The second stop of the Zonal Phase of the CEV Continental Cup was held in Kazan on June 2-4, 2011. The tournament was organised by the European Volleyball Confederation (CEV), Ministry of Sport, Tourism and Youth Policy of the Russian Federation, Ministry of Youth Affairs, Sports and Tourism of the Republic of Tatarstan, Russian Volleyball Federation and Kazan 2013 Executive Directorate.
About tournament
The CEV Continental Cup was established by the International Volleyball Federation (FIVB) in April 2009. The main goal of the tournament was to give non-elite volleyball teams an opportunity to win the London 2012 berth.
The inaugural CEV Beach Volleyball Continental Cup and FIVB Beach Volleyball World Cup took place over three years, from 2010-2012. Its first part, the Sub Zonal Phase, was held in 2010. 32 women’s and 31 men’s teams were divided into 8 pools, 4 teams in each. Three best national teams from each pool qualified for the Zonal Phase. The Russian national team played its matches in the city of Yantarny, Kaliningrad Oblast. Both men’s and women’s Russian national teams topped their pools in the Sub Zonal Phase. The official draw ceremony defined the list of four pools of the Zonal Phase, which decided the fate of the berth to the next round. According to the decision of the European Volleyball Confederation, Pool A matches were held in Kazan, Tatarstan.
The men’s and women’s events for each of the four tournaments were held at the same time. Men’s Pool A comprised Russia, Switzerland, France, Bulgaria and Great Britain. Women’s Pool A included Russia, the Netherlands, France, Italy, Cyprus and Sweden. Due to earning a berth in the Zonal Phase, both Russian national teams started off from the second round.
The winners of the Zonal Phase of the CEV Continental Cup qualified for the final round of the tournament. The teams that took second-to-fifth places in the pools, got to the Continental Cup semifinal. Both tournaments were held in 2012.
