RI to host World Beach Volleyball Championships

RI to host World Beach Volleyball Championships

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will host the ninth leg of the Men's
Beach Volleyball World Championships Series next month at
Senayan's tennis court and its new outdoor volleyball court.

Rita Subowo, the chairwoman of the organizing committee, said
yesterday that the championship, sponsored by tile company
Keramik Diamond, will involve 47 teams from 17 countries.

Olympics silver medalists Mike Dodd and Michael Whitmarsh from
the U.S. and Canada's bronze medalists Mark Heese and John Child
are expected to take part in the US$150,000 championship from
Oct. 2 to Oct. 6.

Indonesia will field its two teams of Mochammad
Nurmufid/Markoji, the country's Olympians, and Iril Shofanna/Agus
Salim.

Twenty-four teams go automatically to the main draw, including
the two national teams. Eight of the 23 teams, including five
Indonesian teams, must start in the qualifying round during the
first two days of competition.

"The national team is preparing physically not only for the
championships but also for the Southeast Asian Games here next
year," Rita said.

Indonesian men's team, ranked 24th, did not compete in the two
world series due to the 14th National Games, which recently
concluded in Jakarta.

The women's team ranking dropped from ninth to 15th position
for the same reason.

International Volleyball Federation regulations state that a
team must take part in at least five of the 15 world series.

Rita promised the world series organizing committee that the
volleyball competition will not ruin the clay tennis court, which
will be covered by sand taken from Bangka island in Sumatra, as
one of the two venues.

"The federation has tested the sand and said that it is in
excellent condition. It is even better than the sand used at the
Centennial Olympics," she said.

Senayan was picked as the venue for the world series primarily
because of its central location.

"We have Ancol beach but we only would have been allowed to
use the beach in the 'gokart' circuit. The place is too small and
would have required a lot of money in preparation. Besides,
people prefer going to Senayan," she said.

Jakarta will also host the Women's Beach Volleyball World
Championships Series in November. The organizers plan to invite
gold, silver and bronze medalists from the Olympics. Indonesia
will be represented by its two Olympians Timy Yudhani and Berta
Engel. (yan)