Smith-Stoklos Favored Back on Real Beach

This weekend’s 32nd annual Manhattan Beach Open will mark the first Southland stop on the 1991 Assn. of Volleyball Professionals tour after playing at inland sites earlier in the year.

The double-elimination tournament begins Friday at 9 a.m. near the Manhattan Beach Pier. Saturday’s matches also start at 9 a.m., and the final is scheduled for Sunday at 3 p.m.

The top-ranked team of Sinjin Smith and Randy Stoklos is seeded No. 1 in the 80-team event. Smith and Stoklos lead the AVP this season with 12 tournament victories and $104,250 in earnings.

The newly formed team of Brent Frohoff and Tim Hovland is seeded second, Karch Kiraly and Kent Steffes third. Kiraly, a two-time gold medalist on the U.S. Olympic volleyball team, recently returned from playing in the Italian pro indoor season. He won seven tournaments last year, including the Manhattan Beach Open with Frohoff. Winners of the $75,000 tournament will split $15,750.