Blanton Chases Olympic Dream in Europe

Dain Blanton desperately wants to qualify for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia. So the former Laguna Beach High standout spent five weeks recently showing off his beach volleyball skills . . . in Europe.

Under current U.S. qualifying standards for the 2000 Olympics, players must build up their rankings on the FIVB tour, which held only two of its 13 events this season in North America--Toronto and Acapulco.

Welcome to the topsy-turvy world of beach volleyball.

The sport’s most financially stable tour takes place mainly overseas. The Los Angeles-Orange County area will host only three events--including this weekend’s Assn. of Volleyball Professionals Manhattan Beach Open.

“It makes zero sense for us to qualify for the Olympics in Europe,” Blanton said. “In track and field, they qualify for the Olympics here at home. They don’t have to compete abroad to qualify for their home country. That’s how it should be.”

Instead, the top two U.S. beach volleyball two-man teams will qualify for the Sydney Olympics based on a comparison of their top eight finishes in FIVB events, from the beginning of this year to August 2000, against those of other U.S. hopefuls.

Blanton and teammate Eric Fonoimoana are fourth among U.S. teams in the FIVB rankings, behind Kevin Wong and Rob Heidger, Sinjin Smith and Carl Henkel, and Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson.

“We played pretty well during our recent trip,” Blanton said. “We’ve positioned ourselves to be right there.”

Blanton and Fonoimoana posted two fourth-place finishes, one fifth and two ninths in those five FIVB events, then returned home and won last weekend’s AVP event in Cleveland.

It was the second AVP victory this season for Blanton and Fonoimoana, giving them some momentum heading into Manhattan Beach.

Blanton has done well this season, winning $62,350, although more than half of that was made on the AVP tour. That’s pretty good considering some were thinking there wasn’t going to be an AVP tour this season.

“It was very uncertain,” Blanton said. “People are grateful now the tour is happening. We’re not playing for pennies and we can make a good living. The fans have always been there, but the tour had been mismanaged. But it seems to be on the right track.”

Some uncertainty remains, though. Blanton said he has seen the FIVB’s 2000 schedule, but the AVP has not released one yet. So, will there even be a domestic tour next year?

“I guess we’ll see,” Blanton said.

VOLLEYBALL SHORTS

Elaine Youngs, from UCLA and El Toro High, and partner Liz Masakayan are fifth in the FIVB rankings and are the second-highest-ranked U.S. team behind second-ranked Annett Buckner Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan.

Lisa Arce and Barbra Fontana are sixth and Linda Hanley, a Laguna Beach High graduate, and Nancy Reno are ranked seventh.

Youngs and Masakayan are third in prize money, winning $68,000 over six FIVB events.

Those four teams should be in the field for this week’s tournament in Manhattan Beach.

SURFING UPDATE

San Clemente’s Shea Lopez improved his Assn. of Surfing Professionals World Championship Tour ranking to 18th after finishing third last week in the event at Lacanau, France. His brother, Cory Lopez, is ranked 25th.

San Clemente’s Shane Beschen, who was ranked fourth last season, is ranked 30th. Laguna Niguel’s Pat O’Connell is ranked 19th.

Tim Curran of Ventura won the men’s event at Lacanau, defeating top-ranked Mark Occhilupo of Australia. Hawaii’s Megan Abubo won the women’s event, but top-ranked Layne Beachley of Australia strengthened her hold on the No. 1 spot with a third-place finish.

The tour remains in France this week, although Wednesday’s surfing was canceled after the surf went flat in Hossegor.

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Staff writer Erik Hamilton contributed to this story.