Women’s beach volleyball tourney opens; Nguyen Hoang Thien receives IOC scholarship; 2010 national billiards & snooker tourney cues off; Vietnam defeats the Philippines in 2010 WCO

Women’s beach volleyball tourney opens

Ten teams from six countries and territories are participating in the International Women Volleyball Tournament – Tanimex Cup which opened in the southern coastal city of Vung Tau on October 1.

The event is jointly held by the Ba Ria-Vung Tau provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ba Ria-Vung Tau Tourism company, the Vietnam Volleyball Federation, the Asian Volleyball Confederation and the Tan Binh Commerical Service Import Export company.

The tourney offers prizes worth a total US$10,000 with the first prize worth US$2,200.

Nguyen Hoang Thien receives IOC scholarship

The Vietnam Olympic Committee has chosen teenager Nguyen Hoang Thien as the beneficiary of scholarship granted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Thien, 15, who clinched the first ever International Tennis Federation Under-18 crown two years ago, is expected to receive 600 USD each month in preparation for the 2012 London Olympics.

He has just resumed playing after five months recovering from a shoulder injury in France.

2010 national billiards & snooker tourney cues off

The 2010 National Billiards and Snooker Tournament, which starts on October 1, in the southern city of Can Tho, has attracted nearly 100 athletes and coaches from nine provinces and cities nationwide.

The cueists will compete in eight events, including the men’s singles cushion caroms, men’s singles three-cushion billiards, men’s singles eight- and ten-ball pool, and women’s singles nine-ball pool.

The 10-day tournament will help to prepare the national team for major international sports events next year.

Vietnam defeats the Philippines in 2010 WCO

The Vietnamese women’s team easily thrashed the Philippines 4-0 while the men were held 2-2 by Greece in the 8th round of the 39th World Chess Olympiad in Khanty Mansiysk, Russia on September 29.

In the women’s event Hoang Thi Bao Tram, Pham Le Thao Nguyen, Nguyen Thi Mai Hung and Nguyen Thi Thanh An cruised the victory in all the 4 games.

In the men’s event, Dao Thien Hai helped the Vietnamese team to secure their first win after Le Quang Liem and Nguyen Anh Dung could only draw with their rivals andNguyen Ngoc Truong Son was beaten.

Later the same day, Kirsan Iliumzhimov was re-elected President of the World Chess Federation (FIDE) for another 4-year term.

Vietnam to host International Yatch Race

The VinaCapital Hongkong-Vietnam 2010 International Yatch Race will be held in Nha Trang City from October 20-24.

This year’s event is expected to attract over 200 yachtsmen and guests from Hong Kong, Singapore, the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand, Europe and America.

The 656km race will start in Hong Kong and finish in Nha Trang.

The competition is a qualifying round for the Rolex Sydney-Hobart race which is one of the most challenging yacht races in the world, and is held annually in Australia in December.

Vietnam previously held three successful international yatch races in 2004, 2006 and 2008.

This year’s race is organised by the Royal Hong Kong Yatch Club in coordination with Sheraton Nha Trang Hotel & Spa and Saigontourist Travel Services.

PV