An Inside Look at the AVP Manhattan Beach Open

  0 Wendy Mayer | August 15th, 2018 | AVP Tour, News, Pro Beach

AVP Manhattan Beach Open

  • Manhattan Beach Pier; Manhattan Beach, California
  • Aug. 16-19, 2018
  • Entry List

With only one American team in the FIVB World Tour Finals, the usual suspects are all back in action at the AVP Manhattan Beach Open beginning on Thursday.

Manhattan Beach is the sixth AVP Tour stop of the season and seventh affiliated event including a co-sponsored event with the FIVB in May.

The Nitty Gritty

  • 32 Main Draw Teams per Gender, including eight qualifiers
  • Qualifying begins August 16
  • Champions will be crowned on Sunday with the finals airing live on NBCSN from 4-6:30 p.m. ET.
  • Manhattan Beach is part of the AVP Gold Series, which bring elevated points and an increased prize purse ($250,000).
  • According to the AVP, Manhattan Beach has been called the Super Bowl of Beach Volleyball.

The Field

Men

Women

  • The lone team missing from the women’s field is most recent AVP champs, Sara Hughes/Summer Ross, who took the Hermosa Beach title on July 29 and gold in New York on June 10. The pair was selected to the elite 10-team field at the FIVB World Tour Finals.
  • Even without Hughes/Ross, the AVP entry list is still a who’s who of the top of the United States women’s beach teams.
    • Emily Day/Brittany Hochevar are the two-time defending champions. Hochevar is now teamed up with Kelly Claes as the No. 1 seed, while Day has won two 2018 AVP titles with Betsi Flint (Seattle – June 24, San Francisco – July 8) and the pair checks in at No. 2 in the seeding.
    • No. 3 Alix Klineman/April Ross (Austin – May 20) round out the headliners.
  • The group will be joined by 69 women’s pairs who will battle for the final eight main draw positions. 

Event History

2017 

2016

2015

2014

2013

  • Men: Matt Fuerbringer/Casey Jennings def. Phil Dalhausser/Sean Rosenthal
  • Women: Whitney Pavlik/Kerri Walsh Jennings def. Jennifer Fopma/Brooke Sweat

Side Notes

  • On Aug. 16 at 3:30 p.m. PT, the AVP will celebrate 59 years of beach volleyball tradition, honoring the past and present with a Walk of Fame Pier ceremony.
  • Sunrise Yoga will begin at 6:45 a.m. on August 17 on the AVP Skydeck. RSVP info is here.
  • Movie on the Beach: At 6 p.m. on August 17, a free screening of Penguins of Madagascar will take place on stadium court.
  • AVPFirst Community Corner: At 10:30 a.m. on August 19, the AVP coaches and pro athletes will introduce beach volleyball to underserved youth and their families.

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About Wendy Mayer

Wendy Mayer

Wendy Mayer has worked in athletics media relations for the last 20 years. The Northwest Missouri State alumna is currently senior writer for Volleymob.com after spending the last 15 years with Purdue athletics.

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