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.