Nestea volley on in Boracay

BORACAY – Beach volleyball returns to this scenic island paradise with 18 of the country’s top male and female squads battling it out not only for the top P150,000 purse but also for supremacy in the 10th Nestea Beach Volleyball Championship which fires off today here.

Last year’s men’s and women’s champions Adamson and College of St. Benilde will not be around after they were dethroned during the elimination phase last month but the field remains as talent-laden as ever, making the three-day event a wide open race. Former titlists Far Eastern U (1999) and Foundation U (2001) lead the men’s division and 2002 titlist Adamson heads the women’s side.

The runner up will get P75,000 while the third placer will receive P40,000.

Focus will also be on the Southwestern University pair of Maritess Natad and Janelle Tabio, out to regain the crown the school lost to St. Benilde last year after dominating the event from 2003-2005.

"The field this year is strong but we will give it our best shot to win it for the school," said Natad, one of those who flew early in one of the country’s top tourist spots to acclimatize.

The Tams, who won here eight years ago, will be represented by the tandem of Joshua Alcarde and Jeremy Floyd Pedregosa while their women’s squad is composed of Wendy Semana and Lorelin Astorga. The FEU bets topped both the Luzon eliminations.

The event is backed by Speedo, Mikasa, Villa de Oro Boracay Beach Resort Hotel, Boracay Mandarin Island Hotel, Boracay Gold Crowne Club, Microtel Inns and Suites, Hey! Jude, La Salle-Greenhills, Schering Plough Coppertone and Crystal Sand.

Aside from Foundation U, University of San Carlos and Southern Philippines Foundation are the other men’s qualifiers in the Visayan Leg while University of San Jose-Recoletos, University of Visayas and Southwestern U complete the distaff side.

Out to make an impact are the teams from Mindanao, including a duo from far-flung Tawi-Tawi Regional Agriculture College, which made it here for the first time. The other teams are the Mindanao State U and Capitol U in the men’s bracket and Holy Cross of Davao, University of Mindanao in Tagum and University of Mindanao in Davao in the women’s side.