BORACAY—The sand, the sea and the sun remain as alluring. But for Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Armie Igot, they feel the pressure.

“Unlike last year when we’re just one of the contenders, this time, it’s like all eyes are on us,” said Igot.

True enough, much of the attention is focused on this University of the Visayas (UV) duo, the defending women’s champion. So much so that eight other teams that made it here through a rigid series of qualifying tournaments are out to dethrone them when the much-anticipated national finals of the 12th Nestea Beach Volley unfurls Thursday in this island paradise.

By topping the Visayas eliminations just a couple of weeks ago, the UV pair got a first-round bye in the double-knockout competition to also determine who goes home with the P150,000 top prize staked in the event sponsored by Havaianas, Speedo, Mikasa, Penshoppe, Tagum Beach Volleydrome at Rotary Park, University of St. La Salle-Bacolod, Island Cove Resort Hotel and Leisure Park, Crystal Sand Beach Resort, Le Soleil de Boracay Hotel, La Carmela de Boracay Resort Hotel, D’Mall, D’Boracay and Hey! Jude Hotel Resort.

“But it’s just like winning our first match. Still, we have to win as many games to win the title, and we’ll have our first match against a team coming off a win,” said Brillo.

“We’ve agreed to take it one game at a time. But we don’t want to lose, especially in the early goings,” she added.

UV is eyeing to be the fifth women’s squad to defend its title. University of Santo Tomas first did the feat in 1999, followed by San Sebastian in 2001 and Southwestern University (SWU) in 2004.

SWU, last year’s runner-up, leads the eight teams out to give UV a run for its money.

The tandem of Janelle Tabio and Florian Gutierrez, whom Igot and Brillo defeated in last year’s thrilling finale, finished second in the Visayas leg, losing to the UV duo in the finals held at the University of St. La Salle in Bacolod.

The University of Southern Philippines Foundation pair of Herlene Ybarita and Erika Camille Verano is the third Visayan entry.

Also posing a threat to UV’s back-to-back bid are Luzon qualifiers Adamson University, Far Eastern University (FEU) and Lyceum of the Philippines, as well as Mindanao survivors University of Mindanao (UM)-Tagum, Holy Cross of Davao College and UM-Davao.

Adamson and UM-Tagum, which ruled the Luzon and Mindanao eliminations, respectively, also got first-round byes.

Meanwhile, it’s a wide-open race in the men’s division following the failure of last year’s titlist Mindanao State University-Tawi-Tawi to advance from the Mindanao qualifier.

Leading the contenders to the already-vacant title is last year’s runner-up FEU.

Tamaraws tandem Jerry Mabutol and Edjet Mabbayad, who ruled the Luzon Eliminations, will mix it up with the pairs from Philippine Christian University (PCU) and University of Perpetual Help-Dalta (UPHD), Visayas’s USPF, Foundation U and USLS, and Mindanao’s Capitol University, UM-Tagum and HCDC. Like FEU, USPF and Capitol U earned first-round byes for topping their respective qualifiers.

Son also rises

PUERTO PRINCESA—The National Capital Region (NCR) found itself making waves in the pool earlier this week. On Wednesday, it was the Big City’s foes on turf that was left eating tartan dust.

TICKETS! TICKETS!

BEIJING—Beijing organizers will try again to sell Olympic tickets online.

The final batch of domestic-market tickets—1.38 million—will go on sale beginning May 5, organizers announced Wednesday. Tickets will be sold at Bank of China outlets and on an official web site, with sales closing on June 9.

ADD Makisig Network to the list of contenders vying to become the next television coveror of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

A BUSY schedule awaits the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) ambassadors of goodwill when they set foot in Bacolod City for the 2008 Smart-PBA All-Star Weekend.

BORACAY—The sand, the sea and the sun remain as alluring. But for Jusabelle Brillo and Janez Armie Igot, they feel the pressure.

THE Philippine men’s and women’s dragon boat teams will see action in Malaysia and Macau, respectively, as they aim for an impressive showing for them to be able to vie in the First Asian Beach Games and eventually, the 2010 Asian Games.

BASEBALL fever is shooting up in the metro, as now, even the kids are active in the game. All eyes are on the International Little League Association of Manila (Illam) these days after a series of activities gave the youngsters a chance to prove their love for the sport. And show promise, too.