The Swiss mountain resort of Gstaad hosting the beach volleyball world championships for the first time since the event’s inauguration in Brazil 20 years ago began on Tuesday and shortly commences on Sunday. The championship held every two years will be the most important test for the top teams ahead of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing.
Kiwi’s duo Kirk Pitman and Jason Lochhead countered a narrow loss by the hands of defending champions Marcio and Fabio of Brazil. The Brazilians surpassed the Kiwis in a nail-biting finish winning by 21-16 and 21-19.
The winning pair will now play 27th-seeded Kentaro Asahi and Katsuhiro Shiratori of Japan today, and ending the Pool P play Thursday against 22nd-seeded Joao Brenha and Miguel Maia of Portugal.
The world championship features the best 48 men and women teams in the world competing for 1 million U.S. dollars as prizemoney. Having 12 pools of 4, with the top two teams from each pool, plus the eight best third-placegetters progressing to the elimination rounds.
Pitman and Lochhead now confront the Portuguese team of Maia and Brenha, and the Japanese team of Asahi and Shiratori. The Kiwi’s have beaten both these teams previously on the Swatch FIVB World Tour, having a real opportunity to advance to the elimination rounds.
Via: Stuff
