After Challenge and Elite16 events in Mexico, and the first Futures tournament in Australia, the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour heads to one of the countries with the richest tradition in the sport. Between Thursday and Sunday, the Brazilian city of Itapema will set the stage for the second Challenge tournament of the season.

Located in the southern region of Brazil, Itapema has become a favourite destination for international beach volleyball in recent years. The Meia Praia Beach hosted FIVB World Tour events in 2018, 2019 and 2021. The city will now become the first in South America to host a competition on the Beach Pro Tour, the fourth tournament on the new Tour.

· Watch all the matches of the Itapema Challenge live or on demand on Volleyball TV.

Itapema’s connection with beach volleyball started in 2017, when the city first hosted an event on the Brazilian National Tour. It was an immediate hit, with fans packing the stadium every single day and creating a vibrant and fun atmosphere for the players on the court and around the city.

Since 2018, the city has become one of the most popular venues for international beach volleyball, and the dates of the events in Itapema have been highlighted in players’ and fans’ calendars. Year after year, the tournaments have generated massive interest from beach volleyball fans in the region, with packed stadiums and wait lines the norm.

There are several keys to the city's success. To start with, matches in Itapema always take place just a few steps away from the ocean. Fans attending the events have also had access to the “Volleyball Village”, where they can enjoy live music and food.

Despite only having hosted three international beach volleyball events so far, Itapema has also already become a part of the history of the sport. It was at the Meia Praia, back in 2018, that Norwegians Anders Mol and Christian Sorum won their first international medal as partners, a silver after they lost the final against Brazilians Evandro Goncalves and Andre Loyola.

It was also in Itapema that the final World Tour event was held last November. Victories for Andre and partner George Wanderley and for fellow Brazilians Agatha Bednarczuk and Eduarda ‘Duda’ Lisboa marked the end of an era in the sport with the arrival of the Beach Pro Tour replacing the World Tour.

The venue for this year’s Beach Pro Tour event also hosted events on this year's senior and U-21 Brazilian Tours. This week, it’s time for international players and their passionate fans to get together again in Itapema.

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Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour
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