PRESS RELEASE: FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Champions

PRESS RELEASE:

FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Champions

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Satono Ishitsubo and Asami Shiba made short work of Sakurako Fujii and Minori Kumada, 21-14, 21-18 to capture the gold medal in an all-Japan finale Sunday in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open presented by Globe at the White House Beach Station 1 here.

Shiba capped their unbeaten run with Ishitsubo in the four-day tournament organized by the Beach Volleyball Tournament with a drop shot to foil Fujii and Kumada’s bid to extend the match.

Chalking up their second career victory, Shiba and Ishitsubo displayed their superior skills on offense and defense that made them No. 86 in the world in front of a packed Sunday crowd that filled the beachfront in this island resort’s first sporting event since last October’s reopening.

Narongdet Kangkon and Banlue Nakprakhong of Thailand took the men’s gold by topping Japanese qualifier Yuya Ageba and Nobuaki Taira, 19-21, 22-20, 15-8.

The Thais rallied in the second set after their opponents first reached championship point to force a decider which they dominated. 

In the semifinals, Japan assured of winning a second straight Beach World Tour women’s gold in the Philippines as Ishitsubo and Shiba swept Brittany Kendall and Stefanie Weiler of Australia, 21-16, 21-17, and Sakurako and Kumada topped Tjasa Jancar and Tjasa Kotnik of Slovenia, 21-15, 18-21, 19-17.

Kendall and Weiler nipped Jancar and Kotnik, 24-26, 21-13, 15-13, to claim third place.      

The Philippines matched its fifth place finish in the Manila Open last year behind Sisi Rondina and Bernadeth Pons. The country has shown improvement in the Beach World Tour, with Bea Tan and Dij Rodriguez making it to the Round of 12, while Jackie Estoquia and DM Demontaño putting up a tough fight against the tough Russian pair of Ekaterina Filina and Ekaterina Zazhigina before exiting in pool play.

Ageba and Taira overcame Simon Baldauf and Maximilian Trummer of Austria, 21-17, 16-21, 15-12, in a thunderstorm-delayed semifinals while Narongdet and Banlue thwarted an all-Japanese men’s final with a 18-21, 21-18, 19-17 win over Jumpei Ikeda and Katsuhiro Shiratori.

Ikeda and Shiratori rallied from a set down to outlast Baldauf and Trummer, 16-21, 26-24, 16-14, and clinch the bronze medal. 

The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open 2019 is on!

Philippines’ Beach Volleyball Republic recently held a press conference in relation to their hosting of this year’s FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open tournament. The competition started yesterday, with 48 teams from all over the world expecting to vie for the division wins.

Below is the official presser for more details on this event.

PRESS RELEASE:

Top PH beach volleyball teams vs the world
BVR HOSTS FIVB WORLD TOUR BORACAY OPEN 2019

BVR founders and members of the PH teams competing in the tournament

Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) returns in blazing fashion to host the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Boracay Open 2019 featuring 48 teams from countries all over the world from May 23 until May 26 at the White House Beach, Boracay Station 1 and will be shown on ABS+CBN S+A.

Twenty-eight teams will be competing in the Men’s Division while 20 pairs will dispute supremacy in the Women’s Division for the tournament that is being held in the country for the second-straight year.

The Philippine contingent for this year is composed of three pairs for the Men’s Division and five for the Women’s Division

Competing in the Women’s Division are Negrense pair Dij Rodriguez and BVR founder Bea Tan; UST’s Genesa Eslapor and Belove Barbon; Iloilo’s DM Demontano and Jackie Estiquia; the Iloilo and Negros connection of Fiola Ceballos and Patty Orendain; and the team of Bernadeth Pons and UAAP Beach Volleyball queen, Sisi Rondina.

Leading the battle in the Men’s Division is the Cebuano pair of Jade Becaldo and Mike Abria. They will be joined by the likes of teammates Ranran Abdilla and Jesse Lopez and the pair of James Buytrago and Anthony Arbastro, who hails from National University (NU) and University of Santo Tomas (UST) respectively.

Winning teams will earn points and get a shot at joining the prestigious FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Finals.

The FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour is the new system which employs star points for the biggest circuit of beach volleyball in the world. Teams that accumulate certain points from competing in tournaments that enables them to earn star points over a total of 47 tournaments in a calendar year.

Aside from the three-day tournament, BVR is also spearheading a beach cleanup drive at Boracay along with a Sandroots Beach Volleyball workshop with the players teaching aspiring youth about the sport.

BVR had another calendar year in 2018, where it successfully staged nine two-day tourneys, visiting provinces and their breath-taking beaches in Ikthus beach, Ilocos Sur, White Beach, Puerto Galera, Sta. Ana Cagayan, Bantayan Cebu, Blue Beach Dagupan, Legaspi, Gran Ola Surigao, Lio Beach El Nido, and Dumaguete, while also holding a National Championship tourney and a FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour leg.

Bea Tan, one of BVR’s founders expressed gratitude to the organizations and athletes that believe and support in BVR’s mission to grow the sport in the Philippines and that one of the biggest achievements for the girls who built BVR was the holding of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour leg for the second year in a row.

“We’re looking at this FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour as a long term project. We want to annually be able to hold this big tournament here which is not only an opportunity for our beach volleyball aficionados but for the international community to take notice of the Philippines’ potential as a beach volleyball hub,” she shared.

For news and updates on the tournament, head to sports.abs-cbn.com or follow @abscbnsports on Facebook and Twitter. Also follow @BeachVolleyballRepublic on Facebook and Instagram, and @bvr_ph on Twitter.

The event was made possible w the collaboration of Beach Volleyball Republic And FIVB together w it’s partners E-plus, Globe, Havaianas, Royal Air, Chic n Honey Mikasa and One of a Kind Marketing. And ABS-CBN being the media partner for this event.

Pinoy Tennis Trainers (PTT) creates better opportunities for the PH Tennis Community

If you are fifteen years old, is blessed to live some kind of privileged life and is passionate about the sport of tennis, what will one of your dreams/goals be?

Stephan Lhuillier, founder of the Pinoy Tennis Trainers

Well, three years ago, then fifteen-year-old Stephan Lhuillier thought of creating a program with the objective of providing tennis trainers with the opportunity of improving their skills thru workshops thereby resulting to their being able to book more clients which allows them to earn more.

Such a noble act for a teener right? This program, known as the Pinoy Tennis Trainers (PTT), though originally the brainchild of now 18-year-old Stephan, have recently taken in younger brother Sebastien who is set to take the front seat as Stephan takes a temporarily “indirect role” in managing PTT as he leaves for university in 2019.

The Lhuillier Brothers: Stephan, 18yo and Sebastien, 15yo

Stephan said, “This coming year will be different because my brother, Sebastien Lhuillier will be formally joining the PTT family. As I prepare to begin my university studies in the States, I am confident that Sebastien will bring the same passion and dedication to the tennis community. This early, I have heard some of his plans for PTT, and I am really excited for 2019 as PTT enters the next level – through the leadership of Sebastien.”

Stephan and Sebastien, tennis enthusiasts and sons of Cebuana Lhuillier President and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier and Olympian Bea Lucero-Lhuillier, met with us bloggers a week ago at the Makati Sports Club to talk about PTT. Sebastien who will formally take the lead in PTT next year is a well-known tennis player in the local circuit and who represented the country in various meets abroad.

“I am thankful to be given this opportunity to serve on a leadership capacity for PTT for 2019. For the past three years, my brother has given opportunities to local trainers by introducing them to level 1 courses. My goal is to introduce new level 2 courses, with the help of Coach Roland and also actively pursue international tennis training for our top graduates,” said Sebastien.

A program that was built following a chance encounter of Stephan with a local ball boy who shared that his usual day rate is Php80, the PTT’s third leg which consists of a two-day tennis workshop for tennis trainers was just concluded last week. It was held at the Makati Sports Club and brought together 40 of the country’s best local tennis trainers representing schools and clubs from all over Metro Manila and Central Luzon. 

members of the PTT 2018 leg with Coach Roland, Sebastien and Stephan

It is also worth noting that the program was handled by Coach Roland Kraut, the only ITF Level 3 tennis coach in the Philippines, together with Stephan and Sebastien.

from l-r: Coach Roland Kraut, Sebastien and Stephan

“I am proud of what we have accomplished from the time we launched Happiest Pinoy more than three years ago. I am elated to hear that some of our graduates are now earning high-paying jobs or have moved on to become coaches of their respective clubs and local teams. That’s the real purpose of PTT, to create better opportunities for the hardworking men of our local tennis community,” said Stephan Lhuillier.

Since it was founded, PTT was able to conduct 13 training sessions across the country and produced close to 600 graduates. Armed with their PTT certification, the trainers were able to earn more with the higher level of training they received. Top PTT graduates such as Trudy Amoranto and JR Moreno were also sent to Thailand to participate in the ITF Level 1 Coaches course.

Want to be able to share and help too? The program also has what they call the “Adopt-A-Racket Program” which allows tennis enthusiasts, racket companies, national players or even non-tennis players, to donate tennis rackers to PTT. These rackets are then being given as incentives to the graduates who performed well during the training. 

Stephan and Sebastien, you truly are your parents’ children. Kudos to both of you and we wish that the PTT prosper more and grow more! Cheers to you and PTT!

Have you been to the newly-opened SPECIALIZED ELITE Store in MOA?

If you haven’t heard yet, yes Specialized is BACK!

After a nine-month absence in the market, the premier bicycle brand is back with a new concept store in SM by the Bay! Labelled as the “Specialized Elite Store”, the shop is definitely a cyclist’s haven!

Read on the below presser and see what I am talking about. Cheers!

PRESS RELEASE:

SPECIALIZED ELITE STORE OPENS IN SM BY THE BAY

This slideshow requires JavaScript.

Specialized Philippines, in partnership with Gruppo Innovare Corporation, the authorized and appointed distributor of Specialized Bicycle Components in the Philippines, officially opened the newest Specialized Elite Store on Wednesday, October 17 at the SM by the Bay, Mall of Asia in Pasay City.

Present during the event were the Gruppo Innovare team headed by its Managing Director, Mr. JL Gavino and Sales Director, Mr. Ritchie Santayana, Mr. Gino Abano, Commercial Director of Specialized SESA was also there to grace the event.

“We are proud to be opening the first Specialized Elite Store here at the SM by the Bay, a perfect location as it is a biker’s haven especially in the morning. As Specialized has striven to make the best bikes for riders since 1974, the Philippine riding community can expect the best one-stop bike shop experience the moment they walk in our store.”, said Mr. Santayana.

During the opening, Mr. Abano presented highlights of various Specialized bike products such as the Venge, the fastest road bike, and the Tarmac, the lightest race bike ever made by the brand.

For those who love off-road riding, the store also has the Stumpjumper, the brand’s most versatile trail bike, and the Turbo Levo and Kenevo, a pair of e-mountain bikes built to give riders the power to ride more trails.

The highlight of the day was the special preview of the all-new 2019 Shiv Disc. Guests were given a sneak peek on an actual setup of this limited-edition triathlon specific bike, which promises unprecedented aero design, storage for fuel and hydration to last the whole race, and the most flexible fit. It is the most complete triathlon bike ever made.

“We are very fortunate to be able to present to everyone here today an actual set-up of the all-new 2019 Shiv Disc. This complete tri bike will be available globally as a limited edition product and reservations can be placed until October 31, 2018.”, shared Mr. Abano.

The Specialized Elite Store offers worry-free purchases, and a complete “Specialized experience” through the store’s full scope of services: providing expert advice in choosing the best bike, experiencing the bikes first-hand through their bike test program, bike servicing by trained staff, and the Retül Match and Vantage system, the most technically advanced bike fitting and product matching technology available in the market.

The Specialized Elite Store in SM by the Bay is the first of three Specialized concept stores to open, with Pasig and Maginhawa St. in Quezon City completing the new stores for 2018. All three are known to be bike-friendly areas in the metropolis, and more stores are promised to come throughout the country over the next few years.

For further information, about Specialized in the Philippines, visit https://www.specialized.com/ph/en or like and follow Specialized Philippines on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/specialized.ph/.

Aftershokz Headphones now in the PH

Digital Walker, the country’s largest retailer of premium gadgets and accessories, has finally brought here in the Philippines the Aftershokz brand of headphones. The product was formally launched with a fun run at the BGC last August 30.

AfterShokz is touted to be the safest headphones for outdoor fitness. It is wireless and open-ear, placed on your cheekbones, just in front of your ears. This leaves your ear canals open, allowing you to remain alert and aware of ambient sounds while you enjoy your music. 

This is made possible by what they call the bone conduction technology which transmits audio waves to the inner ears through the skull, bypassing the eardrums completely.

Its headphones promise to deliver the ultimate level of comfort and situational awareness, without compromising on premium sound, making it perfect for runners, cyclists, hikers, and outdoor enthusiasts. 

Moreso, its Bluetooth® connectivity gives you the ability to be free of wires and make and receive phone calls. 

Who says music and outdoor sports can’t come together? Check out these two products from this line and see which appeals to you. 

Aftershokz Trekz Titanium (Php5,690)

Won the CES Innovations Award and Red Dot Award for its outstanding design and engineering. The backbone of the industrial design is a premium titanium frame, an element chosen not only for its strength and durability but also for its infinite flexibility.

AfterShokz Trekz Air (Php8,590)

The next generation in bone conduction technology and the brand’s lightest headphones, which delivers comfort and sound quality at the same time. Inspired by the demands of elite and aspiring athletes, the Trekz Air is 20% lighter than Trekz Titanium, weighing just 1.06oz.

Both headphones feature:

 

• OpenFit™ – Promising uncompromised situational awareness and extended comfort in a revolutionary open ear design. That means you can tune in to your music or a call without tuning out the world around you—vital for staying safe and alert as you move through the day. Its full titanium wraparound design provides infinite flexibility, a secure fit, and the ultimate level of comfort that can withstand the most rigorous of activities.
• PremiumPitch+™ Sound – Bone conduction audio has earned its bad reputation due to a blend of natural sound leakage and weak bass. PremiumPitch+™ technology optimizes the sound and includes additional features like LeakSlayer™ technology, which ensures music is directed exactly where it should be.
• Titanium Frame: The backbone of the industrial design is a premium titanium frame, an element chosen not only for its strength and durability, but also for its infinite flexibility, which will deliver maximum comfort, portability, and the very best sound.
• Sweat Resistant: Built to power through daily sweat sessions and wicked weather. IP55 rated to repel sweat, moisture and dust.
• Six Hours of Music and Calls: A single charge will reliably deliver six hours of music play and talk time. You can charge fully in 1.5 hours, but a quick 15-minute charge provides enough boost to get you through a long workout or marathon call.
• Noise Canceling Mics: Precisely placed dual noise-cancelling microphones exclude surrounding noise, effectively enhancing speech.
• Voice Prompts: Audrey Says™ seamlessly guide you through power, pair, play and talk, and everything in between.