Olympians Headline Seal Beach AVP Event

Dain Blanton and Eric Fonoimoana, who edged Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson for the final U.S. Olympic men’s beach volleyball berth last weekend, are seeded sixth for the Assn. of Volleyball Professionals U.S. Open tournament at Seal Beach, which begins today.

Eight berths in the main draw are at stake in the single-elimination qualification tournament, which begins at 9 a.m. today near the pier in Seal Beach.

Blanton, formerly of Laguna Beach High, and Fonoimoana are playing in their first AVP event since July 20, when they finished seventh at Belmar, N.J. They were suspended from the AVP in mid-June for entering an FIVB tournament in Italy as they continued their chase for an Olympic berth.

Blanton and Fonoimoana clinched the berth last weekend at the FIVB tournament in Ostende, Belgium, finishing third. Kiraly and Johnson, both from San Clemente, pulled out of the tournament after Kiraly dislocated his shoulder during qualifying.

Kiraly will not play at Seal Beach but Johnson will play with Huntington Beach’s Brian Lewis. The top-seeded team is Brazil’s Jose Loiola and Emanuel Rego, another team that has qualified for Sydney.

The double-elimination main draw begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. The final is Sunday at approximately 4 p.m.

*

U.S. Olympians Annett Davis and Jenny Johnson Jordan are the top-seeded team for the Beach Volleyball America women’s tournament in Long Beach.

The qualification tournament begins today at 9 a.m. near the Belmont Plaza aquatics complex.

Misty May, formerly of Newport Harbor High and Long Beach State, will not play because of a stomach muscle strain. Partner Holly McPeak, who clinched an Olympic bid with May, will play with Carrie Busch.

The double-elimination main draw begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. The final is Sunday at approximately 2:30 p.m.