This past weekend was a true testament of why beach volleyball is arguably one of the hardest sports to play. Within all the predictable and unpredictable elements, factoring the wind element can be one of the most frustrating or fulfilling part of the outdoor game. Typical wind speeds in Kelowna averages around 5-10km/h, this past weekend blew up average wind speeds of 30-40km/h! Athletes participating in the fourth stop of the 2016 VBC Pro Tour found it within themselves to play through it all while keeping the game exciting to watch!
The Women’s final saw Parksville Pro champion Rachelle Thomas and Kelowna’s Tammy Thomas (unrelated) go up against Kit’s Classic runner-up’s Kumiko Chow and Denise Wooding. The Chow/Wooding duo – besides a match point sky ball – took no points off throughout the long competitive rallies and claimed their first VBC Pro Tour giant cheque winning 2-0 over Thomas/Thomas (21-14, 21-13).
The Men’s final pitted up VBC Pro Tour #1 and #2 ranked players against each other, which could have huge implications for the Tour Champion Title. Joel Caschetto (#1) and teammate Krystian Wetulani (#15) pulled through in a 2-0 win against duos Dave Beleznay (#2) and Ryan Gandy (#14) for an exciting match that involved strong winds, heavy spikes, and Beleznay’s hat stuck in a tree! (21-18, 21-17).
Four of the five Pro Tour stops are now complete. With one tournament left, the Vancouver Open – Presented by Dunbar Cycles, VBC Pro Tour leaders are looking to finish out with the top spot, but anything could happen at the Open.
Men’s #2 ranked Dave Beleznay (716) is within three points of #1 Joel Caschetto (719), while Women’s #2 ranked duos Darby Dunn and Quinci Birker (715) are seven points away from #1 Rachelle Thomas (721). Any mishaps or upsets could see surprising shakeups at next weekend’s Vancouver Pro Beach Open.
Upcoming VBC Tour events:
About the VBC Pro Tour
The Volleyball BC Pro Beach Tour features pro volleyball athletes competing in five signature events from May to July in three regions of British Columbia with a total prize purse of $25,000. The Men’s and Women’s tour champions will each receive $1,000 at the end of the season. The $1,000 tour championship title is awarded based on cumulative points, so it’s necessary for athletes to compete in all five events to be eligible.
View the VBC Pro Tour Leaderboards
For full Kelowna Pro results, photos, and videos, visit the VBC Pro Tour page.
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2016 Kelowna Pro Women’s Finals
2016 Kelowna Pro Men’s Finals