Preparations are under way and publicity is in full swing for the FIVB Beach Championships in Vienna, Austria, although the event does not take place until late July.
Photoshoots, promotional videos, an event website and press conferences are beginning to shine the spotlight on the first-time host city. Ninety-six teams (48 men’s and 48 women’s) will converge on the capital city for the 11th FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship, July 28-August 6, an event offering a $1 million prize purse.
Twenty-three teams will qualify via the FIVB Beach Volleyball rankings and another 20 will be added from the five continental confederations, four per confederation. Austria, as host nation, will be given two automatic berths as well as a wildcard place per gender. The final three places per gender come from the FIVB’s wild card selections.
The Championships will take place at the newly constructed Vienna Centre Court at Donauinsel, on Danube Island in the heart of city, which showcases a view of the Danube River and the adjacent FIVB Beach Village.
FIVB officials and local organizing committee members gathered for a press conference on March 30 to kick off the publicity push for the event. The press conference as well as a photo shoot with potential participants took place at the Spanish Riding School in Vienna, home of the famous dancing Lipizzaner horses.
“The FIVB and the entire volleyball family is looking forward to experiencing the warm welcome and fantastic hosting credentials that Austria has already showed us when the country staged the 2001 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Klagenfurt,” FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça said at the press conference. “The 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships is the next key milestone for beach volleyball and a great opportunity to invite the fans to an amazing event.”
“The anticipation is great,” said Beach Majors CEO Hannes Jagerhofer, who’s group is helping put on the event. “To bring the World Champs to Austria has been a long-time dream of ours and we are looking forward to making this a reality. I am convinced that Vienna will set new standards in every way.”
The FIVB has 18 more events on its slate ahead of the World Championship. Next up is a one-star event in Selangor, Malaysia, April 15-16.
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