Games dress rehearsal for beach volleyball aces

The Grimalts were in demand at the press launch
Chile´s top beach volleyball players, Esteban and Marco Grimalt
Chile´s top women´s duo Francisca Rivas and Camila Pazdirek
Rivas and Pazdirek practise

Chile´s beach volleyball stars are hoping to use this weekend´s big competition in Viña del Mar as a springboard to success in the South American Games.

Viña del Mar – The second round of the South American circuit gets underway tomorrow and it´s the perfect dress rehearsal for the Odesur as well as an important competition in its own right.

The Grimalt cousins, Marco and Esteban, are the number one men´s team and they´ve set their sights firmly on success in Viña.

Esteban said: “The last time that we won a South American competition at home was in 2010. Since then we´ve been close, so we want to celebrate a victory with the people of Viña del Mar this time.

“We´ve prepared well and in addition it will help us for our big objective which is Santiago 2014.”

However, the 23-year-old isn´t expecting an easy ride on home soil.

He added: “The competition is pretty tough. For example, Brazil are strong and Venezuela have a very good level so you have to be at 100 per cent.”

Meanwhile, Camila Pazdirek and Francisca Rivas make up Chile’s best duo in the women’s ranks.

They´re hoping for a good performance this weekend to put them in the right frame of mind for the South American Games next month.

Pazdirek said: “I hope we can get on the podium in Viña, but we’re going to go point by point, game by game and do the best that we can.

“Brazil and Argentina are usually the best teams in South America, but we know each other well and we’ve worked a lot on our game. It’s going to be the same panorama for the South American Games, so it´s a good approach for that.”

Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay, Venezuela and hosts Chile are set to take part. Matches will be played from Friday through to Sunday.