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)