Sydney, Australia, March 12, 2010 – Australian SWATCH FIVB World Tour 2009 Mazury Open runners-up Louise Bawden and Becchara Palmer have been preparing for the upcoming season by playing in the Lifestyle Asset Management Australian Beach Volleyball Championships alongside fellow tour player Alice Rohkamper who is teaming up with Beijing 2008 Olympian Tamsin Barnett following her return after giving birth to a son last September.

World Tour veterans Bo Soderberg and Anders Lund Hoyer from Denmark are also taking part in the competition at Sandstorm Beach Club near Brisbane.

Bawden and Palmer are due to play Sarah Battaglene and Lauren Spark in the third round of the competition after beating Athens 2004 Olympian Summer Lochowicz and her partner Rowena Morgan 2-0 (21-13, 21-16) in their opening match.

Meanwhile, Rohkamper and Barnett defeated Sandra Carter and Shawna Farquharson 2-0 (21-13, 21-14) to progress to the third round where they will play Karley Hynes and Taylor Schulz.

Soderberg and Hoyer's competition begins in the third round on Friday as they face Shannon Zunker and Rob Williamson.

The Australian Beach Volleyball Championships conclude this Sunday with the final rounds beginning at 8am local time.

The SWATCH FIVB World Tour is due to kick off in Brasilia, Brazil in just over a month's time on April 19.