Competitors from South Surrey and White Rock posted podium-worthy performances at the 2012 Beach Volleyball National Championships over the Aug. 18 weekend in Vancouver.
In the girls U-16 division, Peninsula athletes Tessa Neil and Darby Dunn won bronze.
Both 14, Neil and Dunn were a year younger than most competitors and were competing in their first national championship. They just began playing as a team this year.
“I definitely think having a good bond with your partner makes a big difference,” Neil said.
“You have to have that bond.”
In boys U-14, South Surrey residents Tyson Smith and Allan Hogg collected bronze by defeating a Nanaimo team 15-13 in the third set.
It was the first medal for Smith and Hogg, who have been playing as a team for just a year
Other local winners included Devon Dunn and Chris Wilson of South Surrey, who won bronze in U-18 boys tier 1.
In total, B.C. teams took 24 of 48 medals.
Organizers said good weather at the three-day event at Spanish Banks drew large crowds and generated entertaining matches, with many in the adult division 1 going into extra points.
“It was an awesome showcase for our sport this weekend in Vancouver,” said Volleyball BC’s executive director Chris Densmore.
Other winning teams in the area included Juliana Penner and Tresyre Stevenson of Surrey, winning gold in Tier 2 U-18, as well as Nicole and Megan McNamara of Delta, twin sisters who were competing in the U-18 tier 1 category despite being only 15, who won gold.