Swatch FIVB World Tour 2008

Infobox FIVB tournament
competition = Swatch FIVB World Tour
gender =
continent = World
year = 2008

size = 200px
caption =
host = Various
dates = March - November, 2008
teams =
venues =
cities =
champions =
title_number =
mvp =
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last = Swatch FIVB World Tour 2007
next = Swatch FIVB World Tour 2009The Swatch FIVB World Tour 2008 is an international beach volleyball competition.

The tour consists of 15 tournaments with both genders and 9 separate gender tournaments. [ [http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Competitions/WorldTour/BVB_Calendar_WT2008.htm?sm=14 2008 Swatch FIVB World Tour - tour calendar] , FIVB.org]

The top eight finishes that a team has from January 1, 2007 to July 20, 2008, on the Swatch FIVB World Tour (2007 and 2008), SWATCH FIVB World Championships (2007) and on FIVB recognised Continental Championship Finals, counts towards Olympic qualification for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. [http://www.fivb.org/EN/fivb/viewNews.asp?No=10259 2008 Olympic qualification systems confirmed for Volleyball and Beach Volleyball] , FIVB, June 23, 2006] [ [http://www.fivb.ch/EN/BeachVolleyball/Competitions/WorldTour/2008/beach_page.asp?TRN=MADE2008&PG=PRE&No=15928 Adelaide hosts season-opening SWATCH FIVB World Tour Event] , FIVB, February 26, 2008] The top 24 teams of each gender will compete in the Beijing Games. There can be a maximum of two teams per country. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/olympics/beach-volleyball/story/2008/06/30/f-olympics-beachvolleyball-news.html U.S. beach volleyball pair win, Canadians lose] , CBC.ca, June 30, 2008]

Grand Slam

There are six Grand Slam tournaments. These events give a higher number of points and more money than the rest of the tournaments. [ [http://www.henkel.com/cps/rde/xchg/SID-0AC8330A-9CAE3288/henkel_com/hs.xsl/12169_16430_COE_HTML.htm World-class beach volleyball against a dreamlike backdrop] , Henkel, June 25, 2008]
*Berlin, Germanyndash Smart Grand Slam, June 10 - 15, 2008
*Paris, Francendash Henkel Grand Chelem, June 16 - 22, 2008
*Stavanger, Norwayndash ConocoPhillips Grand Slam Stavanger, June 24 - 29, 2008
*Moscow, Russiandash Moscow Grand Slam, July 1 - 6, 2008
*Gstaad, Switzerlandndash 1 to 1 Energy Grand Slam 2008, July 22 - 27, 2008
*Klagenfurt, Austriandash A1 Beach Volleyball Grand Slam presented by NOKIA, July 28 - August 2, 2008

Tournament results

Women

Medal table by country

Medal table as of August 30, 2008.

Awards

WATCH Most Outstanding Player

[http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Competitions/WorldTour/2008/2008EventRecaps.htm SWATCH FIVB Beach Volley World Tour 08] , FIVB]
*Maria Antonelli (BRA) for the Otera Open Kristiansand in Kristiansand, Norway
*Talita Antunes (BRA) for the China Shanghai Jinshan Open in Shanghai, China
*Shelda Bede (BRA)
**for the Mazury Open in Stare Jablonki, Poland
**for the A1 Beach Volleyball Grand Slam presented by NOKIA in Klagenfurt, Austria
*Nicole Branagh (USA) for the Hyundai Open Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain
*Julius Brink (GER) for the Hyundai Open Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain
*Ana Paula Connelly (BRA) for the 1 to 1 Energy Grand Slam 2008 in Gstaad, Switzerland
*Phil Dalhausser (USA)
**for the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam Stavanger, in Stavanger, Norway
**for the Moscow 2008 Grand Slam in Moscow, Russia
*Juliana Felisberta (BRA)
**for the Adelaide Australia Open in Adelaide, Australia
**for the Keihan/Smfg Japan Open in Osaka, Japan
*Pablo Herrera (ESP) for the Otera Open Kristiansand in Kristiansand, Norway
*Kolodinsky (RUS) for the A1 Beach Volleyball Grand Slam presented by NOKIA in Klagenfurt, Austria
*Inocencio Lario (ESP) for the Mazury Open in Stare Jablonki, Poland
*Fabio Luiz Magalhães (BRA) for the World Series 13 in Marseille, France
*Misty May-Treanor (USA)
**for the Smart Grand Slam in Berlin, Germany
**for the Henkel Grand Chelem in Paris, France
**for the ConocoPhillips Grand Slam Stavanger, in Stavanger, Norway.
*Stephanie Pohl (GER) for the World Series 13 in Marseille, France
*Emanuel Rego (BRA) for the Smart Grand Slam in Berlin, Germany
*Todd Rogers (USA) for the Henkel Grand Chelem in Paris, France
*Sean Rosenthal (USA) for the Prague Open in Prague, Czech Republic
*Richard Schuil (NED) for the VIP Open in Zagreb, Croatia
*Pedro Solberg Salgado (BRA) for the 1 to 1 Energy Grand Slam 2008 in Gstaad, Switzerland
*Harley Marques Silva (BRA)
**for the Adelaide Australia Open in Adelaide, Australia
**for the China Shanghai Jinshan Open in Shanghai, China
**for the Italian Open presented by Abruzzo in Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy
*Zhang Xi (CHN)
**for the Seoul Open in Seoul, Korea
**for the Moscow 2008 Grand Slam in Moscow, Russia

Records

The Russian player [http://www.bvbinfo.com/player.asp?ID=7244 Igor Kolodinsky] shot the fastest serve in the Swatch FIVB World Tour history, when he served at 114.0 km/h at the Italian Open presented by Abruzzo in Roseto degli Abruzzi, Italy.

American player Elaine Youngs, became the oldest women to win an "open" FIVB event, when she was 38 years, three months and 16 days old, when she won the Hyundai Open Barcelona in Barcelona, Spain. [ [http://usocpressbox.org/usoc/pressbox.nsf/6272c9a938d3a5cb8525711000564abd/469ad79fc99415d78525745a007ec2d2?OpenDocument BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Branagh, Youngs Discover Gold on Beach in Barcelona] , usolympicteam Presss box, May 31, 2008]

Reference

* [http://www.volleyballer.de/Beach-World-Tour-volleyball_kategorie_20.html Beachvolleyball-News: Beach World-Tour] , volleyballer.de
* [http://www.bvbinfo.com/default.asp Beach Volleyball Database]

External links

* [http://www.fivb.org/EN/BeachVolleyball/Competitions/WorldTour/BVB_Calendar_WT2008.htm?sm=14 2008 Swatch FIVB World Tour - tour calendar] at FIVB.org
* [http://beachvolley.swatch.com/ Beachvolley] at Swatch.com

Tournaments

* [http://www.wtadelaideopen.com/ Adelaide Australia Open] , March 25 - 30, 2008
* [http://www.beachpragueopen.cz/ Prague Open] , May 6 - 11, 2008
* [http://www.worldtourbarcelona.cat/ Hyundai Open Barcelona] , May 26 - June 1, 2008
* [http://www.worldtour.pl/ Mazury Open] , June 3 - 8, 2008
* [http://www.henkel-grandchelem.com/ Henkel Grand chelem] , June 16 - 22, 2008
* [http://www.wtstavanger.com/ ConocoPhillips Grand Slam Stavanger] , June 24 - 29, 2008
* [http://www.e.beachworldtour.ch/ 1to1 energy Grand Slam 2008] , July 21 - 27, 2008
* [http://www.worldtour2008.pl/ Myslowice Open] , September 2 - 7, 2008
* [http://worldtourmallorca.com/ Open de Mallorca] , September 3 - 7, 2008