SWATCH-FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour 2007
24th – 27th May 2007
Siloso Beach, Sentosa
Singapore

SWATCH-FIVB Women’s Beach Volleyball World Tour smashes into Singapore for first time

World’s top pros to serve it out at Sentosa for Olympic qualification, ranking points and US$200,000 in prize money

The stage is set for a smashing season of beach volleyball this May, as the world’s top pro-circuit stars face off on Singapore’s sands for the very first time.

Some 32 teams from more than 25 countries are expected here for the inaugural Singapore leg of the SWATCH-FIVB Women’s Beach Volleyball World Tour, where they will battle it out for US$200,000 in prize money, world ranking points and a ticket to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Watch out for top-seeded SWATCH ProTeams such as rising Chinese beach volleyball stars Wang Jie and Tian Jia, Brazil’s Ana Paula Connelly and Leila Gomes de Barros and their Swiss counterparts Simone Kuhn and Lea Schwer!

The Singapore world tour event, sanctioned by the FIVB (Federation Internationale de Volleyball) and organised by Singapore-based event company Lemon Labs with Swiss watchmaker Swatch, will be held in a beach-front stadium on Sentosa’s Siloso Beach from May 24 – 27, 2007.

“Swatch has always been a strong supporter of beach volleyball and has entered its fifth year of partnership with the FIVB. I’m very excited that the SWATCHFIVB World Tour is making a pit-stop in Singapore this year, as the event will no doubt help cultivate Singaporeans’ interest and love for this great social sport,” said Oey Mei Dee, Vice President for the Swatch and Swatch Bijoux brands in Singapore.

The Singapore event will be the second in a series of 18 stops on the Swatch-FIVB 2007 Women’s World Tour, the primary international circuit recognised by the FIVB for Olympic qualification status.

“The inaugural SWATCH-FIVB Women’s Beach Volleyball World Tour Singapore event will definitely raise the profile of the sport in Singapore. As a major event in the sporting calendar and an Olympics qualifier, Singaporeans can expect a topclass competition with renowned athletes,” said Baey Yam Keng, President, Volleyball Association of Singapore. “This event will inspire local teams and provide our players the opportunity to gain valuable experience in an international tournament. Hopefully this will pave the way for better performances by Singapore in the upcoming SEA Games.”

The Swatch-FIVB World Tour enjoys strong worldwide following and is expected to draw at least 20,000 dedicated beach volleyball fans to Siloso Beach. The beachfront will also come alive with a host of music, food, trade and activity villages that promise to turn the event into the island city’s biggest beach fiesta of the year. Highlights include autograph sessions with the pros, stunt demonstrations by BMX Flatland pros specially invited from Japan and the Swatch Summer Beach Party.

Dr Chan Tat Hon, Assistant Chief Executive (Leisure), Singapore Tourism Board, said: "Singapore is glad to host the SWATCH-FIVB Women's Beach Volleyball World Tour. This world-class leisure event is a significant addition to Singapore's annual calendar of events, bolstering our vision to be a key event and entertainment hub in Asia and a city offering quality leisure lifestyle events, ranging from sports and the arts to music and entertainment."

"Hosting the Tour will boost Singapore’s presence as a top-of-mind destination, particularly to young adults seeking vibrant and stylish lifestyle destinations, when it is beamed to over 400 million households worldwide. This supports our efforts toward attracting 17 million visitors and recording S$30 billion in tourism receipts annually by the year 2015," Dr Chan added.

The Singapore Sport Council also expects the visiting SWATCH-FIVB World Tour event to energize the local sports scene. "The Singapore Sports Council aims to grow the sports entertainment sector, and this World Tour series allows us to bring together sports events and lifestyle trends, thereby driving the growth of participation, spectatorship numbers in this sport and for the sports industry, on the whole,” said Oon Jin Teik, Chief Executive Officer, Singapore Sports Council.

He added: “SSC is continuously working with our partners to attract new and exciting events such as this World Tour series to offer a diverse and vibrant sporting calendar that will attract both Singaporeans and overseas visitors. We are pleased to note that this event was secured by a local organiser Lemon Labs and we look forward to working with them for a successful event."

For more information, please visit: www.singaporebvbworldtour.com