BEACH VOLLEYBALL Preview: Tokyo World Tour test event has both no. 1-ranked pairs and women’s World Champions

World no. 1s April Ross and Alix Klineman of the U.S. (Photo: FIVB)

The FIVB World Tour is in Japan for a 4-star tournament in Tokyo’s Shiokaze Park that is also the “dress rehearsal” for the 2020 Olympic Beach tournament. Combined with a $300,000 prize purse – and $20,000 to the winning teams – the field are outstanding. The top seeds:

Men:
1. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR) ~ Gstaad 5-star Major winners
2. Grzegorz Fijalek/Michal Bryl (POL) ~ Ostrava Open bronze medalists
3. Nick Lucena/Phil Dalhausser (USA) ~ Doha Open runners-up
4. Taylor Crabb/Jake Gibb (USA)
5. Evandro Goncalves/Bruno Oscar Schmidt (BRA) ~ Warsaw Open winners

Women:
1. Barbora Hermannova/Marketa Slukova (CZE) ~ Kuala Lumpur Open winners
2. Ana Patricia Silva Ramos/Rebecca Cavalcanti (BRA) ~ Xiamen Open winners
3. Agatha Bednarczuk/Duda Lisboa (BRA) ~ Ostrava Open winners
4. Alix Klineman/April Ross (USA) ~ World Championships silver medalists
5. Heather Bansley/Brandie Wilkerson (CAN) ~ Las Vegas and Chemutai Open winners

Canada’s World Champions, Saran Pavan and Melissa Human-Paredes are also in the field, but seeded sixth!

The FIVB’s no. 1-ranked pairs are both entered: Norway’s Mol and Sorum for the men and American women Klineman and Ross. Look for results here.