This year’s Phuket Thailand Open powered by PTT, last stop on the 2011 FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour is being used as a springboard for the Thai teams to make a challenge on the 2012 World Tour.
Over the past decade the Thai teams have rarely made an appearance on the international circuit, despite some positive results on the home sands in Phuket. However, next year due to the availability of sponsorship support at least 2 teams will be seriously competing on the FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour.
Kamoltip Kulna & Varapatsorn Radarong.
Beach Volleyball coach Petcharat Putsorn who along with the Thailand Volleyball Association is organizing the Thailand teams on the 2012 World Tour said, “The teams will use the Phuket Thailand Open as a springboard to test the local girls’ competitiveness against the world’s top teams. It is our target to get the Thai teams through to the 2nd day of the main draw competition, if we can achieve this goal, then we know we have the ability to make an impact next year.
“Of course it won’t be easy for us in our first year on the tour as we will have to play in the qualifying rounds at most of the tournaments as our teams do not have any ranking points,” continued Putsorn. “It is our goal to use 2012 to gain the necessary experience and pick up as many points as possible, so that we can launch a strong challenge in 2013 with the goal of getting at least 2 teams into the world’s top 50.”
Thailand is hopeful of getting three teams into the main draw of the Phuket Thailand Open being held on Karon beach from 1–6 November; they are Kamoltip Kulna and Varapatsorn Radarong, Jarunee Sannok and Usa Tenpaksee, and Tanarattha Udomchavee and Rumpaipruet Numwong.
Jarunee Sannok & Usa Tenpaksee.
One of the Thai team’s senior players Kamoltip Kulna said that “We have been training hard for the tournament in Phuket and the South-East Asian games, so we are feeling fit and confident about our chances of causing some surprises. Of course a lot depends on the draw, but I am sure that the Thai beach volley fans will be out there cheering us on, which is a huge motivation for us”.
