The Cayman Islands have become known as a great beach volleyball venue. The latest event to head to these shores is a step towards Olympic participation.
Public Beach will be the sight of the first round for 2012 Olympic qualification on 2-4 December. Titled the North American, Central American and Caribbean volleyball federation Continental Cup, the beach volleyball competition is slated to host nine Caribbean countries and a total of 40 teams.
Serving as tournament organiser is Fareed Hosein. The Cayman Islands Volleyball Federation member states that Cayman was chosen to host the tournament by the regional governing body.
“I’m really excited for this,” Hosein said. “NORCECA handpicked us for this Olympic qualifier. The whole thing is a benefit to the Island. It’s about giving back. There is a long-term beneficial effect for the Cayman Islands.”
The Olympic qualifier comes after the 2011 edition of the NORCECA beach volleyball tournament back in March. The first stop on a global circuit, the event saw Canada defeat Puerto Rico in the men’s segment while the US defeated Mexico in the women’s section. While none of the Cayman teams advanced deep in the competition, it was a boon for the Island in its third year hosting the circuit opener.
Public Beach accommodated a record 40 teams, eight better than the previous NORCECA mark. Cayman attracted 17 teams in its first year in 2009 and 24 sides last year.
Hosein is quick to point out that as the relationship between Cayman and the regional body continues to grow, the end result will be a boost to the economy through sports tourism.
“Sports tourism is the goal. The Cayman volleyball federation mandate is not only to promote volleyball, it’s to facilitate a sports tourism product for Cayman. NORCECA was quite pleased with the level of organization with the March tournament and they regard Grand Cayman as a beach volleyball destination.”
The schedule for the Olympic qualifier will be decided the week of the competition. The top four teams from the tournament advance to the next stage of Olympic qualifying next year, which Cayman could host once again. Heading into the weekend, the Cayman teams were in the final stages of training and squad selection.
While the final roster is not set, a number of notable faces are in the mix such as veterans Shervin Rankin and Olney ‘OT’ Thompson along with top women’s duo Jennifer ‘JB’ Bily and Cristin Alexander.
Rankin said in passing that the Olympic qualifiers are a major feat for Cayman.
“It’s good, having these qualifiers here is big,” Rankin said. “There’s hope for all of the countries that are coming and competing on their Olympic journey.”
The Olympic qualifier sees action on three courts 9am-10pm on Friday and Saturday, 2-3 December, with two courts in play 9am-6pm on Sunday, 4 December. Admission for all three days is free.
A number of public entities are stepping up as sponsors including The Department of Tourism, the Ministry of Sports, the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee, Cayman Airways, caycompass.com, Corona, Z99.9FM and Vibe 98.9FM.
The Cayman volleyball federation is making a special appeal for volunteers. Anyone interested in assisting can e-mail [email protected] or visit civf.ky
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