QUEBEC CITY - The FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour returns to Canada for the first time since 2007 from July 19-24 as Quebec City plays host to its first ever World Tour event with the Québec Open Jeep.
The Tour has been held in Canada in seven previous occasions (three in Toronto and four in Montreal). The competition in Quebec City is set for the Séminaire des Pères Maristes.
The tournament officially starts July 19 with the country quota matches at 2:00 p.m. EDT The qualification round is on July 20, mains draw matches on July 21-22 with semifinals on July 23 and the medal matches on July 24. Main draw sessions start at 11 a.m. in the day time and 6 p.m. in the evening. The medal matches on Sunday start at 1 p.m.
Among the featured teams for Canada on the women’s side are Marie-Andrée Lessard of Ville LaSalle, Que., and Annie Martin of Sherbrooke, Que. ‘’We are excited about playing in front of our families, friends and sponsors,’’ said Martin. ‘’It’s one of the key events for us this season.’’
Other teams to watch for on the women’s side for Canada are the fast-improving Heather Bansley and Liz Maloney of Toronto as well as Julie Rodrigue of Quebec City and Kacie MacTavish of Sharon, Ont.
On the men’s side, Canada is also showing improvement this year with teams of Christian Redmann of Toronto and former Alberta Golden Bear Ben Saxton of Calgary; Josh Binstock and Richard Van Huizen, both of Toronto and Martin Reader of Comox, B.C., and Trinity Western Spartans graduate Chaim Schalk of Red Deer, Alta.
"It is integral for Canada's development in beach volleyball to host an international competition," Reader said. "Not only does it assist our nation's athletes in improving their world ranking; it will catalyze the growth of our sport and offer invaluable marketing opportunities.”
The powerful international field will include Americans Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers the 2008 Olympic champions and 2010 World Tour champions.
The tournament also count towards the Olympic qualifying process.
Draw / Schedule
********
July 7, 2011
GSTAAD, Switzerland (Sportcom) – On the men’s side, Christian Redmann of Toronto and Ben Saxton of Calgary won their two matches in qualifying earlier in the week to advance to the main draw of the FIVB men's beach volleyball World Tour stop.
In the main draw on Thursday they fell to 0-2 in round robin play, but on friday morning defeated 18th seeds Casey Patterson and Bradley Keenan of the U.S., 18-21, 21-16, 15-10 to clinch a berth in the opening playoff round.
Their first playoff match was a lengthy 53 minutes and the Canadians fell to eighth seeds Bruno Oscar Schmidt and Benjamin Insfran of Brazil 21-12, 27-29, 15-11. They will place 17th which equals their best showing on the circuit this season.
The next stop on the circuit gets underway early next week in Moscow. The Canadian entries are Redmann and Saxton as well Josh Binstock and Richard Van Huizen, both of Toronto for the men.
FIVB Results
********
STAVANGER, Norway – In men’s competition on Canada Day Friday, Christian Redmann of Toronto and Ben Saxton of Calgary lost in thier final chance to advance in the main draw at the week's FIVB World Tour circuit beach volleyball event.
The pair fell 2-0 (21-14, 21-10) to Jake Gibb and Sean Rosenthal from the United States, falling to 0-3 after qualifying with two straight wins earlier in the week.
********
On Thursday, Saxton and Redmann lost their first two round robin matches, taking world championship silver medallists Marcio Araujo and Ricardo Alex Costa Santos of Brazil to the limit falling 19-21, 21-19, 15-13 then dropped a 19-21, 21-17, 15-13 decision to Russians Konstantin Semenov and Yaroslav Kosharev.
********
On Wednesday (June 29) Two-time CIS Alberta men's volleyball champion Ben Saxton (Calgary) and Christian Redmann (Toronto) ploughed through Norwegian rain and won their two qualifying matches Wednesday to advance to the main draw at a stop on the beach volleyball World Tour circuit.
Redmann and Saxton were the 20th seeds in qualifying but upset 13th seeds Yury Bogatov and Serguei Prokopiev of Russia 21-18, 20-22, 15-12 in the first round and fourth seeds Renato Gomes and Jorge Teceiro of Georgia 21-19, 21-16 in the second.
They earn one of eight available spots that were up for grabs for the 32-team main draw which starts Thursday. Only two of the top 10-seeded qualification teams advanced.
There will be two days of round-robin pool play, with each team playing three matches over the two days to determine the final 24 teams that will head to the single-elimination bracket play on Saturday with the semifinals and medal matches to be played on Sunday.
Josh Binstock and Richard Van Huizen won their opening match in qualifying which meant Canada was the only country with two pairs in the second round but they fell to a French pair and didn’t advance.
********
Saxton & Redmann lose second straight three-setter, advancde at Beach Volleyball Worlds
ROME – In Friday, June 16's Round of 32 at the Beach Volleyball World Championships, the team of Ben Saxton and Christian Redmann was defeated 2-0 (21-18, 21-19) by Grzegorz Fijalek and Mariusz Prudel of Poland.
Thursday's decision was as tough as Wednesday's narrow defeat for former U of A student-athlete Ben Saxton of Calgary, along with doubles partner Christian Redmann of Toronto at the Beach Volleyball World Championships.
Saxton and Redmann lost 2-1 (23-21, 17-21, 15-11) to Marcio Araujo and Ricardo Alex Costa Santos, the Olympic silver medallists. The Canadians finish the round robin with a 1-2 record for third place in group C.
They advance by being among the eighth best third-place finishers thanks to their solid total points for and against ratio of 1.00. The top-two in each of the 12 pools all advance as well to the round of 32.
On Wednesday, two-time CIS champion and his doubles partner fell 21-17, 19-21, 15-12 in three tough sets to the Swiss team fo Philip Gabathuler and Jan Schindler, ranked #37 in the world.
Ranked #43 in the world, on Tuesday Redmann and Saxton, the sole Canadian entry in the men’s event, defeated Emil Boersma and Daan Spijkers of the Netherlands 21-18, 21-17. The Canadians are in pool C and play their final two round-robin matches on Wednesday and Thursday.
For both men’s and women’s play, the top two teams from each pool plus the eight best third-place finishers move onto the knockout phase.
Seoul Challenger
Meanwhile, in Seoul at the Seoul Challenger women’s beach volleyball competition, three-time Manitoba Bisons First Team All-Canadian and 2007 CIS Rookie of the Year Ashley Voth of Winnipeg and doubles teammate Jamie Broder, a CIS champion and Tournament All-Star in 2008, won their second repechage match then lost in the third round and were eliminated. They will place 13th.
On Thursday, they lost their first round match but had a bye in the repechage round to stay in contention.
Competition continues Friday.
FIVB.org
Thursday, June 9th...
BEIJING – In men’s side action on Thursday, Josh Binstock and Richard Van Huizen, both of Toronto, as well as Christian Redmann of Toronto and Ben Saxton of Calgary wound up with 0-3 records in the round robin and did not advance.
On Wednesday, both Canadian teams lost first of three scheduled round robin matches to powerful Brazilian duos. In Pool K, Christian Redmann of Toronto and Ben Saxton of Calgary lost to second-seeds Alison Cerutti and Emanuel Rigo 25-23, 21-18. Both Canadian teams play their final two round robin matches on Thursday. In Pool L, Josh Binstock and Richard Van Huizen, both of Toronto, fell to third-seeds Ricardo Alex Costa Santos and Marcio Araujo 21-13, 21-18.
On Tuesday, two Canadian teams scored dramatic victories in the second round of qualifying Tuesday to advance to the main draw at a $300,000 Grand Slam event on the FIVB beach volleyball World Tour circuit.
Ben Saxton of Calgary, a member of the Alberta Golden Bears in Canada West from 2006-07 to 2008-09, and Christopher Redmann of Toronto advanced upsetting sixth-seeds Clemens Doppler and Matthias Mellitzer of Austria 28-30, 21-19, 15-12 in 61 minutes, the longest match of the day in qualifying. Saxton was a part of back-to-back Canada West and CIS championships at Alberta in 2008 and 2009.
Earlier Redmann and Saxton, seeded 22nd, took down Alexander Horst and Daniel Mullner of Austria 21-17, 21-19.
Josh Binstock and Richard Van Huizen, both of Toronto and seeded 21st in qualifying, defeated fifth-seeds Kevin Cès and Andy Ces of France 21-19, 32-30 in 54 minutes to earn one of eight spots for the main draw which starts on Wednesday.
Earlier Tuesday, Binstock and Van Huizen took their first round qualifier 21-15, 21-14 over 12th seeds Philip Gabathuler and Jan Schnider of Switzerland.
Chaim Schalk of Red Deer, Alta., a 2009 CIS All-Canadian with the Trinity Western Spartans in his third Canada West season, and Martin Reader of Comox, B.C., were eliminated in first round qualifying.
In women’s qualifying, Heather Bansley and Liz Maloney of Toronto were eliminated in the second round and Kacie MacTavis of Toronto and Julie Rodrigue of Quebec City were ousted in their opening match.
Annie Martin of Sherbrooke, Que., and Marie-Andrée Lessard of Ville LaSalle, Que., have a bye to the main draw.
About Canada West Universities Athletic Association
Canada West is consistently the most decorated of the four conferences in Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS), winning at least 10 CIS national titles every year, 1997 to 2010. Comprised of 14 schools, from the provinces of Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia, Canada West produces numerous major award winners and Academic All-Canadian student-athletes each year, with many going on to athletic success around the globe in pro leagues or events such as the Olympics, Paralympics or Universiade Games. “cwuaa” on Twitter.
A proud member of Canadian Interuniversity Sport (CIS).