RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil – As the world stage wraps up from the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, the FIVB World Tour preps for its regular season finale, the Long Beach Grand Slam, which will be hosted in the United States beginning Aug. 23.
One of three countries to fulfill the maximum four total pairs at the Olympic Games, the United States brought home one bronze medal, from April Ross and Kerri Walsh Jennings. All four U.S. Olympic pairs will be back in action in a quick turnaround that sees them hit the sand for another chance at a medal in Long Beach, California, beginning Aug. 23.
The regular season finale, Long Beach Grand Slam (ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball) will feature a full lineup of teams from multiple countries that competed at the 2016 Olympics. The qualification tournament will start on Aug. 23, the main draw begins Aug. 24 with finals being played on Sunday, Aug. 28.
There are 61 men’s teams and 62 women’s teams registered to play in the second FIVB World Tour event held in the U.S. in 2016.
The 2016 FIVB World Tour concludes in Toronto, Canada at the Swatch FIVB World Tour Finals, Sept. 13-18. Teams that qualify for the finals do so by ranking in the Top Eight in final points for the World Tour, plus four wild card tandems for each gender. Rankings for: Women | Men. Winners of the event will pick up the largest purse of the year, $100,000 for the gold medal team.
FIVB WORLD TOUR RETURNS TO USA TO WRAP UP AUGUST
The FIVB World Tour is back in action and in the United States for the Long Beach Grand Slam (ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball) starting Aug. 23. Registered are all four American Olympic teams, as well as 26 Olympic teams from other countries.
JBT WEST COAST CHAMPIONSHIPS AT LONG BEACH GRAND SLAM
In conjunction with the ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball, the Junior Beach Tour West Coast Championships will run Aug. 25-26 on Alamitos Beach in Long Beach, Calif. The event is for ages 12-18, boys and girls.
Late registration ends on Aug. 24 at noon PT. Walk-up registrations on the day of Aug. 25 will be accepted on a space available basis. Checks only.
U17 INTERNATIONAL EXHIBITION AT THE LBGS
Following the cancellation of the FIVB U17 World Championships, USA Volleyball will hold an exhibition event Aug. 25-26 in Long Beach, Calif. Representing the U.S. are the winners of the U17 Team Trials that was held in May. The second place finishers at the Trials will be the USA’s qualification entry.
WEEK IN REVIEW
2016 Olympic Games
3rd April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings
t5th Phil Dalhausser/Nick Lucena
t19th Lauren Fendrick/Brooke Sweat
t19th Jake Gibb/Casey Patterson
– April Ross/Kerri Walsh Jennings won bronze on Aug. 17 after defeating Brazil’s Larissa Franca/Talita Antunes, 12-21, 21-17, 15-9. The duo went 6-1 during the 2016 Olympics and Walsh Jennings earned her fourth Olympic medal (gold 2004/08/12), Ross her second (silver 2012). Walsh Jennings is now the most decorated Olympic beach volleyball athlete in history, male or female.
– Phil Dalhausser and Nick Lucena tied for fifth after being eliminated by eventual gold medaling Brazil (Alison Cerutti/Bruno Schmidt). The pair went 4-1 during the Olympic Games, their only loss in the quarterfinal. It was Dalhausser’s second-best finish at the Olympics after winning gold in 2008 and finishing 9th in 2012; was Lucena’s debut Olympic appearance.
– Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson drew a tough pool play schedule and went 1-2, being eliminated following pool play by point differential. The duo beat Qatar in the USA’s first Olympic match on the schedule, but proceeded to fall to Austria and Spain. It was Gibb’s third Olympics and Patterson’s first.
– Lauren Fendrick and Brooke Sweat went without a win as the pair was seeded in Pool A with No. 1 Brazil. Despite being eliminated after a 0-3 record, the duo took Russia and Poland to three sets. It was the first Olympic appearance for both.
UPCOMING EVENTS
Aug. 23-28 Long Beach Grand Slam
Aug. 25-26 Junior Beach Tour West Coast Championships
Aug. 25-26 U17 International Exhibition
Aug. 26-28 NVL Virginia Beach
Sept. 1-4 AVP Chicago
Sept. 13-18 FIVB World Tour Finals