TORONTO, Sept. 13, 2016 /CNW/ - From Sept. 13 – 18, Toronto's Polson Pier hosts the world's beach volleyball elite for the first time in 16 years - the Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals (#TorontoFinals), part of the Swatch Major Series.
In front of the picturesque downtown Toronto skyline, the 2016 FIVB World Tour draws to a thrilling close. Spectators will be able to watch the biggest names in beach volleyball go head-to-head at no charge, with the tournament offering free admission for fans.
Bell Media's TSN and Virgin Radio Toronto, official media partners of the SWATCH BEACH VOLLEYBALL FIVB WORLD TOUR FINALS, are set to cover the event, with TSN delivering exclusive live coverage across Canada from September 16-18, and Virgin Radio Toronto providing live on-site activations from Polson Pier. Along with taking in elite volleyball, fans will be immersed in a Copacabana atmosphere at Polson Pier, with acclaimed DJs Florian and Tobias Rudig providing high-energy music and entertainment throughout the tournament - The Austrian brothers recently hyped beach volleyball crowds at Copacabana during Rio 2016, as well as throughout this season's Swatch Major Series. The top 12 teams across the world, both men and women, are set to compete for the highest prize money in beach volleyball - $100,000USD. The teams to beat include Rio 2016 Olympic Games gold medalists Alison Cerutti and Bruno Schmidt from Brazil, as well as Laura Ludwig and Kira Walkenhorst from Germany. For the first time since Rio, these Olympic medalists will go head-to-head with their opponents, adding to the drama.
According to Mark Heese, Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games bronze medalist, the ones to watch are Ben Saxton and Chaim Schalk. "I played here in Toronto a few times at Ashbridges Bay, and nothing beats playing at home," said Heese. "Having the same promoter here that promotes my favorite tournament of all times – Klagenfurt – is really great. They do it right, they do it professionally. It's an electric atmosphere. We have never seen anything like this here. So you have to come and be the first to experience this. And with the Toronto skyline as the backdrop, you couldn't ask for a better view to play beach volleyball."
What started with one FIVB tournament in 1987 has led to 23 men's and 20 women's events this past season. The inaugural 2015 edition in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was an all Brazilian affair, where both Alison/Bruno and Larissa/Talita took home the victories.
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SOCIAL GUIDE
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#TorontoFinals
ABOUT SWATCH MAJOR SERIES
The Swatch Beach Volleyball Major Series arose out of a joint venture between the Austrian Companies Red Bull and Hannes Jagerhofer, founder and CEO of the ACTS group. Red Bull, established in the 1980's by Dietrich Mateschitz, is one of the world's most famous brands, its direct marketing focusing on sports and lifestyle. ACTS Group, an agency founded in 1990, is a full service provider of event-marketing, external communication and online services and famous in the world of sports for its outstanding organizational qualities shown at the Beach Volleyball tournament in Klagenfurt/Carinthia. The collaboration of a worldwide successful brand and an experienced promoter takes Beach Volleyball to a whole new level. Furthermore another strong partner is on board: Swatch supports the sport and its athletes, being title sponsor of the Swatch Beach Volleyball Major Series. It displays a cooperation in order to develop Beach Volleyball as the world's number one summer sports event and to achieve the following vision: "Establish Beach Volleyball as a multimedial sports-entertainment event for athletes, fans & partners."
SOURCE Swatch Beach Volleyball Major Series
Image with caption: "Toronto to host Swatch Beach Volleyball FIVB World Tour Finals in September 2016 at Polson Pier (CNW Group/Swatch Beach Volleyball Major Series)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160913_C1075_PHOTO_EN_771253.jpg
Caroline Dunnet, Edelman, 647-252-2864/416-816-9947, [email protected]; Victoria Neufeld, Edelman, 416-849-8921, [email protected]
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