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Manhattan Beach lures the best in beach volleyball this weekend

Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings will play in this week's Manhattan Beach Open.
(Robert Laberge / Getty Images)
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If Southern California is the seat of beach volleyball in the U.S., then Manhattan Beach is the well-worn sweet spot of the chair.

The 55th Manhattan Beach Open takes place Thursday through Sunday near the Manhattan Beach Pier. The tournament first was held in 1960 and is the fourth stop on the domestic AVP tour this year.

Athletes competing on the tour include Olympians Kerri Walsh Jennings, April Ross, Phil Dalhausser and Sean Rosenthal.

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Ross and Walsh Jennings have won the first three AVP women’s titles of the year. On the men’s side, three teams have won tournaments: Brad Keenan and John Mayer, Tri Bourne and John Hyden, and Jake Gibb and Casey Patterson.

Ross and Walsh Jennings lead the AVP women’s tour in season points with 2,250; Gibb and Patterson lead the men with 1,930. A win earns a team the maximum 750 points.

Qualifying in Manhattan Beach begin Thursday at 8 a.m., with 28 women’s teams and 52 men’s teams vying for remaining positions in 32-team main draw contests for each side.

The main draw takes place Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. each day.

On Sunday, semifinals start at 8:15 a.m., with finals broadcast live on CBS Sports Network from 1 to 3 p.m.

General admission is free.

samantha.zuba@latimes.com

Twitter: @szuuuubes

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