Official Bulletin no. 65 July 2011 World Volley Edition in English F É D É R AT I O N I N T E R N AT I O N A L E DE VOLLEYBALL News Brazil sweep up at historic World championships ■ alison cerutti and fiVB Heroes campaign will emanuel Rego won the take volleyball places test of Brazilian gladia- tors by defeating Mar- cio araujo and Ricardo Santos, 21-16, 21-15 at the 2011 fiVB Beach Vol- leyball Swatch World championships on June 19 while Brazil’s Juliana felisberta Da Silva and larissa frança persevered over uSa’s Misty May- treanor and Kerri Walsh 21-17, 13-21, 16-14 to clinch the women’s edi- tion as the unique event was held at the histori- Alison celebrates with Brazilian fans as he and Emanuel capture cal foro italico venue in the FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Championships in Rome Rome, italy. June 13-19 - Women’s World champs June 13-19 - Men’s World champs Mr Jizhong Wei, FIVB President As marble statues Rome, italy - Podium places Rome, italy - Podium places GOlD GOlD ith the FIVB launching its new of Roman heroes marketing campaign at the stood sentry around 1 Juliana/larissa (BRa) 1 alison/emanuel (BRa) WFIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch the venue, sunny SILVeR SILVeR World Championships presented by Roman skies bathed 2 May-treanor/Walsh (uSa) 2 Marcio araujo/Ricardo (BRa) smart in Rome, Italy, now is the time a FIVB Swatch BROnZe BROnZe to push forward and promote our World Champion- 3 Xue/Zhang (cHn) 3 Brink/Reckermann (GeR) wonderful sport even further. ships’ record of over The rise of both disciplines over the 9,000 enthusiastic fans on centre court past decade has been euphoric and as 96 two-person teams representing 31 in this issue impressive, and in turn we’ve seen all countries started the competition on June Volleyball of the major tournaments improve 13 on five purpose-built courts within the • Final Round berths fill up in World drastically. But although it has been sprawling sports complex that included League a privilege to be a part of, I want to the featured centre court within the new- • Japan seal maiden Montreux title build a foundation to move the sport ly constructed Rome tennis stadium. • Unique World Grand Prix double forward over the next 10 years after In the bronze medal match, Germany’s header unveiled in Hong Kong I step down in 2012, and the Heroes Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann, se- Beach Volleyball campaign is an important part of cured their second-straight podium that. placement at the World Championships • May-Treanor/Walsh and Alison/ If we want to continue to reach for by posting a 22-20, 18-21 and 15-11 Emanuel claim Beijing crown the higher echelons of sporting ex- win in 59 minutes over Latvia’s Martins • Borger/Buthe win all-German final in cellence we must consistently battle Plavins and Janis Smedins. Seoul to be seen and heard. Granted, the In the gold medal match, the most cele- • Double joy for Poles at Youth World FIVB Heroes representing the sport brated player in the 25-year history of the Championships are just a small pool of an infinitely international beach volleyball tour cap- • Continental Cup catch up wider group; but they are the players tured his third World Championship gold technical & Development who are recognised and remain to be medal with a different partner as the leg- • Sri Lanka and Kazakhstan stage seen and heard, because they are the endary Emanuel, who was also named a Volley All Festivals very best at what they do. In mirroring FIVB Hero as a new marketing campaign confederations that, we as an organisation need to do was unveiled in Italy, teamed with the the best we can do to deliver the best 25-year old Alison to win the 2011 gold • Hosts China win international product for fans, whatever that may medal. women’s volleyball tournament entail. Juliana and Larissa secured their first World • CAVB ratifies Continental Cup structure I have every confidence that this new Championship gold medal in four attempts campaign will carry on successfully as the Brazilians secured a Roman sweep • Thousands enjoy mini volleyball festival in Athens for years to come, and a special thanks for the South American country. goes out to all those who helped put it • Chile launches project to build 30 In the bronze medal match, China’s Chen arenas in place. Xue and Xi Zhang defeated Czech Repub- • Venezuela and Peru win inaugural Mr Jizhong Wei, FIVB President lic’s Lenka Hajeckova and Hana Klapalo- junior Pan Am Cups va, 21-14, 21-12 in 32 minutes. www.fivb.org Volleyball World Volley News final Round berths fill up as fifth weekend of World league concludes Brazil and Italy joined Russia in the Fi- With Poland, who are guaranteed a nals of the 2011 FIVB Volleyball World spot in the Finals, and USA tied on 18 League as the penultimate weekend of points, USA had to beat Puerto Rico and the premier annual men’s tournament hope for favourable results in Poland. If Intercontinental Round drew to a close USA finishes second, their spot in the on June 26. Finals was still not guaranteed as the best three second-placed teams across With Russia, silver medallists last year, the four groups advance, although their having sealed their Finals spot with two points tally (potentially 24) will be com- wins over Germany in Pool B on weekend petitive. five, defending champions and nine-time USA celebrate a well earned victory over Brazil, Italy sit on top of Pool D after two straight winners Brazil and eight-time champi- a crucial win for their Final Round chances set wins over Korea although they could ons Italy booked their places with key be headed by Cuba when the two sides wins over their opponents. if the highly unlikely scenario of Brazil meet in Italy on the final weekend. Brazil beat Olympic champions USA 3-1 losing their final two encounters in Po- Meanwhile the battle in Pool C rages on in Pool A in Tulsa before losing by the land on the last weekend in straight sets with Argentina and Serbia split by only same margin on June 25. However a su- eventuated. The race for second in Pool four points with the two finalists from perior set ratio advantage ensured the A was intriguing and likely to affect the last year facing off in Novi Sad and Bel- world No.1 will finish in the top two even Finals qualification in the other groups. grade on June 29 and 30. unique World Grand Prix double header unveiled in Hong Kong One of the most exciting weekends of and J which are set to take place from The FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix is the FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix August 19 to 21. the premier annual women’s tourna- 2011 was presented to media, fans and ment with the 2011 edition running officials by the Hong Kong Volleyball Pool I and J will take place simultaneous- from August 5 to 28 across seven coun- Association (VBAHK) on June 6 during ly on the third weekend of competition tries and 12 host cities. an official press conference for pools I with plenty at stake with places for the Final Round in Macau, China on the line. The hosts will take on Poland, the Dominican Re- thailand’s chang public and recently qualified Kazakhstan over three days in take asian women’s Pool I while Pool J features de- club crown fending champions USA, Italy, Germany and Peru. Thailand’s Chang defeated China’s Tian- jin Bridegstone in straight sets (25-19, The extravanganza in Hong 25-19, 25-20) in Vinh Phuc, Vietnam on Kong is the first time a city has June 25 to claim the 2011 Asian Wom- hosted two World Grand Prix en’s Club Volleyball Championship and pools on the same weekend, a spot at October’s FIVB Club World proving added value and excit- Championships in Qatar. ment for a competition which It is the first time in World Grand Prix history that two pools is also featuring 16 teams for Thailand’s powerhouse trio of team cap- will take place in the same city on the same weekend the first time in its history. tain Wilavan Apinyapong, Onuma Sitti- rak and Malika Kanthong posted double- digit scores for a total of 38 points. Japan seal maiden Montreux title Zhetyssu of Kazakhstan took the bronze medal with a straight-sets victory over Japan saw off Cuba in straight sets The Dutch got the better of a tight con- host team Thongtinlienviet Bank (25-23, (26-24, 25-18, 25-19) to win the 2011 test, with both teams displaying great 31-29, 25-16). Montreux Volley Masters while China offensive and defensive play and com- overcame USA 3-1 (16-25, 25-13, 29-27, mitting very few errors. final team Rankings 25-23) to earn the bronze medal. 1 Chang (THA) The Swiss-based annual tournament ran from June 7 to 12 and Japan’s final vic- 2 Tianjin Bridgestone (CHN) tory brought them their first Montreux 3 Zhetyssu (KAZ) gold medal and avenged a 3-2 loss to the Cubans in the pool stages. The final of- 4 Thongtinlienviet Bank (VIE) fered a confrontation of two contrasting styles, pitting Cuba’s imposing block and 5 Kensyokai Red Hearts (JPN) powerful offence against the technical skills and superb defensive play of Japan.