August 25, 2013

Young Canadians win women’s gold in Varadero

VARADERO, Cuba, August 25, 2013 – Young Melissa Humana and Taylor Pischke of Canada-A showed all their talent in winning the women’s crown of the Varadero Beach Volleyball Tournament, the fifth stop of the 2013 NORCECA Circuit, with a victory over the top team of Cuba. Humana and Taylor had to face the strong resistance from Lianma Flores and Leila Martínez but at the end relied on their finesse touching the ball and good defense to win 2-1 (29-31, 21-18, 15-12) in the longest match of the competition that lasted 1 hour and 14 minutes. The North American duo, winners of the bronze medal in the U19 Beach Volleyball World Championship. More  Español

August 25, 2013

Mexicans Ontiveros and Virgen triumph again

VARADERO, Cuba, August 25, 2013 – The Mexican duo of Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen scored a convincing victory over Josh Binstock and Samuel Schachter of Canada-B to take the gold medal of the Varadero Beach Volleyball Tournament, the fifth leg of the 2013 NORCECA Circuit. Ontiveros and Virgen won 21-14, 21-14, following a 21-18, 21-19 semifinal’s victory over the Canadian pair of Grant O’Gorman and Samuel Pedlow. It was the third gold medal of the year for the Mexican pair who also won in Dominican Republic and Guatemala. Virgen grabbed his 19th gold medal (25th overall). More  Español

August 24, 2013

Canada’s women teams are in the semifinals 

VARADERO, Cuba, August 24, 2013 – The two pairs of Canada and the top duos of Mexico and Cuba advanced to the women’s semifinals of the Varadero Beach Volleyball Tournament, the fifth stop of the 2013 NORCECA Circuit. The local tandem of Lianma Flores and Leila Martinez will meet in center court Canadians Kacie MacTavish and Caleigh Whitaker, who triumphed this year in Guatemala. The other semifinal has Mexicans Martha Revuelta and Bibi Candelas playing Canadians Melisa Humana and Taylor Pischke. In the quarterfinals phase, Flores-Martinez saw off countrywomen Maylen Delis-Yanisleidis Tamayo 21-10, 21-16 while MacTavish-Whitaker survived a thrilling. More  Español

August 24, 2013

Mexicans Ontiveros-Virgen seeking a third crown

VARADERO, Cuba, August 24, 2013 – Mexicans Lombardo Ontiveros and Juan Virgen, winners in Dominican Republic and Guatemala this year, are in the final four round of the Varadero Beach Volleyball Tournament, the fifth leg of the 2013 NORCECA Circuit. In Sunday’s action, Ontiveros-Virgen will play the Canada-A team of Grant O’Gorman and Samuel Pedlow. The other semifinal match has Cubans Karell Piña and Sergio González, silver medalists in Guatemala, playing Canadians Josh Binstock and Samuel Schachter. In the quarterfinals, Ontiveros-Virgen scored a 21-13, 21-16 victory over the duo of Piña-Gonzalez. More  Español

August 23, 2013

Revuelta and Candelas survive scary opening match

VARADERO, Cuba, August 23, 2013 – Favorites Martha Revuelta and Bibi Candelas opened with two victories in Pool C of the Varadero Beach Volleyball Tournament, the fifth stop of the 2013 NORCECA Circuit. The skilled Mexicans had to work to the limits to win their first match of Friday in a thrilling three-setter (22-20, 19-21, 15-13) over the resilient local pair of Lianma Flores and Leila Martinez of Cuba-A. Revuelta and Candelas then cruised to a comfortable 21-12, 21-12 victory against Puerto Ricans Eva Toruellas and Lina Bernier. The Canada-B team of Kacie MacTavish and Caleigh Whitaker, winners in Guatemala this year, won their two matches in Pool A.  More  Español

August 23, 2013

Cubans Díaz-Castillo upset favorites Puerto Ricans

VARADERO, Cuba, August 23, 2013 – Young Nivaldo Diaz and Yendri Castillo of Cuba-B produced the biggest surprise in Day One of the fifth stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit in defeating the experienced Puerto Rican duo of Roberto Rodriguez and Erick Haddock in three close sets 21-18, 19-21, 15-13. Diaz and Castillo, debutants in the circuit, continued with a 2-0 (21-4, 21-12) victory over Jamaicans Gatasheu Bonner and Christopher Walter in just 24 minutes.  More  Español

VARADERO, Cuba, August 19, 2013 – For third consecutive year the beautiful surroundings of the international famous beach of Varadero in Cuba welcome the best beach volleyball players of the region from August 23-25 as the 2013 NORCECA Circuit resumes the actions following a two-month hiatus. Twenty-one men’s pairs and sixteen women’s duos are announced to compete in the area of Punta Hicacos where the official venue Blau Privilege Cayo Libertad Hotel is located. Arnaldo Sanchez, the technical director of the circuit, informed that the women will compete in a preliminary four-pool play with the top two ranked teams from each pool advancing to a single elimination bracket. On the other hand, the men will play in a double elimination tournament. More  Español

August 6, 2013
Varadero confirmed as fifth stop of NORCECA Circuit

HAVANA, Cuba, August 6, 2013 – Varadero has been confirmed as the site for the fifth stage of the 2013 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit to take place from August 21-26. The famous tourist beach area will host the continental competition for third consecutive year, announced Mireya Luis, who is in charge of the beach volleyball division of the Cuban National Federation. The Blau Privilege Cayo Libertad Hotel, located at Punta Hicacos, has been designated as the official hotel. Three pairs in both genders are going to represent Cuba while a good number of foreign competitors are expected to take part. During the first four tournaments of the current season, Cuba has participated only in the men’s division with the duo of Karel Peña and Sergio Gonzalez.  More  Español