Brazil’s George/Thiago among 8 men qualifiers for main draw at $800,000 FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam

Long Beach, Calif., USA, August 23, 2016 — Brazil’s George Wanderley and Thiago Barbosa upset a USA host-country tandem Tuesday to earn one of eight qualifying spots in the 32-team men’s main draw at the this week’s ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball that features the $800,000 FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam being held in Long Beach, Calif.The 2016 FIVB World Tour regular season is concluding in the United States with the ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball being held Tuesday through Sunday on a colorful purpose-built venue at Alamitos Beach adjacent to Marina Green Park on East Shoreline Drive.In all, two teams from the United States, along with one team each from Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, Poland and Switzerland won to advance into the 32-team men’s main draw. Upsetting a solid team of experienced American players, Brazil’s youngster George and veteran Thiago, defeated USA’s double-veterans Ryan Doherty/John Mayer in straight sets, 21-19, 21-17 in 34 minutes.While this is the fourth consecutive year that the FIVB World Tour has stopped in Long Beach, Calif., the ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball featuring the $800,000 FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam is the 22nd men’s event of the season and 19th women’s event on the 2016 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour that started with three events at the end of 2015.LONG BEACH QUALIFIERSBesides Brazil’s George/Thiago, as advancing to the main draw Tuesday were Canada’s Christian Redmann/Felipe Humana-Parades, France’s Maxime Thiercy/Romain Di Giantommaso, Germany’s Armin Dollinger/Lorenz Schumann, Poland’s Michal Bryl/Kacper Kujawiak, Switzerland’s Jonas Kissling/Marco/Krattiger, USA’s William Allen/Theo Brunner and USA’s Mark Burik/Stafford Slick.France’s surprising Maxime Thiercy/Romain Di Giatommaso where the only team that advanced to the main draw by having to play two qualifying matches. In the only three-set match of the second qualifying round, USA’s Burik/Slick came from behind to hold off Norway’s Oivind Hardvik/Bjorne Huus, 13-21, 21-15 and 15-11 in 44 minutes. ASICS WSOVBWhile the cornerstone of the beach volleyball celebration is the $800,000 FIVB Long Beach Grand Slam (regular season finale of the 2016 FIVB World Tour), the ASICS World Series of Beach Volleyball encompasses a wide variety of additional elements . Also part of the beach festival will be live entertainment, a special celebrity center court match, an expansive vendor’s village, multiple open, junior and youth beach …

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