Thousands gathered last weekend to watch some of the greatest beach volleyball players in the world battle it out on the south side of the Manhattan Beach pier. This prestigious tournament is known by many to be the Wimbledon of beach volleyball, and has featured some of the greatest athletes in the sport since its inception in 1960. Due to financial difficulties, professional beach volleyball laid essentially dormant in 2010 and 2011, but last weekend proved that it is certainly alive and well.
This year all eyes were focused on Jake Gibb and South Bay resident Sean Rosenthal who recently represented the United States at the 2012 Olympics in London. Millions watched around the world as their efforts fell short of an Olympic medal, but local residents still could not be more proud to share their home with anyone competing in the world’s most coveted event, and a moment was shared in their honor before the men’s final on Sunday. Unfortunately an early loss on Saturday had them battling their way through the losers bracket, and they were eventually defeated on Sunday. Rosenthal states, “To lose early put us in a hole, but we are still happy that we were able to make it to Sunday. It is difficult coming from overseas, but there is nothing like playing to the home crowd.” When asked about his experience in London, he enthusiastically says “It’s crazy playing in such a huge stadium that is filled to capacity every game, the energy is unbelievable!” He also mentioned that the wind was more of a factor than spectators could see on TV which is an interesting challenge to face on top of playing such high intensity volleyball.
In the end it was 2011 champs John Hyden and Sean Scott who snagged the victory over Ryan Doherty and Casey Patterson in a two game final match earning them $11,000. The win clenched the duo their third victory of the Jose Cuervo Pro Beach Volleyball Series this year and cemented another place for their names on the Manhattan Beach Pier for eternity. Their names will share the honor with defending champs Jenny Kropp and Whitney Pavlik who dominated the women’s final match and won in just two games as well. They have yet to be defeated in the 2012 Jose Cuervo Series.
As Manhattan Beach Mayor Wayne Powell handed Jenny Kropp her championship plaque and oversized check, she proudly proclaimed “This is the best place to play in the world.” After some careful consideration and a good look around the event, it would be difficult to disagree with such a statement. There was not a cloud in the sky as the 80 degree heat was cooled to perfection from the whispering of a soft and constant ocean breeze. Past the bleachers you could see boats gently gliding across the crystal blue pacific ocean with their sails silhouetted in the forefront of an afternoon sun. All the while, there were stands packed full of people excitedly celebrating the combination of competition and a sun-drenched life style. At the end of the day it’s not only about a tournament, it’s about a town; a beach town founded on the ideals of hard work and the celebration of life. Manhattan Beach comes alive during the volleyball tournament with lines out the door from Shellback to Shark’s Cove as thousands of locals celebrate their beloved beach competition.
Perhaps there is nothing that exemplifies the age-old adage “the best things in life are free” better than the Manhattan Beach Open. For zero dollars, anyone can enjoy a perfect afternoon in the Manhattan Beach sunshine and watch world class athletes compete for a slice of history. Not to mention there are more handouts than a high five convention, with tons of free samples from a variety of vendors. If you didn’t get down there this year, do yourself a favor and make it a priority next year. Beach volleyball is back… in a big way, and there is no better place to see a match than Manhattan Beach.
