Gaston, Doromal lead Capital1 return at BVR Sipalay Open

Capital1 stalwarts Pauline Gaston and Roma Mae Doromal will make their return to the Beach Volleyball Republic (BVR) on Tour when the Sipalay Open opens Saturday at Poblacion Beach in Sipalay City.

Gaston and Doromal are among the 12 pairs competing in the women’s division, which includes tandems from Alas Pilipinas, Australia, and Nuvali champion National University.

Gaston last played in the BVR in September 2018, when she paired with Jules Samonte for Ateneo in Grand Ola.

Doromal, meanwhile, last appeared on the Tour in March 2019, when she played alongside her elder sister Roma Joy during the Puerto Galera and Santa Fe swing.

The Solar Spikers have been training on the sand courts for two weeks as anticipation builds for the second leg of the year in the laid-back Negros Occidental coastal city.

Honey Grace Cordero, who ruled the same Sipalay edition in 2023 before placing second the following year, will team up with Vilmarie Toos as the NU pair shoots for a second straight title.

Cordero and Toos are bracing for a strong challenge from Sunny Villapando and Gen Eslapor, with the Alas duo eager to bounce back after falling to the NU pair in the Nuvali Open last March.

Another tandem to watch is Australia’s Brooke Ronan and Elena Hillard, who are set to make their debut on the Philippine sand circuit.

Sisi Rondina and Dij Rodriguez are also back in action, marking their first BVR on Tour appearance since the 2021 Santa Ana bubble legs.

Rondina, a five-time BVR on Tour champion, and Rodriguez, a three-time winner, were part of the Southeast Asian Games gold medal-winning team in Thailand last year along with Villapando and Bernadeth Pons. Eslapor was also part of the squad as reserve.

Completing the women’s field are NU’s Kat Epa and Kizil Quijote, Beach Volleyball Manila’s Kly Orillaneda and Euri Eslapor, Alexa Polidario and Jenny Gaviola, Bacolod’s Erjane Magdato and Bianca Lizares, Ateneo alumni Fille Cayetano and Bea Tan, La Salle’s Abi Sinson and Michaella Tandoc, and homegrown Sipalay talents Jastine Amaro and Kimberly Babe Debuyan.

Meanwhile, Ranran Abdilla and Ronniel Rosales seek a follow-up to their Nuvali championship run as they headline the eight-team men’s division.

Seven-time BVR on Tour champion Abdilla and Rosales lead a competitive field that includes two pairs from Malaysia’s Majlis Sukan Negeri Terengganu: Muhammad Isma Haziq Bin Ismail and Muhammad Zuhairi Bin Mohd Abdullah, and Noraiman Shah Bin Norzalan Shah O’Brien and Muhammad Ashraf Baginda Bin Mohd Senusi.

Also vying for the title are University of Santo Tomas’ Dominique Gabito and JM Lagaran, NU’s Sky Gemarino and Kian Tan, Beach Volleyball Manila’s Edwin Tolentino and Lerry Francisco, La Salle’s Andraie Falsis and John Oracion, and Sipalay’s John Joseph de Leon and Rogelio de Leon III.

Preliminary matches are set Saturday, with the quarterfinals, semifinals, and medal matches scheduled Sunday.

As part of its continued push to grow the sport, BVR is also in discussions with the Philippine Volleyball League (PVL) to create more opportunities for indoor athletes to transition into beach volleyball.

The initiative aims not only to expand the game’s reach, but also to further develop the athleticism, versatility, and exposure of indoor players, especially those seeking more competitive opportunities beyond the traditional format. (BVR)