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NESTEA European Championship Tour 2006

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The Spanish Masters will be taking place in Valencia, the Spanish Mecca of beach volleyball. Hosting the NESTEA European Championship Tour for the third time since the premiere in September 2004, the ‘Playa de las Arenas’ beach in Valencia is sure of attracting many spectators, tourists as well as local beach volleyball fanatics, expecting maximum temperatures of over 30°C.

100’000 Euros are in the winning pot, waiting to be shared out amongst the 32 participating teams of the Main Draw and distributed evenly between the gender categories.

Local Pablo Herrera has been Spain’s number one beach volleyball player for many years. This reputation is due to the tall block specialist’s several successes, especially after surviving a severe car accident in 2002 which nearly ended his sporting career. Reunited with his junior partner Raul Mesa with whom he won the 2002 Junior World Championship, Herrera won last year’s NESTEA European Championship Final in Moscow, securing 20’000 Euros in prize money, the European Championship title and the respect of the entire beach volleyball family. Coming from ‘Castellón de la Plana’, which lies only 70 kilometres away from Valencia, the 2004 and 2005 ‘King of the Beach’ in Europe is especially motivated to seize the Spanish Masters title. “My favourite beach is Benidorm of course, which lies close to Alicante”, commented his partner Raul Mesa, “But Pablo feels best in Valencia.” Although the two Iberians have not yet been living up to their potential (seventh place at the Turkish Masters), they are determined to give their best on the fourth stop of the NESTEA European Championship Tour 2006. “Our objective is to be among the top three teams in Europe”, Mesa says.

Their compatriots Francisco Jose Rodriguez Herrera and Javier Pineda Luna also finished seventh twice in the NESTEA European Championship Tour 2006, i.e. at the German Masters and the Russian Masters.

One year ago a Spanish women’s team was on the brink of advancing to the semi-finals. Nadia Campisi and Clara Lozano ended up finishing respectable fifth and had a memorable match on the way there that Clara Lozano likes to think of: “We beat Bruschini/Lunardi from Italy and personally it was my best match so far as a pro.”

Maybe the home court advantage will push Campisi/Lozano to still greater heights at the 100’000 Euro Spanish Masters 2006. “Valencia is my favourite place to play”, Clara Lozano, who has great expectations, says: “We want to finish amongst the top five teams in Europe.”

For more information please view www.cev.lu/BeachVolleyball

The tournaments of the NESTEA European Championship Tour 2006:

17 - 21 May 2006: Turkish Masters in Alanya
31 May - 3 June 2006: German Masters in Hamburg
15 - 18 June 2006: Russian Masters in Moscow
20 - 23 July 2006: Spanish Masters in Valencia
5 - 8 August 2006: Swiss Masters in Lucerne
24 - 27 August 2006: NESTEA European Championship Final in The Hague (NED)

 

 

 

 

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Background information on the NESTEA European Championship Tour

The NESTEA European Championship Tour is the highest ranked series of European Beach Volleyball tournaments that promotes the sport and its star players on a European level. The series of tournaments culminates into the European Championship Final as the season’s highlight. 

For further information please visit www.eurobeachtour.com and/or contact the Communication Managers of the NESTEA European Championship Tour Klaus Wegener and Felix Meininghaus at communications@eurobeachtour.com.

Background information on the Confédération Européenne de Volleyball

The CEV is the FIVB supporting institution responsible for governing 54 National Volleyball Federations throughout Europe and is recognised as such by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) for Volleyball and Beach Volleyball. The CEV has the authority and responsibility for organising all European Competitions, especially the NESTEA European Championship Tour (Men & Women). 

For further information please contact the CEV Head Office in Luxembourg, Olivier Mottier at olivier.mottier@cev.lu or + 352 25 46 46 25.

Background information on Global Sports Marketing Ltd. (GSM)

GSM is dedicated to the development and implementation of innovation in sports and entertainment. The company positions and markets international sports and entertainment properties on behalf of the respective rights-holders. Besides, it offers all services related to the marketing of commercial rights - media, sponsorship and licensing/merchandising rights as well as development of sports brands. GSM, based in Zurich (Switzerland) develops, promotes and markets the NESTEA European Championship Tour within a long-term partnership with the European Volleyball Confederation CEV. 

For further information please contact Global Sports Marketing, Christian Scholbrock at
christian.scholbrock@gsmglobalsports.com or +41 43 244 8970.