Beach volleyball competitors showcase skills - Sun-Sentinel

Olympic and world beach volleyball champions Phil Dalhausser and Todd Rogers made promotional appearances during the Red Bull Spiked tournament on Sept. 17 in Deerfield Beach.

Dalhausser and Rogers were accompanied by world-ranked Brazilian sisters Clara and Carolina Salgado, as well as Federation Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) superstar Casey Jennings, who filled in for an injured Rogers.

A total of 20 teams from Tampa, Nashville, Wilmington and South Florida competed in various qualifying tournaments for the right to face the world's top-ranked players. The volleyball duos faced off at Deerfield Beach in a double-elimination format, with the winners getting a chance to play with and against beach volleyball's best.

The local talent earned their shot at the pros with Maria Clara, of Miami, and teammate Claire Yonutas, of Delray Beach, winning the women's division, while Fort Lauderdale's C.J. Macias and his Deerfield Beach partner Drew Mallin taking the men's title.

Both teams proved their mettle throughout the day by going 5-0.

In the finals, it was every competitor for themselves in a King and Queen format that allowed each player to rotate and play with and against each other. Casey Jennings was crowned King of the Beach and Carolina Salgado took the prize of Queen of the Beach.

The 38-year-old Rogers and his 6-foot-9 partner Dalhausser were coming off a hectic year of worldwide traveling and tournament appearances, with Rogers sustaining a knee injury that required surgery.

"I feel pretty good and coming back to Deerfield is a really cool vibe," Rogers said. "I love the beach and the sand here is great for volleyball. Our next big focus will be on the upcoming Olympics in 2012."

Dalhausser, considered the world's top player, was looking forward to the off-season.

"Red Bull puts on a great event and we are having some fun," Dalhausser said. "With the season over, I'm in cruise control and looking forward to watching some sports and relaxing."

Mallin, 25, was encouraged by his teams' performance.

"I think it's awesome to play these guys," Mallin said. "Hopefully, I'll have the opportunity to play them a lot in the future."

His partner, Macias, was thrilled by the occasion.

"It was unbelievable and so cool to play with players who are great role models for the sport," Macias said. "They are great players and even better people."

01 Oct, 2011

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