San Diego Roundup : Junior Olympic Girls’ Volleyball Play to Begin

San Diego will be represented by three age-group teams from the San Diego Volleyball Club when the Junior Olympic girls’ volleyball tournament begins today in Albuquerque, N.M.

The 17-and-under team qualified by winning the Southern California Junior Volleyball Assn. championship with a 50-6 record in matches. It was the first time a San Diego team had finished in the top five.

The club also qualified two 15-and-under teams. The first qualified automatically by placing third in the association standings, and the second received an at-large berth in the 48-team competition.

The 17-and-under team is led by 6-foot setter Cheri Boyer of Poway High School and outside hitter Carolyn Taetafa of Sweetwater. The coach is John Cook, who led Parker High to the state District III championship last fall.

The tournament runs through July 8.

More than 700 competitors from ages 6 to 20, many of whom are from San Diego, will compete in the U.S. Judo Assn. Junior Nationals, which begin today at the Town and Country Hotel Convention Center in Mission Valley. This is the first time in the event’s 18-year history that it has been held in San Diego.

Opening ceremonies are at 9 a.m., and finals will be Saturday. For the first time, in addition to the regular age divisions, there will be an elite division, in which winners will gain points toward qualifying for international competition.

Tickets are available at the door. The cost is $3.50 per day with a $1 discount for a two-day ticket. Children under 5 will be admitted free.

The sixth Carlsbad Triathlon is scheduled to begin at 7 a.m. Sunday, July 12. The competition will include a 1-mile ocean swim, a 16-mile bicycle race and a 6.2-mile run.

The triathlon begins at Tamarack State Beach and ends at Avenida Encinas.

There will be no race-day registration. For more information, call the Carlsbad Parks and Recreation Department at 438-5666.