Horse Guards Parade to host first round of FIVB “Road to London” Visa International beach volleyball
The first round of the Olympic Test Event for beach volleyball is about to take place shortly at the Horse Guards Parade, London. The test event is called the FIVB “Road to London” Visa International and the teams that will be competing in the first round
of the games will both be American women’s beach teams.
On one side of the court, Jen Kessy and April Ross will find themselves facing their rivals Rutledge and Hochevar. The event had already begun on Tuesday, August 9, earlier this week. A total of three U.S. women’s beach volleyball teams are taking part in
the competition.
The test events for the Olympics are being staged so that any short coming in the venues may be spotted before hand and taken care of so that the athletes can find themselves playing in near perfect environments. Specifically, the technical and functional
aspects of the venues are kept in mind during such test events.
The Horse Guards Parade has attracted a lot of positive attention as the venue is situated amidst grand locations. Trafalgar Square finds itself in the vicinity and Big Ben is quite close by as well. Horse Guards Parade is bordered by the Prime Minister’s
Downing Street home while the Admiralty Citadel is situated at the other side.
Angelo Squeo, the events director of the FIVB expressed his enthusiasm about the location in the following words: "The setting is amazing, it's the best venue ever for beach volleyball. We have never had anything like this...Beach volleyball has always
been sent off to the outskirts and now, in a country new to beach volleyball, this is the first time we are in the centre of a city and we are very proud. Sometimes organising committee's promise a fantastic venue when they bid for the Games, then change their
mind. In 2003 LOCOG called me here to show me three venues -- when I saw this one I said I don't even need to see the others. I could never imagine a better venue than this."
In all, there will be a total of eight matches played at the test venue today with the quarterfinals being held tomorrow.
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