Stars and starlets at Montreux Volley Masters 2014

Montreux, Switzerland, May 26, 2014.   Fasten your seat belts, 2014 Montreux Volley Masters is ready to take off!  Besides host Switzerland, the long-established national teams' tournament in Montreux is featuring the best teams of the world.  Favorites of the 29th edition are Olympic champions Brazil and the world’s #2 the United States of America.  With Japan (#3), China (#5), Russia (#6), the Dominican Republic (#8) and Germany (#9), all visiting nations are in the top ten of the FIVB World Ranking.

Traditionally, the coaches use the prestigious tournament in Switzerland to start their national team season.  In addition to the opportunity to play against the most serious opponents in the world, they take advantage of an excellent international platform to give their younger players a chance to shine through.  With the FIVB Volleyball World Championship coming up later this year, the teams are gearing up for an exceptional season.

However, first of all the Montreux Volley Masters is one of the best women’s volleyball tournaments featuring the top players in the world.  With Dani Lins, Adenizia, Jaqueline and Natalia, the world’s #1 Brazil will be undoubtedly one of the top favorites for the Montreux crown.  Olympic silver medalists USA challenge their contenders with Nicole Davis, Courtney Thompson and Christa Harmotto.  With China‘s Yunli Xu, Dominican Republic’s Annerys Valdez, Brenda Castillo, Sidarka Nunez, Prisilla Rivera and Germany’s Christiane Fürst, Kathleen Weiss, Maren Brinker, Heike Beier, Margareta Kozuch, the fans from all around the world may expect a high-class competition at the shores of Lake Leman.

Brazilian head coach Zé Roberto sees the Montreux Volley Masters as an important start for the long season lying ahead:  “The FIVB Grand Prix will be a long competition and we have got the 2014 FIVB Women’s World Championship afterwards, which is our main goal this season.  That is the reason why the Montreux Volley Masters is an important indicator for us.  The tournament is known for the high quality of the participating teams.”

After its promising return last year, the Swiss national team will again defend its reputation at this year’s event.  After its qualification tournaments for the 2015 CEV Volleyball European Championship - Women, the fancy competition in Montreux is the highlight for the young Swiss squad.  The Swiss team is led by captain Kristel Marbach and opposite Mandy Wigger.  “It is a dream for Swiss volleyball players to participate in such a great tournament,” says Marbach.  “I cannot compare this chance with any another event.  We will do our best to confirm last year's improvements.”

The Montreux Volley Masters is starting on Tuesday, May 27.  The finals are scheduled for Sunday, June 1.  The spectators can look forward to an unforgettable tournament with many attractions – on and off the court!

Click here for schedules, results, team rosters and general information on the 2014 Montreux Volley Masters.