Beach Volleyball: McEntee Hire NZ Tour 2009 (Wellington)

Congratulations to Susan Blundell and Anna Scarlett for winning the women's division at this weekend's McEntee Hire NZ Tour beach volleyball tournament. This was round two from Oriental Beach, Wellington NZ. Blundell and Scarlett are the number 1 ranked Kiwi women's team and have won the first two stops on tour so far this year. After all their press interviews and prior to the mandatory drug tests for winners, they were kind enough to pose for me for a couple minutes.

...more photos to come...

Balloon Day

Balloon Day, The Asthma and Respiratory Foundation of New Zealand has a charity event touring New Zealand to raise funds for children with asthma. A bunch of balloonists tour the country putting on night displays for donations. Supposedly they've been trying to get the Wellington City Council to approve a show on the Oriental Parade Beach. It's a thin strip of beach separated from expensive condos by on the road and the boardwalk. Cramming in 10 hot air balloons or so, burners blazing on top of buckets strapped with huge propane tanks. One can understand their reluctance at a potentially hazardous event, especially knowing how windy Wellington can be.. This year they said yes! Good for us then I guess, cause it was a pretty cool event to see.

"Puff", that's the name of the yellow balloon in the middle (above) and below. It's the Asthma Foundations balloon.

To keep all the balloons from swaying into each other, some were tethered and had to be held down by crew. Unfortunately for these guys, high tide makes the thin beach even thinner.

Thigh high water...and I don't think it's very warm at this time of year.

When the burners are on, they cast a nice warm glow at night.

Part of the show included simultaneous burns by the balloonists.

The title of this photo is, "PLEASE don't let the wind blow his shirt up!" :)

NZ Beach Volleyball Tour

This weekend was Round 4 of the McEntee Hire Beach Volleyball Tour, down at Oriental Parade Beach. A New Zealand professional series that includes some international teams from Brazil, Sweden and the US. The weather didn't co-operate fully as it was quite windy with huge gusts at times. Not the best conditions to play volleyball in, and with all that fine sand blowing around, not the best conditions to take photographs either :( Luckily my camera gear is still functioning...I think...

Camillinha Saldanha was Brazil's Under 21 beach volleyball champion from 2005. Her teammate Lili Maestrini was last year's Under 21 champion. Needless to say they are the team to beat this season.

Poetry in motion. It took me a few tries to get the shot I wanted of Camillinha's jump serve.

Brazil versus New Zealand in the final round. Susan Blundell looks on as teammate Anna Scarlett tries to put one past Lili Maestrini's block. In the end Brazil was triumphant 2-1.

Susan Blundell in an impromptu game of beachball soccer.

This was a missed shot, but I thought it was still kind of amusing.

This pic is to show that I wasn't there JUST to take pics of scantilly clad women! But lets just say that if it was a mens only tournament, I might not have showed up :) haha...I'M KIDDING!!!

The US contingent. Paige Davis warms up with teammate Jenelle Koester, regulars on the AVP series in the United States.

Caught a couple of guys enjoying the view from their seats...HAHA...you may need to click on the image to load a larger view so you can see their expressions.