International tournaments await on famous stretch of sand

MARIAFE Artacho del Solar and Nikki Laird were on cloud nine on Monday.

NSW Premier Mike Baird will join Sydney 2000 Olympic gold medalists, Kerri Pottharst and Natalie Cook, for the media announcement of the biggest beach volleyball event in Australia since the Sydney Olympics. In the space of just two weeks, Manly Beach will host the Australian Beach Volleyball Tour Finals, the inaugural 4 Nations Cup, and the Asian Volleyball Confederation Beach Volleyball Championships. Beach Volleyballers Nicole Laird(L) and Mariafe Artacho del Solar, pictured at Manly Beach are hoping to qualify this year to represent Australia in Beach Volleyball at the Rio Olympics. Picture: Braden Fastier

MARIAFE Artacho del Solar and Nikki Laird were on cloud nine on Monday – and with good reason.

The elite athletes were on hand when NSW Premier Mike Baird confirmed Manly Beach will host the Australian Beach Volleyball Tour Finals, the inaugural 4 Nations Cup, and the Asian Volleyball Confederation Beach Volleyball Championships from March 18-28.

Dubbed the “Manly Volleyfest”, it will become a regular fixture on the northern beaches sporting calendar over the next three years.

Understandably, the Rio Olympics hopefuls were buzzing about the sporting revelation.

“It is huge, to have international competition where it all began for the both of us is fantastic,’’ Laird told the Manly Daily.

“As it stands, we are still in the mix for Brazil qualifying wise, so these type of tournaments couldn’t have come at a better time for us.

“It is also good to know no matter what happens over the next few months, we have a futre plan to work with.

“Aside from Rio in June, Tokyo in 2020 (Olympics) is definitely on the cards.”

To book their seats on the plane to South America, the duo will need to win the upcoming Continental Cup.

Rival teams will come from the likes of China, Thailand, Vanuatu and Japan, and Artacho del Solar is confident they can win the tournament.

“At this stage it will be held in Sydney or the Gold Coast, which is huge,’’ she said. “With so much on the line you need to make the most of every little advantage, so we know for certain the conditions will suit us.

“I feel we know one another’s games back to front, it is all about having that belief and playing to our strengths.”