Beach volleyball: Kiwi pair on target for surprise win

"It smells like Sweden." That was the response from Emma Johansson when asked of her impressions of New Zealand. It was an early sign that beach volleyball players are just that bit different from the media-coached comment makers who are the modern-day professional athletes.

The 2006 New Zealand Open calendar draws to a close in Auckland today, bringing an end to a month-long party that has done much to promote the game and the country. As Rebecca Reidy commented: "It's been like a big happy family. It's fun meeting all these international people and learning about their different cultures, to get involved on and off the court."

Reidy, alongside Susan Blundell forms the top-ranked New Zealand team. Despite her own ridiculous claims that she is un-photogenic, she is a marketing dream. There are few sports that can match beach volleyball for the importance of image.

Reidy herself drove the German men's team up to Auckland. "Between tournaments you kind of do look after them a little bit, take them out to places and show them the country. In return, you get to learn heaps of stuff about the game and see the level that we need to work towards," she said.

Reidy today faces the runaway favourites - the German team of Sara Goller and Laura Ludwig. They have been the power duo of the game, breezing past all comers and only the Americans have managed to take a set off them.

Courtney Guerra, part of the US team, seems pretty laid back about the whole thing. Often to be found sitting in the stands listening to her 'eclectic' taste in music and thinking of her Santa Barbara home.

"I'm missing my puppy actually, he's a Yorkshire Terrier called Mr Mugatu, after the character from the film Zoolander."

Guerra and her partner Tracey Lindquist face a surprise package in their semifinal. As the second-ranked team from New Zealand, Marnie Grant and Tamara King are better know as specialists of indoor volleyball. But having taken to the beach this summer, they appear to be producing something out of the ordinary at the ASB centre.

They had already caused an upset by usurping the higher-ranked Reidy and Blundell, then followed that by beating the Swedish duo of Johansson and Anne-lie Andersson. The Swedes had looked to be in impressive form and on course for a possible final berth. But a combination of Andersson's recurring back trouble and the outstanding play of the Kiwis seemed to turn the tide distinctly in the favour of King and Grant.

Having avoided the Germans in the semis they could well ride the wave all the way to the final.

- HERALD ON SUNDAY