Ep. 5: The Three-Peat Bid

Tori: Happy Friday, October second, and welcome back to Sideout AI, your weekly rundown of everything happening on the sand. Broadcasting from Saint Petersburg, Florida, I'm Tori.

Cooper: And I'm Cooper. Today's show is presented by Meta Muse. When you need real-time answers on anything in your life, flights, money, your inbox, your calendar, Meta Muse handles it right in chat. Thanks to Meta Muse for keeping this show rolling.

Tori: Here are your headlines. Thailand ends a twenty-eight-year wait and takes Asian Games gold, snapping China's streak. Qatar's sheh-REEF yoo-NOOSS and AH-med tee-ZHAHN are one win from a third straight Asian Games title. And the Santa Barbara Open's sixty-thousand-dollar weekend is underway at East Beach.

Cooper: Plus, new champions in the Midwest, a first-ever medal for the Philippines, and the Ehlers-Wickler breakup finally has its next chapter. Let's get into it.

Tori: Segment one, the US Tour. The AVP Midwest Open, presented by SM Wilson, ran September twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh at Plummer Family Park in Edwardsville, Illinois. Twenty thousand dollars total, ten thousand per gender, powered by VOLLIS and KONGZ. And the Friday qualifier never happened. The first sixteen registered teams per division went straight into the main draw, seeded on AVP points.

Cooper: Women's final, Sunday afternoon on Court three. The two seed, KAY-tee PYLEZ and LEH-nuh soh-koh-LOFF-skee, beat the six seed, LIND-zee jin and SAH-nah KOL-yoh-nen, in straight sets to take the title. Third went to the top seed, AIR-ih-kuh brohk and muh-KEN-zee GRIH-fin, and the three seed, KAY-tee HOR-tin and TIH-fuh-nee SVEN-sohn.

Tori: The story of the women's draw was jin and KOL-yoh-nen, the six seed, crashing the final. In the semis they swept HOR-tin and SVEN-sohn, the three seed, two sets to none, a three seed gap. Earlier, PYLEZ and soh-koh-LOFF-skee needed three sets to get past that same three seed in the quarters, a one seed gap. So jin and KOL-yoh-nen's run was no fluke. They went through the three seed to get there.

Cooper: Men's side. look duh-GREEF and TY-nan GAN-it took the men's title, beating the top seed, WHY-at HAIR-ih-son and CHAR-lee sir-uh-GOO-suh, in Sunday's final. The exact set scores weren't published, so we'll call it what it was, an upset of the one seed in the final. Third went to MAR-kus KEP-kuh and DAN-yul LEH-therz, and RY-lee OH-wen with kwin zilk.

Tori: And the bracket had one more shakeup. In the quarters, the five seed, uh-LEKS storm and LOH-gan WEH-ber, knocked out the four seed, OH-wen and zilk, in three sets, a one seed gap.

Cooper: Quick schedule note. That was the only domestic event over the ten-thousand-dollar bar this week. The AVP main tour wrapped at Laguna, and there's no AVP Next stop in the window. The nearest are Austin at eight thousand and Miami Beach next weekend, also eight thousand, both under the bar.

Tori: Segment two, the World Tour, and we're going to Japan. The Asian Games beach volleyball tournament at Hekinan Ryokuchi Beach Court in Aichi-Nagoya wrapped the women's draw on Friday, and Thailand is golden again.

Cooper: The four seed, woh-rah-pee-rah-chah-yah-KORN kohng-pop-sah-roo-tah-wah-DEE and tah-rah-vah-DEE nah-rah-porn-rah-PAHT of Thailand, beat China's two seed, SHIN-yee SHAH and shoo YAHN, two sets to one, twenty-one seventeen, thirteen twenty-one, fifteen eight. Thailand's first Asian Games gold in this event since nineteen ninety-eight, and it snaps China's six-gold streak.

Tori: The Thais earned it the hard way. In the semis they swept the Philippines' KY-lem proh-JEH-lah and soh-FY-uh pah-GAH-rah, twenty-three twenty-one, twenty-one eighteen. And SHAH and YAHN got there by sweeping their countrywomen, shoo-TEENG tsow and jee-eh DOHNG, twenty-three twenty-one, twenty-four twenty-two, in the other semi.

Cooper: Which set up the bronze-medal match of the tournament. The seven seed, proh-JEH-lah and pah-GAH-rah of the Philippines, came back from a set down to beat tsow and DOHNG, thirteen twenty-one, twenty-three twenty-one, fifteen thirteen. The first Asian Games beach volleyball medal in Philippine history.

Tori: Men's side. The semifinals went Friday, Japan time. The one seed, Qatar's sheh-REEF yoo-NOOSS and AH-med tee-ZHAHN, swept Thailand's four seed, por-uh-VEED tah-oh-VAH-toh and pih-TAHK TIP-jahn, twenty-three twenty-one, twenty-one twelve.

Cooper: And the three seed, Indonesia's bin-TAHNG AHK-bar and SOHF-yahn RAHK-mahn eh-FEN-dee, swept Japan's eight seed, KOH-tah koo-roh-SAH-wah and TY-toh mee-zoo-MAH-chee, twenty-one nineteen, twenty-one eighteen. So the gold-medal match is yoo-NOOSS and tee-ZHAHN against AHK-bar and eh-FEN-dee, with tah-oh-VAH-toh and TIP-jahn playing the hosts for bronze.

Tori: Scores from those medal matches weren't confirmed at showtime, so we'll have the full story next week. But the storyline is already massive. yoo-NOOSS and tee-ZHAHN went into that final chasing a third straight Asian Games gold.

Cooper: Beach Pro Tour check. No tour events in the window. The last Futures wrapped in Italy, covered last week. Next up, the Futures head to Alanya, Turkey, October fifteenth through eighteenth. The qualifier entry lists are out. Men's side is topped by Hungary's ar-TOOR HAH-yohsh and LOO-kahs NEE-my-er, with the USA's EZ-ruh krohn and ZAH-kuh-ree SOHL in the qualifier. Women's side topped by China's see-YOO chee and ming JWAHNG, with deh-LAY-nee PEH-ruh-nik and TEH-suh van WING-kul of the USA in the qualifier.

Tori: Grass check. Quiet week on the grass. Circle October twenty-third through twenty-fifth, the AVP Grass Nationals in Gainesville, Florida. Twenty-one thousand dollars across the open divisions. Registration is open, and you get a free event shirt if you're in by October eleventh.

Cooper: The Scene. No new partner splits announced this week. But the biggest split of the fall finally has its next chapter. Germany's nils AY-lers and KLEH-mens VIK-ler broke up after five years, and now the new pairings are set. AY-lers teams up with LOO-ee voosst, VIK-ler with LOO-kahs FRETCH-ner. Both new teams are pointed at the LA twenty-twenty-eight run.

Tori: TruVolley check, and a programming note. There's no saved TruVolley login, so we're on the public board this week. Top of the world right now, Norway's AHN-ders MOHL at fourteen point four one, KREES-tyan SUH-room at fourteen point three one, and Oleg Stoyanovskiy at fourteen point two nine. The weekly movers sit behind the login, and none of this weekend's Santa Barbara entrants are on the public top fifty, so our picks today go on form, not ratings.

Cooper: Segment three, the Santa Barbara Open. October second through fourth, East Beach in Santa Barbara, California. Sixty thousand dollars, thirty thousand per gender, presented by Jones Trading, run by eight oh five Beach as an AVP America event. Thirty-two-team main draws, modified pool play into single elimination. Friday was the qualifier and the pro clinics. The main draw runs Saturday and Sunday. Winners take home ten thousand dollars and a Rad Power Bike each.

Tori: The men's qualifier finished Friday, and eight teams played their way in. shawn KOOB-er and Christopher White, the twenty-five seed. Nicholas Meyer and Robert Meyer, twenty-six. Christopher Bubar and Ryan Dillon, twenty-seven. Alexandre Biron and Jackson Gardner, twenty-eight. Luke Eitner and Robert Powers, twenty-nine. Matthew Dyer and William Hauschild, thirty. And the two deepest runs of the day, Jason Muttera and SAM-yoo-el reed, the forty-eight seed, and NIH-koh-lus DEH-doh and RY-in zvih-SEH-vich, the fifty seed. Forty-eight and fifty, all the way into a thirty-two-team main draw. That's the qualifier dream.

Cooper: The automatic seeds on the men's side. One, gayj BAY-see and TOH-mus hurst, the Mother Lode champs. Two, wil RAHT-man and RY-in WIL-kahks. Three, TIM-oh-thee BROO-ster and kyle frend. Four, Caleb Kwekel and Timothy Ripp. Nine, Nathan Powell and jaymz SHAW. Eleven, TRAH-vis myoo-WHIR-ter and David Wieczorek. Twelve, EV-in KOR-ee and Joseph Roberts.

Tori: Women's seeds. One, TOR-ee van WIN-den and AH-bee van WING-kul. Two, uh-LEK-sis DOO-rish and AW-dree KAY-nig. Three, muh-REEN KIH-nuh and KLOH-ee loh-REEN. Six, HAH-lee hunt and NAH-tuh-lee mish-KOFF-skee. Eight, EL-uh KAHN-er and JEH-sih-kuh smith. Nine, LIND-zee jin and reh-NAH-tah leh-SHEE-en.

Cooper: And here's the context on this field. None of the AVP headliners entered. No Crabbs, no BEN-esh, no BUD-in-jer, no cheng and kraft, no AND-der-son and chah-KOHN, no KOR-ee and NOO-beh-ree, no Brazilians. This is a developmental field, which makes it a launchpad. Somebody's winning ten grand and a bike and putting their name on the map.

Tori: Two storylines to watch. First, LIND-zee jin. Five days after making the Midwest Open final in Illinois with SAH-nah KOL-yoh-nen, she's back on the sand in Santa Barbara, seeded ninth with a new partner, reh-NAH-tah leh-SHEE-en. That's a brutal turnaround, and it tells you how hungry she is.

Cooper: Second, KLOH-ee loh-REEN. Two weeks ago at Laguna she and koh-RIN KWIG-uhl took out the one seed, cheng and kraft. Now she's the three seed at East Beach with muh-REEN KIH-nuh. She's the hottest player in this draw until somebody cools her off.

Tori: Time for the Player Spotlight of the Week, presented by Meta Muse. This week's pick, sheh-REEF yoo-NOOSS.

Cooper: Qatar's sheh-REEF yoo-NOOSS SAHM-bah. TruVolley world number ten at thirteen point eight three. And the resume is ridiculous. Back-to-back Asian Games gold medals, twenty eighteen in Jakarta-Palembang and twenty twenty-two in Hangzhou. Tokyo twenty twenty Olympic bronze with AH-med tee-ZHAHN, the first Olympic beach volleyball medal in Qatar's history.

Tori: Three-time Asian champion. Twenty twenty-four Beach Pro Tour Finals bronze in Doha. And in Japan this week, yoo-NOOSS and tee-ZHAHN went into the gold-medal match chasing a third straight Asian Games title. Nobody has owned a continent like these two have owned Asia.

Cooper: Player Spotlight, sheh-REEF yoo-NOOSS. Presented by Meta Muse.

Tori: Winner picks. No ratings on these entrants behind the login, so these are form picks, and we'll say it plainly.

Cooper: Men's side. gayj BAY-see and TOH-mus hurst. The one seed, the Mother Lode champions, the most proven winners in this field. When the draw is this open, take the team that's already lifted a trophy together.

Tori: Women's side. muh-REEN KIH-nuh and KLOH-ee loh-REEN. loh-REEN just beat the best team in America two weeks ago. Form is form. Chaos watch, LIND-zee jin and reh-NAH-tah leh-SHEE-en. jin made a final five days ago, and she's playing like she has something to prove.

Cooper: That's the show for this Friday, October second. Thailand golden in Japan, the Philippines on the podium for the first time ever, yoo-NOOSS and tee-ZHAHN chasing history, and sixty thousand dollars on the line in Santa Barbara all weekend.

Tori: New episodes drop every Friday. Subscribe to the Sideout AI feed wherever you get your podcasts, and follow at sideoutai on Instagram for clips from every episode. We're Tori and Cooper, broadcasting from Saint Petersburg, Florida, presented by Meta Muse. See you on the sand.