# 1997 FIVB Volleyball World Grand Prix

The 1997 FIVB World Grand Prix was the fifth women's volleyball tournament of its kind. It was held over four weeks in eight cities throughout Asia, cumulating with the final round in Kobe, Japan, from 29 to 31 August 1997.

## Preliminary rounds
### Ranking

The best three teams from the overall ranking and Japan as host are qualified for the final round.
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR | Qualification |
| 1 | Russia | 9 | 9 | 0 | 18 | 27 | 5 | 5.400 | 435 | 249 | 1.747 | Final round |
| 2 | Cuba | 9 | 6 | 3 | 15 | 23 | 13 | 1.769 | 489 | 454 | 1.077 | Final round |
| 3 | South Korea | 6 | 5 | 1 | 11 | 15 | 6 | 2.500 | 286 | 203 | 1.409 | Final round |
| 4 | China | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 1.444 | 296 | 224 | 1.321 | |
| 5 | Italy | 6 | 3 | 3 | 9 | 9 | 13 | 0.692 | 238 | 277 | 0.859 | |
| 6 | Japan (H) | 9 | 3 | 6 | 12 | 11 | 22 | 0.500 | 270 | 439 | 0.615 | Final round |
| 7 | Netherlands | 6 | 1 | 5 | 7 | 7 | 15 | 0.467 | 223 | 290 | 0.769 | |
| 8 | United States | 9 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 5 | 27 | 0.185 | 248 | 458 | 0.541 | |
* ↑ Qualified as hosts

### First round
#### Group A

* Venue: Macau
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 8 Ago | Russia | 3–0 | United States | 15–1 | 15–8 | 15–3 | | | 45–12 |
| 8 Ago | China | 3–0 | Italy | 15–6 | 15–6 | 15–11 | | | 45–23 |
| 9 Ago | Russia | 3–0 | Italy | 15–10 | 15–5 | 15–3 | | | 45–18 |
| 9 Ago | China | 3–0 | United States | 15–0 | 15–7 | 15–4 | | | 45–11 |
| 10 Ago | Italy | 3–2 | United States | 14–16 | 15–6 | 15–13 | 12–15 | 15–7 | 71–57 |
| 10 Ago | Russia | 3–1 | China | 15–10 | 10–15 | 15–9 | 15–13 | | 55–47 |

#### Group B

* Venue: Suwon, South Korea
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 8 Ago | South Korea | 3–2 | Netherlands | 13–15 | 15–4 | 15–13 | 10–15 | 15–10 | 68–57 |
| 8 Ago | Japan | 3–2 | Cuba | 15–8 | 15–11 | 8–15 | 14–16 | 15–13 | 67–63 |
| 9 Ago | South Korea | 3–0 | Japan | 15–5 | 15–8 | 15–11 | | | 45–24 |
| 9 Ago | Cuba | 3–2 | Netherlands | 15–13 | 7–15 | 15–11 | 15–17 | 15–12 | 67–68 |
| 10 Ago | South Korea | 3–1 | Cuba | 15–12 | 13–15 | 15–12 | 15–11 | | 58–50 |
| 10 Ago | Japan | 3–0 | Netherlands | 15–2 | 15–11 | 15–9 | | | 45–22 |

### Second round
#### Group C

* Venue: Taipei, Taiwan
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Total |
| 15 Ago | South Korea | 3–0 | United States | 15–4 | 15–4 | 15–4 | 45–12 |
| 15 Ago | Russia | 3–0 | Netherlands | 15–0 | 16–14 | 15–2 | 46–16 |
| 16 Ago | Netherlands | 3–0 | United States | 15–2 | 15–12 | 15–5 | 45–19 |
| 16 Ago | Russia | 3–0 | South Korea | 15–8 | 15–9 | 15–8 | 45–25 |
| 17 Ago | South Korea | 3–0 | Netherlands | 15–7 | 15–3 | 15–5 | 45–15 |
| 17 Ago | Russia | 3–0 | United States | 17–15 | 15–4 | 15–2 | 47–21 |

#### Group D

* Venue: Hong Kong
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 15 Ago | Cuba | 3–0 | Japan | 15–3 | 15–4 | 15–6 | | | 45–13 |
| 15 Ago | Italy | 3–2 | China | 15–11 | 15–10 | 6–15 | 4–15 | 18–16 | 58–67 |
| 16 Ago | Cuba | 3–0 | Italy | 15–9 | 15–6 | 15–8 | | | 45–23 |
| 16 Ago | China | 3–0 | Japan | 15–7 | 15–5 | 15–11 | | | 45–23 |
| 17 Ago | Italy | 3–0 | Japan | 15–2 | 15–10 | 15–6 | | | 45–18 |
| 17 Ago | Cuba | 3–1 | China | 16–14 | 15–11 | 8–15 | 15–7 | | 54–47 |

### Third round (extra)
#### Group E

* Venue: Gifu, Japan
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 22 Ago | Russia | 3–2 | Cuba | 14–16 | 16–14 | 15–8 | 15–12 | 15–12 | 75–62 |
| 22 Ago | Japan | 3–2 | United States | 9–15 | 15–7 | 15–10 | 11–15 | 15–12 | 65–59 |
| 23 Ago | Russia | 3–1 | Japan | 15–1 | 15–5 | 13–15 | 15–12 | | 58–33 |
| 23 Ago | Cuba | 3–0 | United States | 15–4 | 16–14 | 15–4 | | | 46–22 |
| 24 Ago | Cuba | 3–1 | Japan | 15–7 | 12–15 | 15–12 | 15–13 | | 57–47 |
| 24 Ago | Russia | 3–1 | United States | 15–9 | 4–15 | 15–6 | 15–5 | | 49–35 |

## Final round

* Venue: Kobe, Japan
| Date | | Score | | Set 1 | Set 2 | Set 3 | Set 4 | Set 5 | Total |
| 29 Ago | Cuba | 3–1 | South Korea | 16–17 | 15–7 | 15–3 | 15–3 | | 61–30 |
| 29 Ago | Russia | 3–0 | Japan | 16–14 | 15–1 | 15–7 | | | 46–22 |
| 30 Ago | Russia | 3–0 | South Korea | 15–4 | 15–9 | 17–15 | | | 47–28 |
| 30 Ago | Cuba | 3–0 | Japan | 15–12 | 15–8 | 15–9 | | | 45–29 |
| 31 Ago | Russia | 3–2 | Cuba | 15–8 | 10–15 | 4–15 | 15–9 | 15–13 | 59–60 |
| 31 Ago | South Korea | 3–1 | Japan | 10–15 | 15–7 | 15–2 | 15–5 | | 55–29 |

### Final ranking

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | Pts | SW | SL | SR | SPW | SPL | SPR |
| 1 | Russia | 3 | 3 | 0 | 6 | 9 | 2 | 4.500 | 152 | 110 | 1.382 |
| 2 | Cuba | 3 | 2 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 2.000 | 166 | 118 | 1.407 |
| 3 | South Korea | 3 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 0.571 | 113 | 137 | 0.825 |
| 4 | Japan | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 9 | 0.111 | 80 | 146 | 0.548 |

## Final standings

| Place | Team |
| | Russia |
| | Cuba |
| | South Korea |
| 4 | Japan |
| 5 | China |
| 6 | Italy |
| 7 | Netherlands |
| 8 | United States |
* 1997 FIVB World Grand Prix winners
* Russia First title
* Team roster
* Natalia Morozova, Anastasia Belikova, Yelena Tyurina, Elena Godina, Tatyana Menshova, Yevgeniya Artamonova, Yelizaveta Tishchenko, Yelena Vasilevskaya, Tatiana Gratcheva, Olga Chukanova, Natalia Safronova and Natalia Shigina.
* Head coach
* Nikolay Karpol

## Individual awards

* Most valuable player:
** Evguenia Artamonova (RUS)
* Best scorer:
** Evguenia Artamonova (RUS)
* Best spiker:
** Evguenia Artamonova (RUS)
* Best blocker:
** Regla Torres (CUB)
* Best server:
** Ikumi Narita (JPN)
* Best setter:
** Tatyana Grachova (RUS)
* Best digger:
** Ikumi Narita (JPN)

## Dream Team

* Setter:
** Taismary Aguero (CUB)
* Middle Blockers:
** Elizaveta Tichtchenko (RUS)
** Regla Torres (CUB)
* Outside hitters:
** Yevgeniya Artamonova (RUS)
** Sun Yue (CHN)
* Opposite Spiker:
** Qiu Aihua (CHN)