2008 Women s. Participating Teams. Legend of positions

Transcription

1 008 Women s Participating Teams Legend of positions Blocker Passing from left Defender Passing from left Blocker Passing from right Defender Passing from right Athletes Honours last updated on July 1, 008 Barnett Cook AUS pages 6-7 Kuhn Schwer Schwaiger Schwaiger Van Breedam Mouha Juliana Larissa Talita Renata Xue Zhang Xi Tian Jia Wang Fernandez Grasset Larrea Peraza Esteves Ribalta M. Crespo Saka-Rtvelo Goller Ludwig Pohl Rau Koutroumanidou Tsiartsiani Karantasiou Arvaniti Teru Saiki Kusuhara Candelas Garcia Kadijk R. Mooren Hakedal Torlen Maaseide Glesnes Uryadova Shiryaeva Augoustides Nel Branagh Youngs Walsh May-Treanor SUI AUT BEL BRA BRA CHN CHN CUB CUB GEO GER GER GRE GRE JPN MEX NED NOR NOR RUS RSA USA USA pages 8-9 pages pages 3-33 pages pages pages pages pages 4-43 pages pages pages pages pages 5-53 pages pages pages pages pages 6-63 pages pages pages pages pages

2 Barnett Australia Team name: Barnett First name: Tamsin Last name: Barnett Birth date: Birth : Melbourne Hometown: Adelaide Height: 193 Weight: 73 FIVB Exp: 4 th season Language(s): English, German Cook (Captain) Team name: Cook First name: Natalie Last name: Cook Nickname: Nat Birth date: Birth : Brisbane Hometown: Brisbane (Queensland) Height: 181 Weight: 7 FIVB Exp: 16 th season Language(s): English Sponsor(s): Team LM, Vodafone, Oakley, Billabong , , , ,000 Total , , , , , , , , , , ,056 Total ,79 Tamsin Barnett & Natalie Cook Australian Natalie Cook s name is synonymous with Olympic Beach Volleyball competition. Teaming with Tamsin Barnett since the start of the qualifying process for the Beijing 008 Olympics, Cook earned her fourth-straight trip to the Summer Games to become the only woman to accomplish the feat since the sport was introduced at the Atlanta 1996 competition. The only men or women to reach the medal rounds in the first three Summer Games, Cook and Kerri-Ann Pottharst won the bronze medal in Atlanta while defending their. 1-seed at Sydney 000 to capture the Olympic gold medal by defeating legendary Brazilians Adriana Behar and Shelda for the Bondi Beach title. After placing third at the 003 FIVB World Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Cook and Nicole Sanderson reached the semi-finals in Athens where they were defeated by Adriana Behar and Shelda. Plagued by shoulder problems, Cook and Sanderson dropped the bronze-medal match to Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs of the United States. Playing a limited schedule the past two seasons, Barnett and Cook have never d lower than ninth in their 15 FIVB events since May 007 with two final four appearances and a goldmedal finish at the 007 Korean stop in Seoul. Cook is in the midst of her 16th season of FIVB play with 13 events to rank third behind Adriana Behar (136) and Shelda (134). Cook has won four FIVB gold medals with 6 podium ments and 41 final four finishes. A 000 Volleyball Olympian, Barnett has competed in 5 FIVB Beach events since Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 9 8, Berlin GER 9 8, Osaka JPN 4 10, Seoul KOR 7 7, Shanghai CHN 5 8, Adelaide AUS 9 5, Gstaad SUI 9 11, Montréal CAN 5 10, Stavanger NOR 5 13, Paris FRA 5 13, Warsaw POL 5 10, Seoul KOR 1 3, Sentosa SIN 9 6, Shanghai CHN 7 8,

3 Kuhn (Captain) 1 Switzerland Team name: Kuhn First name: Simone Last name: Kuhn Birth date: Birth : Wattwil Hometown: Luzern Height: 183 Weight: 69 FIVB Exp: 9 th Language(s): German, French, English Schwer Team name: Schwer First name: Lea Last name: Schwer Birth date: Birth : Basel Hometown: Riehen Height: 183 Weight: 69 FIVB Exp: 7 th Language(s): German, French, English , , , , , , , , Total , , , , , , Total ,45 Simone Kuhn & Lea Schwer One team s misfortune turned into one team s fortune for the Beijing 008 Olympics as Switzerland s Simone Kuhn and Lea Schwer red Sara Montagnolli and Sabine Swoboda of Austria in the Summer Games field due to injuries. After finishing 30 points behind Cristine Saka Santanna and Andrezza Rtvelo Martins of Georgia for the 4th and final spot for the Beijing competition, Kuhn earned a second Olympic trip when Swoboda was sidelined with back problems to end her Olympic bid. The Austrians had finished 0th on the Beijing list with 1,880 points for their best eight finishes during the qualifying period from May 007 through July 0, 008. The qualifying process for the Beijing 008 Olympic Games was not an easy one for Kuhn and Schwer as the Swiss pair totaled 1,650 points for their best eight FIVB finishes while the Georgians secured the final spot in the women s field with 1,680 points. Kuhn and Schwer started the 008 season as the 1st-ranked team on the Olympic qualifying list with a 80-point lead over Saka and Rtvelo. After posting seven of their eight best finishes for Beijing during the 007 period, Kuhn and Schwer needed a ninth- finish at this May s stop in Barcelona to prove their Olympic candidacy. After the Spanish SWATCH stop, the Swiss pair failed to improve their Beijing qualifying total in their next six events with only one Main Draw win over Brazilian Olympians Talita Antunes and Renata Ribeiro (16-1, -0 and 15-13) at the SWATCH Grand Slam event in Moscow. 008 Gstaad SUI 5 13, Marseille FRA 17, Women s CEV Champ. GER 17 1, Moscow RUS 5 3, Stavanger NOR Paris FRA 5 3, Berlin GER 5 3, Stare Jablonki POL 5 1, Barcelona ESP 9 5, Seoul KOR 5 1, Shanghai CHN 5 1, Adelaide AUS 17, Phuket THA 17 3, Fortaleza BRA 9 6, St. Petersburg RUS 9 6, Aland FIN 13 4, Kristiansand NOR 7 7, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Gstaad SUI 17 7, Marseille FRA 5, Berlin GER 5 3, Montréal CAN 13 4, Stavanger NOR 5 3, Phuket THA 17 3, Acapulco MEX 13 4, Victoria BRA 13 4, Porto Santo POR 17 3, Klagenfurt AUT 9 7, Paris FRA 13 6, Montréal CAN 13 4, Marseille FRA 13 4, Stavanger NOR 9 7, Gstaad SUI 9 9, Athens GRE 17 3,

4 Schwaiger (Captain) Austria Team name: Schwaiger First name: Doris Last name: Schwaiger Birth date: Birth : Allentsteig Hometown: Zwettl Height: 17 Weight: 55 FIVB Exp: 7 th season Language(s): French, English, German Sponsor(s): A1, Seat Team name: Schwaiger First name: Stefanie Last name: Schwaiger Birth date: Birth : Accentsteig Hometown: Zwettl Height: 18 Weight: 64 FIVB Exp: 7 th season Sponsor(s): A1, Seat Schwaiger , , , , , , Total , , , , , , , Total ,450 Doris Schwaiger & Stefanie Schwaiger Doris and Stefanie Schwaiger become the third sister act in the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition joining the Dutch Kadijks (Debora and Rebekka) and Bulgarian Yanchulovas (Lina and Petia). The Kadijks and the Bulgarians played against each other at Sydney 000 where the Yanchulovas eliminated the Dutch. In 004, the Yanchulovas d ninth. The Schwaigers have been playing together internationally since 003, with the highlight of their first three seasons of competition being a bronze medal at the 005 SWATCH-FIVB Junior World Championships in Rio de Janeiro. After playing in qualifiers in 15 of their first FIVB events, the Austrians have earned automatic Main Draw berths in their next 37 events. The past three seasons have been the Schwaigers most productive as their family has supported their efforts to become one of two women s teams from Austria to qualify for the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition. With no Austrian women s team qualifying for the Atlanta, Sydney and Athens Games, Sara Montagnolli and Sabine Swoboda will also be in Beijing. The Schwaigers most memorable victory was their second Main Draw win in 005 when the 31st-seeded Austrians upset second-seeded Juliana and Larissa in three sets at the Klagenfurt Grand Slam stop in front of family and friends. The Schwaigers also defeated 004 Olympic teams from Germany and Greece in the next two 005 events in Montreal and Athens to help establish themselves as a Main Draw team in Women s CEV Champ. GER 5 5, Moscow RUS 17 5, Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 9 8, Berlin GER 9 8, Stare Jablonki POL 7 7, Barcelona ESP 13 3, Osaka JPN 17, Seoul KOR 17, Shanghai CHN 17, Phuket THA 9 6, Fortaleza BRA 17 3, St. Petersburg RUS 17 3, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 13, Aland FIN 17 3, Kristiansand NOR 17, Klagenfurt AUT 9 8, Gstaad SUI 37 3, Berlin GER 5 3, Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 9 8, Espinho POR 17 3, Warsaw POL 13 4, Seoul KOR 17 3, Sentosa SIN 9 6, Shanghai CHN 9 6, Acapulco MEX 13 4, Victoria BRA 17 3, Porto Santo POR 17 3, Warsaw POL 7 8, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Paris FRA 17 4, St. Petersburg RUS 17 3, Montréal CAN 13 4,

5 Van Breedam (Captain) 1 Belgium Team name: Van Breedam First name: Liesbet Last name: Van Breedam Birth date: Birth : Mechelen Hometown: Willebroek Height: 178 Weight: 74 FIVB Exp: 6 th season Language(s): Dutch Mouha Team name: Mouha First name: Liesbeth Last name: Mouha Birth date: Birth : Tongeren Hometown: Tongeren Height: 191 Weight: 88 FIVB Exp: 4 th season Language(s): Dutch, English, French, Italian, Spanish Sponsor(s): Litto, Topsport Vlaanderen, Le Coq Sportif, Belisol, Vanco, Orbea, Weleda, Adidas Eyewear Website: , , , Total , , , , Total ,150 Liesbeth Mouha & Liesbet Van Breedam Qualifying wins on the FIVB tour are sometimes just as important as a victory in the Main Draw. For Liesbeth Mouha and Liesbet Van Breedam, a qualifying win over a top-ranked tandem from the United States at the 007 rwegian Grand Slam meant a lot in developing the Belgium team s confidence. Although Mouha and Van Breedam did not gain a Stavanger Main Draw berth, the three-set win over Americans Tyra Turner and Rachel Wacholder was a confidence-builder as the Belgium pair was not denied a Main Draw berth in their next six qualifying efforts in Montreal, Berlin, Marseille, Klagenfurt, Kristiansand and Äland. With a successful end to the 007 season, Mouha and Van Breedam started the 008 campaign with only 1,130 qualifying points for the Beijing 008 Olympic Games and 30 points behind the team in the last provisional spot. After failing to increase their Beijing total in their first two 008 starts in Shanghai and Seoul, Mouha and Van Breedam improved their standings in seven of their next eight starts. Six of the improvements were at FIVB events in Osaka, Stare Jablonki, Paris, Stavanger, Moscow and Marseille with the seventh at the European Championships in Germany where Mouha and Van Breedem d fifth to increase their Beijing production to,90 points for their best eight finishes. Mouha and Van Breedem, who posted sevenths at the 007 Kristiansand and 008 Marseille stops for their best FIVB ment, are the first men s or women s players from Belgium to compete in the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition. 008 Marseille FRA 7 7, Women s CEV Champ. GER 5 5, Moscow RUS 9 8, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 9 8, Berlin GER 17 5, Stare Jablonki POL 9 5, Osaka JPN 9 5, Seoul KOR 17, Shanghai CHN 5 1, Fortaleza BRA 17 3, St. Petersburg RUS 17 3, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 17 1, Äland FIN 13 4, Kristiansand NOR 7 7, Klagenfurt AUT 17 5, Gstaad SUI 33 4, Marseille FRA 5, Berlin GER 5 3, Montréal CAN 17 3, Stavanger NOR Paris FRA Warsaw POL Seoul KOR Sentosa SIN 5, Shanghai CHN Phuket THA Acapulco MEX 5, Victoria BRA 5, Porto Santo POR 5, Vaduz LIE Cyprus CYP 4, Marseille FRA

6 Juliana (Captain) 1 Brazil Team name: Juliana First name: Juliana Last name: Felisberta Da Silva Birth date: Birth : Santos Hometown: Fortaleza Height: 177 Weight: 63 FIVB Exp: 7 th season Language(s): Portuguese Larissa Team name: Larissa First name: Larissa Last name: França Birth date: Birth : Cachoeira de Itapemirim Hometown: Fortaleza Height: 174 Weight: 70 FIVB Exp: 7 th season Language(s): Portuguese , , , , , , Total , , , , , , , ,60 Total ,685 Juliana Felisberta Da Silva & Larissa França June 18, 008, will be a date to remember, especially for Juliana Felisberta Da Silva and Larissa França. In a pool-play match at the Paris Grand Slam, the medal predictions for the Beijing 008 Olympic Games changed. In the second set of a match against a team from the Netherlands, Juliana s right knee buckled after a blocking attempt on an outer counter within walking distance of the Eiffel Tower. The injury brought to a halt a string of successes for the Brazilians that featured 1 FIVB titles and three tour points championships. If Juliana s rehab proves successful, the Brazilians will be one of the favorites to earn their country s fourth-straight appearance on an Olympic Beach Volleyball podium where the South American country d 1- in 1996 with silver medals in both 000 and 004. After placing second on the 004 FIVB tour standings, Juliana and Larissa captured the next three points titles while winning 0 of their 1 gold medals. During this stretch, the Brazilians reached 46 FIVB semi-finals in 49 starts with misses in 005 in Austria (fifth), 007 in Stavanger (ninth) and 008 in Paris (5th). With 45 podium ments and 49 final four finishes for 58 starts, Juliana and Larissa rank behind Americans Misty May-Treanor/Kerri Walsh (34) and compatriots Adriana Behar/ Shelda (31) in career FIVB gold medals. Larissa won the 007 Pan American Games gold medal in Rio with Juliana after netting the bronze medal at the 003 PanAms in the Dominican Republic with Ana Richa. 008 Paris FRA 5 3, Berlin GER 3 3, Barcelona ESP 3 14, Osaka JPN 1 8, Seoul KOR 4 10, Shanghai CHN 19, Adelaide AUS 1 8, Fortaleza BRA, St. Petersburg RUS 1 3, Aland FIN 1 3, Kristiansand NOR 1 30, Klagenfurt AUT 9, Gstaad SUI 3 35, Berlin GER 9, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 4 18, Espinho POR 1 3, Warsaw POL 1 3, Seoul KOR 3 16, Sentosa SIN 4 1, Acapulco MEX 4 1, Victoria BRA 1 3, Porto Santo POR 1 3, Klagenfurt AUT 8, Paris FRA 1 4, St. Petersburg RUS 1 3, Montréal CAN, Marseille FRA 1 3, Stavanger NOR 1 4, Gstaad SUI 8, Athens GRE 3 16, Shanghai CHN 3 16, Modena ITA 1 3, Cape Town RSA,

7 Talita Brazil Team name: Talita First name: Talita Da Rocha Last name: Antunes Birth date: Birth : Riato Grosso Do Sul Hometown: Rio de Janeiro Height: 181 Weight: 63 FIVB Exp: 5 th season Sponsor(s): DMC (Direct Marketing Company) Renata (Captain) Team name: Renata First name: Renata Last name: Martins Ribeiro Birth date: Birth : Rio de Janeiro Hometown: Rio de Janeiro Height: 176 Weight: 64 FIVB Exp: 8 th season , , , , ,950 Total , , , , , , , , ,000 Total ,400 Talita Antunes & Renata Ribeiro Like the American qualifying competition for the Beijing 008 Olympics, Talita Antunes and Renata Ribeiro withstood challenges from several Brazilian pairs to secure their country s second Summer Games berth in the next to last FIVB qualifying event in Russia. With a fourth- finish in Moscow for Talita s and Renata s best ment in a FIVB Grand Slam event, Talita and Renata posted their 19th final four finish in 56 international events together with five gold medals, a 5-5 record in title matches and 13 podium ments since the start of their partnership in 005. Combined with their 11-3 Country Quota playoff mark, Talita and Renata have a FIVB career record. The Brazilians won their first two FIVB gold medals in 005 in Athens and Bali before returning to the top of the international podium in 007 in Singapore and Marseille. This season, the 5-year-old Talita and Renata won gold in Shanghai. The 6-year-old Renata is in the midst of her fifth full season on the FIVB tour with 7 international participations. She and Shaylyn Bede d second in the 004 Italian stop at the first FIVB event after the 004 Olympics. The young Brazilians lost the Milan gold-medal match to legendary compatriots Adriana Behar and Shelda, Shaylyn s older sister. Talita is competing on the FIVB tour for the fourth full season with 59 starts. Talita was the women s FIVB tour rookie-of-the-year in 005 and she won the 008 Queen of the Beach title in January in Rio de Janeiro. 008 Moscow RUS 4 18, Stavanger NOR 5 13, Paris FRA 5 13, Berlin GER 9 8, Stare Jablonki POL 4 10, Barcelona ESP 19, Osaka JPN 7 7, Seoul KOR 9 5, Shanghai CHN 1 8, Adelaide AUS 19, Phuket THA 7 8, Fortaleza BRA 5 10, St. Petersburg RUS 5 10, Aland FIN 5 10, Klagenfurt AUT 5 13, Gstaad SUI 9 11, Marseille FRA 1 3, Berlin GER 5 13, Montréal CAN 9 6, Stavanger NOR 17 5, Paris FRA 5 3, Espinho POR 3 16, Warsaw POL 4 1, Seoul KOR 5 10, Sentosa SIN 1 3, Shanghai CHN 3 16, Acapulco MEX, Victoria BRA 5 10, Porto Santo POR, Warsaw POL 13 4, Klagenfurt AUT 5 1, Paris FRA 9 9, St. Petersburg RUS 4 1, Montréal CAN 7 8,

8 Xue 1 China Team name: Xue First name: Chen Last name: Xue Birth date: Birth : Fujian Hometown: Fuzhou, Fujian Height: 189 Weight: 68 FIVB Exp: 6 th season Sponsor(s): Nike Zhang Xi (Captain) Team name: Zhang Xi First name: Xi Last name: Zhang Birth date: Birth : Jiangsnu Hometown: Nantong, Jiangsu Height: 183 Weight: 64 FIVB Exp: 8 th season Language(s): Chinese, English Sponsor(s): Nike , , , , , Total , , , , , , , Total ,700 Chen Xue & Xi Zhang With four FIVB gold medals together since the start of their partnership in 006, Chen Xue and Xi Zhang are the youngest team to win international titles, bettering the previous combined age mark of 43 years set in 004 by Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Da Silva and Larissa França in Mallorca. With two titles in 006 at FIVB stops in Shanghai and Phuket, Xue became the youngest player ever at 17 to win international titles, breaking the previous best by 0-year-old Greek Vassiliki Arvaniti at the 005 rwegian stop with Vasso Karadassiou by upsetting Juliana and Larissa in Stavanager. Xue and the 3-year-old Zhang have played in 37 FIVB events, including a Challenger last vember in Hong Kong where they d second to compatriots Jia Tian and Jie Wang. After placing 17th in their first FIVB event together in May 006 in Modena, Italy, Xue and Zhang won the gold medal in their next start by upsetting Tian and Wang in the Shanghai finals. With 18 FIVB final fours and a career match mark together, Xue and Zhang added two gold medals in 008 when the Chinese pair defeated more experienced teams from Brazil (Shelda/Ana Paula Connelly) and the United States (Nicole Branagh/Elaine Youngs) for the South Korea and Russia titles, respectively. Xue made her FIVB debut in 005 by playing in two events. Zhang played in one international event each in 00 and 003 before competing full-time in 004. Xue and Zhang captured the 006 Asian Games Beach Volleyball gold medal in Qatar. 008 Moscow RUS 1 43, Stavanger NOR 17 5, Paris FRA 9 8, Berlin GER 9 8, Osaka JPN 3 14, Seoul KOR 1 8, Shanghai CHN 3 14, Adelaide AUS 7 7, Hong Kong HKG 4, Phuket THA 5, Aland FIN 3 16, Kristiansand NOR 0, Klagenfurt AUT 4 18, Gstaad SUI 4 8, Marseille FRA, Berlin GER 5 13, Montréal CAN, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 5 13, Espinho POR 9 6, Warsaw POL 3 16, Seoul KOR 7 8, Sentosa SIN 3 16, Shanghai CHN 5 10, Phuket THA 1 3, Porto Santo POR 9 6, Warsaw POL, Klagenfurt AUT 5 1, Paris FRA 5 14, St. Petersburg RUS, Montréal CAN 5 10, Marseille FRA 9 6, Stavanger NOR 5 1, Gstaad SUI 4 17,

9 Tian Jia China Team name: Tian Jia First name: Jia Last name: Tian Birth date: Birth : Tian Jin Hometown: Beijing Height: 177 Weight: 68 FIVB Exp: 11 th season Language(s): Chinese Wang (Captain) Team name: Wang First name: Jie Last name: Wang Birth date: Birth : Xing Jiang Hometown: Urumchi Height: 190 Weight: 75 FIVB Exp: 5 th season Language(s): Chinese , , , , , , , , , ,400 Total , , , , , Total ,050 Jia Tian & Jie Wang Jia Tian returns for her third-straight Olympic Beach Volleyball competition where she will be competing with -year-old Jie Wang. As a 19-year-old, Tian d 19th at the Sydney 000 Olympics with Jingkun Zhang followed by a ninth at the Athens 004 Summer Games with Fei Wang. The 7-year-old Tian and Jie Wang have played in 37 FIVB events since May 006 with a match mark together. Tian and Jie Wang now have 5 final four finishes with 3 FIVB medals, including titles in 006 at Austria and Poland, and 007 in Shanghai. Tian and Jie Wang also won a 007 FIVB Challenger event in Hong Kong. In her 11th FIVB season, Tian ranks ninth in participations with 11 events as she has 30 medals and a 6-11 mark in title matches. While all of Jie Wang s 5 international final fours and 3 medals have been since May 006, Tian has 35 appearances in a FIVB semi-final. Tian and Fei Wang won the bronze medal at the 005 SWATCH FIVB World Championships in Berlin. Tian s bid for an Athens 004 medal was hampered when Fei Wang s right knee injury hindered their effort two months before their Olympic appearance. Tian and Fei Wang won back-to-back 003 FIVB stops in Indonesia and Italy. Jie Wang, who has played in 46 FIVB events, competed in one international event in 00 followed by eight participations with Linjun Ji in 003. Jie Wang and Tian won the bronze medal at the 006 Asian Games in Qatar where they were defeated in the semi-finals by compatriots Chen Xue and Xi Zhang. 008 Moscow RUS 3 3, Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 4 18, Berlin GER 9, Osaka JPN 19, Seoul KOR 7 7, Shanghai CHN 9 5, Adelaide AUS 5 8, Hong Kong HKG 1 5, Phuket THA 3 16, Aland FIN, Kristiansand NOR 3 14, Klagenfurt AUT 17 5, Gstaad SUI 45, Marseille FRA 3 16, Berlin GER 3 3, Montréal CAN 9 6, Stavanger NOR 9, Paris FRA 9, Espinho POR 7 8, Warsaw POL 5 10, Seoul KOR, Sentosa SIN, Shanghai CHN 1 3, Phuket THA, Porto Santo POR 3 16, Warsaw POL 1 3, Klagenfurt AUT 1 4, Paris FRA 5 14, St. Petersburg RUS 17 3, Montréal CAN 3 16, Marseille FRA 4 1, Stavanger NOR 5 1, Gstaad SUI 3,

10 Fernandez Grasset 1 Cuba Team name: Fernandez Grasset First name: Dalixia Last name: Fernandez Grasset Birth date: Birth : Guantanamo Hometown: Guantanamo Height: 177 Weight: 65 FIVB Exp: 9 th season Language(s): Spanish Sponsor(s): Pepe Sierra Larrea Peraza (Captain) Team name: Larrea Peraza First name: Tamara Last name: Larrea Peraza Birth date: Birth : Ciudad Habana Hometown: Ciudad Habana Height: 183 Weight: 71 FIVB Exp: 11 th season Language(s): Spanish Sponsor(s): Pepe Sierra , , , , , , , , ,000 Total , , , , , , , , , , Total ,410 Dalixia Fernandez Grasset & Tamara Larrea Peraza Dalixia Fernandez Grasset and Tamara Larrea Peraza, one of the more experienced teams in the 17-year history of the FIVB women s tour, will be seeking to better their previous Olympic ments of ninth in 000 and 004 as the Cubans prepare for their third Summer Games Beach Volleyball appearance. With more than 80 FIVB starts since forming their partnership in 000 for their initial Olympic drive to Sydney, the 30-year-old Fernandez Grasset and 34-year-old Larrea Peraza will have Cuban team-mates in Beijing as Milagros Crespo and Imara Esteves Ribalta also qualified for the 008 Summer Games. In head-to-head FIVB competition, Fernandez Grasset and Larrea Peraza lead the series with their compatriots 4-. Except for the 00 season, Fernandez Grasset and Larrea Peraza have played together in four final four finishes, including two in Berlin where the Cubans d second in 004 before placing fourth at the FIVB World Championships in the German capital in 005. The other two semi-final appearances were in 003 with a fourth in Rhodes and a second in Bali. For major events like the Olympics, FIVB World Championships, PanAm Games and Goodwill Games, Fernandez Grasset and Larrea Peraza have performed well with 7-16 match mark. In addition to the fourth at the 005 World Championships, the Cubans won the 003 PanAm Games in the Dominican Republic before placing second to Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Da Silva and Larissa França in the 007 PanAms in Rio. 008 Marseille FRA 13 3, Moscow RUS 17 5, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 5 13, Berlin GER 17 5, Stare Jablonki POL 9 5, Barcelona ESP 17, Osaka JPN 13 3, Seoul KOR 13 3, Shanghai CHN 17, Phuket THA 5, Fortaleza BRA 9 6, Aland FIN 7 8, Kristiansand NOR 17, Klagenfurt AUT 9 8, Gstaad SUI 9 11, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 17 5, Espinho POR 5, Warsaw POL 17 3, Seoul KOR 13 4, Sentosa SIN 13 4, Shanghai CHN 17 3, Phuket THA 7 8, Acapulco MEX 9 6, Victoria BRA 17 3, Porto Santo POR 9 6, Warsaw POL 9 6, Klagenfurt AUT 17 4, Marseille FRA 5, Stavanger NOR 5 1, Gstaad SUI 13 6, Shanghai CHN 9 6, Salvador BRA 17 3,

11 Esteves Ribalta Cuba Team name: Esteves Ribalta First name: Imara Last name: Esteves Ribalta Birth date: Birth : C. Habana Hometown: C. Habana Height: 178 Weight: 68 FIVB Exp: 6 th season M. Crespo (Captain) Team name: M. Crespo First name: Milagros Victoria Last name: Crespo Valle Birth date: Birth : Cabaiguan Hometown: Santi Spiritus Height: 173 Weight: 60 FIVB Exp: 8 th season Language(s): Spanish , , , , , ,438 Total , , , , , , , , ,000 Total ,573 Milagros Crespo & Imara Esteves Ribalta With the qualification of Milagros Crespo Valle and Imara Esteves Ribalta as the second Cuban entry for the Beijing 008 Olympic Games, the Caribbean country will have the second-most experienced teams in the Summer Games with nearly 150 combined FIVB events to their credit. With more than 80 FIVB starts Dalixia Fernandez Grasset and Tamara Larrea Peraza, Crespo Valle and Esteves Ribalta have competed in 65 events as Cuba joins Austria, Brazil, China, Germany, Greece, rway and the United States in having two teams in the women s Beijing competition. Only the rwegian teams of Susanne Glesnes/Kathrine Maaseide (100 FIVB starts) and Nila Ann Hakedal/Ingrid Torlen (78) have more combined FIVB experience. Partners since 003, Crespo Valle and Esteves Ribalta will be seeking their best finish in a major FIVB event as the pair has never d higher than seventh in Grand Slam competition in 005 in rway and 006 in Paris. During the Grand Slam/ World Championship cycle, Crespo and Esteves Ribalta posted three ninths and six 17ths. While Esteves Ribalta has played all her FIVB events with the same partner, Crespo Valle competed with two other partners, including eight stops in 003 with Larrea Peraza as the pair split 3 matches and d ninth in six of eight events. Crespo s and Esteves Ribalta s best finishes were fifths, including Bali 003 where Fernandez Grasset and Larrea Peraza d second as both Cuban teams were defeated by gold-medal winners Jia Tian and Fei Wang of China. 008 Marseille FRA 13 3, Moscow RUS 17 5, Stavanger NOR 17 5, Paris FRA 17 5, Berlin GER 9 8, Stare Jablonki POL 9 5, Barcelona ESP 9 5, Osaka JPN 9 5, Seoul KOR 9 5, Shanghai CHN 13 3, Phuket THA 13 4, Fortaleza BRA 17 3, St. Petersburg RUS 17 3, Aland FIN 17 3, Kristiansand NOR 9 5, Klagenfurt AUT 9 8, Gstaad SUI 17 7, Berlin GER 9 8, Stavanger NOR 17 5, Paris FRA 17 5, Espinho POR 7 8, Warsaw POL 5, Seoul KOR 9 6, Sentosa SIN 7 8, Shanghai CHN 5, Phuket THA 13 4, Acapulco MEX 5 10, Victoria BRA 7 8, Porto Santo POR 13 4, Warsaw POL 7 8, Klagenfurt AUT 9 7, Paris FRA 7 11, St. Petersburg RUS 5 10, Marseille FRA 17 3,

12 Saka (Captain) 1 Georgia Team name: Saka First name: Cristine Last name: Santanna Birth date: Birth : Sao Paulo, Brazil Hometown: Tbilisi Height: 181 Weight: 71 FIVB Exp: 3 rd season Rtvelo Team name: Rtvelo First name: Andrezza Last name: Martins das Chagas Birth date: Birth : Manaus, Brazil Hometown: Tbilisi Height: 170 Weight: 6 FIVB Exp: 5 th season , , Total , , , Total ,00 Andrezza Martins & Cristine Santanna It came down to the final two qualifying events for the Beijing 008 Olympics for Cristine Saka Santanna and Andrezza Rtvelo Martins to secure a berth in the Summer Games. Saka and Rtvelo, which is how you say Georgia in Georgian, used a wild card entry at the European Championships in Germany to improve their Beijing total by 80 points to move past three teams into 1st. Saka and Rtvelo followed up their ninth- finish in Hamburg with another ninth in Marseille to guarantee their spot in the 008 Summer Games. Unlike most of the teams advancing to Beijing, the Georgians evenly divided their best Olympic qualifying finishes between 007 and 008. Saka and Rtvelo started the 008 season 50 points behind the last tandem on the 4-team provisional Olympic list with 1,00 points. The Georgians finished the process with 1,740 points. After placing ninth at the Paris Grand Slam in mid-june to rank among the provision leaders for the Olympics, Saka and Rtvelo fell back into the pretenders list with a 5th- and 33rd- finish at the rwegian and Russian Grand Slam event. Saka and Rtvelo started playing for Georgia at the end of the 006 season in FIVB events in Brazil and Mexico where they failed to advance from the Qualification Tournament. After failing to post a quality Olympic qualifying finish in their first seven events in 007, Saka and Rtvelo produced their first point-counting ment with a ninth in Montreal. Brazilians by birth, Saka is married to the flamboyant Harley Marques while Rtvelo is wedded to Bruno de Paula. 008 Marseille FRA 17, Women s CEV Champ. GER 9 3, Moscow RUS Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 9 8, Berlin GER Stare Jablonki POL Barcelona ESP 13 3, Osaka JPN 17, Seoul KOR 17, Shanghai CHN 13 3, Adelaide AUS Phuket THA 5, Fortaleza BRA 5, St. Petersburg RUS 13 4, Aland FIN 17 3, Kristiansand NOR 5 1, Klagenfurt AUT Gstaad SUI 17 7, Marseille FRA 13 4, Berlin GER 5 3, Montréal CAN 9 6, Stavanger NOR Paris FRA 5 3, Espinho POR Warsaw POL Seoul KOR Sentosa SIN 5, Shanghai CHN 17 3, Acapulco MEX Victoria BRA

13 Goller (Captain) Germany Team name: Goller First name: Sara Last name: Goller Birth date: Birth : Stamberg Hometown: Kiel Height: 180 Weight: 71 FIVB Exp: 7 th season Language(s): German, English, French Website: Ludwig Team name: Ludwig First name: Laura Last name: Ludwig Birth date: Birth : Berlin Hometown: Berlin Height: 180 Weight: 70 FIVB Exp: 5 th season Website: , , , , ,000 Total , , , , , Total ,75 Sara Goller & Laura Ludwig Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig established themselves as a serious contender for the Beijing 008 Olympic Games by ending the 006 FIVB season with a fifth in Acapulco before becoming the first Germany team in more than two years to compete in a goldmedal match at the 007 Portuguese stop. With more experienced German teams ahead of them to start the 007 season, Goller and Ludwig finished as the European country s top team on the FIVB circuit ahead of Athens 004 Olympians Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau, who d fifth in the Greece competition. Goller and Ludwig, who finished second in the 007 continental championships in Spain to Greece s Vassiliki Arvaniti and Vasso Karadassiou, also posted two final four finishes at FIVB Grand Slam stops in rway and Austria. Overall, the Germans have a mark for 38 FIVB starts since 005. Goller and Ludwig spent most of 006 in FIVB qualifiers where the Germans started 10 of their 11 tournaments playing in Country Quota matches in which they were eliminated four times before reaching the preliminary rounds. The Acapulco finish helped Goller and Ludwig to avoid the first three qualifiers in 007. The -year-old Ludwig started playing full-time on the international tour in 005 with all her FIVB starts being with the 4-year-old Goller. Before their silver medal in Portugal last season, the Germany s best FIVB ment was a third at a 005 Satellite event in Lausanne, Switzerland. Ludwig also captured the FIVB World Championship for players under the age of 18 in 003 in Thailand with Jana Kohler. 008 Women s CEV Champ. GER 1 0, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 5 13, Berlin GER 5 3, Stare Jablonki POL 13 3, Barcelona ESP 7 7, Adelaide AUS 5 8, Fortaleza BRA 7 8, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 15, Aland FIN 9 6, Klagenfurt AUT 3 3, Gstaad SUI 17 7, Marseille FRA 5 10, Berlin GER 9 8, Stavanger NOR 4 18, Paris FRA 17 5, Espinho POR, Seoul KOR 17 3, Sentosa SIN 17 3, Shanghai CHN 7 8, Acapulco MEX 5 10, Victoria BRA 13 4, Klagenfurt AUT Marseille FRA Gstaad SUI Athens GRE 5, Shanghai CHN 17 3, Acapulco MEX Salvador BRA 5, Montréal CAN 9 6, Lausanne SUI 3 1, Espinho POR St. Petersburg RUS Stavanger NOR 5 3,

14 Pohl (Captain) Germany Team name: Pohl First name: Stephanie Last name: Pohl Birth date: Birth : Finsterwalde Hometown: Kiel Height: 186 Weight: 76 FIVB Exp: 11 th season Language(s): German, English, French Sponsor(s): Venice Beach, Nivea Rau Team name: Rau First name: Okka Last name: Rau Birth date: Birth : Leer Hometown: Kiel Height: 179 Weight: 69 FIVB Exp: 9 th season Language(s): German, English Sponsor(s): Nivea, Nike, Smart, Oakley, Powerbar Website: , , , , , , , , , ,600 Total , , , , , , , , , ,000 Total ,30 Stephanie Pohl & Okka Rau Stephanie Pohl and Okka Rau finished the qualifying process for the Beijing 008 Olympic Games by making history in becoming the first women s team from Germany to capture an FIVB gold medal at an open event. The Marseille title also secured Pohl and Rau their second trip to the Olympics as Rieke Brink-Abeler and Hella Jurich still had an opportunity in the Mediterranean port city to pass their German rivals for the. spot on their country s women s Beach Volleyball team for Beijing. With only six teams having played in more FIVB events than Pohl and Rau, the German pair will be seeking to improve on their fifth- finish at the Athens 004 Olympic Games after being eliminated by Americans Holly McPeak and Elaine Youngs in the quarter-finals. It was the best finish by a German women s team in Olympic competition as one of Pohl s and Rau s three Athens wins was over fourth finishers Natalie Cook and Nicole Sanderson of Australia in pool play. Cook and Sanderson eventually finished fourth in the 004 Summer Games after losing to McPeak and Youngs in the bronze-medal match. With 80 FIVB starts since 000, Pohl and Rau are one of nine teams to top the 500,000 mark in team earnings while posting more than 00 match wins. The 003 continental champions and 006 European tour leaders, Pohl and Rau are their confederation s third-ranked team on the Beijing 008 Olympic qualifying list behind Greece s Vassiliki Arvaniti/Vasso Karantasiou and German rivals Sara Goller/Laura Ludwig. 008 Marseille FRA 1 8, Women s CEV Champ. GER 4 7, Moscow RUS 9 8, Stavanger NOR 5 13, Paris FRA 17 5, Berlin GER 5 13, Stare Jablonki POL 17, Barcelona ESP 7 7, Shanghai CHN 13 3, Adelaide AUS 7 7, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 9 3, Aland FIN 13 4, Kristiansand NOR 4 10, Klagenfurt AUT 9 8, Gstaad SUI 5 18, Marseille FRA 5 10, Berlin GER 17 5, Stavanger NOR 5 13, Paris FRA 17 5, Espinho POR 17 3, Warsaw POL 7 8, Sentosa SIN 9 6, Klagenfurt AUT 3, Paris FRA 13 6, Montréal CAN 4 1, Marseille FRA 17 3, Stavanger NOR 4 17, Gstaad SUI Shanghai CHN 13 4, Modena ITA 17 3, Cape Town RSA 17 3, Klagenfurt AUT 13 6, Paris FRA 5 3, Espinho POR 5 10,

15 Koutroumanidou (Captain) 1 Greece Team name: Koutroumanidou First name: Efthalia Last name: Koutroumanidou Birth date: Birth : Volos Hometown: Athens Height: 179 Weight: 67 FIVB Exp: 10 th season Language(s): Greek, English, French Sponsor(s): Adidas, Oakley, Red Bull, O.B Website: Tsiartsiani Team name: Tsiartsiani First name: Maria Last name: Tsiartsiani Birth date: Birth : Thessaloniki Hometown: Athens Height: 180 Weight: 67 FIVB Exp: 9 th season Language(s): Greek , , , , , , , , , Total , , , , , , , Total ,488 Efthalia Koutroumanidou & Maria Tsiartsiani After a very productive season in 005 when Efthalia Koutroumanidou and Maria Tsiartsiani ranked ninth on the FIVB point s list, the Greek tandem has failed to match their opening successes. The 005 campaign was a banner season for Greece s women s Beach Volleyball program as Koutroumanidou and Tsiartsiani joined compatriots Vassiliki Arvaniti and Vasso Karantasiou in finishing among the top 10 teams in the world while combining to post a match mark with 18 top-nine ments, four medals and one title. With Arvaniti and Karantasiou starting the 005 with a silver medal in Italy and a rwegian title, Koutroumanidou and Tsiartsiani followed with a Portuguse silver medal after dropping the title match to Americans Misty May- Treanor and Kerri Walsh. Koutroumanidou and Tsiartsiani ended the year with a third in Bali. Following the 005 season where they won 34 of 64 matches with seven top nines and two medals for 15 events, Koutroumanidou and Tsiartsiani have posted a record with seven top nines and one final four finish in 39 events. However, back-to-back ninths at 008 stops in Stavanger and the European Championships in Germany are good signs. Koutroumanidou and Tsiartsiani began playing internationally in 1999 and 000, respectively. Koutroumanidou gained early success with Arvaniti as the pair d fourth at the 00 SWATCH FIVB Junior World Championships before finishing ninth at Athens 004. Koutroumanidou and Arvaniti also won a 004 European tour event together in Spain. 008 Marseille FRA 17, Women s CEV Champ. GER 9 3, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 5 3, Berlin GER 5 3, Stare Jablonki POL 17, Barcelona ESP 5 1, Osaka JPN 17, Seoul KOR 17, Shanghai CHN 9 5, Adelaide AUS 17, Phuket THA 17 3, Fortaleza BRA 17 3, St. Petersburg RUS 9 6, Aland FIN 5, Kristiansand NOR 13 3, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Gstaad SUI 17 7, Marseille FRA 4 1, Berlin GER 17 5, Montréal CAN 17 3, Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 5 3, Espinho POR 5 10, Warsaw POL Seoul KOR 13 4, Sentosa SIN 13 4, Shanghai CHN 17 3, Acapulco MEX 17 3, Porto Santo POR 17 3, Warsaw POL 17 3, Klagenfurt AUT Paris FRA 9 9, St. Petersburg RUS 13 4,

16 Karantasiou* (Captain) 1 Greece Team name: Karantasiou* First name: Vassiliki Last name: Karantasiou Nickname: Vasso Birth date: Birth : Athens Hometown: Athens Height: 18 Weight: 7 FIVB Exp: 1 th season Language(s): Greek, English, Italian Sponsor(s): Red Bull, Puma, EAS Website: *sometimes spelled as Karadassiou Vassiliki Arvaniti & Vasso Karantasiou With past Olympic experience with different partners, Vassiliki Arvaniti and Vasso Karantasiou will be competing in the Beijing 008 Summer Games together as the most successful men s or women s Beach Volleyball team in Greek history. Two-time European champions in 005 and 007, Arvaniti and Karantasiou have competed in 46 FIVB events together since forming their partnership at the start of the 005 season. The Greeks now have eight final four finishes together and three podium ments with a gold medal at the July 005 rwegian Grand Slam where Arvaniti and Karantasiou upset Brazilians Juliana Felisberta Da Silva and Larissa França twice in the Stavanger competition , , , , , , , , , ,850 Total ,730 With silver medal finishes in 005 (Milan) and 008 (Stavanger), Arvaniti and Karantasiou have posted a match mark for 46 FIVB events. The Greeks were the 005 European tour leaders with a 7- title match mark and 10 podium ments. A veteran of 1 international Beach Volleyball seasons, Karantasiou ranks sixth for FIVB tournaments (116) played behind players from Australia, Brazil, Italy and Japan. She competed in the Sydney 000 (17th) and Athens 004 (ninth) Olympic Games with Efi Sfyri. Arvaniti is competing internationally for the sixth full season as she d ninth in the Athens 004 Olympic Games with Efthalia Koutroumanidou. When Arvaniti won her FIVB gold medal with Karantasiou in rway, she was the youngest player (0) to win an open international Beach Volleyball title. Arvaniti Team name: Arvaniti First name: Vassiliki Last name: Arvaniti Birth date: Birth : Athens Hometown: Athens Height: 178 Weight: 68 FIVB Exp: 8 th season Language(s): Greek, English Sponsor(s): Red Bull, EAS, Puma, 3Works Website: Women s CEV Champ. GER 7 4, Moscow RUS 9 8, Stavanger NOR 9, Paris FRA 17 5, Berlin GER 9 8, Stare Jablonki POL 7 7, Barcelona ESP 4 10, Seoul KOR 9 5, Shanghai CHN 7 7, St. Petersburg RUS 4 1, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 1 0, Aland FIN 9 6, Klagenfurt AUT 5 13, Gstaad SUI 9 11, Marseille FRA 9 6, Berlin GER 9 8, Montréal CAN 5 10, , , , , , , Total , Stavanger NOR 5 13, Paris FRA 9 8, Espinho POR 4 1, Warsaw POL 7 8, Seoul KOR 17 3, Sentosa SIN 17 3, Acapulco MEX 5, Victoria BRA 7 8, Porto Santo POR 5, Warsaw POL 9 6, Klagenfurt AUT 4 17, Paris FRA 7 11, Marseille FRA 7 8, Stavanger NOR 9 7, Gstaad SUI 7 11, Athens GRE 17 3, Shanghai CHN 5 10,

17 Teru Saiki 1 Japan Team name: Teru Saiki First name: Mika Last name: Saiki Birth date: Birth : Ehime, Matsuyama Hometown: Matsuyama Height: 17 Weight: 63 FIVB Exp: 10 th season Language(s): Japanese Sponsor(s): Reebok, Daiki, ANA Swans Kusuhara (Captain) Team name: Kusuhara First name: Chiaki Last name: Kusuhara Birth date: Birth : Ehime Hometown: Kanagawa-ken Height: 175 Weight: 68 FIVB Exp: 11 th season Language(s): Japanese , , , , , , , ,65 Total , , , , , , , , , , ,950 Total ,915 Chiaki Kusuhara & Mika Teru Saiki The Beijing 008 Summer Games will be the second Olympic Beach Volleyball competitions for Chiaki Kusuhara and Mika Teru Saiki as Japan has been represented by at least one women s team in each of the tournaments since While Kusuhara and Ryo Tokuno d 17th at the Athens 004 Games, Teru Saiki posted the Asian country s best-ever Olympic finish as she teamed with Yukiko Takahashi for a Sydney 000 fourth after being defeated in the medal round by two teams from Brazil. Kusuhara and Teru Saiki secured a Beijing berth by defeating Simone Kuhn and Lea Schwer in the final qualifying event in Marseille where the Japanese moved ahead of the Swiss pair in the Olympic standings. Kusuhara and Teru Saiki also scored a contender s bracket win over the Swiss in Seoul to help improve their Olympic qualification point total. Kusuhara (117 FIVB events, tied for fourth all-time) and Teru Saiki (96) are the two most-experienced international players from Japan. Kusuhara s best finish in an open FIVB event was a 00 fourth in Austria with Tokuno. Kusuhara and Tokuno also d fourth in a 001 Greek Challenger. The 000 season was Teru Saiki s most productive as she and Takahashi were ninth on the international ranking list with four FIVB final four finishes. Before their Sydney ment, Teru Saiki and Takahashi netted a silver medal in Osaka with thirds in Brazil and Germany. Following the 000 Summer Games, Teru Saiki took two seasons off to raise her son before resuming competition in Marseille FRA 9 5, Moscow RUS 17 5, Stavanger NOR Paris FRA Berlin GER 17 5, Stare Jablonki POL 17, Barcelona ESP 17, Osaka JPN 13 3, Seoul KOR 13 3, Shanghai CHN Adelaide AUS 5 1, Fortaleza BRA 5, St. Petersburg RUS 13 4, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Gstaad SUI 37 3, Berlin GER 5 3, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 17 5, Espinho POR 17 3, Warsaw POL 9 6, Seoul KOR 17 3, Sentosa SIN 13 4, Shanghai CHN 13 4, Phuket THA 9 6, Acapulco MEX Victoria BRA 17 3, Milan ITA 17 3,

18 Candelas Mexico Team name: Candelas First name: Candelas Last name: Bibiana Birth date: Birth : Torreon, Mexico Hometown: Mazatlan Height: 196 Weight: 76 FIVB Exp: nd season Language(s): Spanish, English Garcia (Captain) Team name: Garcia First name: Mayra Last name: Garcia Birth date: Birth : Tijuana, Mexico Hometown: Mazatlan Sinaloa Height: 173 Weight: 64 FIVB Exp: 8 th season Language(s): Spanish , ,000 Total , , , , , , , , Total ,615 Bibiana Candelas & Mayra Garcia The surprise team on the 008 women s FIVB tour has been Bibiana Candelas and Mayra Garcia as the Mexican pair started the campaign trailing the tandem in the last provisional spot for the Beijing 008 Olympics by more than 1,100 points. After failing to qualify for the Main Draw at the 008 season opener in Australia, Candelas and Garcia improved their Beijing qualifying total in eight of their next nine FIVB events to earn a spot in the field for the Summer Games. Highlighting Candelas and Garcia s run was a seventh- finish in Korea for the best finish by a Mexican team on the FIVB tour since 003. The pair also d ninth at the Berlin and Stavanger Grand Slam events. The 36-year-old Garcia is in the midst of her eighth season of FIVB campaign with Olympic experience at the Athens 004 Summer Games with Hilda Gaxiola. The 4-year-old Candelas is competing on the international Beach Volleyball tour for only the second season after completing an All- American collegiate Volleyball career at the University of Southern California and playing for more than eight years on the Mexican National Team. Garcia has played in 75 FIVB events with her best finish being a 003 fifth in Bali with Gaxiola. Garcia and Gaxiola competed in 55 FIVB events with eight top-nine finishes as the pair also d second at the 003 PanAm Games in the Dominican Republic. All 19 of Candelas FIVB starts have been with Garcia, with the pair winning the bronze medal at the 007 PanAm Games in Rio de Janeiro. 008 Marseille FRA 13 3, Moscow RUS 17 5, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 5 3, Berlin GER 9 8, Stare Jablonki POL 5 1, Barcelona ESP 17, Osaka JPN 17, Seoul KOR 9 5, Shanghai CHN 7 7, Adelaide AUS Phuket THA Fortaleza BRA Stavanger NOR Paris FRA Espinho POR Warsaw POL Seoul KOR 5, Sentosa SIN Shanghai CHN 5,

19 Kadijk R. Netherlands Team name: Kadijk R. First name: Rebekka Last name: Kadijk Birth date: Birth : Werkendam Hometown: Rotterdam Height: 175 Weight: 67 FIVB Exp: 1 th season Language(s): English, Dutch, German Sponsor(s): Lancaster sun protection, Adidas eye protection, Brunotti, Fek Metaal, Hightec pp, O.B. Website: Mooren (Captain) Team name: Mooren First name: Merel Last name: Mooren Birth date: Birth : Haarlem Hometown: Amstelveen Height: 186 Weight: 70 FIVB Exp: 7 th season Language(s): Ned , , , , , , , , , ,05 Total , , , , , , , Total ,875 Rebekka Kadijk & Merel Mooren Rebekka Kadijk and Merel Mooren have reached a plateau with their Beach Volleyball partnership and the Dutch duo is hoping to climb to new heights when they begin participation in the Beijing 008 Olympic Games. Forming their partnership in 005, Kadijk s and Mooren s first season of FIVB competition proved to be their most productive by being ranked seventh internationally after placing fifth four times with 10 top-nine finishes in 13 starts. In 006, the Dutch pair d 1th on the FIVB points list with five top-nine ments in 1 starts. With the 007 and 008 seasons featuring Olympic qualifying, Kadijk and Mooren have only five top-nine ments in 19 starts. After posting a winning match mark (61-5) in their first two seasons together, Kadijk and Mooren are 11 games under.500 (8-39) in 007 and 008. Kadijk, who is married to a former Dutch player (Richard de Kogel), and Mooren have won three European tour events the past two seasons after reaching the podium six times in 005 and 006, when they won silver medals in the confederation championships both years. On the European tour since 005, Kadijk and Mooren have 10 final four finishes in 16 events with a 49-7 match mark. While Kadijk will be competing in her third Olympic Beach Volleyball competition after playing with her sister in 000 and Marrit Leenstra in 004, Mooren has fulfilled her dreams for the first time. Debora Schoon Kadijk also competed in the Atlanta 1996 games with Lisette Van de Ven. 008 Marseille FRA 17, Women s CEV Champ. GER 9 3, Moscow RUS Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 9 8, Berlin GER 5 3, Stare Jablonki POL Barcelona ESP 17, Seoul KOR Shanghai CHN Adelaide AUS 5 1, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 9 3, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Gstaad SUI 37 3, Berlin GER 17 5, Montréal CAN 7 8, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 9 8, Warsaw POL 5, Seoul KOR 17 3, Sentosa SIN 7 8, Shanghai CHN 5, Phuket THA 7 8, Acapulco MEX 17 3, Victoria BRA 13 4, Porto Santo POR 17 3, Warsaw POL 17 3, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Paris FRA 17 4, Marseille FRA 7 8, Stavanger NOR 17 4, Gstaad SUI 7 11, Athens GRE 7 8, Modena ITA 9 6,

20 Hakedal (Captain) 1 rway Team name: Hakedal First name: Nila Ann Last name: Hakedal Birth date: Birth : Kristiansand Hometown: Oslo Height: 177 Weight: 71 FIVB Exp: 9 th season Language(s): rwegian, English Website: Team name: Torlen First name: Ingrid Last name: Torlen Birth date: Birth : Alesund Hometown: Oslo Height: 174 Weight: 70 FIVB Exp: 8 th season Language(s): rwegian Torlen , , , , , , , Total , , , , , , , , Total ,685 Nila Ann Hakedal & Ingrid Torlen Nila Ann Hakedal and Ingrid Torlen are the only women s team from rway to compete in an FIVB final four while placing on the podium in the -season history of the international Beach Volleyball circuit. One of four rwegian teams to compete in the men s and women s competition at the Athens 004 Olympic Games, Hakedal and Torlen rank as one of Europe s top pairs by advancing to the final four at the past three continental championships in Russia, Spain and Germany with bronze-medal ments in 006 and 007. With both players being slowed by injuries since the start of the Beijing 008 Olympic qualifying process, Hakedal and Torlen have competed in 78 FIVB events since forming their partnership in 00. The pair ended the 006 season with a bronze-medal finish in Acapulco and a fourth in Phuket. Hakedal and Torlen started the Beijing process in 007 with a silver medal at the season-opening event in Shanghai. After finishing fifth in the next FIVB event in Singapore, Hakedal and Torlen were slowed by various medical problems, finishing ninth or higher in only six of their next 16 starts. After placing 17th, 13th, 17th, 5th and 17th in their first five FIVB events in 008, Hakedal and Torlen have rebounded with fifth and ninth ments in Grand Slam stops in rway and Russia, respectively, before advancing to the final four at the European Championships in Hamburg, Germany. 008 Women s CEV Champ. GER 15, Moscow RUS 9 8, Stavanger NOR 5 13, Paris FRA 17 5, Berlin GER 5 3, Stare Jablonki POL 17, Barcelona ESP 13 3, Shanghai CHN 17, St. Petersburg RUS 7 8, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 3 10, Aland FIN 9 6, Kristiansand NOR 5 8, Gstaad SUI 17 7, Berlin GER 9 8, Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 17 5, Espinho POR 5, Seoul KOR 5, Sentosa SIN 5 10, Shanghai CHN, Phuket THA 4 1, Acapulco MEX 3 16, Victoria BRA 5 10, Porto Santo POR 7 8, Warsaw POL 5 10, Klagenfurt AUT 9 7, Paris FRA 9 9, St. Petersburg RUS 7 8, Montréal CAN 9 6, Stavanger NOR 9 7, Gstaad SUI 17 4, Athens GRE 17 3, Shanghai CHN 13 4, Modena ITA 13 4,

21 Maaseide (Captain) 1 rway Team name: Maaseide First name: Kathrine Last name: Maaseide Birth date: Birth : Stavanger Hometown: Stavanger Height: 18 Weight: 7 FIVB Exp: 10 th season Language(s): rwegian, English Glesnes Team name: Glesnes First name: Susanne Last name: Glesnes Birth date: Birth : Bergen Hometown: Nyborg/Bergen Height: 177 Weight: 73 FIVB Exp: 9 th season Language(s): rwegian , , , , , , , , , ,100 Total , , , , , , , , , ,100 Total ,140 Susanne Glesnes & Kathrine Maaseide The longest-running partnership on the women s FIVB tour features Susanne Glesnes and Kathrine Maaseide as the rwegians have been competing together since 1999, with their career highlight being one of four Beach Volleyball teams from the Scandinavian country to compete at Athens 004. Maaseide joined her brother as one of five families to have two members participating in the Olympic Beach Volleyball competition since the introduction of the sport at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Games. Bjorn Maaseide played in the first three Olympic Beach Volleyball events with Jan Kvalheim (1996 and 000) and Iver Horrem (004). The rwegian partnership missed one year of competition together in 005 due to child birth for Glesnes as Maaseide played the season and 15 events with Kristine Wiig. Glesnes/Maaseide restarted the next year and compiled enough points to return to the Olympics with the hopes of bettering their 17th- finish in Athens. Maaseide s brother attempted to qualify for Beijing with Horrem, but the pair could not finish higher than 17th in nine 008 qualifying efforts to see Bjorn s hope for a fourth Olympics disappear. Glesnes and Maaseide s best FIVB finishes have been fifths, including one at the 007 Austrian Grand Slam in Klagenfurt. Other fifth-s were achieved in 00 in France and Brazil, and 006 in Warsaw as the pair was one match win away from qualifying for a FIVB final four. While the Brazilian Salgado family has produced FIVB medals for the mother, son and daughters at different events, the Maaseides had a father (Bjorn), daughter (Kristina) and aunt (Kathrine) participate in the same international Beach Volleyball tournament at the 007 rwegian stop in Stavanger. 008 Women s CEV Champ. GER 3 10, Moscow RUS 9 8, Stavanger NOR 17 5, Paris FRA 17 5, Berlin GER 17 5, Stare Jablonki POL 9 5, Barcelona ESP 13 3, Osaka JPN 5 1, Shanghai CHN 5 1, Adelaide AUS 5 1, Fortaleza BRA 13 4, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 5 5, Aland FIN 5, Kristiansand NOR 5 1, Klagenfurt AUT 5 13, Gstaad SUI 9 11, Marseille FRA 17 3, Berlin GER 17 5, Montréal CAN 7 8, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 5 3, Espinho POR 5, Warsaw POL 13 4, Seoul KOR 9 6, Sentosa SIN 13 4, Shanghai CHN 9 6, Phuket THA 5, Acapulco MEX 7 8, Victoria BRA 9 6, Porto Santo POR 9 6, Warsaw POL 5 10, Klagenfurt AUT Paris FRA 5 3, St. Petersburg RUS

22 Uryadova (Captain) Russia Team name: Uryadova First name: Natalya Last name: Uryadova Birth date: Birth : Moscow Hometown: Kozolev, Moscow Height: 181 Weight: 71 FIVB Exp: 6 th season Language(s): Russian Shiryaeva Team name: Shiryaeva First name: Alexandra Last name: Shiryaeva Birth date: Birth : St. Petersburg Hometown: St. Petersburg Height: 185 Weight: 73 FIVB Exp: 5 th season , , , , ,000 Total , , , , , Total ,000 Alexandra Shiryaeva & Natalya Uryadova The potential is there and the experience has been gained for Alexandra Shiryaeva and Natalya Uryadova as the pair becomes the first Russian women s team to qualify for Olympic Beach Volleyball competition since the sport was introduced at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Games. The unexpected winners of the 006 European Championships where the Russians upset the second-, third-, fourth- and seventh-seeded teams enroute to the gold medal in The Hague, Shiryaeva and Uryadova have never regained the success achieved during their second season of competition together. Shiryaeva and Uryadova d seventh in their first-ever FIVB event together at a 005 stop in Milan and the Russians posted their country s first-ever women s final four finish on the international tour in Poland a week after winning the continental championships. Shiryaeva, an FIVB U1 world champion in 003 with Anna Morozova, and Uryadova posted a match mark in their first 17 FIVB events. Since then, the pair has combined for a -4 record in their next 18 events with their best ment being a seventh at the 007 St. Petersburg stop. The Russians are capable, but lack consistency since winning the 006 European title followed by a fourth in Poland. The 31-year-old Uryadova, who has a son (Mischa), and 5-year-old Shiryaeva are hoping to rebound from a sluggish slate the past two years to take advantage of the Olympic format to match their potential achieved in 006 and prove that their past experiences have been valuable. 008 Marseille FRA 5 8, Moscow RUS 17 5, Stavanger NOR 17 5, Paris FRA 17 5, Berlin GER 17 5, Osaka JPN 17, Seoul KOR 17, Shanghai CHN 17, Adelaide AUS 9 5, St. Petersburg RUS 7 8, Women s CEV Champ. ESP 4 7, Kristiansand NOR 17, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Gstaad SUI 17 7, Marseille FRA 5, Berlin GER 9 8, Stavanger NOR 5 3, Paris FRA 5 3, Warsaw POL 17 3, Shanghai CHN 17 3, Victoria BRA 17 3, Warsaw POL 4 1, Klagenfurt AUT 5 3, Paris FRA St. Petersburg RUS 9 6, Marseille FRA Gstaad SUI 5 3, Athens GRE 17 3, Shanghai CHN Modena ITA Cape Town RSA 17 3, Bali INA 13 4, Klagenfurt AUT 13 6, Paris FRA

23 Augoustides (Captain) 1 South Africa Team name: Augoustides First name: Judith Last name: Augoustides Birth date: Birth : Cologne, Germany Hometown: Cape Town Height: 187 Weight: 74 FIVB Exp: nd season Nel Team name: Nel First name: Vitalila Last name: Nel Birth date: Birth : Zaporozie, Ukraine Hometown: Cape Town Height: 180 Weight: 67 FIVB Exp: 3 rd season ,400 Total , ,000 Total ,000 Judith Augoustides & Vitalila Nel An unexpected retirement helped Vitalila Nel to achieve her Olympic dream as she and Judith Augoustides will represent the women s Beach Volleyball players from the African continent at the Beijing 008 Summer Games as part of the South African team. Augoustides was close to qualification last summer when she and 004 South African Olympian Leigh-Ann Naidoo played in seven FIVB events with Main Draw finishes in Montreal and at the World Championships in Switzerland. However, Naidoo decided to retire and 33-year-old Auguoustides was left to search for a new partner. Enter the 3-year-old Nel, who had limited FIVB experience after moving to South Africa from the Ukraine where she got married and gave birth to her daughter (Vivienne). Auguoustides also moved to South Africa from Germany where she played six seasons for the European country on the FIVB tour. With Nel at her side, Augoustides achieved the required eight events for Beijing consideration as the pair missed qualifying for Main Draws in Korea and Japan. While Nel had played in only four FIVB events before this season, Augoustides had competed in 6 international events for Germany as she d ninth at the 003 World Championships in Rio de Janeiro with Helke Claasen. Augoustides husband (Casey) and Patrik Flisberg missed an Olympic Beach Volleyball berth by two points after being passed at the final qualifying event in Marseille by Morais Abreu and Emanuel Fernandes as the Angolans qualified for their first-ever FIVB Main Draw. 008 Moscow RUS Stavanger NOR Paris FRA Berlin GER Stare Jablonki POL Osaka JPN Seoul KOR Shanghai CHN

24 Branagh (Captain) 1 United States Team name: Branagh First name: Nicole Last name: Branagh Birth date: Birth : Orinda, Calif. Hometown: Torrance, Calif. Height: 187 Weight: 79 FIVB Exp: 3 rd season Youngs Team name: Youngs First name: Elaine Last name: Youngs Nickname: Ey Birth date: Birth : El Toro, Calif. Hometown: Durango, Colo. Height: 183 Weight: 65 FIVB Exp: 1 th season Language(s): English Sponsor(s): Oakley , , ,450 Total , , , , , , , , , , ,075 Total ,833 Nicole Branagh & Elaine Youngs Elaine Youngs will have the opportunity for her second Olympic Beach Volleyball medal as the 38-year-old teams with Nicole Branagh as the second American team in Beijing. Youngs captured the Athens 004 Olympic bronze medal with Holly McPeak with their only setback being in the semi-finals to compatriots Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh. For the third spot on the Athens podium, Youngs and McPeak defeated Australians Natalie Cook and Nicole Sanderson. Branagh and Youngs have competed in 19 FIVB events together with an 87-9 match mark. In their last 11 starts, the Americans have reached eight FIVB final fours. During the streak, Branagh and Youngs d on the podium seven times with three title matches and a gold medal at the 008 Barcelona stop. With 1 seasons of international Beach Volleyball experience, Youngs has played in 94 FIVB events with 1 gold medals, 1 title matches, 38 podium ments and 51 final four appearances with six different partners. With the Barcelona gold medal, Youngs became the oldest women to win an FIVB event. She participated in the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Volleyball competition and missed qualifying on the beach for Sydney 000 with Liz Masakayan. Branagh is competing internationally for the third year with 4 FIVB events, including five starts with McPeak in 006 when the pair d fifth at the Gstaad Grand Slam stop. All nine of Branagh s FIVB final four finishes have been with Youngs with seven medals and three title match appearances. 008 Moscow RUS 9, Stavanger NOR 5 13, Paris FRA 3 3, Berlin GER 5 13, Barcelona ESP 1 8, Osaka JPN 9 5, Seoul KOR 3 14, Adelaide AUS 4 10, Phuket THA, Fortaleza BRA 3 16, St. Petersburg RUS 3 16, Klagenfurt AUT 9 8, Gstaad SUI 5 18, Berlin GER 5 13, Stavanger NOR 9 8, Paris FRA 5 13, Phuket THA 5 10, Acapulco MEX 13 4, Victoria BRA 4 1,

25 Walsh (Captain) 1 United States Team name: Walsh First name: Kerri Last name: Walsh Birth date: Birth : Santa Clara, Calif. Hometown: Hermosa Beach, Calif. Height: 190 Weight: 70 FIVB Exp: 8 th season Language(s): English Website: May-Treanor Team name: May-Treanor First name: Misty Last name: May-Treanor Birth date: Birth : Costa Mesa, Calif. Hometown: Coral Springs, Fla. Height: 177 Weight: 68 FIVB Exp: 10 th season Language(s): English Sponsor(s): Mikasa, Nautica, Bolle, Gatorade, XBOX Website: , , , , , , , ,500 Total , , , , , , , , , , ,50 Total ,50 Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh will be seeking their second Olympic medal after capturing the Athens 004 Summer Games title by winning all eight of their matches as the. 1-seeded team in the competition with a gold-medal win over Adriana Behar and Shelda of Brazil May-Treanor and Walsh also top the Beijing 008 Olympic Games qualifying list with 6,440 points for their best-eight FIVB finishes since May 007. The only blemish in missing a perfect Beijing mark was a semi-final setback to Jia Tian and Jie Wang of China at the 007 rwegian Grand Slam. With 58 international participations since forming their partnership in 001, May- Treanor and Walsh have won a record 34 FIVB titles while claiming 49 medals. With a FIVB career record, the Americans have won their last 6 matches. Since June 007, May-Treanor and Walsh have topped the international podium in 10 of their next 11 events. May-Treanor and Walsh have won 75 of their last 76 FIVB matches. May-Treanor and Walsh have won the last three SWATCH FIVB World Championships by defeating Adriana Behar/Shelda (003, Rio de Janeiro), Juliana/Larissa of Brazil (005, Berlin) and Tian/ Wang (007, Gstaad). Both players are married to professional athletes. May-Treanor is wedded to Matt Treanor, a Major League Baseball catcher for the Florida Marlins. Walsh is married to Beach Volleyball player Casey Jennings, who finished third on the American men s 008 Olympic qualifying list with Matt Fuerbringer. 008 Stavanger NOR 1 43, Paris FRA 1 43, Berlin GER 1 43, Phuket THA 1 3, Fortaleza BRA 1 3, Klagenfurt AUT 1 43, Gstaad SUI 1 60, Berlin GER 1 43, Montréal CAN 1 3, Stavanger NOR 3 3, Paris FRA 1 43, Phuket THA 3 16, Acapulco MEX 1 3, Victoria BRA 3 16, Klagenfurt AUT 5 1, Paris FRA 8, Gstaad SUI 1 4, Athens GRE 1 3, Modena ITA, Cape Town RSA 1 3, Acapulco MEX, Salvador BRA 1 3, Klagenfurt AUT 1 41, Paris FRA 1 41, Espinho POR 1 3, Berlin GER 1 6, Athens Olympic Games GRE Berlin GER 17 5, Gstaad SUI 1 7, Rhodes GRE 1 7, Fortaleza BRA 1 7, Rio de Janeiro BRA 1 60, Los Angeles USA 1 45, Klagenfurt AUT 1 40,