Lausanne, Switzerland, December 25, 2009 – The Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) has recently announced the Beach Volleyball calendar for 2010 including a ground breaking edition of the SWATCH FIVB World Tour, which will feature six Grand Slam events for the second time in its history.

With total prize money of $7.02 million on offer, the 2010 SWATCH FIVB World Tour will include 16 women's events and 14 men's tournaments including Grand Slams offering $600,000 prize money and bonus pool in Russia, Norway, Switzerland, Austria, Poland and a new Grand Slam in Rome, Italy – the venue for the 2011 SWATCH FIVB World Championships. The only other time six Grand Slams featured in one season was in 2008. The events in Italy and Poland have been upgraded from an Open to a Grand Slam.

The 2010 calendar will have its opening tournament being a double gender Open in Brazilia, Brazil from April 19-25 before the first Grand Slam takes place from May 17-23 in Rome, Italy.

President of the Beach Volleyball Commission Dr. Ary Graça said. "In fact, apart for the month of August, all remaining months in the calendar will have at least one free week to accommodate the continental and national activities. We hope that now, FIVB confederations and federations will seize this great opportunity, exploiting the potential that Beach Volleyball can offer to all of them, by involving more teams and the best partners which will help increase the overall Beach Volleyball audience. This will also help to further boost the SWATCH FIVB World Tour as well."

Other significant changes to the Beach Volleyball calendar see the return of the Men's Czech Republic Open, after missing last year due to the financial crisis and the introduction of a new development initiative called Beach Volleyball Around the World, which is directed towards amateur players participating at the venues of SWATCH FIVB World Tour events, offering a package to fans to follow an endless summer, enjoy the beautiful SWATCH FIVB World Tour venues and to experience Beach Volleyball.

SWATCH FIVB World Tour 2010 calendar

WOMEN'S CALENDAR

1 April 19-24, Brazilia, Brazil, Open

2 May 4-9, Shanghai, China, Open

3 May 17-22, Rome, Italy, Grand Slam

4 May 25-30. Seoul, Korea, Open

5. June 7- 13, Moscow, Russia, Grand Slam

6 June 28 – July 3, Stavanger, Norway, Grand Slam

7 July 5-10, Gstaad, Switzerland, Grand Slam

8 July 19-24, Marseille, France, Open

9 July 26-July 31, Klagenfurt, Austria, Grand Slam

10 August 2-7, Stare Jablonki, Poland, Grand Slam

11 August 9-14, Kristiansand, Norway, Open

12 August 16-21, Aland, Finland, Open

13 August 23-28, The Hague, Netherlands, Open

14 *September 7-12, Barcelona, Spain, Open

15 **October 26-31, Sanya, China , Open

16 November 2-7, Phuket, Thailand, Open

MEN'S CALENDAR

1 April 20-25, Brazilia, Brazil, Open

2 May 3-8, Shanghai, China, Open

3 May 18-23, Rome, Italy, Grand Slam

4 May 25 –30, Myslowice, Poland, Open

5 June 8- June 14, Moscow, Russia, Grand Slam

6 June 15 –20, Prague, Czech Republic, Open

7 June 29 – July 4, Stavanger, Norway, Grand Slam

8 July 6-11, Gstaad, Switzerland, Grand Slam

9 July 20-25, Marseille, France, Open

10 July 27-August 1, Klagenfurt, Austria, Grand Slam

11 August 3-8, Stare Jablonki, Poland, Grand Slam

12 August 10-15, Kristiansand, Norway, Open

13 August 17-22, Aland, Finland, Open

14 August 25-30, The Hague, Netherlands, Open