The Marianas Cup Beach Volleyball Festival combines the talents of professional beach volleyball players and the enthusiasm of dedicated amateurs. Typically, this event draws professionals from the U.S., Japan, Korea, and even Italy. In 2008, the event was officially sanctioned by FIVB as a country vs country exhibition match. Bejing Olympian Phil Dalhausser played this tournament from 2006-2009!

 

 

 

How does it work? Well, to begin with its all about "fun"draising...amateur player-partners may purchase raffle tickets starting from the time that they complete their registration. Following the exhibition matches, the MC pulls out the lucky raffle winners (amateur players) tickets, who then get to draw blindly from a box to see which pro players they will split with their partner. So last year, for example, Tyce Mister and Hugo Dooner's raffle tickets were drawn. Mister/Dooner then pulled out the Paul Baxter/Phil Dalhausser tandem. Mister then partnered with Dalhausser and Dooner partnered with Baxter.

Partners decide between themselves who will play with which pro and the new matches enter the pool play and double-elimination portion of the weekend long event vying for over US$15,000 in prizes. There are both mens and womens divisions and cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.