The Canadian professional men and women volleyball teams are heating up the 18th annual Heatwave Toronto Beach Volleyball Challenge by competing for a spot at the 2012 Olympic Games.

Toronto’s Heather Bansley and Etobicoke’s Liz Maloney will face-off against Marie-Andree Lessard of Ville LaSalle, Que. and Annie Martin of Sherbrooke, Que. Ben Saxton of Calgary and Toronto’s Christian Redmann will take on Toronto’s Josh Binstock and Martin Reader of Comox, B.C. The winning women and men will earn the right to be nominated to the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team.

The two-day annual Heatwave volleyball tournament features co-ed competitive and recreational matches of more than 270 teams in support of SickKids. To date, the event has raised more than $2 million for childhood cancer research at SickKids. This year’s proceeds will support the SickKids Centre for Research and Learning as well as cancer research.

The tournament takes place at Ashbridge’s Bay on July 7 and 8 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. The Olympic face-offs are on July 7 at 1 p.m. for the women and 3 p.m. for the men. Following the men’s final, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Volleyball Canada will make a formal announcement at 4 p.m. regarding the 2012 Olympic Summer Games in London.

Don’t miss out on a great tournament and the 2012 Canadian Olympic Team nominees.