By Lisa Flueckiger, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The best players from beach volleyball leading nations Brazil and the U.S. will show off their skills at Copacabana beach starting on Thursday, February 26th until Sunday, March 1st. All matches are open to the public and free of charge.
The tournament titled as “The best of the world – Brazil vs. USA” will bring eight teams of two from each country to the sands of Rio’s popular beach right in front of the Princesa Isabel street. Of the 32 participating athletes, twelve have already disputed Olympic Games and eight of them have won Olympic medals.
For Brazil, the men’s team include Emanuel and Ricardo, Alison and Bruno Schmidt, Pedro Solberg and Evandro and Álvaro Filho with Vítor Felipe. For the women’s competition Juliana and Maria Elisa, Maria Clara and Carol, Ágatha and Bárbara and Larissa with Talita will represent Brazil.
The U.S. team is made of Dalhausser and Rosenthal, Gibb and Patterson, Brunner and Lucena and Hyden with Bourne for the men’s competition and Walsh with Ross, Kessy and Day, Fendrick and Sweat and Fopma with Rossa for the women.
“This is like the Argentina versus Brazil in football [soccer], for beach volleyball. And even more so on the beach of Copacabana, the same sand as for the Olympics with the fans on our side,” current world circuit champion (with Juliana) Maria Elisa stated.
On the first two days, Thursday and Friday, February 26th and 27th, starting at noon every day the four teams of each country and category will play each other in battles; always Brazil against the U.S. in a total of 32 matches.
The best team of each country will then progress to the final, which will take place on Sunday, March 1st. On Saturday, the second best teams will play out for third place.
If Brazil or the U.S. wins the entire competition will be determined by a point-system. Every victory in the group stage is valid one point, a third place will give three points and the victory of your category will be worth five points.
Match schedule:
Thursday, February 26th: 12PM – 9:45 PM
Friday, February 27th: 12PM – 9:30 PM
Saturday, February 28th: 12PM – 3PM
Sunday, March 1st: 11AM – 2:30 PM