Club World Championships promise fierce competitions in both men’s and women’s divisions

Lausanne, Switzerland, August 31, 2012 – The 2012 Club World Championships bring together eight men’s and six women’s squads from around the globe, including the top teams of each gender from Africa, Asia, Europe, NORCECA and South America.

Both of last year’s champions are back, but facing uphill battles to earn a repeat.

On the men’s side, Trentino of Italy are defending their amazing three-in-a-row run, having won the club title in 2009, 2010 and 2011. This year, however, they only managed third in the European qualification tournament and have made it to the worlds as a wild card selection. Both of the European teams that finished ahead of them, Russia’s Zenit Kazan and Poland’s Skra Belchatow, will be opposing Trentino in Doha.

The 2011 women’s champions, Rabita Baku of Azerbaijan, are back – as are the 2010 champions from Turkey, Fenerbahce Universal Istanbul. Rabita won their title by beating another Turkish team, VakifBank Telekom Istanbul, and will hope for a repeat of that performance. But Fenerbahce is coming off a win in the European qualifier, while Rabita is another wild card.

Kenya Prisons will represent Africa at the FIVB Women’s World Club Championship for the third year in a row, after beating Kenya Pipeline in a thrilling final at Moi International Sports Center Nairobi in front of more than 6,000 spectators to retain the CAVB African Women’s Club Championship. Prisons has now won the CAVB African Women’s Club Championship in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2012.

Meanwhile, China’s Tianjin Bridgestone – who will now be known as Bohai Bank Volleyball Club – sealed their place after coming from behind to see off Japan’s Toray Arrows in a thrilling Princess Cup Asian Women’s Club Volleyball Championship final in Thailand. It was the fourth time Tianjin have captured the prestigious HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn trophy, having won in 2005, 2006, 2008 and now 2012. They are also eight-time Chinese Volleyball League champions.

Zamalek of Egypt earned their berth by winning the Men’s African Club Champions Championship in Tunis, Tunisia, April 30, while Mexico’s Tigres de la Universidad Autonoma de Nuevo Leon were nominated to take NORCECA’s spot.

As the host country Qatar was guaranteed a spot for a local club in the championship. Qatari team Al-Arabi nevertheless ended up winning the Asian Men’s Club Championship in Shanghai, China, upsetting Shanghai's own Tangdynasty in the final. Even before that victory, Al-Arabi had already created one of the tournament’s biggest surprises when they downed defending champions Mazandaran of Iran a day earlier.

Qatar will therefore have two home teams competing in Doha, having nominated Al-Rayyan Sport Club for the host-country vacancy.

Both the Men’s and the Women’s South American Club Championships, which will supply the final continental champions, are still ahead. The winners should be known by September 9.