Five-time national women volleyball champions Kenya Prisons will have a shot at their first continental title in four year as they seek to return to the top of Africa club volleyball they once dominated in the upcoming Confederation of Africa Volleyball (CAVB).
Kenya will present two men’s and women’s club made up of Kenya Prisons men and women, General Service Unit (GSU) and Kenya Pipeline (women) who have been given two months to confirm their entry to the annual continental event to be hosted in Tunisia between March and April.
With teams from the southern conference having expressed interest to take part in the games, the number of participants is expected to go slightly above a record 42 who took part in the last edition. As such, CAVB has opened the entry on first come-first serve. This means that Kenyan representatives will have to submit their entry early enough to avoid being blocked from the event.
Prisons ruled the continental stage, winning the cup five times including four in a row but their dominance has dwindled in the past three editions where they failed to reach the final. Kenya’s dominance at this stage has weaned in the last three editions where Pipeline lost at the semis (2015) and final last year but this edition could be time for the local clubs to turn the tables.
The women’s event will be hosted in the city of Kelibia in April while a Tunis will host the opening stage of the men’s competition in April.
Kenya Volleyball Federation men’s national league champions, Kenya Prisons and runners up, General Service Unit will carry the country flag in the male competition. CAVB is yet to announce specific dates for both tournaments.
Winners of the continental cup will represent Africa at the world club cup championship later in the year. Despite dominating the local scene in the past three seasons and continental stage in the past decade, Pipeline has never boarded the plane to the world arena.
The Club Championships is considered one of the most attractive club volleyball tournaments in Africa attracting best clubs from across the continent.
Due to the high number of teams expected to grace the event, CAVB will only accept entries son first come-first serve basis. Dealing for submission of entry is set for February 28th.
Last year, a record 42 teams took part in the event with the women’s entry attracting 18 clubs while 24 male clubs graced the competition in Cairo, Egypt.