OLYMPIANS LINE UP IN BATTLE OF THE BEACH
March 12: The Lifestyle Asset Management Australian Beach Volleyball Championships is developing into the battle of the Olympians at Brisbane's Sandstorm Beach Club.
After today's opening rounds Sydney and Beijing "Comeback Mum" Tamsin Barnett and Sydney indoor debutant and FIVB rookie of the year Louise Bawden (AIS) have spearheaded their respective teams into tomorrow's third round.
Barnett has returned to the beach just six months after the birth of son Arley last September and teamed with Australia's current number one player, Manly's Alice Rohkamper (AIS) for the first time.
The pair had little trouble accounting for spirited Victorian pair Sandra Carter and Shawna Farquharson, in straight sets 21-13 and 21-14.
The number three seeds are due to meet Karley Hynes (VIC) and Taylor Schulz (QLD) in tomorrow's third round.
Bawden and fellow AIS-based partner Becchara Palmer had a few anxious moments before wrapping up their second round match 21-13 and 21-16 over 2004 Athens Olympian Summer Lochowicz and her enthusiastic partner Rowena Morgan.
The number one seeds will now face ninth seeds, Sydney Northern Beaches pair Sarah Battaglene and Lauren Spark tomorrow.
"Like some of the other top seeds, we had a bye first up and it did take us a while to get into our stride," said Palmer.
"Sometimes it is better to have a game first up in the morning instead of waiting around all day to play in the afternoon.
"But we got through it and hopefully we've ironed out a few cobwebs and will be on our game tomorrow."
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The men's draw is shaping up as a battle royal between Australia's featured teams and top seeds, Denmark's Bo Soderberg and Anders Lund Hoyer.
Soderberg and Hoyer will meet determined number eight seeds, Gold Coast pair Shannon Zunker and Rob Williamson in the third round.
Australia's number two seeds Sam Boehm and Chris McHugh and the fellow AIS-based combination of triple Olympian Josh 
Slack and Isaac Kapa looked sharp in today's second round as they mounted their respective campaigns.
But Boehm and McHugh didn't have things all their own way either in their second round match against enthusiastic Queensland pair Craig Gillett and Ryan Howard.
They took out a see-sawing, hard-fought opening set 27-25 before the second set also went point for point in the early stages with both teams working hard to gain ascendancy.
But consistency and some deft touches saw Boehm and McHugh break away to lead 18-15 and they were never headed.
The season's leading pair won three straight points before McHugh wrapped up the set and the match 21-15 with a blistering ace.
They will face seventh seeds Aaron Crook (NSW) and Adam Blackburn (QLD) in tomorrow's third round.
Slack and Kapa will face off against number three seeds Brett Richardson and Dan Carey in an all-Queensland third round encounter which is sure to go right down to the wire after Slack and Richardson won last year's Australian title.
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The Championships program is:
Dates: March 11 - 14
Location: Sandstorm Beach Club, Nathan, QLD (just outside Brisbane)
- Saturday, March 13 - 8am Rounds continue
- Sunday, March14 - 8am Finals