Beach Volleyball: Duo gearing up for hectic summer

Top ranked New Zealand duo Sam O'Dea (left), and Mike Watson are one of four New Zealand teams heading to Australia tomorrow for the Oceania Championships.

Part-time beekeeper and fulltime volleyballer Sam O'Dea believes there is still plenty of sting in the tail of his partnership with beach partner Mike Watson.

The self-funded pair, who secured their No1 national ranking by going undefeated on the domestic tour last season, will look to take their game to another level at the Oceania Championships following a year spent working and competing internationally.

Help from local sponsors and part-time jobs mean the pair are primed for a packed summer calendar that looms large ahead of next year's world championships.

"Certainly, funding is a large part of any athlete trying to accomplish their goals internationally, however Sam and I have been able to find a good balance between working, training and travel," said Watson.

"We are also fortunate enough to have the support of local businesses to help us on our journey.

"We practice and are full-time as much as we can be, we are fully self-funded with help from our sponsors.

"I have been beekeeping for Mossops Honey who have now come on board as a sponsor and we will both be helping out with the Weet-Bix Kiwi Kids Triathlons over summer."

A strong performance at the Oceania Championships would open the door to further international competition.

The combination are ranked fourth in Asia - just inside the cut-off for automatic qualification for next year's world championships - and have a stacked domestic calendar of tournaments that includes the South Island Grand Slam (November 27-29), Mairangi Grand Slam (December 15-16), Mount Grand Slam (December 28-29), Gisborne Grand Slam (January 4-5), the national champs (January 10-11) and the NZ Pro Tour that is yet to be scheduled.

International competition, though, will prove the true measuring stick for top-ranked Kiwis.

"We had an awesome summer last season and hopefully we can keep our record going.

"I think it is a strong reflection on how much time we put in together as a team making sacrifices. This is why it is very important for us to keep playing internationally."

The duo are one of four New Zealand teams departing for Sydney tomorrow to take part in the Oceania Championships held at Manly Beach.

The other men's team is the new combination of Rene Kapa (Whakatane) and Thomas Hartels (Auckland), while the women will be represented by the top New Zealand pairing of Julia Tilly (Gisborne) and Shaunna Polly (Hamilton), and the Auckland pairing of Danielle Quigley and Chantal Tung.

A strong finish is vital for the Kiwi teams who are chasing valuable ranking points in order to qualify for more international events in 2015.