Hermosa Seashore Open Recap: Olympians Seize Titles in Return to Roots
Hermosa Seashore Open Recap: Olympians Seize Titles in Return to Roots
Blog Article
The 2024 Hermosa Beach Open shipped a Exclusive sort of magic, Mixing planet-course athleticism Along with the down-to-earth spirit that defines the beach volleyball Local community. Held September four–7 near the Hermosa Seashore Pier, this calendar year’s tournament wasn’t just a end around the competitive circuit—it had been a celebration with the Activity’s origins, showcasing Olympians competing shoulder to shoulder with rising stars and local heroes in the supporter-helpful, no-frills environment.
The occasion had no stadium seating or flashy lover zones. In its place, spectators gathered within the courts, standing from the sand and sitting on Seaside towels since they cheered on elite athletes from just feet away. Arranged with grassroots assist and backed by sponsors like Wedbush Securities, the tournament returned to a purer Variation of the sport, exactly where Local community, Levels of competition, and connection were being the focus.
About the Ladies’s side, Olympians Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes reminded Anyone why they’re deemed Among the many best on this planet. Inside of a dramatic all-USC last, Cheng and Hughes dropped the 1st established to Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft in advance of roaring back to win the next two. The deciding established arrived right down to the wire, with Cheng and Hughes edging out a 20–18 win inside a thrilling finish. The victory marked a triumphant moment of their post-Olympic marketing campaign and underscored their dominance heading into the subsequent AVP and Global gatherings.
The Adult men’s closing highlighted Yet another Olympic-caliber clash. Previous NBA forward turned beach volleyball standout Chase Budinger teamed up with Olympic veteran Miles Evans to face off against Miles Partain and Alex Ranghieri. Budinger and Evans proved much too highly effective, winning in straight sets, 21–fourteen and 21–17. Budinger’s physicality at The web and Evans’ sharp instincts created them the unstoppable duo of the weekend.
Across 4 days of Enjoy, 130 teams competed inside of a double-elimination format that retained followers on their toes and athletes grinding through prolonged, Solar-soaked times. The tournament also involved a juniors division, which introduced in numerous younger gamers desperate to discover, compete, and share the sand Together with the execs. It absolutely was Sodo66 a rare chance for youth athletes to get Component of A serious volleyball celebration in addition to a valuable recruiting instant for faculty systems in attendance.
A complete Photograph gallery captured the essence from the Event—from high-traveling spikes and gritty digs to peaceful moments of aim and laughter between teammates. These illustrations or photos, broadly shared on the web, helped showcase the beauty and intimacy of your sport in its most reliable environment.
With its success, the Hermosa Seashore Open up has sparked discussion about its long term. Metropolis leaders are Checking out a model comparable to Manhattan Beach, wherever the municipality could consider a larger job in hosting the tournament on a yearly basis. There’s also a bigger purpose in sight: Hermosa is actively positioning alone to be a selected coaching web-site with the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 2024 Hermosa Beach Open was a lot more than just a tournament. It was a statement—proof that even within an period of massive contracts and global broadcasts, beach volleyball’s coronary heart still beats strongest within the sand, surrounded by community.