Kerri Walsh Jennings competes at the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour Itapema on May 18, 2018 in Itapema, Brazil.
Kerri Walsh Jennings has been bringing worldwide attention to beach volleyball for many years through her multiple Olympic medal-winning performances, and now she’s hoping to grow and develop the sport even more as her event series partners with the FIVB for a World Tour stop in Las Vegas.
Earlier this year, the decorated Olympic beach volleyball player announced plans for p1440, an event series that combines volleyball with live music and a multi-pronged health and wellness experience. The name is a nod to the number of minutes in a day and opportunities to live life with purpose.
On Monday, Walsh Jennings announced that p1440 and the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Tour were joining forces to host the FIVB Las Vegas Open, a four-star competition for both men and women to be held Oct. 17-21, 2018. It will be the first time the city has hosted an international volleyball event, and in addition to the $300,000 total prize purse, athletes will be competing for ranking points for the Olympic Games Tokyo 2020.
According to a press release, “Attendees will get to enjoy live music performances by chart-topping acts; a development village featuring high-intensity interval workouts and volleyball training; and a health & wellness village with daily yoga sessions, live cooking demos, tips from health experts, samples from wellness vendors and more. The family-friendly event will also cater to children with its dedicated ‘Kid’s Court’ that includes kid-friendly activities, short workouts and challenges as well as educational discussions on training youth.”
The Las Vegas Open will be the second event on the p1440 series, following the inaugural p1440 San Jose Invitational in September. Other stops include San Diego and Huntington Beach in California.
It’s been an eventful few weeks on and off the sand for Walsh Jennings, who split from 2017 partner Nicole Branagh and confirmed that she hopes to compete at her sixth and final Olympics in 2020 before retiring from Olympic play. Walsh Jennings made her Olympic debut in 2000 and has won three gold medals and one bronze.
Karen Price is a reporter from Pittsburgh who has covered Olympic sports for various publications. She is a freelance contributor to TeamUSA.org on behalf of Red Line Editorial, Inc.
