Fort Lauderdale prepares for third FIVB World Tour Event

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida, USA, February 25, 2018 - For the second-straight February and the third-time in the last four seasons, the international Beach Volleyball circuit returns to south Florida this week as Fort Lauderdale Beach Park hosts the first of four Beach Major Series events on the 2018 calendar.

The US$600,000 Fort Lauderdale Major “officially” begins here Tuesday with qualifying where eight teams from both the men’s and women’s preliminary rounds will advance to the 32-team Main Draws where “modified” pool play begins Wednesday.  Play continues through the weekend with the women’s finale Saturday and the men’s medal matches Sunday on the Fort Lauderdale Beach Park center court.

A total of 126 men’s and women’s teams from 35 countries entered the Fort Lauderdale Major where the winning teams will share the $40,000 first-place prizes for the eighth men’s and sixth women’s event on the 2018 FIVB World Tour schedule.

The 2018 Fort Lauderdale Major field returns the defending men's champions Saymon Barbosa and Alvaro Filho of Brazil.  After winning a qualifying match to earn a spot in the 2017 “money” rounds, Saymon and Alvaro won seven more matches highlighted by a 2-0 (21-15, 21-17) gold medal win in 39 minutes over compatriots Evandro Goncalves and Andre Loyola.

Due to the pregnancy of Talita Antunes, a new women’s champion will be crowned this season in Fort Lauderdale.  Talita and Larissa Franca were “perfect” in Fort Lauderdale as the Brazilian pair won 13-straight matches by capturing both the 2015 FIVB World Tour Finals and the 2017 Fort Lauderdale Major gold medals.

After defeating eventual Rio 2016 Olympic and 2017 world champions Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst for the 2015 Fort Lauderdale gold medal, Talita and Larissa conquered Agatha Bednarczuk and Eduarda "Duda" Lisboa 2-0 (21-15, 21-18) in the 38-minute All-Brazilian finale last February 12.