COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (April 2, 2024) – In the latest installment of the beach update, we recap the results from Challenge Saquarema and get ready for three beach events on the calendar for this week, including the second NORCECA Playoff of the year on April 5 in Manhattan Beach.
Challenge Saquarema Results
Every U.S. pair entered in Challenge Saquarema also competed in Challenge Recife the prior week, making for back-to-back challenge events in Brazil.
Three U.S. men’s pairs made it out of qualifying and into the main draw. Miles Evans and Chase Budinger were the highest finishing pair once again. Evans/Budinger defeated H. Mol/Bernsten (NOR) 2-0 (21-17, 21-18) in the round of 16 to advance to the quarterfinals. George/Andre (BRA) defeated Evans/Budinger 2-0 (21-17, 21-13), leaving the U.S. pair to finish tied for fifth in the tournament.
Chaim Schalk/Tri Bourne made it out of pool play, but lost in the round of 18 to George/Andre (BRA) 2-0 (21-13, 21-17)
Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner did not advance past pool play.
Full Results
Futures Pirae (Men Only)
Futures Pirae, Tahiti is the next BPT event on the calendar. The U.S will send four pairs to compete in the men’s-only future on April 2-6.
Mark Bucknam/Alex Ukkelberg, Charlie Siragusa/Derek Bradford, Cody Caldwell/Avery Drost, and Cody Price/Leigh Sinoto are the teams set to compete.
The women’s event in Pirae will be April 9-13.
NORCECA Dominican Republic
The first NORCECA event of 2024 will be April 4-8 in Gubia Beach, Dominican Republic.
Hailey Harward/Kylie DeBerg and Savvy Simo/Abby Van Winkle will represent for the women. Tim Brewster/Kyle Friend and Evan Cory/Wyatt Harrison will represent for the men.
The four pairs earned the right to play for the U.S. at this event at the NORCECA Playoff 1.
This is the first of three NORCECA events leading up to the 2024 NORCECA Continental Tour Finals on May 11-15.
The Tour Finals offer the opportunity to qualify for the NORCECA Continental Olympic Qualification Finals on June 19-24.
NORCECA Playoff 2
NORCECA Playoff 2 is on April 5 at the Manhattan Beach Pier in California. The playoff determines the eligible pairs to compete on May 11-15 in Juan Dolio, Dominican Republic at the NORCECA Continental Final.
Multiple members of the U.S. Beach National Team are expected to participate, including three of the top four men’s teams.
Live scoring, participating teams and more information will be available at VolleyballLife.
Olympic Rankings
The Olympic race grows tighter for the two U.S. men’s positions with the latest results from the BPT Challenges in Brazil.
In the men’s provisional Olympic rankings, Miles Partain and Andy Benesh now share the No. 8 spot with with Herrera/Gavira (ESP). Partain/Benesh have 7,620 points on 10 tournaments played.
Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner are currently No. 10 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 7,320 points and 15 tournaments now played after Challenge Saquarmea.
Miles Evans and Chase Budinger move up to No. 12 in the provisional Olympic rankings after Challenge Saquarema with 7,240 points on 16 tournaments played.
Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk are now tied for No. 17 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 6,460 points on 17 tournaments played.
For the women, Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss are No. 2 in the provisional Olympic rankings behind only Ana Patricia/Duda (BRA). Nuss/Kloth have 10,860 points on 14 tournaments played.
Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes are still tied for No. 4 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 10,040 points on 13 tournaments played. Hughes/Cheng have the W designation for a quota place obtained for winning the 2023 Beach World Championships. They share No. 4 with Melissa/Brandie (CAN) who have the T designation for not enough tournaments played.
Julia Scoles and Betsi Flint are tied for No. 14 in the provisional Olympic rankings with 6,740 points on 11 tournaments played.
Current World Rankings – Women
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Beach Athletes
Kelly Cheng
6-2
Sara Hughes
5-10
Taryn Kloth
6-4
Kristen Nuss
5-6
Betsi Flint
5-10
Julia Scoles
6-0
Hailey Harward
5-9
Kylie Deberg
6-4
Deahna Kraft
6-0
Toni Rodriguez
6-1
Savvy Simo
5-10
Abby Van Winkle
6-2
Emily Day
6-1
Phil Dalhausser
6-9
Taylor Crabb
6-0
Trevor Crabb
6-5
Theo Brunner
6-8
Chaim Schalk
6-5
Tri Bourne
6-6
Andy Benesh
6-9
Miles Partain
6-3
Evan Cory
6-4
Wyatt Harrison
6-5
Logan Webber
6-7
Charlie Siragusa
6-8
Dave Wieczorek
6-8
James Shaw
6-8
Jordan Hoppe
6-5
Alaina Chacon
5-9
Mariah Whalen
6-1
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