Sports
Oval hosting world volleyball Grand Prix July 21 to 23
Richmond is set to be in the sports spotlight
again this month when it plays host to a series of world-class women’s
volleyball matches.
As part of the 2017 FIVB World Grand Prix,
Canada will host the final preliminary round of Group 2 in a six-game round-robin
July 21 to 23 at the Richmond Olympic Oval. The other participating countries
are Germany, Peru and the Czech Republic. It will help determine the finalists
who will square off for the Grand Prix championship July 28 to 30 in the Czech
Republic.
While the Canadian women’s volleyball team
has made the oval its training home since May, organizers say the Grand Prix
may be the only chance Canadians will have to see this calibre of women’s
volleyball on home soil, as the tournament format will change an be re-branded
in 2018.
There are 12 teams competing in Group 2, with
the first of the preliminary round events July 7 to 9 in Argentina and the
second round July 14 to 16 in Puerto Rico.
In all, 32 nations, up from 28 last year, are
participating in this year’s Grand Prix.
The schedule for games July 21 to 23 is as
follows:
•July 21—6:10 p.m., Canada vs. Germany; 8:10
p.m., Peru vs. Czech Republic
•July 22—12:40 p.m., Canada vs. Peru; 2:40
p.m., Czech Republic vs. Germany
•July 23—12:40 p.m., Canada vs. Czech Republic;
2:40 p.m., Germany vs. Peru
Tickets start at $12 (youth group pricing, 10
or more) and are available athttp://wgp2017.brownpapertickets.com/