Vulaca Volleyball Championship Tips Off in Suva

Top volleyball teams will battle it today in the two-day Vulaca Volleyball Championship at Suva's FMF Na­tional Gymnasium.

Games commissioner Jone Ba­leilomaloma told SUNsports yes­terday that 18 men's and women's teams have been confirmed for the tournament.

"This tournament also serves as a qualifier for the Vanua Championship, which will be held next month," he said. "The Vulaca Championship is mainly focused on the Central Division or those associations that have been affiliated for the 2025/2026 season.

"It's an equal number of teams so it has to be balanced on the gender side of things."

Baleilomaloma indicated that the committee is using the tournament as a platform for national coaches to scout and select their players for next year's Pacific Games in Tahiti.

"We need to run these games at a level that is very competitive so that we bring the level of competi­tion to another standard.

"We need to expose our players and also set the platform for them to come in and showcase their talents."

Baleilomaloma added that the format of the tournament is set in a unique manner that the organ­isers are hopeful of completing the games in one venue within two days.

"We don't have a sponsorship for this tournament, but we are trying our best to run the com­petition. We'll see how best we can accommodate all the prizes and expenses within our budget in running this competition," he said. Baleilomaloma added that the entry fee for spectators would be $5 per person.

"We love to encourage the com­munities, the associations that are community based to urge their people to come in and watch their players compete in this tour­nament," he said.

"We would love to see the num­bers there cheering on their teams from their communities. It's good to see that our communi­ties are thriving in volleyball as they love the sport."