Gusenyi, Rwanda, May 24,2012 – Seven African beach volleyball teams will begin their fight for a London 2012 Olympic Game vacancy when the CAVB Women’s Continental Cup final begins on Palm Beach in Gusenyi, Rwanda on Thursday.

The winners of the single elimination tournament will secure their tickets to London, while the second and third placed teams will have another chance at qualification through the FIVB World Cup set to take place in Tortoli, Italy in late June.

Participating are hosts Rwanda as well as Kenya, Mozambique, South Africa, Mauritius, Congo RDC and Algeria. 

The competition is expected to be fierce, with a number of tight face-offs set to be played. 

The Technical Meeting was conducted on Wednesday where the drawing of lots was done in the presence of all the participating team representatives. Top seed Kenya received bye for the first round. Second seeded Mauritius meet Congo RD, who surprised everyone with their performance during the zonal phase. 

The Mauritian pairing of Natacha Rigobert and Elodie Li Yuk Lo, who have just returned from the FIVB Beach Volleyball SWATCH World Tour in China are ready again for this final stage of the Continental Cup after an impressive gold medal performance at the 2011 All Africa Games.

After South Africa grabbed the men's African slot in Mauritius in April, their female counterparts are ready to battle for the same dream, when they take on hosts Rwanda in the first round.

While Algeria stick with the same pairing from the zonal phase, the South African delegation has introduced a new pairing, with 28-year-old Sekhonyana William pairing up with Paleasa Sekhonyana.