Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, August 7, 2016 - FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça today officially announced the Austrian capital Vienna as host of its flagship Beach Volleyball World Championships in 2017 with President Graça vowing Vienna will be a chance to showcase the universal appeal and popularity of beach volleyball in an iconic European capital.
The announcement was made during an official press conference at the FIVB Volleyball House right by the iconic Copacabana Beach – the spiritual home of beach volleyball. President Graça was joined by CEO of the Vienna Tourist Board Norbert Kettner, President of the Austrian Volleyball Federation Peter Kleinmann, founder and CEO of the ACTS Group and the Beach Major Company Hannes Jagerhofer and Head of Austrian Olympic Committee Karl Stoss for the announcement ceremony which also included the presentation of an impressive volleyball cake.
The 11th edition of the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships will take place from July 28 until August 6 and will involve 48 women and men’s teams competing over a total of 208 matches for the prestigious title of world champions. At the heart of the event will be the state-of-the-art Centre Court, a spectacular stadium on Donauinsel island in Vienna. This will be surrounded by a Beach Village offering public viewing and exhibitions for fans. In the evening, the venue will transform into an event area, which will entertain guests with beach party nights and other evening events as part of the FIVB’s commitment to deliver an innovative and engaging entertainment spectacle as well as a sporting event.
From left to right: Karl Stoss, Head of the Austrian Olympic Committee, Norbert Kettner, CEO Vienna Tourist Board, Hannes Jagerhofer, BMC, Peter Kleinmann, President Austrian Volleyball Federation and FIVB President Dr. Ary S. Graça F°Austria has proved its hosting credentials before when the city of Klagenfurt staged the 2001 Beach Volleyball World Championships. Beach volleyball has grown in both popularity and marketing appeal since then. The sport is quickly becoming the signature event of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as it returns to its spiritual home on the iconic Copacabana Beach and tickets for beach volleyball have been some of the most sought after since its introduction on the Olympic programme at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games.
FIVB President Dr. Ary Graça said: “It is an honour to officially announce Vienna as host city for the 2017 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships. With its rich cultural heritage and passion for sports, I am confident the city will deliver a spectacular competition which builds on the success of the last World Championships in the Netherlands.
“Beach volleyball is unequivocally in a golden era of success, it will be the signature event at Rio 2016 and the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Vienna will help us continue in our pursuit to become the number one family sport entertainment in the world. The Austrian capital will be a chance to showcase once again the universal appeal and popularity of beach volleyball.”