BEACH VOLLEYBALL: KIRALY STILL DOMINATING BEACH TOUR.Byline: Dana Haddad Daily News Staff Writer Karch Kiraly Charles Frederick Kiraly, better known as Karch Kiraly (born November 3, 1960 in Jackson, Michigan), is an American volleyball player who is the only person to have won Olympic gold medals in both the indoor and beach versions of the sport. is four tournament championships away from tying fellow UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX alumnus ALUMNUS, civil law. A child which one has nursed; a foster child. Dig. 40, 2, 14. Sinjin Smith as the most successful player in the history of professional beach volleyball in the U.S. Kiraly and partner Adam Johnson are top-seeded entering today's Miller Lite U.S. Championships at the Hermosa Beach pier, the 19th stop on this year's Association of Volleyball Professionals The AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) was founded in 1983 by Leonard Armato. The organization started its own American beach volleyball mens tour in 1984. By the late 80's, the tour was experiencing tremendous growth, in part through the promotion of the sport by Tour. Kiraly has 135 career titles, and he and Johnson have won five this season, including four of the past nine. Smith and fellow beach legends Randy Stoklos (who ranks third with 122 championships) and Mike Dodd (fifth with 74 titles) are not playing. But Hermosa marks the return of Tim Hovland, a 60-time champion who retired two years ago. Hovland is playing with Wayne Seligson. Defending champions Kiraly and Johnson will play their first match at 11 a.m. against the winner of an earlier qualifying match. Kiraly, who has earned a record $2,801,787 in prize money, holds the tour record with seven championships at Hermosa. A total of 48 teams will compete for $50,000 in prize money. The tournament, traditionally one of four AVP AVP arginine vasopressin. grand slams,paid $300,000 last year. But the AVP scaled its purse to $50,000 for all events in 1998 to help pay off its nearly $2 million debt. Kiraly has reached the final 10 times and is the tour's money leader, with over $100,000 thus far this season. But Brazilian Jose Loiola is the AVP's top-ranked player, with seven championships this year. He and Emmanuel Rego REGO Reinventing Government REGO Renewable Energy Guarantee of Origin (UK) are seeded second. Kent Steffes, who leads the tour with eight titles, ranks four and is seeded third with Mike Whitmarsh. Action takes place from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and Saturday, and 9:30 a.m. to the 3 p.m. final on Sunday. General admission is free. Tickets for reserved courtside court·side n. The area immediately bordering the official court of play, as in tennis or basketball. seats are $10 and $25. MILLER LITE CHAMPIONSHIP Who: AVP Tour stars Kent Steffes, Jose Loiola, Karch Kiraly, Mike Whitmarsh and Adam Johnson. Where: Hermosa Beach When: Today and Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Prize money: $50,000 CAPTION(S): Box Box: MILLER LITE CHAMPIONSHIP (See Text) |
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