Nong Khai, Thailand, March 31, 2015 – Indonesia and Thailand in the men’s event and Thailand, Vietnam in the women’s competition received the first-round bye in the “Chang” AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup, the qualification tournament for the 2016 Olympic Games of South Eastern Zone of Asia, which will be held at Jommanee Beach in Nong Khai from April 2 to 5.

Beach spikers from seven countries consisting of Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, the Philippines, Cambodia, Singapore and Thailand will take part in the four-day event.

In the men’s event, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam, the top three teams at the first edition of the AVC Beach Volleyball Continental Cup SEA Zone (2010-2012), and Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, top three women’s teams from the previous meet, have advanced automatically to play in Nong Khai.

Joining the men’s competition this time in Nong Khai are Cambodia, the Philippines and Malaysia, the top three from the SEA Zone first phase held earlier in Bangkok during November 10 and 11, while Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, respective top three in the same first phase, join the fray in the women’s event.

On April 2, the opening day of the double gender competition in Nong Khai, Cambodia set up the men’s curtain-riasers against the Philippines at 9am local time, followed by Vietnam and Malaysia.

The women’s competition sees Malaysia take on the Philippines in the opening encounter at 9am, followed by the match between Indonesia and Singapore.

The semi-finals will be held at 3pm which will see top seeds Indonesia, receiving the first-round bye, play the winners between Cambodia and the Philippines in the men’s category, while in the women’s semi-finals, top seeds Thailand, also receiving the first-round bye, challenge the winners between Malaysia and the Philippines.

On April 3, the other semi-final clash will see hosts and second-seeds Thailand compete against the winners between Vietnam and Malaysia in the men’s competition, while the women’s second-seeds Vietnam will be pitted against the winners between Indonesia and Singapore. The Thai men’s team and the Vietnam’s women side also received the first-round bye.

Meanwhile, the third-place playoff and the showdown for the men’s event will be held on April 4, while the third-place playoff and the final clash in the women’s event will take place the following day.

The winners in the men’s and women’s categories in Nong Khai will directly advance to the next year’s AVC Continental Cup Finals, while teams finishing second and third places (in both categories) will next be pitted against teams finishing second and third places from the other zones in the Continental Cup Semi-finals. Only the winners and the runners-up from the Semi-finals will qualify for the AVC Continental Cup Finals.

Participating players who have already arrived in Nong Khai, a northeastern province of Thailand with an estimate distance of 676 kilometres from capital city Bangkok, started training at the competition venue on Tuesday. The venue has been confirmed by host city Nong Khai to get ready for the four-day tournament.

Match schedule (all local times, prefix denotes seedings)

9am: men’s team, first round: Cambodia v Philippines; women’s team, first round: Malaysia v Philippines

11am: men’s team, first round: Vietnam v Malaysia; women’s team, first round: Indonesia v Singapore

3pm: men’s team, semi-finals: 1-Indonesia v winners between Cambodia/Philippines; women’s team, semi-finals: 1-Thailand v winners between Malaysia/Philippines

10.30am: playoffs in men’s and women’s teams

3pm: men’s semi-finals, 2-Thailand v the winners between Vietnam/Malaysia; women’s semi-finals: 2-Vietnam v the winners between Indonesia/Singapore

10.30am: men’s third-place playoff

3pm: men’s final

10.30am: women’s third-place playoff

4pm: women’s final