Hot rivalry for beach honours

Story by: JOSH REICH - Photo by: Chris Symes

The Nelson beach volleyball season wrapped up in style at Tahunanui Beach yesterday with the Port Nelson Tasman Open.

Some visitors from Germany, via Blenheim, took the honours in the 623 Men's Open, with Philipp Pittke and Guido Greczmiel emerging victorious in a tough final over the new combination of Pat Shone and Jack Redpath. The two sides had met earlier in pool play, with the Germans winning 21-18.

The final was even tighter, with both sets extending beyond 21 points, 24-22 27-25.

Greczmiel and Pittke beat Alex Low and Nick Bell in one semifinal, and Shone and Redpath beat Roy Ching and Nick McCormick in the other.

In the ASB Women's Open, former Waimea College volleyballers Zoe Walker and Katie Adamson prevailed in a three-setter over Nicole Silcock and Bonnie Pearce, 19-21 21-15 15-7. Walker and Adamson were ranked only third out of the six women's teams following pool play, but shrugged off the challenge of the higher-placed Anna Chamberlain and Dayna Whiting in the semifinal, before prevailing in the decider.

Silcock and Pearce beat Hana Wilkinson and Emma O'Rourke in their semifinal.

In the under-16 grades, James Anderson and Harry Fergusson beat Te Puoho Stephens and Cormac Enright 21-10 21-6 in the boys' final.

Katie Ditzel and Hannah Davenhill beat Ellie Bell and Julia Thompsett 18-21 21-16 15-9 in the girls' decider. In the Social 4s, the Enza Giants took the title, with Shades the runner-up.