Volleyball: African Club Championship - Arsu get ready to fly off to Tunisia |31 March 2017

Seychelles and Indian Ocean women’s volleyball champions Arsu will on Monday leave Seychelles to compete in the 2017 African Club Championship in Tunisia.

Arsu won the Confederation of African Volleyball (CAVB) zone 7 Indian Ocean Club Championship (IOCC) last year to earn the chance to represent the region at the annual tournament which regroups the continent’s top sides. The tournament is expected to take place from April 5-18 in the city of Carthage, Tunisia.

Arsu, a club who have dominated local volleyball for many years, will be hoping they can emulate the exploits of their rivals Cascade in the competition, a side who in 2002 finished in third place.

“We want to do better than we did in our last appearance at the tournament, but we know that a favourable draw will do us good as in 2015 we were drawn in a very strong group and we struggled a bit,” said coach Onezime.

Egypt’s Al Ahly remain the tournament’s most successful side, having won it eight times and are actually the defending champions. Al Alhy won the title in 2015 and last year they managed to defend their title with a 3-2 win over CF de Carthage of Tunisia.

Kenya is the most successful nation of the tournament, having provided 13 winners, eight runners-up and nine third place finishers in the past.

The winners of the tournament will represent Africa in the 2017 Volleyball Club World Championships. As yet, there have been no winners or indeed even finalists from the African continent in the world championship.

Arsu will be aiming to give the best of themselves in Tunisia, but as with any travel of such magnitude, support is needed and the Arsu management is asking for anyone who wishes to lend their support through sponsorship to please do so. Those interested can contact the club’s acting manager Richard Lagrenade on 2774440.

The following is the full Arsu team who will be making the journey to Tunisia: Jerina Bonne, Marielle Bonne, Marie-Helen Rose, Sherine Félicie, Antoinette Quatre, Matty Molta, Nayelie Etienne, Natifa Lestrange, Petrina Mousbé, Bryna Sultan, Ketty Jean, Mariella Raoul and Melissa Rambony (players), Julien Onezime (head coach), Jemmy Padayachy (physio), Richard Lagrenade (acting manager), Bernard Denis (assistant manager).

S. N.