April Ross, Alix Klineman headline AVP’s Manhattan Beach Open

Olympians will be gracing the sands surrounding Manhattan Beach Pier this weekend as the AVP Gold Series returns to Southern California with the AVP Manhattan Beach Open.

With a $250,000 prize purse, it’s the second event of the Gold Series, following the Atlanta Open and preceding the Chicago Open.

Headlining the professional beach volleyball event will be top-seeded April Ross and Alix Klineman, who won gold in the women’s event earlier this month at the Tokyo Olympics. Both Southern California natives, Klineman won her first Olympic medal and Ross completed her set of three (silver in 2012, bronze in 2016) with her first gold.

Ross (Newport Harbor High, USC) and Klineman (Mira Costa High) won the Manhattan Beach Open in 2018, then came in second behind Canadians Melissa Humana-Paredes and Sarah Pavan in 2019 after a final match that stretched to nearly an hour and a half.

Former El Dorado High and USC standout Kelly Claes and Sarah Sponcil (UCLA) will also be on the sand as the No. 2 seed in the 24-team, double-elimination event. The American team lost in three sets to Canada’s Heather Bansley and Brandie Wilkerson in knockout play at the Tokyo Games.

On the men’s side, Casey Patterson and Chase Budinger enter as the top-seeded team in the 24-team bracket, followed by second-seeded Jake Gibb and Taylor Crabb.

Gibb, a Huntington Beach resident, appeared in his fourth Olympics in Tokyo without Crabb, who was slated to be his original partner in the Games. Crabb tested positive for COVID-19 after arriving in Japan and could not compete. He had been slated to play, despite two suspensions by USA Volleyball, the second of which was reduced on appeal, allowing him to play.

Instead, 45-year-old Gibb competed with former USC standout Tri Bourne. The two exited the Olympics after a loss to Germany in the round of 16.

Bourne will also compete in the Manhattan Beach Open, paired with Trevor Crabb as the No. 4 seed. Trevor Crabb, a former Long Beach State standout like his brother, won the 2019 Manhattan Beach Open title while playing with Reid Priddy.

Two-time Olympian Nick Lucena will play alongside TJ DeFalco, a former Huntington Beach High and Long Beach State star.

Opening rounds begin Friday at 7:30 a.m., with gates opening at 7 a.m. Play continues with elimination rounds on Saturday and final rounds on Sunday.

Matches will be live-streamed online on Peacock Premium.