USA will Host? Just Kidding! We bet you got very excited when we said USA would host one round.
Not this time again folks! We are crushed.
Since USA is the defending champion, we thought, hoped and dreamed that USA would host one round. Bummer! How come USA never gets to host the Grand Prix but it ? Regardless, we’d still be cheering for Logan Tom and Team.
Here are some important notes to remember for this annual FIVB tournament:
1. There will be 16 teams this year compared to 12 from the previous editions. The top 8 ranked teams (including host China) instead of 6 will advance to the Final Round.
2. Due to the nuclear crisis, the Japanese Volleyball Federation will decide if they could host the Grand Prix that’s why the Pool Schedule says “TBD” for Japan.
3. Peru returns to the Grand Prix stage after 17 years.
4. The FIVB decided to allow one African team to compete for a spot in the prestigious tourney. If Algeria wins against Kazakhstan, then it’d be the first country to represent Africa.
5. Cuba is finally back after missing the 2009 and 2010 editions.
6. Noticeably missing is The Netherlands, 2007 World Grand Prix Champion, who failed to win a spot in the 2011 European Grand Prix Qualification. Russia (without Sokolova), Italy, Germany, Poland (Wild Card) and Serbia (2010 European League Champion) will represent the European zone.
7. After a 10 year hiatus, Macau will host the Final Round again.
It might be too early to predict but we have a feeling USA will defend its crown while Brazil and Russia will settle for silver and bronze.
THOUGHTS?
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