AVP Tour hits Shore this weekend for Belmar Open World’s top players to compete for $125,000 in prize money The AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) makes its fourth of seven stops on the 2002 AVP tour when the world’s premier men’s and women’s beach volleyball players hit the sand and compete in the Belmar Open Presented by Paul Mitchell this weekend. The event will feature 48 teams of America’s best athletes in competition for their share of more than $1 million in total AVP tour prize money. The men’s competition is scheduled to be televised on Fox Sports Net on July 13 at 12:30 p.m., with the women’s final broadcast on The Oxygen Network July 7 at 2 p.m. The Belmar Open Presented by Paul Mitchell marks the return of the "new" AVP to the beaches of the east coast. Top AVP players who will take to the sand in the Belmar Open Presented by Paul Mitchell include top-ranked men’s and women’s teams of Eric Fonoimoana and Dax Holdren, and Elaine Youngs and Holly McPeak; 2001 "King of the Beach" Kevin Wong along with partner Stein Metzger; three-time Olympic Gold Medal Winner and beach volleyball legend Karch Kiraly and partner Brent Doble; and other top beach players, including Todd Rogers, Lee Legrande, Mike Lambert, Barbra Fontana, Lisa Arce and Linda Hanley. "We are looking forward to kicking off summer on the East Coast when the AVP brings world-class competition and a must see beach party to New Jersey for the Belmar Open Presented by Paul Mitchell," said Leonard Armato, AVP commissioner. "Beach volleyball has evolved from its origins on Southern California beaches to become a national spectator sport and international phenomenon, and we are looking forward to bringing this ‘fun in the sun’ event to the Jersey Shore, complete with some of the nation’s best athletes." Established in 1983, the AVP is comprised of more than 150 of the best men’s and women’s pro beach volleyball players in the U.S. and, arguably, the world. The AVP’s goal is to further develop the beach volleyball fan base and increase participation in beach volleyball in the United States by providing the premier destination for professional beach volleyball at its highest level. Featuring newly signed corporate partnership agreements with the likes of Nissan, Xbox, Aquafina, Michelob Light, Gatorade, Paul Mitchell, Wilson and Sports Illustrated, the 2002 AVP tour marks the launch of the "new" AVP. The AVP tour will be highlighted by two live broadcasts on NBC from Manhattan Beach and Chicago, five events broadcast on Fox Sports Net and five women’s finals broadcast on The Oxygen Network.