Cuba, the reigning Pan American Cup champion, is one of the three Norceca teams that will participate in this year World Grand Prix, the premier annual women competition of FIVB.

The Cubans come from a spectacular performance in Tijuana and Mexicali during the Pan American Cup where they only conceded one set to USA during the match for the gold medal.

“The team is not yet at the peak of its shape,” said Luis Felipe Calderon while in Mexico. “The Grand Prix will be the competition to get us in the top shape before the Olympics.”

The only missing piece in the Cuban side will be Nancy Carrillo, out because of a hand injury, but other than that the squad has all its weapons with Zoila Barros and Yumilka Ruiz as the top stars.

Barros was the MVP of the Pan American Cup and finished as the second best spilker during the Montreux Volley Masters where Cuba ended in fourth place this year.

The Cubans have had a busy schedule this year playing the Yeltsin Cup in Russia, then a friendly tournament in China, the Montreux in Switzerland and the Pan American Cup in Mexico.

The first week of the Grand Prix, Cuba will play in Bangkok, Thailand against USA, Korea and Thailand. Then will go to Jakarta, Indonesia to meet Russia, Germany and Japan and then to Jeju City in Korea to face Brazil, Korea and Japan.