With new players beefing up the 10-team field, the opening leg of the Petron Ladies Beach Volleyball Tournament is expected to set the tone for a more balance competition in the meet for the rest of the season.

Laborte and Tabuena of defending champion Philippine Navy is not yet entered in the Feb. 3 and 4 leg of the tourney at the Clearwater Country Club in Clarkfield, Pampanga, making the two-day competition a wide-open race.

The Navy pair also won the 2004 edition of the yearly meet and had always been a top favorite ever since former lady PSC commissioner Tisha Abundo first organized the event three years ago.

They also represented the country in beach volleyball during the last 23rd Southeast Asian Games.

"We’ve always done our part to help develop beach volleyball here in the country. Although we’re not

part of the national sports association for volleyball, we’re just happy to have this lovely ladies play for us," said Abundo in yesterday’s session of the PSA Forum at the main function room of the Pantalan Restaurant in Manila.

Together with Abundo in the weekly sports program sponsored by PAGCOR and Manila Mayor Lito Atienza were the charming women of Speedo represented Abby dela Fuente and ACSAT vice-president and athletic director Raoul D. Sia.

Also appearing in the session complete in their Speedo attire were Philippine School of Business

Administration (PSBA) players Jessica Ticala, Marichu Radam, Shiela Dumrique and Jessy Dumagat, the St. Francis of Assisi rookie pair of Ingrid Verayo and Aprilyn Mojica and veteran Diane Destajo of City College of Manila.

None of the ladies were as bold as Destajo, who bared that she’s aiming for at least a semifinal stint in the first leg of the meet sponsored by Speedo, ACSAT and Clearwater Country Club.

"Target naming is to make the semis dahil nag-finals kami last year. From there, tingnan na lang natin ano ang mangyayari," she said.

The Destajo-reinforced City College team made the third leg finals a year ago, but lost to eventual champion Sheryl Laborte and Rolyn Marquicias.

The meet is a quarterly event, with the final leg serving as the grand championship among the winners and runners-up of the first three legs.

The second leg will be held at the Manila Baywalk.