Move out Nor'Easters and bring on the sand - lots of sand - as three thousand eager sand soccer enthusiasts head to the Virginia Beach seaside as the "North American Sand Soccer Championships" again roll into town June 5-6 for their sixth annual sports festival.

Recognized around the world as the "Grand Prix" of amateur beach soccer competition, the "North American Sand Soccer Championships" have exploded in size from 26 teams on six sand fields in 1994 to 365 teams competing on 28 fields in '99. Staged by the Hampton Roads Soccer Council as its major charity fundraising event, the Championships are vital to the continuing operation of the organization's 19-field soccer complex at Princess Anne Park, which opened in 1997 and is now attracting over 350,000 visitors each year.

The large increase in players for this X-Games soccer variant has been mirrored by marked interest in national, state and and region corporate sponsors. The Sea & Ski Corporation will serve as Title Sponsor and First Virginia Bank as Presenting Sponsor for the '99 games. They are joined by twenty other lead sponsors, including the City of Virginia Beach and Virginia Is For Lovers, plus a similar number of individual "Field Sponsors", and fifty advertisers.

Representing ten states and several countries, players will compete 5-on-5 in 34 youth, adult and coed divisions constructed for novice/recreation and higher competitive skill levels. At the high end of the skill spectrum, Brazilian entry "Flamilia", and their colorful fans, return to defend their '98 men's open title and are the early favorite in the tournament's new "Elite" Pro-Am cash division to be staged on the beach 6th street Another certain attraction will be a band of 14 year old boys from Bergen, Norway who raised a thousand dollars per player to make the long journey to the United States..

Several local military teams are also entered representing Fort Story, the aircraft carriers GEORGE WASHINGTON and HARRY S. TRUMAN, the frigate SIMPSON, the Atlantic Intelligence Command, and NATO's Supreme Allied Commander, Atlantic (SACLANT). Beyond the competition, the Marine Corps Fourth Supply Battalion and Navy Helicopter Mine Countermeasures Squadron FOURTEEN will assist soccer-parent volunteers and City crews in a tournamet facilities construction marathon to transform the Virginia Beach oceanfront, between 1st and 14th streets, into the world's largest sand soccer extravaganza.

Dawn to dusk matches will be enhanced by sports contest and amusements in a "Fun Zone" on the sand at 8th street.. Several members of the United States "Professional Beach Soccer Tour" will also provide sand soccer demonstrations and clinics in the Fun Zone Saturday at !0:30 and 2:30, and Sunday at 10:30. Beginning at 12:30 on Saturday, these professionals will be joined by other international players for a beach soccer exhibition at 6th street, preceded by a short match at noon involving local media personalities and guest celebrities. All events are free and open to the public.

TOURNAMENT CONTACTS:
Dick Whalen	Tournament Director	683-3018
Jennifer Mullen	Public Relations Coordinator	683-3580
Karen Knott	Schedules	456-0578