AVP Lake Tahoe, Nevada - June 6-8, 1997

Swatch AVP Open
Presented by 24-Hour Fitness

STEFFES/LOIOLA CLAIM SWATCH/AVP OPEN CROWN

MILLER LITE/AVP TOUR ENJOYS "HEAVENLY" WEEKEND IN LAKE TAHOE

Lake Tahoe, CA (June 8, 1997) - Kent Steffes and Jose Loiola, winners of seven out of the first ten tournaments, continued their dominance on the 1997 Miller Lite/AVP Tour as they won the $125,000 Swatch Open in Lake Tahoe. Steffes, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist and Loiola, the 1997 King of the Beach, defeated AVP veteran Randy Stoklos and his partner 1988 Olympic gold medalist Troy Tanner 11-4, 11-9 in the single elimination tournament.

The Swatch/AVP Open presented by 24-hr Fitness was held at the base of Heavenly Ski Area in South Lake Tahoe. Three-day tournament was the last of the four single-elimination tournaments being held this season.

Earlier in the day, Steffes and Loiola faced off against their former partners Karch Kiraly and Adam Johnson, in the most anticipated match-up so far during the 1997 Miller Lite/ AVP Tour season. The first game went back and forth with Steffes/Loiola winning 11-9 in overtime. After a twenty-five minute rain delay, Steffes/Loiola continued where they left off, defeating Kiraly/Johnson 11-2 to reach the final.

Next week, the Miller Lite/AVP Tour heads south for the first Grand Slam events. The $300,000 Miller Lite/AVP Hermosa Beach Grand Slam will Friday, June 13 and conclude Sunday, June 15. Admission is free.

$125,000 total prize money
32 Teams

1st - Kent Steffes/Jose Loiola (1)           $25,000
       def. Randy Stoklos/Troy Tanner (5)     11-4, 11-9
       def. Adam Johnson/Karch Kiraly (3)     11-9, 11-2
       def. Eric Fonoimoana/Bryan Ivie (8)     8-11, 11-3, 6-4
       def. Aaron Smith/David Smith (31)      11-3, 11-3
       def. Henry Russell/Eric Wurts (11)     11-3, 11-7

2nd - Randy Stoklos/Troy Tanner (5)          $13,750
       def. Bill Boullianne/Rob Heidger (7)   11-8, 11-3
       def. Mike Dodd/Mike Whitmarsh (4)      11-6, 10-4
       def. Daxton Holdren/Todd Rogers (25)   11-2,  9-7
       def. Daniel Cardenas/Raul Papaleo (21) 11-3,  8-6

3rd - Adam Johnson/Karch Kiraly (3)          $ 9,375
3rd - Bill Boullianne/Rob Heidger (7)        $ 9,375

5th - Mike Dodd/Mike Whitmarsh (4)           $ 6,250
5th - Dain Blanton/Canyon Ceman (6)         
5th - Mike Garcia/Justin Perlstrom (20)    
5th - Eric Fonoimoana/Bryan Ivie (8)      

9th - Mark Kerins/Andrew Smith (9)           $ 2,812
9th - Scott Friederichsen/Leif Hanson (15)
9th - Brent Doble/Albert Hannemann (17)
9th - Todd Ahmadi/Kevin Martin (23)
9th - Daxton Holdren/Todd Rogers (25)
9th - Eduardo Garrido/Carlos Loss (28)
9th - Aaron Smith/David Smith (31) 
9th - Sean Scott/Stien Metzger (32)

17th- Scott Ayakatubby/Brian Lewis (2)       $ 1,250
17th- Ian Clark/David Swatik (10)
17th- Henry Russell/Eric Wurts (11)
17th- Ricci Luyties/Jim Nichols (12)
17th- Lee LeGrand/Matt Unger (13)
17th- Dan Castillo/Jason Ryan Pursley (16)
17th- Eduardo Bacil/Mark Paaluhi (14)
17th- Brian Gatzke/Michael Schlegel (18)
17th- Aaron Boss/Nick Hannemann (19)
17th- Daniel Cardenas/Raul Papaleo (21)
17th- Wayne Seligson/Kevin Wong (22)
17th- James Fellows/Lance Lyons (24)
17th- John Brajevic/Bill Suwara (26)
17th- Jason Stimpfig/Bruk Vandeweghe (27)
17th- Matt Lyles/Greg Shankle (29)
17th- Jody Holdren/Conrad Leinemann (30)

PLAYERS

AVP Players

Teams announced on June 3rd.
Brackets to be determined at Draw Party on Thursday, June 5th, 6:00-7:30 at Bumpers Sports Bar (Stateline, 195 Highway50, 702/588-7525).

Kent Steffes/Jose Loiola (1)
Scott Ayakatubby/Brian Lewis (2)*
Adam Johnson/Karch Kiraly (3)v
Mike Dodd/Mike Whitmarsh (4)*
Randy Stoklos/Troy Tanner (5)
Dain Blanton/Canyon Ceman (6)
Bill Boullianne/Rob Heidger (7)*
Eric Fonoimoana/Bryan Ivie (8)v
Mark Kerins/Andrew Smith (9)v
Ian Clark/David Swatik (10)
Henry Russell/Eric Wurts (11)v
Ricci Luyties/Jim Nichols (12)v
Lee LeGrand/Matt Unger (13) 
Eduardo Bacil/Mark Paaluhi (14)*
Scott Friederichsen/Leif Hanson (15)v
Dan Castillo/Jason Ryan Pursley (16)v
Brent Doble/Albert Hannemann (17)^
Brian Gatzke/Michael Schlegel (18)v
Aaron Boss/Nick Hannemann (19)v
Mike Garcia/Justin Perlstrom (20)v
Daniel Cardenas/Raul Papaleo (21)*
Wayne Seligson/Kevin Wong (22)v
Todd Ahmadi/Kevin Martin (23)*
James Fellows/Lance Lyons (24)v
Daxton Holdren/Todd Rogers (25)^
John Brajevic/Bill Suwara (26)*
Jason Stimpfig/Bruk Vandeweghe (27)v
Eduardo Garrido/Carlos Loss (28)^
Matt Lyles/Greg Shankle (29)*
Jody Holdren/Conrad Leinemann (30)^
Qualifier (31)
Qualifier (32)

NOTES: Number in brackets "(#)" reflects the teams seeding
       * = New Team (from previous week)
       ^ - movement up from last week
       v - movement down from last week

DATE

June 6-8, 1997

  June 6, Friday    9am-6pm
  June 7, Saturday 11am-6pm
  June 8, Sunday   11am-5pm

Championship Match: Sunday, June 8th at 4pm

LOCATION

Heavenly Ski Resort
Corner of Wildwood and Saddle
South Lake Tahoe, CA
Upper Parking Lot  (3 Courts)

LAKE TAHOE INFORMATION

Lake Tahoe Information

PRIZE MONEY

$125,000

TELEVISION

Syndicated

TICKETS

TeleCharge

NUMBER OF TEAMS, FORMAT

32 Teams
Single Elimination

PAST CHAMPIONS


YEAR EVENT BEGAN: 1997