Women’sRound 4, Men’s Round 5 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball [email protected] Telephone +41-21 345 35 35 Women’s Keihan/Smfg Japan Open Nakanoshima-park, Nakanoshima Kita-ku, Osaka, Japan Men’s VIP Open Lake Jarun, Zagreb, Croatia May 20-25, 2008 Created on May 16, 2008, this fact sheet provides information on the FIVB and the 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour. The 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour is scheduled over a nine- month period starting in March in Australia and ending in November in China. The US$175,000 Keihan/Smfg Japan Open is the second women’s single gender event of the season while the $175,000 VIP Open is the men’s third event without their female counterparts. Both events will be played May 20-25. After opening the season in South Australia for the inaugural Adelaide Australia Open (March 25-30), the SWATCH FIVB World Tour returns to Osaka for the first-time since the 2005 season. Zagreb hosts a men’s event for the fourth-consecutive season. In addition to Adelaide and Osaka, other new sites on the 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour are set for Guaruja (Brazil), Prague (Czech Republic), Myslowice (Poland), Moscow (Russia), Barcelona and Mallorca (Spain), Dubai (United Arab Emirates) and Sanya (China). For more information regarding the SWATCH FIVB World Tour, please visit www.fivb.org. TABLE OF CONTENTS ..............................................................................................................Page · Seoul Open Facts ........................................................................................................................2 · Italian Open presented by Abruzzo Facts ................................................................................2 · FIVB Officials ...............................................................................................................................2 · 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour Schedule Notes ...................................................................3 · Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.....................................................................................................3 · Keihan/Smfg Japan Open & VIP Open......................................................................................4 · VIP Open Men’sUpdated Entries through May 16, 2008 ........................................................5 · Keihan/Smfg Japan Open Women’s Updated Entries through May 16, 2008 ......................6 · 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour Schedule & Notes................................................................7 · 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour Leaders through May 18, 2008...........................................8 · 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour “Final Four” Results & Serving Leaders ..........................9 · Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - Men’s Qualification Listthrough May 18, 2008 ................10 · Beijing 2008 Olympic Games - Women’s Qualification List through May 18, 2008...........11 Following the Keihan/Smfg Japan Open and VIP Open, the third of 16 double gender events on the 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour will be staged in Spain for the inaugural Barcelona Open (May 26-June 1). The Barcelona tournaments starts six-straight weeks of European events through the Russian Grand Slam in Moscow the second week of July. Other stops will be in Poland, Berlin, Paris and Norway before the first SWATCH FIVB World Tour event in Moscow since 1999. Château Les Tourelles, Edouard-Sandoz 2-4, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland Page 1 of 11 FIVB Communication FAX Telephone: +41 21 345 35.45 For more Beach Volleyball news visit www.fivb.org Women’sRound 4, Men’s Round 5 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball [email protected] Telephone +41-21 345 35 35 The US$175,000 Keihan/Smfg Japan Open, the fourth women’s eventon the 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour calendar, will be staged May 20-25 at Nakanoshima-park, Nakanoshima Kita-ku in Osaka, Japan. · The 2008 Keihan/Smfg Japan Open marks the return of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour to Japan after staging events in the country for 12-straight season (1994-2005). Osaka is as an attractive, user friendly city and several new museums and other attractions have been added in recent times, all of which have helped to add to the overall cultural feel of the place. Leafy promenades abound beside fresh water and many people enjoy strolling along the riverbanks and relaxing in scenic splendor. Furthermore, each summer one can enjoy the amazement of what is known as the ‘Tenjin Matsuri’, a spectacular sailing festival containing decorated ships. The US$175,000 VIP Open, the fifth men’s event on the 2008 SWATCH FIVB World Tour calendar, will be staged May 20-25 on the Lake Jarun in Zagreb, Croatia. · The VIP Open is the fifth FIVB stop in Croatia and the fourth SWATCH FIVB World Tour event in Zagreb on the Lake Jarun sand courts. When the Croatian people achieved their independence in 1991, Zagreb became a capital - a political and administrative centre for the Republic of Croatia. Located on the intersection of important routes between the Adriatic coast and Central Europe, Zagreb is the hub of the business, academic, cultural, artistic and sporting worlds in Croatia. Many famed scientists, artists and athletes come from the city, or work in it. Zagreb offers its visitors the Baroque atmosphere of the Upper Town, picturesque open-air markets, diverse shopping facili•ties, an abundant selection of crafts and a choice vernacular cuisine. Zagreb is a city of green parks and walks, with many places to visit in the beautiful surroundings. The city will enter into the third millennium with a population of one million. In spite of the rapid development of the economy and transportation, it has retained its charm, and a relaxed feeling that makes it a perfect place to visit and discover. · The gold medal teams at both the Keihan/Smfg Japan Open and the VIP Open will share the $28,000 first- place prizes. Here are the tentative schedules for each event: · Tuesday, May 20 (Japan and Croatia)...........................................................................Country Quota Playoffs · Wednesday, May 21 (Japan and Croatia)...................................................................Qualification Tournament · Thursday, May 22 (Japan and Croatia)............................................... Main Draw, Match No. 1 through No. 32 · Friday, May 23 (Japan and Croatia).................................................. Main Draw, Match No. 33 through No. 54 · Saturday, May 24 (Japan)........................................................................Elimination, Match No. 55 through 58 · Saturday, May 24 (Croatia) ........ Elimination, Match No. 55 through 58, semi-finals, Match No. 59 and No. 60 · Sunday, May 25 (Japan) ............... Semi-finals, Match No. 59 and No. 60, medal matches, No. 61 and No. 62 · Sunday, May 25 (Croatia) ........................................................................... Medal matches, No. 61 and No. 62 · The Keihan/Smfg Japan Open will be the 170th women’s and the VIP is the 213th men’s events on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour (open, grand slam, Olympic and Goodwill). The first men’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour event was played February 17-22, 1987 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The first women’s SWATCH FIVB World Tour event was played August 14-16, 1992 at Almeria, Spain. Osaka FIVB Officials · Lori Orkimure, United States............Technical Supervisor · Keith Lee, Great Britain.................................. TV Delegate · Peter Hreszczuk, Australia .................... Referee Delegate · Tim Simmons, United States .....................Press Delegate Osaka International Referees · Richard Casutt, New Zealand · Weiping Lu, China · Kritsada Panaseri, Thailand · Thomas Chang, Hong Kong · Elzir Oliveira, Brazil Zagreb FIVB Officials · Sara Seravalli, Italy...........................Technical Supervisor · Felix Von Knorring, Sweden ......................... TV Delegate · David Cox, Norway ................................ Referee Delegate Zagreb International Referees · Darryl Friesen, Canada · Andrea Haas, Austria · Leijun Wang, China · Mario Ferro, Brazil · Jonas Personeni, Switzerland · The Keihan/Smfg Japan Open and VIP Open will also be part of the qualifying process for the Beijing 2008 Olympics. With the qualifying concluding July 20, 2008 to determine the 24 teams per gender for the Summer Games, a team’s best eight finishes on the SWATCH FIVB World Tour or sanctioned continental championships will count during the process. Château Les Tourelles, Edouard-Sandoz 2-4, 1006 Lausanne, Switzerland Page 2 of 11 FIVB Communication FAX Telephone: +41 21 345 35.45 For more Beach Volleyball news visit www.fivb.org Women’sRound 4, Men’s Round 5 Fédération Internationale de Volleyball [email protected] Telephone +41-21 345 35 35 2008 SWACH-FIVB World Tour Men’s & Women’s Schedule & Notes · The FIVB will also stage two “junior” world championships. With the London the site for 2012 Olympics, Great Britain will host the eighth annual SWATCH-FVB World Championships for players under the age of 21 in the city of Brighton September 3-7. The Netherlands will stage the seventh edition of the SWATCH-FIVB World Championships for players under the age of 19 in The Hague July 30-August 3. · After an in-depth verification of the bidding documentation from Norway and Russia (Moscow), Stavanger has been selected to stage the 2009 SWATCH-FIVB World Championships. · Two women’s and four men’s FIVB Challenger/Satellite events have been scheduled for 2008 in the Czech Republic (men’s Challenger, Brno, June 26-29), Egypt (women’s Challenger,