AVP 2023 Championship Canceled; Laguna Beach Open to Conclude Season
The AVP (Association of Volleyball Professionals) has announced the cancellation of the AVP Gold Series Championship, which was scheduled to be the final major event of the 2023 season. In a statement, the AVP expressed regret at not being able to secure a suitable location and time to hold the championship. As a result, the 2023 season will conclude with the AVP Tour Series Laguna Beach Open, taking place from October 13-15.
The decision to cancel the championship doesn’t come as a surprise considering the lack of clarity on crucial details such as the venue, number of qualifying teams, prize money, and format. The AVP even removed the championship from its schedule last Friday, heightening speculations about its fate.
While the cancellation is disappointing for players and fans alike, the AVP is looking ahead to the 2024 season and promises to share exciting news in the coming weeks. The cancellation leaves the Laguna Tour Series as the concluding event of the 2023 season, overlapping with the FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Tlaxcala, Mexico.
It is worth noting that eight USA teams are scheduled to participate in the World Championships in Mexico, including notable pairs like Terese Cannon and Sarah Sponcil and Alix Klineman and Hailey Harward. These players, who are competing at an international level, are unlikely to participate in the AVP Tour Series, which is perceived as the lowest tier of the AVP’s three-tiered system.
The cancellation of the AVP Championship marks an abrupt end to the much-anticipated 40th anniversary season. Last year’s champions, Kristen Nuss and Taryn Kloth, will retire on a high note with consecutive wins in Atlanta and Chicago. Also missing out on the opportunity to defend their 2022 victory in Phoenix, Taylor Crabb and Taylor Sander will exit the 2023 season with a fifth-place finish in Chicago. Trevor Crabb and Theo Brunner will end their year on a high by clinching victory in Chicago.
With the AVP season cut short, the future of domestic volleyball remains uncertain. However, internationally, the Volleyball World Beach Pro Tour Paris Elite16 will kick off a series of fall events. Olympic qualifying will continue throughout the year, culminating in the World Tour Finals in Doha, Qatar, in December.
As the AVP shifts its focus to the 2024 season, fans can only wait in anticipation for the thrilling competitions and exciting news that lie ahead. Despite the disappointment of the canceled championship, there is still much to look forward to in the world of professional beach volleyball.
