 28-September 2. This will be the first time
this event will be a single-gender tournament with the women’s world
tour competing this year. This will be the second of three women’s
only events on the world tour this year. The first was in April in
Sanya, China and the last women’s event of 2012 will be in Bang
Saen, Thailand. Åland is situated at the entrance to the Gulf of
Bothnia and forms an autonomous Swedish-speaking administrative
province, region and historical province of Finland. It is the
fourth time that national federations have joined forces to stage a
FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour event as the aim of the Paf
Open is to contribute to the development of beach volleyball in
Finland and Sweden and both national Volleyball federations see
Åland as the perfect spot to host the world’s best players. With
about 25,000 permanent residents, Åland attracts more than
two-million visitors each year. After staging the inaugural Paf Open
in 2007, the FIVB SWATCH World Tour has returned each year since
2009. In 2011 China's Chen Xue/Xi Zhang were crowned women's
champions for the second straight year. In winning the gold Xue and
Zhang beat USA’s Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh. Three-time Paf Open
champions Juliana Felisberta Silva/Larissa Franca of Brazil went
home with last year’s bronze medal for their efforts. |
PAST
FINNISH
WOMEN’S PODIUM
PLACEMENTS
Medals - Brazil 6, China 4, USA 2 |
Site |
Year |
Gold Medal |
Silver Medal |
Bronze Medal |
Åland
|
2007 |
Juliana
Felisberta Silva/Larissa Franca, BRA |
Tian/Jie Wang, CHN |
Chen Xue/Xi Zhang, CHN |
Åland
|
2009 |
Juliana/Larissa, BRA |
Jen Kessy/April Ross,
USA |
Maria Antonelli/Talita
Antunes, BRA |
Åland
|
2010 |
Juliana/Larissa, BRA |
Xue/Zhang,
CHN |
Antonelli/Talita, BRA |
Åland
|
2011 |
Xue/Zhang,
CHN |
May-Treanor/Walsh, USA |
Juliana/Larissa, BRA |
|