La Paz, Baja California set for NORCECA Beach Tour

LA PAZ, Mexico, June 6, 2019.-Twenty five teams are set for the fifth stage of the NORCECA Beach Volleyball Tour to be staged at La Paz in Baja California Sur, Mexico.

The double-gender event kicks off with the preliminary round on Friday at Playa del Malecon featuring ten pairs in the women’s field and fifteen in the men’s division, led by Central American tandems.

Kathya Vásquez alongside Maria Fernanda Vargas of El Salvador are the top seeded women’s team, followed by Nicaraguan Socorro López and Lollette Rodríguez; both teams finished third and second accordingly at the third leg of the event in Nicaragua.

In the men’s division, Guatemalans Andy Leonardo and Luis Garcia lead the group, joined by Ruben Mora and Dany López of Nicaragua, and Carlos Escobar alongside David Vargas (Tato and Pepe) of El Salvador. Andy and Luis won the silver medal in Nicaragua, while Ruben and Dany won the bronze in Cayman Islands; Ruben also won the bronze in Varadero with Denis López.

A total of twelve countries will be represented, with Mexico featuring three teams per gender.

Teams in the women’s division have been distributed in three pools; with the first and second places will advance into quarterfinals joined by the two best third place according to point ratio. In men, the top two places of the four pools move into the next round.

The three day event will start at noon, with Friday first matches featuring Canada’s May/Dunn facing Mexican Rios/Santoyo in women and Campbell/Dack of Cayman Islands against Valenciano/Quintero of Costa Rica.

Women’s Teams:

Devon May/Darby Dunn (Canada-A); Iris Fletcher/Abbey Thorup (Canada-B); Cristin Alexander /Chante Smith-Johnson (Cayman Islands); Kathya Vasquez/Ma. Fernanda Vargas (El Salvador); Diana Valdez Lizarraga/María José Quintero (Mexico-A); Stephanie Burnside/Paulette Cruz (Mexico-B); Claudia Rios/Gloria Santoyo (Mexico-C); Socorro Lopez/Lolette Rodriguez (Nicaragua); Devon Newberry/Peri Brennan (United States); Melanie Valenciana/Cristina Almeida-Anz (U.S. Virgin Islands):

Women’s Pool Composition

Pool A: Vasquez/Vargas (ESA); May/Dunn (CAN-A); Rios Santoyo (MEX-C)

Pool B: López/lolette (NCA; Burnside/Cruz (MEX-B); Newberry/Brennan (USA)

Pool C: Valenciana/Almeida-Anz (ISV); Valdez Lizarraga/Quintero (MEX-A) 

Men’s Teams:

Jon Isaacs/Muller Petit (Bahamas); Codd/Hauze (Belize); Liam Kopp/Gabriel Burlacu (Canada-A); Mathew Donovan/Fiodar Kazhamiaka (Canada-B); Richard Campebell/Nathan Dack (Cayman Islands), Sebastian Valenciano/Andrey Quintero (Costa Rica); Carlos Escobar/David Vargas (El Salvador); Andy Leonardo/Luis Garcia  (Guatemala); Miguel Angel Sarabia/Raymond Stephens (Mexico-A); Jesus Alcazar/Francisco Tamayo (Mexico-B); Cardenas/Espinoza (Mexico-C); Ruben Mora/Dany López (Nicaragua); Shawb Seabrookes/Everson Browne (St. Kitts and Nevis); Kyle Friend/Travis Mewhirter (United States); Jorday Lake/ Miguel Lopez (U.S. Virgin Islands)

Men’s Pool Composition

Pool A: Leonardo/Garcia L. (GUA); Campebell/Dack (CAY), Valenciano/Quintero (CRC)

Pool B: Mora/López (NCA); Seabrookes/Rebels (SKN); Donovan Kazhamiaka (CAN-B); Cardenas/Espinoza (MEX-C)

Pool C: Tato/Pepe (ESA); Isaacs/Petit (BAH); Codd/Hauze (BIZ); Alcazar/Tamayo (MEX-B);

Pool D: Sarabia/Stephens (MEX-A); Kopp/Burlacu (CAN-A); Friend/Mewhirter (USA); Lake/Lopez (ISV)