Canada's Top Beach Volleyball Teams set to Play in First Ever Commonwealth Games Tournament

GOLD COAST – Sun – Surf – Sand and Intense Competition: Canada’s beach volleyball teams are ready to showcase the sport for the first time at the Commonwealth Games, April 6 to 12, 2018 at Queen Elizabeth Park, Coolangatta, Australia’s Gold Coast’s southernmost suburb.

"We are very excited to bring our top beach athletes to the Gold Coast as part of Canada’s Commonwealth Games team”, said Steve Anderson, Canadian Beach Volleyball Head Coach. “Coolangatta will be a great setting for the first-ever beach tournament of the Games, and we’re looking forward to making Canada proud and contributing to the team’s podium successes."

The Canadian women’s duo of Sarah Pavan (Kitchener, ON) and Melissa Humana-Paredes (Toronto, ON), who are currently ranked #1 in the world, are looking forward to being part of the first Commonwealth Games beach volleyball tournament.

"We are both so honoured and excited to be representing Canada in such a prestigious tournament," said Humana-Paredes, who teamed up with Pavan, a 2016 Olympian, in 2017. "It’s rare to be able to participate in multi-sport games so when we get an opportunity, we jump on it! There’s something a little bit magical of being a part of something bigger and to share it with other Canadian athletes is special. We also know Australia is going to do an awesome job with the beach volleyball event!!"

Canada’s top men’s duo of Sam Pedlow (Barrie, ON) and Sam Schachter (Richmond Hill, ON) made their debut as a team on the World Tour in 2017.

“We are honoured to be participating in the Commonwealth Games representing our country,” said Schachter, who played for Canada at the 2015 Pan Am Games as well as the 2016 Olympic Summer Games with Josh Binstock. “It is especially exciting to be involved in a multi-sport games where beach volleyball is included for the first time. We are excited to share our sport with the world and hopefully prove that beach volleyball belongs in such an illustrious event.”

24 nations are taking part in both the men’s and women’s tournaments, with the two Canadian teams ranked #1 in the tournament. Pavan/Humana-Paredes will play Fiji in their opening clash on day one, while Pedlow/Schachter will take on Sierra Leone in the afternoon session on day one.

Each nation will play three matches during the preliminary stage of the competition, with the two highest-ranked teams from each pool and the two best third-ranked teams from all pools advancing to the quarter final phase.

The full Gold Coast 2018 Beach Volleyball schedule is available at: https://www.gc2018.com/sites/default/files/2018-02/Beach%20Volleyball%20...

Sylvie Bigras

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