COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (Oct. 30, 2023) – The 2023 FIVB Beach Pro Tour resumes in China this weekend with Challenge Haikou. The U.S. will send seven teams as several pairs look to improve their standing in the Olympic rankings before the end of the season.
BPT Challenge Haikou
The Challenge Haikou event will run from Nov. 2-5.
The U.S. men’s pairs are Chaim Schalk/Tri Bourne, Miles Evans/Chase Budinger, Trevor Crabb/Theo Brunner, and Tim Brewster/Kyle Friend.
In the previous challenge event in Goa, India, Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk placed fifth. Miles Evans and Chase Budinger tied for ninth place.
The U.S. women’s pairs are Karly Kan/Katie Horton, Jade Race/Kylie Wickley, and Corinne Quiggle/Sarah Murphy.
Quiggle and Murphy are coming off of a third-place finish at the Pan American Games just last week in their most recent competition.
Challenge Haikou is the first of three remaining challenge events in 2023. Thailand will host the penultimate event Nov. 16-19. The Philippines closes the year Nov. 30-Dec. 3.
Pan Am Games
Quiggle and Murphy won the bronze medal at the 2023 Pan Am Games, defeating Ana Gallay/Fernanda Pereyra (ARG) 2-0 (21-18, 21-10) to earn their spot on the third step of the podium in Santiago, Chile.
“I think we were serving well in the second set, and I think we got a little more momentum on our side,” said Quiggle after the bronze medal match. “We kept our mindset in the present, staying one point at a time and trying not to get ahead of ourselves and have that bronze medal in mind. I think we did a good job staying in the moment.”
In the men’s side of the Games, Logan Webber and Hagen Smith took fourth place. The U.S. duo forced three sets in the bronze medal match, but came up just a few points short, falling to world No. 22 and hometown favorites Marco Grimalt/Esteban Grimalt of Chile, 2-1 (21-14, 18-21, 15-12).
“It’s been unlike anything that we have ever done,” said Smith at the conclusion of the games. “It is definitely not a normal tournament for us. It’s cool because the Pan Am Games actually make you feel like you’re a legitimate professional athlete, and a lot of sports in the U.S. outside of the major five don’t get that kind of treatment.”
The beach volleyball portion of the games began on Oct. 21 and ran through Oct. 28. Read more about how the U.S. did at the Pan Am Games and find complete results including pool play.
USA Volleyball Beach Tour
The USA Volleyball Beach tour continues with three more events at the beginning of November.
The Gulf Shores – Fall Beach Classic National Qualifiers runs from Nov. 4-6 in Gulf Shores, Ala.
The Florida Region SSOVA Regional Qualifier takes place on Nov. 5 at Tradewinds Resort, St. Pete Beach.
The GVCA November Beach Regional Qualifier also takes place on Nov. 5 in League City, Texas.
World Rankings
World champions Kelly Cheng and Sara Hughes are No. 2 overall in the women’s rankings with 8,320 points. Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss are world No. 3 with 8,140 points. Both pairs are behind world No. 1 Ana Patricia/Duda (BRA), who have 9,540 points. The Brazilians won gold at the Pan American Games last week.
Julia Scoles and Betsi Flint are world No. 9 with 6,200 points.
In the men’s rankings, Miles Partain and Andy Benesh are still world No. 3 with 7,100 points. They are currently in a four-way tie for fourth in provisional Olympic rankings. Anders Mol/Christian Sorum (NOR) are still world No. 1 with 9,100 points.
After their fourth-place finish at World Championships, Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner are ranked world No. 20 with 5,040 points.
With their finish in Goa, Tri Bourne and Chaim Schalk moved up to the No. 9 spot in provisional Olympic rankings, putting them 140 points behind Tr. Crabb/Brunner.
Current World Rankings – Women