The top-seeded teams of Chase Budinger and Miles Evans, and Taryn Brasher and Kristen Nuss claimed victory at the AVP Manhattan Beach Open on Sunday. 

Budinger and Evans, who had paired up in the 2024 Olympics, triumphed over the #4-ranked team of veteran players Trevor Crabb and Phil Dalhausser, 21-19, 22-16. This is the first Manhattan Beach Open victory for Budinger and Evans. 

This weekend's tournament was bittersweet for four-time Olympian Dalhausser, who is retiring at the end of this season. Dalhausser previously won the Manhattan Beach Open seven times, in 2006, 2007, 2008, 2014, 2015, 2017, and 2018. 

Brasher and Nuss, also 2024 Olympians, are repeat champions after having won the Manhattan Beach Open title in 2024. They triumphed on Sunday with a 15-21, 21-18, 15-13 victory over Terese Cannon and Megan Kraft. 

The Manhattan Beach Open, known as the "granddaddy" of beach volleyball tournaments, has a special place in Manhattan Beach history, evoking pride and passion in the sport for its devotees. 

"For over 60 years, the Manhattan Beach Open has been the ultimate tournament in beach volleyball," Manhattan Beach Mayor David Lesser told MB News. "Its location on our beach by the pier and history of great players and matches make for a special event."

Each year it draws thousands of spectators - and is nationally televised - drawing new fans to the sport. "The players really want to win and it is a treat to watch," said Lesser. 

Many photographers love to shoot the Manhattan Beach Open because of the dramatic action and athleticism of the competitors. 

Manhattan Beach News is honored to feature photographs from two award-winning local photographers, Pete Halvorsen and Evelyn Schmitt. 

Being a photographer at the event "is the best seat in the house," said Schmitt. "There are many things that fascinate me about the game: the way the sand flies off their feet, the hand clap that the players always do between points, the digs, the sands that sticks to their body makes me want to brush off. I like looking for these things to photograph as well as their athleticism. It's so much fun."

Halvorsen, a commercial/fine art photographer, noted that he seldom shoots sports, but is drawn to the challenge of capturing the Manhattan Beach Open. "I look for fresh angles and images that move beyond traditional sports photography, framing the tournament as a competition and a living part of our city’s story," he said. 

Halvorsen continued: "Since I play beach volleyball and know several of these players, it's useful for understanding their chess game and where the next great shot could be. Having photographed this place for two decades, the home-field advantage shooting on the south side always feels natural, preserving the tournament’s legacy and the passion and pride we locals feel for the Manhattan Beach Open."