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GRAND CAYMAN, Cayman Islands, April 24, 2015: Top ranked
Canada-A’s Felipe Humana and Christian Redmann, and countrymen,
Garrett May and Daniel Dearing of Canada-B enjoyed a perfect
start to the 2015 NORCECA Beach Volleyball Circuit as they both
ended Friday’s opening day with 2-0 records and assured of
quarterfinal places.
Competing at the Seven Miles Beach, on a very hot and humid day,
Humana and Redmann had two testing outings, but came out on top
in each.
First in a battle with North American neighbours, USA-B, Derek
Olson and William Kolinske, they prevailed in three tough
sets, 21-18, 18-21, 19-17 and against, Trinidad and Tobago’s
Daneil Williams and Fabien Whitfield, they were also stretched
to three sets, 21-14, 21-23, 17-15 ahead of their match with
Nicaraguans Ruben Mora and Gerson Contreras (0-2) on Saturday.
Trinidad and Tobago and USA-B, both defeated Nicaragua and do
battle on Saturday for second spot in the pool.
The Canada-B team of Garrett May and Daniel Dearing were much
more convincing as they upstaged USA-A’s Mark Burik and Curt
Toppel 23-21, 21-19, and Guatemalans’ Julio Recinos and Luis
Garcia 21-12, 21-10 to seal their last-eight spot in Pool C
ahead of their match against Barbadians Elwyn Oxley and Winston
Gittens on Saturday.
Second spot in the pool will be determined by the winner of the
USA-A and Guatemala match, also carded for Saturday after both
won against Barbados in their other outings on the day.
The teams of Puerto Rico, Costa Rica and Cuba are also 2-0.
In Pool C, Roberto Rodriguez and Erik Haddock of Puerto Rico,
who lifted the titles in 2012 and 2013 before having to settle
for bronze last year remained in the hunt for a third gold medal
in four years with victories over St Lucians, Tevin St Jean and
Anfernee Ferdinand 21-13, 21-12, and Jason Cabral and Gustavo
Morataya of Belize, 21-13, 21-13.
The Puerto Ricans will meet Costa Ricans Diego Alpizar and Julio
Alvares for top spot in the pool on Saturday after the latter
also won over St Lucia, 21-10, 21-15 and Belize 21-8, 21-17.
And in Pool D, Cuba’s Sergio Gonzalez and Nivaldo Díaz, winners
of three gold medals in Guatemala City, Antigua Guatemala, and
Huixquilucan in Mexico last year besides claiming the silver at
home in Varadero and a bronze medal in the finale in Trinidad
and Tobago made light work of Honduras’ Luis Coto/Jesus Olivia,
21-12, 21-10; and El Salvadoreans, Carlos Escobar and David
Vargas, 21-15, 21-12. Gonzalez and Diaz also took home the gold
medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games tournament in
Veracruz, Mexico.
Both El Salvador and Honduras had win over home town players,
Olney Thompson and Phillippe Deslandes to set up a battle for
second spot.
Last year, USA’s Todd Rogers, the Olympic gold medalist in
Beijing 2008 with Phil Dalhausser, combined with Theodore
Brunner to score a comfortable victory over countrymen William
Montgomery and Stafford Slick in straight sets 21-12, 21-18 for
the men’s title.
Day One Results:
Men:
Pool A: TTO d NCA 21-11, 27-25; CAN-A d USA-B 21-18,
18-21, 19-17; USA-A d NCA 21-12, 21-15; CAN-A d TTO 21-14,
21-23, 17-15, Pool B: GUA d BAR 18-21, 21-12, 15-10;
CAN-B d USA-A 23-21, 21-19; USA-A d BAR 21-14, 21-11; CAN-B d
GUA 21-12, 21-10: Pool C: CRC d LCA 21-10, 21-15; PUR d
LCA 21-13, 21-12; CRC d BIZ 21-8, 21-17; PUR d BIZ 21-13, 21-13:
Pool D: CUB d HON 21-12, 21-10; ESA d CAY-A 21-15, 21-8;
CUB d ESA 21-15, 21-12; HON d CAY 21-18, 10-21, 15-10. |
