Bulgaria to host elite beach volleyball tournament
Teams from 28 countries will take part in the third edition of the Beach Pro Tour Sveti Vlas Futures Marina Dinevi beach volleyball tournament in Bulgaria.
The Black Sea resort is once again hosting this highly prestigious competition in the Olympic sport. Matches will take place from June 3 to 7. The semifinals and finals will be broadcast live on BNT 3.
The tournament will feature two main courts, with two additional training courts currently being prepared, CE Report informs via the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation's official website.
In Sveti Vlas, 46 men’s and 39 women’s pairs will compete. Bulgaria will be represented by 13 duos – 8 in the men’s and 5 in the women’s competition. The total number of participants will be 170. In both genders, 16 teams will qualify directly for the main draw, while the others will compete in qualification rounds.
“I am very happy that Dinevi Group is organizing this wonderful tournament for the third consecutive year,” said Lyubomir Ganev, president of the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation. “This is a great prestige for Bulgaria. The location is wonderful. Everyone who has participated so far says there is a fantastic combination of perfect sand, sea views, and hotel accommodation. Beach volleyball is a key focus for our federation. It is an Olympic sport, and for the first time we have dedicated funding for it. Such events will help create more athletes who compete exclusively in this sport. Until now, they played indoor volleyball and switched to sand in summer. We want to show that you can make a living from beach volleyball. We will do everything necessary to support more tournaments and help our teams improve their rankings. The main goal of Dinevi Group and the Bulgarian Volleyball Federation is to increase the popularity of beach volleyball. Our colleagues from Africa and South America say there is gold in the sand. It is much easier to invest in than indoor volleyball. Fewer athletes are needed. A few days ago, at the FIVB board, it was decided that each team will now have a coach. Until now, the development of beach volleyball was left to the athletes, which is not their job. Conditions must be created. Things are starting to normalize globally.”
Ganev revealed that the prize fund has been increased by 50 percent. Last year it was €10,000, and now it is €15,000. The money will be split equally between men and women, so all athletes will benefit from their efforts.
“I want to thank Mr. Ganev for supporting us over these three years as federation president and as a public figure,” said Iva Partaleva from Dinevi Group. “I also thank our young athletes. As organizers, our goal is to inspire more children to take up beach volleyball. Our coastline has the potential. We see that organizing such an event is successful. This year we have a record number of participants – athletes from 28 countries across three continents. The atmosphere will be pleasant, with lots of music and matches. I am proud that volleyball clubs from Burgas will support us. Their young athletes will help the organizers and see firsthand how the world’s best compete.”
The tournament sand was sent to an independent laboratory in Canada. The results confirmed its quality. “The European Confederation CEV said this is very rare,” Partaleva continued. “An external source evaluated us and gave such a positive response.”
Last year, Bulgaria’s top-ranked men’s pair, Dimitar Kalchev and Dimitar Mehandzhiski, finished third. The hope is to match or improve that result. A year ago, the most exotic participants came from Mauritius, while this year they are from Argentina and Morocco.
“Three years ago, I was 16 and visited Sveti Vlas for the first time,” said Aleksandar Tsanev, who will team up with Boris Georgiev. “The tournament, organization, and resort made a great impression on me. I believe it will be a unique tournament and a great spectacle for viewers.”
“This will be a true celebration for the entire Bulgarian volleyball community,” added Georgiev. “The event is huge, with some of the best pairs in the world. It is an honor to be part of such a tournament. We want to show what we can do against the strongest teams.”
Photo: Bulgarian Volleyball Federation
Men’s Bulgarian pairs:
- Georgi Antov – Konstantin Mitev
- Georgi Bratoev – Valentin Bratoev
- Boris Georgiev – Aleksandar Tsanev
- Mario Iliev – Aleksandar Kordev
- Hristo Kolev – Viktor Bodurov
- Dimitar Kalchev – Dimitar Mehandzhiski
- Konstantin Stoykov – Atanas Georgiev
- Martin Yochev – Denislav Dimitrov
Women’s Bulgarian pairs:
- Ivet Gavrailova – Antonia Nikolova
- Darina Kindova – Eleonora Gicheva
- Eva Petrova – Stefanie Kyoseva
- Svilena Stoyanova – Elitsa Hristova
- Vili Tsenova – Raya Tsenova
