The 7th men’s edition and 6th women’s edition of the Pan American Beach Handball Championships will take place in Oceanside, California, USA from 8-11 March and the 16 teams who will make up the competition have been confirmed.

 

In total, nine countries will be represented in North America as eight men’s and women’s teams each will fight it out to at least finish fourth or higher, ensuring a place at the 2018 IHF Men’s and Women’s Beach Handball World Championships to be held in Kazan, Russia in July.

 

The host nation will aim to defend their title in the men’s competition which also features Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Uruguay, Puerto Rico, Trinidad and Tobago, Paraguay, while Uruguay will aim to defend their crown, taken in 2016, in the women’s competition which includes Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, United States, Trinidad and Tobago, Chile, and Paraguay.

 

Both teams of Trinidad and Tobago, the men’s team of Puerto Rico and the women’s team of Chile will make their Pan American Beach Handball Championship debut in the USA.

 

Games will be played over four days of competition, with the semi-finals and finals played on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 March respectively.