Linda Hanley, right, is one-half of the top-seeded
two-woman team for this week's event on Kauai.
Evian WPVA Tour Photo

Unfortunately, those are the lures that television has used to attract viewers to the women's pro beach volleyball tour and detract from the game.

Fortunately, people have come to appreciate these athletes and their sport, and not just their tan lines.

Anyone who remembers the grace of the University of Hawaii's Karrie Trieschman Poppinga or the power of UCLA's flyin' Liz Masakayan will have no problem appreciating these two this weekend when they team up for the Best of the Beach III at Nawiliwili Park on Kauai. The two are seeded sixth among the 12 teams competing on the fourth and final stop of the Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball Tour.

Poppinga, married to former UH men's standout Brian Poppinga, is one of three players from Hawaii vying for the $15,000 first-place prize Friday through Sunday. Also competing this weekend are Danalee Bragado and Janice Harrer. Bragado will team with Krista Blomquist as the eighth seed while Harrer is seeded 11th with her partner, Valinda Hilleary.

The top seeds are Barbra Fontana Harris and Linda Hanley, who finished fourth at the Atlanta Olympics. Hanley is married to another former Rainbow standout, John Hanley.

Harrer, by far, has the most experience of the Hawaii participants, having played in 127 events since joining the tour in 1987, its inaugural season. And she has had perhaps the busiest and most successful year.

"I wanted to make it to the Olympic Trials, and I made it to the final four and was an Olympic alternate. I wanted to get back into the finals of the U.S. Open and that happened. And, the third goal was to get pregnant again."

Harrer, who has a young daughter, is due in early March. She sat out the last two events with what she termed "first trimester blues" but is looking forward to playing this weekend.

"I'm happy to be playing in Hawaii and not having to travel," said Harrer, whose best finish this season was second place at the U.S. Open in June with partner Gail Stammer. "It's tough when you're not one of the top four seeds who get byes. You have to play hard all weekend, beginning with pool play."

In Harrer's pool are the tandems of Poppinga-Masakayan, 10th seeded Wendy Fletcher and Ali Wood, and Harrer's former partner, Stammer, who has teamed with Gail Castro for this event.

Breaking up is hard to do on the beach tour. Finding another partner is even tougher.

Making a home in Hawaii has put Harrer at a disadvantage in terms of keeping a partner. She has had 21 different doubles teammates in 10 seasons; Hilleary will be the 22nd.

The beach tour has developed a thirtysomething attitude. The top money-winners are veterans in their early to late 30s.

"These older women are tough," said Harrer, who is 35. "There's good longevity in the sport for women. We can have long careers. Like any sport, 50 percent of it is mental.

"What's nice about this weekend's format is it's a reward for a good season. It's at a beautiful venue. There's guaranteed money. Everyone has earned this privilege."

And they've earned respect as pro athletes.

As one magazine writer pointed out, women's beach players aren't any more exposed than swimmers or gymnasts or track athletes.

"I think the media is trying to explain the appeal of the sport," said Holly McPeak, who won Best of the Beach II last year with Nancy Reno. "They can't put their finger on why it's such a great sport, so they put a finger on what we're wearing."

"The bits about the bikinis are minor," said Harrer. "The quality of the play and the sport sells itself."

The sport of beach volleyball has matured. It would be nice if the sometimes chauvinistic attitudes would grow up, too.