Tlaxcala, Mexico - Challenge - Beach Pro Tour 2022 - News

It's here! The Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Tlaxcala Challenge event takes place in Mexico this week and many of the athletes participating in the tournament have already shared their excitement about the start of the new competition.

For good luck, Dutch star Alexander Brouwer made sure to bring along the sombrero he received with his silver medal at the Puerto Vallarta Open back in 2015. He posted this photo as he was taking off for Mexico.

Another representative of the Netherlands, Stefan Boermans, who leads the Tlaxcala main draw seeding with teammate Yorick de Groot, posted a throwback to last year’s Mexican World Tour stops in Cancun.

Brazilian legend Alison Cerutti posted an inspiring video looking at what it takes to be great. “We’re together!” exclaimed Guto, his partner, elated about their new adventure.

Switzerland’s Marco Krattiger, seeded sixth with partner Florian Breer, joined in on the excitement.

And seventh-seeded Spanish veterans Pablo Herrera and Adrian Gavira were eager to post their photo in Tlaxcala shortly after arriving in Mexico, impatient to get the fiesta started.

Naturally, the Mexican participants take a lot of pride in their country hosting the historic event. 2016 Olympian Juan Virgen, seeded 16th with Miguel Sarabia, took on the role of virtual tour guide, showing off the beauties of Tlaxcala.

Women's top seed Sarah Sponcil is so stoked she is “levitating.”

Another American, Olympic champ April Ross is heading into Tlaxcala with new partner Emily Day. And she says it's crunch time.

Sara Hughes of the next best ranked US duo is looking forward to playing alongside Kelley Kolinske.

Meanwhile, second-seeded Barbara Seixas and Carolina Solberg lead the Brazilian pack in Tlaxcala, which also includes Andressa Cavalcanti and Vitoria De Souza, Taina Bigi and Victoria Lopes, Taiana Lima and Hegeile Almeida and Elize Maia and Thamela Coradello. And they feel it is time for months of hard work to start paying off.

“Yesss! Let's celebrate every point on the court again!” exclaimed 20-year-old Dutch Olympian Raisa Schoon as she and teammate Katja Stam head into Tlaxcala as the fifth-seeded pair.