B

ATAM: Indonesia is set to host 24 men’s teams and 18 women’s teams from 13 countries for the second Asia Pacific Beach Volleyball Batam Open tournament at Turi Beach starting Thursday.

This year’s iteration of the event might be of less interest to Indonesians after scheduling conflicts stymied 2010 winner Koko Prasetyo Darkuncoro from joining his partner, Andy Ardiansyah, on the sand.

Andy will instead team up with tyro talent Fahriansyah to form Indonesia’s Team 1, while Dian Putra Santoso will join another up-and-comer, I Putu Juniarta, on Team 2 and young guns Muhammad Bastomi and I Wayan Hendrawan will spar as Team 3.

On the women’s side, Yokbeth Kapasiang will partner with Ayu Cahyaning Siam, Fitri Wijayanti with Dhita Yuliana and Astri Veizati with Efa Sri Susilowati.

Irina Tsimbalova and Tatyana Mashkova from Kazakhstan and last year’s third-place men’s finishers Sam O’dea and Ben O’dea of New Zealand are all seeking titles at the event.

Andy said that he hoped for at least a fourth place finish among the men, while Ayu predicted that she and Yokbeth would land in the top eight. The 2011 Batam Open will feature China and the Philippines as two new participants. Japan, however, failed to join the event in the aftermath of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

The tournament offers US$30,000 in prize money and will end on Saturday. — JP