Fabien Whitfield and Daniel Williams, recent sixth-placed finishers in the third leg of the North, Central American, and Caribbean Confederation (NORCECA) Beach Volleyball Tour, the Security Centre Beach Volleyball Tournament in the Cayman Islands on Sunday, spearhead a top-quality field of entries for this weekend’s second stop on the T&T Volleyball Federation (TTVF) Trinbago Beach Volleyball Tour.
The second stop of the Trinbago Tour will serve off at the Los Iros Beach, Palo Seco, from Saturday (May 27) until Monday (May 29) with competition in both the Under-18 and Open Senior Divisions for both men and women.
The U-18s will compete on Saturday and Sunday while the Open competition takes place on Sunday and Monday.
For the men’s Open, Whitfield and Williams, who won the first stop on the Trinbago Tour on Easter weekend at Maracas Bay, North Coast, beating Kareem Thomas and Tevin Edwards 21-15, 21-15 in the title match, will come up against the fellow finalists once more, and the experienced pairings of Joel Theodore and Stephen Enile, USA-based Daynte Stewart and Marlon Phillip, as well as David Thomas and Laquan Dyer, the youthful duo of Nicholas Williams/Marley Davidson.
Following their triumph at Maracas Beach last month, Whitfield and Williams, who have won four medals together, a silver and three bronze on the NORCECA Tour over the years, placed 13th in the opening leg of this year’s confederation tournaments in Aguascalientes, Mexico, which was held from April 20-24, as well as a seventh-place finish at the second leg held in Varadero, Cuba, from May 10-14.
Former national beach volleyball champions and team-mates on the NORCECA Tou, Apphia Glasgow and La Teisha Joseph, won the Women’s Open at Maracas Bay, last month beating Rayquelle Dickson and Malika Davidson 21-17, 9-21, 15-7 in the decider.
However, this time around, the losing finalists will both be playing with different partners with Dickson, now teaming up with Alyssa Hutchinson and Davidson combining with Shenelle Gordon among the seven teams.
The other registered women’s teams include NORCECA Tour participants, Suraya Chase and Phylecia Armstrong, national Under-21 champions, and two-time Caribbean Zonal Volleyball Association Tour winners of 2022, Britney Choon, and Tsyan Selvon, Jodelle Brumant, and Akeda Jhadoo, Adalia Badroe, and Tianna Murray, as well as Asma Charles and Danielle Noel, and Kyra Melville and Rejan Dubois.
The winners of both Open Divisions collected a top prize of US$500 each, while the second-placed teams got US$375 each, the third US$250, the fourth US$125, and the teams placed fifth to eight US$50 each while the U-18s compete for trophies and medals.
U-18 champs eye repeat
The pairs of L’fe Roberts and Meeka Johnson, Jushuan Morrison and Jahreef Miguel will both be seeking their second straight titles when T&TVF Girls and Boys Under-18 Invitational Beach Volleyball Tournament comes off, having won the opening legs at Maracas Bay last month.
In the girls’ decider, Roberts and Johnson completed a perfect two days of competition when they swept Paige Alexander and Kristianna Richards 21-13, 21-9 in their final, and both teams along with T’Shiann Millett and Maria Hemlee, and Ayesha Sealey and Rimmel Taylor will comprise the four competing teams this weekend.
Among the boys’, Morrison and Miguel, who overcame Dejaun Williams and Jedaiah Sanior, 21-18, 14-21, 15-12 in their final last month, are also listed to compete with the runners-up, and the pairs of Jadon Morrison and Darion Sparks, Jaylon Ettienne and Jeremiah Jones, and Josiah Jankey and Levi Singh, along with newcomers Gianni Salvary and N’kosi Ayoung.
The local Beach Volleyball Tour will then move to Mayaro Beach from June 18-19 (Labour Day weekend); and the CAZOVA Tour in Tobago from August 11-13.
The TTVF will also host two legs of the NORCECA Tour, from July 21-23 at Pigeon Point, Tobago, which will serve as a test piece for the volleyball segment of the Commonwealth Youth Games at Pigeon Point, and the eighth of the ten stops on the tour for the season at Maracas Beach from September 1-3.