IN the light of the Negros Island unification, beach volleyball stars from Negros will converge to Sipalay this weekend, hoping to sizzle the competition.
Bea Tan and Bianca Lizares will get the Beach Volleyball Republic on Tour Sipalay leg hotter as the long-time sand court campaigners will be paired for the first time ever on Saturday at the Poblacion Beach.
The tandem from Negros hope to wow their provincemates will their vast experience in the sand, as Tan and Lizares will be among the nine women's teams vying for the Sipalay leg crown.
One of the BVR founders, Tan is an alumna from University of St. La Salle in high school.
Tan played in last year's Sipalay leg with Perper Cosas, who will be paired this time with Erjane Magdato for Pontevedra in the two-day spikefest supported by the Philippine National Volleyball Federation (PNVF), SunPlay (official sunscreen partner), Smart, PLDT Home, Pepsi and Solasta Jewelry Shop..
Lizares, meanwhile, is a product of St. John's Institute and former Palarong Pambansa MVP. She placed fourth with MJ Ebro as her partner in Sipalay last year, and Lizares has been consistently competing in the BVR on Tour since 2018.
A bevy of Negrense standouts who are no strangers in the BVR on Tour will also showcase their talents in this laid-back city.
Silay's pride Honey Grace Cordero, who won the 2023 championship with a 5-0 record with sand court veteran Roma Joy Doromal, hopes to win another title in Sipalay with fellow National University sand court standout Kat Epa as her partner this time.
Far Eastern University's Melody Pons, a Talisay City native who studied in Rafael Lacson Memorial National High School, is looking forward to play at home with Gerzel Petallo.
Completing the nine-team women's cast are UST's Sofiah Pagara and Khy Progella, UNO-R's Edrilyn Garbajosa and Kyla Gallego and two teams from Sipalay, the pairs of Kimberly Babe Deuyan and Trisha Gene Geneblaza, and Japttia Rose Arquiro and Princess Kyle Judilla.
National team mainstay Gen Eslapor will banner the women's division entries with her younger sister Euri teaming up for Strong Group Athletics.
The BVR remains true in promoting beach volleyball lifestyle in the Philippines by providing a platform for athletes to train, develop their skills, build a community and compete in high-level tournaments all over the country.
Alas' Ranran Abdilla and AJ Pareja will banner the men's field which has also nine teams.
Abdilla won with Rancel Varga as his partner in last year's Sipalay leg via five-match sweep.
Aussies Luca Rocker-Graham and Killian Donovan will add spice to the men's competition, which also has UST's Aldwin Gupiteo and Dom Gabito, Far Eastern University's Kyle Retiza and Mikko Espartero, La Salle's Andre Espejo and Chris Hernandez, Air Force's Pol Salvador and Edwin Tolentino, Cebu's Samlet Booc and Michael Marabe, and two Sipalay pairs, Ivan Sanao and John Lloyd Guntan, and Johnrel Talita and John Joseph Mirasol.
The games will be available live on beachvolleyballrepublic.ph website.
Please check out the BVR social media accounts for more updates.
