BERLIN, Germany >> Former University of Hawaii player Sean Scott and partner Todd Rogers won their opening match yesterday in the qualification tournament for the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour season opener. Scott and Rogers win
first match at qualifyingScott and Rogers eliminated Bob Van Looy and Yves Verstraelen of Belgium 21-7, 21-15.
The U.S. team will face Richard Kogel and Sander Mulder of Netherlands today.
The winners play either Switzerland's Marcel Gscheidle and Bernhard Vesti or Cuba's Lazaro Milian Carvajal and Oney Ramirez Bernal for a berth in tomorrow's opening main draw pool play rounds.
Rogers and Scott placed fifth and seventh in the first two AVP Tour events this season.
They finished ninth last season in Vitoria, Brazil, in their only international event together.
Iolani's Hashimoto signs with SMU
Duke Hashimoto, who graduated from Iolani School last month, has signed to play soccer for Southern Methodist.Hashimoto left yesterday to compete in the inaugural Powerade/McDonald's All-America Game in Charleston, S.C. The game, featuring 36 of the top graduating seniors in the country, is set for Saturday.
5 Hawaii athletes earn academic honors
Dejan Miladinovic and Costas Theocharidis have been named to the Verizon Academic All-American team.Miladinovic, a first-team All-American for the Hawaii volleyball team this past season, had a 3.82 grade-point average as a business and finance major and made the first academic team.
Theocharidis was a second-team selection with a 3.73 GPA in business.
Hawaii's Elizabeth Schweitzer (3.72), Traci Trochinski (3.42) and Tracy Anderson (3.27) made the American Water Polo Coaches Association All-Academic team.
They helped the Wahine water polo squad rank 16th in the nation in GPA (3.07).
Ocean safety day next week at Sandy's
"Think First Hawaii-Ocean Safety Day," an event to teach beachgoers how to prevent spinal cord and head injuries, is scheduled for June 22 at Sandy Beach.Ambulance and emergency medical personnel will conduct demonstrations and provide information from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The program is the first of its kind to educate people about risks of spinal cord or head injuries. Sandy Beach was chosen because of its popularity and high number of injuries occurring there.
About 2,000 people in Hawaii annually sustain head and spinal cord injuries, according to "Think First Hawaii."
Kaneohe Bay the site for Olympic qualifying
More than 80 sailors from 19 countries will compete in the 49er World Championship, which starts tomorrow and runs through June 22 at Kaneohe Bay.The event is one of several qualifying stops for the 2004 Olympics in Athens.
The 49er class (4.99 meters in length) debuted in the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It is an open class, available to men and women.
The first practice race is Sunday, followed by qualifying races June 17-19.
The boats will then be divided into the Silver and Gold fleets, with the top 20 percent of the sailors competing for an automatic berth for their country in the 2004 Olympics.
Olympic hopefuls expected to compete in the event are American bronze medalists Jonathan and Charlie McKee and silver medalist Simon Hiscocks of Great Britain, who is sailing with Chris Draper.
'Race for Life' cycling scheduled for Saturday
The annual American Bicycle Association "Race for Life" is Saturday at the Wheeler Air Force Base BMX track. This is a benefit for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.The event is open to the public and the minimum donation to participate is $10. All ABA and Wheeler BMX rules and requirements apply.
For more information, call Jason Chang at 625-7827 or check www.wheelerbmx.com.
Fitness celebration Saturday at Ala Moana
The second annual "Health Thru Fitness" Celebration is June 15 at Ala Moana Park.The event begins at 8 a.m. on the Diamond Head side of McCoy Pavilion and is open to children and adults of all fitness levels.
Participants can choose a flat run/walk of 1.87, 3.1 or 6.2 miles with fun obstacle stations along a scenic ocean and park side course.
Entry forms are in Hawaii Race Magazine, at fitness centers, retail sports outlets, the Running Room and the Sports Authority.
Martial arts master to give demo June 22
Tickets are available for a martial arts demonstration on June 22 by internationally recognized Master Michael Tse.The event is from noon to 2 p.m. at Harris United Methodist Church on S. Vineyard.
For more information call 528-8501.
Staff and wire reports