OVA News

The Canadian Dermatology Association may not appreciate his candor, but ask young Ben Chow about the appeal of beach volleyball and it appears he’s more into aesthetics than athletics.

It was going to be hot and sunny for this past weekend’s Vancouver Corona Open at Kits Beach and that suits the 17-year-old from Surrey just fine.

“It’s a lot better to play in the heat,” he says. “You can get a good tan.”

And that’s to, uh, impress the girls?

“That’s one benefit.”

“He said that?” says his coach Kyra Iannone. “Oh, that’s so Ben.”

But there’s more to Chow and his 17-year-old partner Nick Del Bianco than just looking good. The soon-to-be Grade 12 students at Fleetwood Park Secondary are one of the hottest young duos in Canadian beach volleyball, just two years after taking up the game.

Under-16 national champions last year, the duo were beaten 21-14, 21-15 by the year-older Garrett May and William Sidgwick of Ontario three weeks ago in Toronto in the under-19 division final of the selection tournament for the FIVB world championships. But they did beat May and Sidgwick in the round robin and so impressed new Volleyball Canada beach head coach Lennard Krapp that he wants them to also go to Turkey next month for the worlds.

“He said he was more impressed with our team than any other team there,” said Iannone. “He just had glowing remarks. He thinks they’re going to go far.

“And he’s just fresh from Germany where he did wonders with the German program, brought them from basically nothing in eight years to one of the top three [nations].

Get the full story, Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun

Chow and partner Del Bianco failed to win a match at the Corona Open and finished up 25th.

Finals Results: Men

1. Saxton/Lelliot  21-18, 21-16
2. Chapman/Griffith
3. Binstock/Zybszewski  25-27, 22-20, 15-9
4. Gotch/Lebourdais

Women
1. Moppett/Niemczewska   21-16, 21-18
2. Bellini/Ross
3. Broder/Cordonier  21-17, 21- 16
4. Maloney/Zakrezewski