Beach Volleyball made its Olympic debut at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. Since then it has become one of the most popular spectator sports at the Games. The London 2012 beach volleyball competition will feature two events: a men's tournament and a women's tournament.  All beach volleyball matches will be held at a temporary 15,000 seat stadium that will be constructed at the Horse Guards Parade with sand brought in to create a beach in the middle of the city, a short distance from Trafalgar Square. 

London 2012 Storylines:
The United States has won the most Olympic gold medals in beach volleyball, claiming three of the four men's gold medals and the last two women's gold medals. Brazil has won the most total medals, four on the men's side (1 gold, 2 silver, 1 bronze) and five on the women's side (1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze).

Two-time defending Olympic beach volleyball champions Kerri Walsh and Misty May-Treanor will reunite for a try at a third gold medal in London. The two Americans played together in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. Walsh took time off for two pregnancies, while May-Treanor injured her Achilles tendon in 2008 rehearsing for Dancing with the Stars.  The reunited pair were able to capture gold once again at the 2011 World Championships.

Canada's Outlook:
Canada has won just one Olympic medal in beach volleyball, a bronze by John Child and Mark Heese in the inaugural Olympic tournament in Atlanta 1996.  After three straight Olympic appearances, Canada did not have an entry in the Beijing 2008 men's tournament.

Canada will be looking to earn a place in London on the men's side with the team of Christian Redmann and Ben Saxton, who finished the 2011 World Championships ranked 17th. The 2011 season marked the first season Redmann and Saxton have played together.

Canada has entered the women's Olympic tournament just twice, in Atlanta 1996 and Athens 2004, and is hoping to get back to the Games in London. The team of Heather Bansley and Liz Maloney also finished 17th at the 2011 World Championships. The other elite Canadian women's team is Marie-Andrée Lessard and Annie Martin which lost all three of its matches in pool play at the 2011 World Championships and did not advance to the playoff round.

International Teams – At a Glance:

MEN'S TEAMS

Todd Rogers and Phil Dalhausser – United States

• 2008 Olympic Champions
• 2007 World Champions; 2009 World bronze medallists
• Eliminated in the Round of 16 at 2011 World Championships
• Partners since 2005, they are currently first in the World Tour rankings

• Won silver at 2011 World Championships
• Emanuel won gold in Athens 2004 and bronze in Beijing 2008 with partner Ricardo
• Alison won silver at the 2009 World Championships with partner Harley

• Two-time Olympic Champions (2004, 2008), the first beach volleyball team to win two Olympic gold medals
• 2011 World Champions
• Own the two longest win streaks in women's beach volleyball – in 2007 and 2008 they won 112 straight matches, beating the 90 straight matches they won in 2003 and 2004

• Partners since 2004, they are currently first in the World Tour rankings
• 2005, 2009, 2011 World silver medalists; 2007 World bronze medallists