Main Draw Play To Begin In International Beach Volleyball Tournament
LONG BEACH (CBSLA.com) — Men's and women's main draw play begins Wednesday in the World Series of Beach Volleyball on Alamitos Beach in Long Beach.
The tournament is part of the circuit organized by FIVB, volleyball's international governing body, with players earning points that will determine qualifying for the 2016 Olympics.
The 32-team women's field from 15 nations includes three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings of Manhattan Beach, whose playing partner, April Ross of Costa Mesa, won a silver medal in the 2012 Olympics.
Each of the top three seeded women's teams are from Brazil.
Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson, who both live in Huntington Beach, are the top seeds in the 32-team, 16-nation men's field, which also includes fellow American Phil Dalhausser, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist.
There will be two rounds of women's play and one round of men's play Wednesday. The men's and women's fields will both be reduced to 24 teams at the conclusion of Thursday's play.
The tournament will also include a "Legends Night" from 6-9 p.m. Friday, honoring the gold medalists from the inaugural Olympic beach volleyball tournament in 1996, a Brazilian-themed barbecue and live musical performances and a concert from 5-9 p.m. Saturday featuring Heymous Molly, Holy Child, Hayley Orrantia, The Mowgli's, Bahari, Danny Mercer, Radical Something, Adam Lambert and American Authors.
The tournament concludes Sunday with the medal rounds and a celebrity match hosted by actor Josh Hutcherson, benefiting Straight But Not Narrow, a nonprofit organization primarily focused on straight youth and young adults that strives to positively influence the perception of and behavior toward their lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender peers.
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