Jamaicans won their first ever title in Beach Volleyball

 

JOLLY HARBOUR, Antigua, October 15, 2007.- In sweltering heat and blistering sunshine the 2007 edition of the Sizzlin Sand Beach Volleyball Caribbean SUNSPLASH Series spiked off October 6-7 at Jolly Harbour Antigua with a bang.

 

With $ 5,000 USD in prize money at stake sixteen teams representing Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and host country Antigua converged on Castaways Beach and provided fans with two pulsating days of top class beach volleyball.

 

The men’s final which featured defending 2006 Antigua SUNSPLASH champions Elwyn Oxley / Gregory Gill of Barbados and Mark Lewis / Dany Wilson of Jamaica was a spectacular display of power hitting, unbelievable defense combined with brilliant strategy as these two teams matched each other point for point for the entire match leaving fans on the edge of their seats.

 

After losing the first set 17-21 to the tall Jamaicans, defending champions Oxley / Gill rebounded to take the second set 21-19 to setup the third and deciding game. With fans cheering their favorite players on and the $ 1,200 USD first prize in sight these two teams delighted their fans at Castaways Beach with their brilliant displays as the Jamaican’s managed to gain a slender lead which they never relinquished before going on to win and upset the defending champions 15-11 to take Jamaica’s first ever Sizzlin Sand Beach Volleyball title.

 

The island of St. Kitts achieved their highest placing ever at this tournament when the team of Shawn Seabrooks / St. Clair Hodge defeated last season’s losing finalist Andrew Culpepper / Winston Gittens of Barbados 15-21, 21-10, 15-9 for third place and collected the $ 300 USD prize. Culpepper / Gittens received $ 200 USD for their fourth place finish.      

 

The ladies final of the 2007 Sizzlin Sand Antigua SUNSPLASH featured two teams from Barbados. After a two year absence the team of Sharon Bovell / Antazia Mason returned to Antigua after winning the inaugural Antigua SUNSPLASH event back in 2004. Their opponents were the duo of Lauren Whitehall / Julia Lewis who finished third last year.

 

After securing a narrow three set win over Bovell / Mason in a marathon preliminary pool play match 12-21, 21-17, 16-14 Whitehall / Lewis would have been fancying their chances of going all the way and gaining their first ever championship title.

 

However Bovell / Mason had different ideas and came to the finals in a no-nonsense mood. They totally dominated Whitehall / Lewis in straight sets 21-10, 21-18 to take their second Sizzlin Sand Beach Volleyball Championship title.

 

For their efforts Bovell / Mason received the top prize of $ 1,200 USD while Whitehall / Lewis received $ 800 USD. Third prize of $ 300 USD went to Nancy Joseph / Elki Philip of Trinidad and Tobago who defeated the Antiguan team of Tessa Payne / Shanicia Dyer 21-9, 21-15. Payne / Dyer received $ 200 for their fourth place finish.

 

The Sizzlin Sand Antigua SUNSPLASH sanctioned by the Antigua and Barbuda Volleyball Association was supported by the Ministry of Tourism Antigua, United Insurance, Tropical Shipping, Castaways Beach Bar and  Restaurant, HBK Villas, Redbull, Hawaiian Tropic, Live Sound Entertainment, Carib Vision, VYBZ Fm, Anjos Insurances, Cable & Wireless, Raybourne Generators and Chickkies Hi Fi.

 

The attention now turns to Barbados for the season ending Barbados SUNSPLASH November 3-4 at Brandons Beach where the prize money for that event is $10,000 USD.