FIVB Phuket Open returning to Thailand for eighth straight year

Part of the new order of the FIVB Beach Volleyball event structure, a women’s only event will be held in Thailand for the eighth consecutive year. The second of two single-gender Open tournaments in 2013, the 2013 FIVB Beach Volleyball Phuket Open will be held from October 29th - November 3rd.

Thailand has hosted over 10 women’s and one men’s FIVB tournament. Overall, the USA has been the most successful with 10 medal finishes in the seven FIVB World Tour events held in Phuket, followed by China with four medals. Brazil, Italy and Russia have each won two medals and Germany one during the past seven years.

In the gold medal count, the USA has won five and China the other two.

With a guaranteed purse of US$75,000, the bonus pool will push the total purse for the event to nearly $120,000.

As part of a new development strategy focused on the new Olympic cycle, the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Council decided that FIVB Beach Volleyball Opens would no longer be part of the World Tour in 2013, putting in place an intermediate property that provides more opportunities for athletes worldwide to play.

With a total of seven FIVB Beach Volleyball Opens currently on the 2013 calendar comprising of five double-gender and two women-only tournaments, there are numerous possibilities for athletes to compete in high quality, international competitions.

The 2013 FIVB World Ranking system will include Beach Volleyball events at inter-continental, continental and national levels. In another significant change, the format of all the tournaments – whether FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships, FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Grand Slams or a FIVB Beach Volleyball Opens – will be the same, featuring pool play followed by single elimination rounds.