The Grand Slam of Beach Volleyball takes place in Rome from 12-17 June when 171 champion pairings from 34 countries descend on the capital's sand-filled Foro Italico.

Players compete over a 30,000-sqm area filled with 2,000 tons of sand to win the top prize of $600,000.

Rome is the eighth appointment of the 2012 world tour and follows similar sporting events in Brasilia, Sanya in southern China, Myslowice in Poland, Shanghai, Beijing, Prague and Moscow.

The Grand Slam represents the last chance for players to accumulate enough points to participate in the upcoming London Olympics. The Olympic ranking is based on the top 12 scores obtained during the World Tour, which began in Brasilia in January and concludes in Rome on 17 June.

Some of the most anticipated international players coming to Rome are the Brazilian pair Emanuel Rego-Alison Cerutti in the male category, and last year