With international borders finally open, the Gold Coast is hosting the first ever Volleyball World Futures tournament, following the restructure of Volleyball World’s international competition to replace the previous star-rating system, alongside the top-level ‘Elite16’ and ‘Challenge’ events.

The last beach volleyball international event played in Australia was the 2019 Sydney Open on Manly Beach, where Australians Becchara Palmer and Nicole Laird won gold medals in the women’s event, and cousins Marco and Esteban Grimalt of Chile in the men’s.

Rio 2016 Olympian Laird will again be the top Aussie podium hope at the Gold Coast Futures, this time taking to the court with Phoebe Bell.

After being crowned the Women’s Elite 2022 Australian Beach Volleyball Champions on Coolangatta Beach on Sunday, Laird and Bell are the no.2 seed and will try to challenge a deep field of international opponents which includes the top-seeded Alice Zeimann and Shaunna Marie Polley of New Zealand and no.3 seed Asami Shiba and Takemi Nishibori of Japan.

“We're very much looking forward to getting out there and getting some more competition under our belts,” Bell said.

“We're going to be playing a lot of new teams which is really exciting. We've been off the tour for two years, so it's always good to get fresh competition.

“Coolangatta is one of the most beautiful beaches in Australia so I think it's awesome that international teams get to come and experience this wonderful place.”

It will be a momentous occasion for 2022 Australian Championships runner-ups Izac Carracher and Mark Nicolaidis when they finally get the chance to make their World Beach Pro Tour debut after a long two-year wait, as the pair were supposed to participate in the 2020 FIVB Gold Coast 3-star tournament on Coolangatta Beach in March 2020, until COVID-19 forced cancellation on the eve of the event.

“It feels fitting for Australia to host its first international event since 2019 at the same beach the 3-star was cancelled when Covid first hit,” Carracher said.

Photo credit: Rogue Gun Photography

“Mark and I are very excited for our first Futures event. To have the Futures event integrated into the VolleySlam should make for an awesome atmosphere here in Coolangatta.

“We are stoked to get an opportunity in the main draw. We can’t wait to compete and hopefully get deep into the tournament.”

The main draw for men and women at the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Gold Coast Futures tournament is being played on Thursday 31 March on Coolangatta Beach.

32 teams will battle through the pool stage before the playoffs commence on Saturday 2 April, with semi-finals and finals on Sunday 3 April.