MORE TOP EUROPEAN ATHLETES QUALIFY FOR 2019 ANOC WORLD BEACH GAMES

San Diego, CA: Europe’s top beach soccer teams have qualified for the ANOC World Beach Games San Diego 2019, with world-class athletes from over 60 National Olympic Committees now confirmed for the inaugural Games this October.

Beach Soccer Worldwide (BSWW) this weekend staged the ANOC World Beach Games – Europe Qualifier Salou 2019, the first in a series of continental tournaments that will serve as qualifiers for the ANOC World Beach Games San Diego 2019. The event took place from 9 – 12 May at the Sports Complex Football Salou, Spain, and featured 16 men’s and five women’s teams over four days of intense competition.

Four of the world’s top 10-ranked men’s teams qualified to San Diego, with Russia taking first place alongside beaten finalists, Spain, and semi-finalists Italy and Switzerland. Fifth-placed Ukraine will have another chance to qualify when they take on the third-placed finishers in the 2019 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship, the South American qualifier that kicks off in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, this week.

Simultaneously, the top five women’s beach soccer teams in Europe faced off for the two qualification spots available for San Diego. The tournament featured teams from England, Spain, Switzerland, Czech Republic and Russia. England took first place in the final against Spain but both teams qualify for the 2019 ANOC World Beach Games.

ANOC Secretary General Gunilla Lindberg offered her congratulations to the teams: "Well done to the incredible beach soccer teams that have qualified for San Diego 2019 and thank you to every player participating in these world-class qualifiers. Excitement continues to build for the inaugural edition of the World Beach Games, and we look forward to showcasing the very best athletes of beach, water and action sports on the global stage."

San Diego will welcome approximately 1,300 athletes from around the world for six days of competition and entertainment from 9-14 October 2019. The 2019 World Beach Games will feature 17 disciplines in 14 different sports: open water swimming 5km; shortboard and longboard surfing; basketball 3X3; waterski jump and wakeboard; beach tennis doubles and mixed doubles; aquathlon; beach wrestling; individual kata; bouldering; beach soccer; beach handball; beach volleyball 4X4; kitefoil racing; and skateboarding park. So far athletes from over 60 NOCs have already secured qualification spots for San Diego 2019, with analysis from the participating IFs indicating that over 90 NOCs stand a chance of participating in the inaugural edition of the ANOC World Beach Games.

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