04 August 2008
Top entries for Blackpool's International Beach Volleyball
More than 70 teams from 17 European countries, including at
least 16 pairings who will be competing at the Beijing Olympic
Games, have already signed up to compete in Blackpool's 2008 NESTEA
English Masters, part of Beach Volleyball's European Championships
tour, which will be held from 11-14 September.
The event has attracted teams from across Europe, including as
far away as Norway, Latvia, Greece, Spain and Israel. Amongst the
entries are the winners of last year's FIVB International
Invitational tournament, held in Blackpool, Spain's Ester Alcon and
Olga Matveeva. At least two male and female entries from the GB
beach volleyball team are also expected.
Indications are that this year's event will have a full entry
list comprising more than 200 male and female players. The Olympic
Games are officially handed over from Beijing to London on August
24th, 2008 and Blackpool's beach volleyball will be the first event
of this level held in the UK after the handover.
Said Dave Spokes of tournament organisers Beach Volleyball UK
Ltd: "To have more than half our quota of entries signed up two
months before the event is very encouraging and testament to the
popularity of Blackpool as a destination and the Northwest Regional
Development Agency's support of beach volleyball."
VisitBlackpool and the NWDA will be running youth tournaments and
camps alongside the main event.
The NWDA is investing £3.5 million to support a programme of
signature events in Blackpool over the next three years.
Peter Mearns, Executive Director of Marketing at NWDA, said:
“Blackpool is famous for hosting spectacular events and the
International Beach Volleyball will be an excellent addition to
Blackpool’s summer season.
“This is a major event which will help to raise the profile of
Blackpool on an international level, helping to attract more
investment and tourists into the resort and supporting Blackpool’s
economic regeneration.”
VisitBlackpool won their bid to host the 2008 English Masters
following Blackpool's successful staging of the UK's first FIVB
international beach volleyball tournament in 2007. The European
Tour is new to the UK, but it enjoys a huge public following abroad
with international press and TV coverage and a final which counts
towards Olympic qualification.
For more information please visit www.volleyblackpool.com.
Photos from last year's event are available. Photo requests and
media enquiries should be directed to Tash Carpenter at the
Blackpool Beach Volleyball Press Office on 01225 443 998 or
tash@matchtight.co.uk
Ends
Editor’s Notes
The Northwest Regional Development Agency (NWDA) leads the
economic development and regeneration of England's Northwest and is
responsible for:
* Supporting business growth and encouraging
investment
* Matching skills provision to employer
needs
* Creating the conditions for economic
growth
* Connecting the region through effective
transport and communication infrastructure
* Promoting the region's outstanding quality of
life