Rob Heidger

Chip McCaw Photo: Ken Delgado

Barbra Fontana Photo: Ken Delgado

Elaine Youngs Photo: Ken Delgado

While Heigder (Redondo Beach, Calif.) and McCaw (Tulsa, Okla.) were developing their "surprising" story Saturday, second-seeded Barbra Fontana and Elaine Youngs of the AVP were upset twice to place fourth in the women's FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships to share $16,000.

Seeded 18th in the FIVB World Championships, Heidger and McCaw started Saturday's action by eliminating top-seeded Niklos Berger and Oliver Stamm from host Austria 21-16 and 23-21 in 44 minutes. "I just couldn't beat Rob Heidger," said Stamm after losing to the Americans. "We had our chances and played well today. Heidger's blocking was the difference. The Americans just played better than us today."

Heidger and McCaw, who is playing his first-season on the beach, advanced to the finals with a 21-15 and 21-18 win over AVP rivals and 11th-seeded Dain Blanton (Laguna Beach, Calif.) and Eric Fonoimoana (Hermosa Beach, Calif.), in 47 minutes. Blanton and Fonoimoana, the men's Gold Medallists from the Sydney Games, advanced to the quarter-finals with a 18-21, 26-24 and 15-13 win in 63 minutes over 27th-seeded João Brenha and Luis Maia of Portugal.

With four-straight wins in the 32-team single-elimination bracket, Heidger and McCaw challenge third-seeded Mariano Baracetti and Martin Conde of Argentina for a spot in Sunday's Gold Medal match. Baracetti and Conde advanced to the semi-finals with a 16-21, 21-19 and 15-8 win in 60 minutes over 23rd-seeded Dax Holdren and Todd Rogers of the AVP.

Sunday's second-semi-final will match sixth-seeded Jorre Kjemperud and Vegard Hoidalen of Norway against the 10th-seeded Jose Loiola and Ricardo Santos of Brazil. The Norwegians upset the third-seeded Laciga brothers (Martn and Paul) to advance while Loiola and Ricardo eliminated Brazilian rivals second-seeded Tande Ramos and Emanuel Rego.

Holdren (Santa Barbara, Calif.) and Rogers (Santa Barbara) advanced to the quarter-finals with a 14-21, 21-13 and 17-15 win over fifth-seeded Stein Metzger (Honolulu, Hi.) and Kevin Wong (Pearl City, Hi.) of the AVP in 58 minutes. By splitting two matches Saturday, Holdren and Rogers place fifth to share $13,000 for their best international finish together this season.

Metzger and Wong, who captured June's Swiss Open before advancing to the "final fours" the past two weekends in France and Italy, placed ninth to share $7,500. Blanton and Fonoimoana, who placed ninth in the 1999 World Championships in France, shared $13,000 for their fifth-place finish.

Fontana (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Youngs (Encinitas, Calif.) dropped a 21-19, 13-21 and 15-13 decision to third-seeded Sandra Pires and Tatiana Minello of Brazil to open play Saturday before losing 21-17 and 21-19 to 12th-seeded Eva Celbova and Sona Dosoudilova of the Czech Republic in the Bronze Medal match. Fontana and Youngs, who had won all four of their meetings with Pires and Minello this season, shared $16,000 for fourth-place.

"I think the pressure was on them (Fontana and Youngs)," said Pires, "so we could just go out an play volleyball and have a good time." One team's joy is another's bitter disappointment. "We should have won, " said Youngs. "We had it in control, but in the end our timing was a bit off and they (Pires and Minello) had some good digs."

Fontana and Youngs have now posted a 48-10 match mark this season, including a 35-8 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour record. The pair has now combined to win $168,850 this season with three firsts, three seconds, two thirds and two fourths in 10 events. Fontana and Youngs have a domestic first, second and third this season.

Top-seeded Adriana Behar and Shelda Bede of Brazil defended their FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championship successfully by defeating Pires and Minello 21-16 and 21-18 to capture the Gold Medal and the $36,000 first-place prize. The Silver Medallists at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, Behar and Bede have now earned three-straight podium finishes in the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships, including a Bronze Medal in 1997.

Outside of the Olympics, the FIVB World Championships are the most prestigious international titles in beach volleyball. Natalie Cook and Kerri Pottharst, the Sydney 2000 Olympic women's Gold Medallists, were eliminated Friday by 15th-seeded Laura Bruschini and Annamaria Solazzi of Italy to place ninth.

PUBLIC RELATIONS - The Robbins Group handles the public relations' duties for the AVP Tour (Marcia Robbins, Debbie Rubio and Ann Victor, 818/776-1244, drubio@robbinsgrp.com). PRESS OPERATIONS - Tim Simmons (303/678-8484; e-mail bfishinc@aol.com), Dominic Clark (702/735-7123, dominiccnv@aol.com) and Doug Strauss (303/306-7543, statzman@hotmail.com) are the Press Information Officers for the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour.

FIVB BEACH VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS - August 1-5, 2001 at Klagenfurt, Austria August 4 Women's Bracket Play Results

Single-Elimination, Semi-finals
· Adriana Behar/Shelda Bede, Brazil (No. 1-seeded team) def. Eva Celbova/Sona Dosoudilova, Czech Republic (12), 21-15 and 21-16 (37 minutes);
· Sandra Pires/Tatiana Minello, Brazil (3) def. Barbra Fontana/Elaine Youngs, United States (2), 21-19, 13-21 and 15-13 (61).

Single-Elimination, Bronze Medal Match (winners place third, split $20,000; losers place fourth, split $16,000)
· Celbova/Dosoudilova, Czech Republic (12) def. Fontana/Youngs, United States (2), 21-17 and 21-19 (39).

Single-Elimination, Gold Medal Match (winners place third, split $36,000; losers place fourth, split $25,000)
· Behar/Bede, Brazil (1) def. Pires/Minello, Brazil (3), 21-16 and 21-18 (39).

August 4 Men's Bracket Play Results

Single-Elimination, Second-round (losers eliminated, place ninth, split $7,500)
· Rob Heidger/Chip McCaw, United States (No. 18-seeded team) def. Niklos Berger/Oliver Stamm, Austria (1), 21-16 and 23-21 (44 minutes);
· Dan Blanton/Eric Fonoimoana, United States (11) def. João Brenha/Luis Maia, Portugal (27), 18-21, 26-24 and 15-13 (63);
· Dax Holdren/Todd Rogers, United States (23) def. Stein Metzger/Wong, United States (5), 14-21, 21-13 and 17-15 (58);
· Mariano Baracetti/Martin Conde, Argentina (4) def. Markus Dieckmann/Jonas Reckermann, Germany (20), 21-19 and 21-16 (45);
· Martin Laciga/Paul Laciga, Switzerland (3) def. Sergey Ermishin/Mikhail Kouchnerev, Russia (14), 21-19 and 21-14 (34);
· Jorre Kjemperud/Vegard Hoidalen, Norway (6) def. Dmitry Karasev/Pavel Zaitsev, Russia (22), 21-14, 18-21 and 18-16 (64);
· Jose Loiola/Ricardo Santos, Brazil (10) def. Pará Ferreira/Zé Marco de Melo, Brazil (7), 21-16 and 21-18 (40);
· Tande Ramos/Emanuel Rego, Brazil (2) def. Julien Prosser/Lee Zahner. Australia (15), 21-17 and 22-20 (38).

Single-Elimination, Third-round (losers eliminated, place fifth, split $13,000)
· Heidger/McCaw, United States (18) def. Blanton/Fonoimoana, United States (11), 21-15 and 21-18 (47)
· Baracetti/Conde, Argentina (4) def. Holdren/Rogers, United States (23), 16-21, 21-19 and 15-8 (60)
· Kjemperud/Hoidalen, Norway (6) def. M. Laciga/P. Laciga, Switzerland (3), 24-22 and 22-20 (42);
· Loiola/Ricardo, Brazil (10) def. Tande/Emanuel, Brazil (2), 18-21, 21-15 and 15-11 (53).

August 5 Men's Bracket Play Schedule

Single-Elimination, Semi-finals
· Heidger/McCaw, United States (18) vs. Baracetti/Conde, Argentina (4);
· Kjemperud/Hoidalen, Norway (6) vs. Loiola/Ricardo, Brazil (10).

Single-Elimination, Bronze Medal Match (winners place third, split $20,000; losers place fourth, split $16,000)
· Heidger/McCaw, United States (18) / Baracetti/Conde, Argentina (4) loser vs. Kjemperud/Hoidalen, Norway (6) / Loiola/Ricardo, Brazil (10) loser.

Single-Elimination, Gold Medal Match (winners place third, split $36,000; losers place fourth, split $25,000)
· Heidger/McCaw, United States (18) / Baracetti/Conde, Argentina (4) winner vs. Kjemperud/Hoidalen, Norway (6) / Loiola/Ricardo, Brazil (10) winner.

FIVB BEACH VOLLEYBALL WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS "FINAL FOUR" FINISHES

WOMEN'S WORLDS

United States - Los Angeles (September 10-13, 1997)
1. Sandra Pires/Jackie Silva, BRAZIL
2. Lisa Arce/Holly McPeak, UNITED STATES
3. Karolyn Kirby/Nancy Reno, UNITED STATES
3. Shelda Bede/Adriana Behar, BRAZIL

France - Marseille (July 21-24, 1999)
1. Bede/Behar, BRAZIL
2. Annett Davis/Jenny Johnson Jordan, USA
3. Liz Masakayan/Elaine Youngs, UNITED STATES
4. Pires/Adriana Samuel, BRAZIL

Austria - Klagenfurt (August 1-4, 2001)
1. Bede/Behar, BRAZIL
2. Pires/Tatiana Minello, BRAZIL
3. Eva Celbova/Sona Dosoudilova, CZECH REPUBLIC
4. Barbra Fontana/youngs, UNITED STATES

MEN'S WORLDS

United States - Los Angeles (September 10-13, 1997)
1. Guilherme Marques/Para Ferreira , BRAZIL
2. Canyon Ceman/Mike Whitmarsh, UNITED STATES
3. Paulao Moreira/Paulo Emilio Silva, BRAZIL
3. Dain Blanton/Kent Steffes, UNITED STATES

France - Marseille (July 22-25, 1999)
1. Emanuel Rego /Jose Loiola, BRAZIL
2. Martin Laciga/Paul Laciga, SWITZERLAND
3. Guilherme/Para, BRAZIL
4. Javier Bosma/Fabio Diez, SPAIN

Austria - Klagenfurt (August 1-5, 2001)
· Rob Heidger/Chip McCaw, UNITED STATES
· Mariano Baracetti/Martin Conde, ARGENTINA
· Jorre Kjemperud/Vegard Hoidalen, NORWAY
· Jose Loiola/Ricardo Santos, BRAZIL

FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour - Combined 2001 Calendar - Men & Women, Subject to Change

Dates, Site, 2001 Gold Medallists
· April 4-8, Macau, Macau (women), Natalie Cook/Kerri Pottharst, Australia
· June 13-17, Tenerife, Canary Island (Spain, men), Emanuel Rego/Tande Ramos, Brazil
· June 13-17, Cagliari, Italy (women), Barbra Fontana/Elaine Youngs, United States
· June 19-23, Gstaad, Switzerland (women), Adriana Behar/Shelda Bede, Brazil
· June 20-24, Gstaad, Switzerland (men), Stein Metzger/Kevin Wong, United States
· June 27-July 1, Berlin, Germany (men), Julien Prosser/Lee Zahner, Australia
· June 29-July 1, Xylokastro, Greece (women challenger), Zi Xiong/Rong Chi, China
· July 4-8, Gran Canaria, Spain (women), Behar/Bede, Brazil
· July 4-8, Stavanger, Norway (men), Emanuel/Tande, Brazil
· July 6-8, Xylokastro, Greece (men challenger), Klepper Feitosa/Murilo Texeira, Brazil
· July 11-15, Lignano Sabbiadoro, Italy (men), Mariano Baracetti/Martin Conde, Argentina
· July 13-15, Lebanon, Beirut (men satellite), Dmitri Barsouk/Vladimir Kostioukov, Russia
· July 16-22, Marseille, France (women), Fontana/Youngs, United States
· July 16-22, Marseille, France (men), Baracetti/Conde, Argentina
· July 24-28, Espinho, Portugal (women), Misty May/Kerri Walsh, United States
· July 25-29, Espinho, Portugal (men) - Jose Loiola/Ricardo Santos, Brazil
· July 25-29, Kiev, Ukraine (men challenger), Klepper/Murilo, Brazil
· August 1-4, Klagenfurt, Austria (World Championships - women), Behar/Bede, Brazil
· August 1-5, Klagenfurt, Austria (World Championships - men)
· August 8-12, Osaka, Japan (women)
· August 8-12, Ostende, Belgium (men)
· August 15-19, Maoming, China (women)
· August 22-26, Hong Kong (women)
· August 29-September 4, Brisbane (Goodwill Games - men and women)
· September 12-16, Mallorca, Spain (men)
· October 30-November 4, Fortaleza, Brazil (women)
· November 27-December 2, Vitoria, Brazil (men)

AVP ON THE WEB - Information on the AVP Tour and the sport of volleyball can be found at the following web sites:
· AVP Tour (www.avptour.com) - The site is maintained by Nick Cargill (contact@Sniperdev.com).
· Beach Volleyball Data Base (www.bvbinfo.com) - The site is maintained by Dennis Wagner (doctorono@home.com) of Virginia Beach, Va. Dr. Ono has tracked 1,104 events and 2,843 players.
· USA Volleyball (www.usavolleyball.org) - The site is maintained by Brent Buzbee (brent.buzbee@usav.org) at the USA Volleyball Offices in Colorado Springs, Colo.
· FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour (www.fivb.org) - The site is maintained by the FIVB's beach department (beach@mail.fivb.ch) at the FIVB headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

BACK IN CALIFORNIA - After two weekends off, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour returns to California for Michelob Light events in Santa Barbara (August 17-19) and Manhattan Beach (August 24-26). The 2001 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour ends in Las Vegas with the Paul Mitchell King and Queen of the Beach competition at the Hard Rock Hotel September 7-9. Echo Entertainment of Studio City, Calif., will be taping the Michelob Light Open at Santa Barbara action for broadcast September 3 on FOX Sports Net.

2001 AVP SCHEDULE (All dates and venues are subject to change) - A total of five combined men's and women's events highlight the eight-stop schedule for the "new" AVP. Total prize money for the 2001 season is nearly $1 million with individual tournament purses for both men and women ranging from $62,500 to $150,000.

Date, City, State, Site, Competition
· June 8-10, Hermosa Beach, Calif., The Pier, Men (Dax Holdren/Todd Rogers) and Women (Lisa Arce/Holly McPeak)
· June 15-17, Huntington Beach, Calif., The Pier, Men (Scott Ayakatubby/Eduardo Bacil)
· July 13-15, Muskegon, Mich., Pere Marquette Park, Men (Brent Doble/LeGrande) and Women (Linda Hanley/Sarah Straton)
· July 20-22, Belmar, N.J., Belmar Beach, Men (Doble/LeGrande)
· July 27-29, Virginia Beach, Va., 4th Street Beach, Men (Aaron Boss/Collin Smith)
· August 17-19, Santa Barbara, Calif., East Beach, Men and Women
· August 24-26, Manhattan Beach, Calif., The Pier, Men and Women
· September 7-9, Las Vegas, Nev. (King/Queen of the Beach), Hard Rock Hotel, Men and Women

~Tim Simmons