Kiraly, 41, proves he is still king of the beach
Advertiser Staff and News Services
Karch Kiraly became the oldest player to win an AVP beach volleyball tournament yesterday, teaming with Brent Doble in the Santa Barbara (Calif.) Open.
Associated Press
The 41-year-old Kiraly and Doble beat Dax Holdren and Eric Fonoimoana, 21-12, 21-18, to push Kiraly's tour-record victory total to 143.
Karch Kiraly, 41, teamed with Brent Doble to win the Santa Barbara Open and push his AVP tour-record victory total to 143.
In the semifinals, Holdren and Fonoimoana beat Punahou graduates Mike Lambert and Lee LeGrande, 21-19, 21-14. Kiraly and Doble stopped Eduardo Bacil and Frederico Souza, 14-21, 21-18, 15-9.
"It's a pretty special one after going through some injuries last year and missing most of the tour," Kiraly said. "I finally got back into the winner's circle."
Kiraly played at Santa Barbara High School before winning three NCAA championships at UCLA from 1979-1982.
The three-time Olympic champion was inducted into the Volleyball Hall of Fame last year.
Kiraly and Doble split $14,500. Lambert and LeGrande split $5,825.
Punahou graduates Stein Metzger and Kevin Wong finished fifth, losing to Bacil and Souza, 21-19, 21-18, in the losers' bracket.
In the women's final, Holly McPeak (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Elaine Youngs (Durango, Colo.) defeated Dianne DeNecochea (San Diego) and Barbra Fontana (Manhattan Beach), 21-15, 21-13.
