Beach volley action unwraps in Dumaguete

DUMAGUETE CITY, Philippines – A wide open race for the women’s and men’s crowns looms in the Beach Volleyball Republic On Tour starting Monday, November 19, at the Rizal Boulevard sand court here.

Newly minted UAAP champion Babylove Barbon and Genesa Eslapor of University of Santo Tomas, as well as El Nido leg winners Charo Soriano and Bea Tan of Perlas, are tipped as favorites but they’re facing stiff challenge from 8 other international and local women’s pairs.

Barbon and Eslapor are actually returning to the site of their triumphant 23rd Philippine University Games championship run late last month, which they hope to replicate in the 9th leg of the tour.

Former UAAP champions KR Guzman and Krung Arbasto of the Tigers will also go up against an equally tough men’s cast which feature two pairs from host Dumaguete – Reynald Catipay and Buensuceso Sayson, and Jestorni Tubosa and Jayron Eltanal.

Dumaguete Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo will grace the  2 pm opening ceremony. Dumaguete, which is celebrating its 70th charter anniversary and fiesta, hosts its first BVR leg in a bid to strengthen the city’s reputation as a sports tourism destination. 

Some of the visiting players who will see action in the two-day spikefest are Samaa Miyagawa of Japan and Tin Lai of Hong Kong in the women’s side, as well as Mitabashi Masato and Takashi Tsuchiya of Japan in men’s action.       

In the women’s division, Group A is composed of Japan-Hong Kong, PAF-1, Cebu, UNO-R, Dipolog, while Group B comprises of PAF-2, BanKo-Perlas, Bacolod, USLS, UST.

In the men’s side, Dumaguete, Bacolod, UST, PAF and Russians are bracketed in Group A, while Foundation University of Dumaguete, USLS, Tiger Wings, NU and Japan are in Group B.

The next BVR leg will be a Christmas Open on December 14 to 16 at Sands SM By The Bay. – Rappler.com