COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A continuation of their win streak, Trevor and Taylor Crabb won the opening tournament of the 2016 NORCECA Continental Tour with gold in Guatemala City. The U.S. also took gold on the women’s side with first-time teammates Ali McColloch and Kelly Reeves.
The victory for the Crabb brothers is their third-straight tournament sweep after winning back-to-back U.S. NORCECA playoffs earlier this season. The win also marks their second career international gold, after the pair won NORCECA St. Lucia in Oct. of 2015.
Just as impressive as the Crabb streak, McColloch and Reeves teamed for their first international event and what was Reeves’ first professional beach tournament outside of the two NORCECA playoffs they played in early 2016.
McColloch and Reeves topped Canada’s Julie Gordon and Brandie Wilkerson in the final 25-23, 21-10. It is the first gold for the duo as a team, and individually as well. It bested McColloch’s previous career best finish of silver from 2014. The duo advanced to the final after besting No. 1 seed Lianma Flores/Leila Martinez of Cuba, 22-20, 21-14, in the semifinal. Prior to that match, no team was able to score more than 11 points in a set against the Americans.
USA’s Kendra Vanzwieten and Kimberly DiCello were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Canada’s Saxton/Cockrell, 21-17, 21-16. The pair went 3-0 in their pool with two victories and one bye.
For the Crabb brothers, a perfect sweep of pool play and two-set victories in the quarterfinals and semifinals planted them in the finale against eighth-seeded Jose Rubio/Josue Gaxiola of Mexico. There the pair won the first set 25-23 and rallied in the second but fell 33-31. In the third they clinched the title on a score of 17-15. The second set drama was the first set the team had dropped all tournament.
“It’s the toughest match of our career together,” said Trevor. “The Mexican team played really well and we were neck-to-neck the entire match. The tournament was run well and we hope the next four that we are scheduled to go are the same.”
Billy Allen and Stafford Slick also won their pool without dropping a set and topped Guatemala in the quarterfinals before falling in the semis to the Crabbs. In the third-place match, the duo defeated Trinidad and Tobago’s Fabien Whitfield/Daneil Williams 21-14, 21-13.
RESULTS
Women | Guatemala City, March 10-13
1. Ali McColloch/Kelly Reeves
2. Julie Gordon/Brandie Wilkerson CAN
3. Leila Martinez/Lianma Flores CUB
6. Kendra Vanzwieten/Kimberly DiCello
Men | Guatemala City, March 10-13
1. Taylor Crabb/Trevor Crabb
2. Jose Rubio/Josue Gaxiola MEX
3. Billy Allen/Stafford Slick
Women | Playoff #2 | March 9, 2016
1. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
2. Geena Urango/Angela Bensend
3. Kelly Reeves/Allison McColloch
Men | Playoff #2 | March 9, 2016
1. Taylor Crabb/Trevor Crabb
2. Ed Ratledge/Ty Loomis
3. Billy Kolinske/Ty Tramblie
Women | Playoff #1 | Feb. 17, 2016
1. Kelly Reeves/Allison McColloch
2. Kendra Vanzwieten/Kimbery DiCello
3. Betsi Flint/Kelley Larsen
Men | Playoff #1 | Feb. 17, 2016
1. Taylor Crabb/Trevor Crabb
2. Billy Allen/Stafford Slick
3. Avery Drost/Billy Kolinske
NORCECA Continental Tour – Dates and locations subject to change
March 31-April 4 Guaymas, Sonora, Mexico
April 7-11 La Paz, Mexico
April 13-18 Tamarindo, Guanacaste, Costa Rica
April 21-25 Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands
April 28-May 2 Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
June 9-13 Ensenada, Mexico
June 30-July 4 North Bay, Canada
July 13-17 Varadero, Cuba
July 27-Aug. 1 San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua
Aug. 3-8 Boqueron, Puerto Rico
Aug. 25-29 Long Beach, Calif.
Sept. 29-Oct. 3 St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Oct. 6-10 Chula Vista, Calif.
Oct. 13-17 Pigeon Point, St. Lucia
Nov. 17-21 San Salvador, El Salvador
Nov. 24-28 Tobago, Trinidad & Tobago