Chennai, Sept 3: A victory for Indian volleyball. That about sums up the Volleyball Federation of India's (VFI) herculean effort to successfully bid and host the richest money spinner in World women's volleyball in the form of the Indian Oil World Grand Prix championship, scheduled to get under way at the Jawaharlal Nehru multi-purpose here on Friday.Months of meticulous planning by the VFI has given Indian volleyball lovers the opportunity to witness four of the best eight teams in the World - Russia, Cuba, Korea and Italy - who will be battling it out for a total GP prize money of 1.5 million dollars on offer in the third leg of the event.The top four teams in the Grand Prix circuit will qualify for the final leg in Hong Kong on Sept 12 and 13 as four other teams - China, Brazil, Japan and the United States - will be engaged in similar combat in Shanghai from Friday.Holders Russia and last year's silver medallists Cuba currently lead the overall rankings with 11 points apiece after the firsttwo legs which were played out in Macau/Chongquing and Fong San (Taipei) Russia and Cuba, still smarting under the unexpected defeats at the hands of China and Brazil, respectively, will be going all out to maintain a clean slate in the Chennai leg of the GP and will be strongly challenged by the hosts of the finals China who have 10 points to their credit so far.The other two teams in the third leg, Italy and Korea, however, are no pushovers, especially the former who have managed to win three matches thus far from the two previous legs.The Chennai phase will offer viewers a mixture of European, Asian and the unique Cuban brand of volleyball for the next three days. European volleyball, best accentuated by the powerplay engaged in by the Russians' unmatched height of players and staying power, will be pitted against the Asian style - best focused by Korea - known for speed, quick attacks defence and reflexes.Cuba is a young team what with the likes of the legendary Mireya LuisHernandez in their ranks. At 31, the oldest player in the Cuban pack had helped her team to the Olympic gold twice. Cuba is the only one playing the 6-2 system with the setter also doubling up as the attacker while the other contenders for the top spot adopt the 5-1 system with a single setter. Yumilka Ruiz Luages, whose game is similar to that of Mireya, will be another player to watch.The Russians have a combination of experience and youth though they will sorely miss Inessa Sargsian who had to return home after suffering a knee injury in the Bangkok leg a couple of days back.The Italians are a comparatively new team being built up on the huge success of their men's side. They are reputed to be fast on court and this combination of young and old players can spoil the fancied teams' party on any given day.The Koreans, though of average built excepting for their tall captain Ji-Yeason Hong who stands 178 cms in her socks, have to depend on all six of their players to make a dent in their opponents'fortunes. Though endowed with unmatched speed and the desire to attack on a fast clip, blocking remains their Achilles' heel.Viewers will also have the benefit of three rule changes effected in the GP. Coloured balls will be used for the first time for greater spectator attention, the introduction of the libero, whose duty would be only to man the defence, flashy new uniforms and the sight of the team coach now given the opportunity to freely roam the sidelines.Thus, the appropriate ambience has been created by the organisers to showcase the greatest spectacle ever in modern day volleyball to be unveiled in this country.A long hop indeed from the day William Morgan walked out on that winter morning in 1895 to give the World a game endowed with speed, strength, endurance and now of course, the mega bucks.
