Tuesday, March 18, 2008 Malapascua to host Ceva beach volleyball
IT IS about time that a big-scale beach volleyball competition be held here in Cebu.
Cebu Volleyball Association and the Cebu Provincial Government want to showcase the beaches that are perfect for the sport as they host the first Beach Volleyball Tournament Mayor’s Cup in Malapascua Island this coming Black Saturday and Easter Sunday.
“We want to show everyone that Malapascua has beaches that are fit for beach volleyball competitions,” Catipay said.
Apart from promoting Malapascua, it is also Ceva’s way of promoting the sport.
Ceva will be bringing six teams from Cebu which will battle it out for the top purse. Set to compete in the two-day contest are Southwestern University’s Florianne Gutierrez and Janelle Tabio and the tandem of Jessa Satina and Lorie Mae Layno.
Gutierrez and Tabio have been pushing themselves in various beach volleyball competitions to prepare for the country’s premier beach volley event, the Nestea, where the duo is hoping to ace this year.
Tabio, who was paired with Maritess Natad, finished second place in the national finals of Nestea in Boracay Island last year. Tabio will be pairing up with former national champion Gutierrez, who is making a comeback in the beach volleyball scene.
Players
For the Malapascua event, Natad will be playing with Cheche Bohol.
Also seeing action in Malapascua are Michelle Gimarino and Desiree Valiar, Kenett Garces and Aina Laroga with Michelle Matuguina, who will play with either Joy Bonita or Genie Sabas.
The Malapascua challenge is just one of Ceva’s projects to promote the sport. Ceva is also preparing for the San Remegio beach volleyball competition later this summer.
Ceva, which has a continuous program to promote the sport and to professionalize the officiating, recently sent seven officials to a national referees’ congress in Tacloban City.
Led by Catipay, the group, comprising Judith Bonita, Janeth Ponte, Jessie Yungco, Rolly Pepito and Jessmar Ganancial joined the other participants in the convention conducted by Philippine Volleyball Federation’s Vic Abalos, Roger Banzuela and Jojo Hugo.
Both Abalos and Hugo are international referees.
Because of the seminar, the seven officials improved their credentials and are now national referees, which gives them the right to officiate in tournaments anywhere in the country. (MCB)
