Sand, Norway, October 1, 2018 - After a series of double-gender events in Slovenia, the Netherlands, India and the United States, the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour splits with the women returning to Cambodia and men traveling back Norway.
After staging 15 FIVB World Tour events in Stavanger (1999-2011, 2014-2015) and four in Kristiansand (2007-2010), Sand becomes the third site to host an international beach volleyball tournament in Norway with an indoor event for men from February 21-24.
Sand is a Norwegian village that is located northeast of Stavanger and lies on the shore of the Sandsfjorden at the mouth of the river Suldalslågen, just south of the mouth of the Hylsfjorden. The 1-square-kilometre (250-acre) village has a population (2013) of 1,149.
Host Norway will be looking for its first gold medal on home sand with only two teams from the Scandinavian country advancing to the semi-finals in Norway. Tarjei Skarlund and Martin Spinnangr produced a silver medal (2010) and fourth-place finishes for Norway at men's events in Stavanger. Nila Ann Hakedal/Ingrid Torlen placed fourth on home sand at the 2009 women's stop in Kristiansand.