Beach Pro Tour hits Portugal and Belgium this week

A host of Australian beach volleyballers are set to take the courts in Europe this week on the Beach Pro Tour.

At the Beach Pro Tour Challenge event in Portugal, Mark Nicolaidis and Izac Carracher are the only Australian team with a direct start in the main draw.

Qualifying starts later today and features newly-crowned Asian champions and World No.8 team Tom Hodges and Zac Schubert, along with Commonwealth Games champions and Asian Championship runners-up Chris McHugh and Paul Burnett.

Prior to winning the Asian Championships, Hodges and Schubert came through qualifying before taking out the Beach Pro Tour Challenge in Latvia last month, and the pair are hopeful of a repeat performance despite the quality of the field.

“We are in a good spot and keen to have another crack this week,” said Schubert. “Every team at these events can win the whole thing – doesn’t matter the seeding or ranking.

“The sport is at an amazing level and who ever wins, deserves it!”

Three Australian teams are in the Flemish region of Belgium for the Beach Pro Tour Futures event taking place in the city of Leuven.

Alisha Stevens and Caitlin Bettenay enter the competition as number two seeds in the women’s main draw with Georgia Johnson and Tara Phillips seeded at sixth.

The sole Australian team in the men’s draw features James Takken and Solomon Bushby who enter as the fifth seeds.

The Beach Pro Tour Leuven event also starts on Thursday.

Click here for schedules, results and standings for this week’s Beach Pro Tour.

The Beach Pro Tour Challenge event in Espinho, Portugal can be live streamed on VBTV.