2005 AVP Chicago Open presented by McDonald’s: The Crowning of Pro Beach Volleyball Champions LIVE on NBC

The AVP Chicago Open presented by McDonald’s the final stop of the 2005 AVP Nissan Championship Series with LIVE television coverage on NBC. The Men’s Final will air at 4:30 pm EST on Saturday, September 3rd. The Women’s Final will air at 1:30 pm EST on Sunday, September 4th. Log on to http://AVP.com for more information

The Chicago Open is the Super Bowl of the AVP Season where champions will be crowned. The top Men’s and Women’s team, determined by points earned in 2005, will drive off with new Nissan cars. Entering Chicago, where 1080 points will be awarded to the winning team, Gold Medalists Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh lead the Women’s side over Bronze Medalist Elaine Youngs and AVP Star Rachel Wacholder by 342 points. Jake Gibb and Olympian Stein Metzger lead Olympians Dax Holdren and Jeff Nygaard by 324 points on the Men’s side.

Golden Girls May-Treanor and Walsh enter Chicago in the midst of a major rivalry with Youngs and Wacholder. The teams have met in six consecutive Championship Matches with each team winning three. Last weekend in the AVP Boulder Open, Youngs and Wacholder rebounded from a late deficit to capture the sudden death third game 15-13. The rivalry is sure to continue this weekend in Chicago.

The AVP Men saw their seventh champion in eleven 2005 events as Todd Rogers and Sean Scott won last weekend in Boulder, Colorado defeating top-seeded Gibb and Metzger. Rogers & Scott have joined the Legend Karch Kiraly & AVP MVP Mike Lambert, Matt Fuerbringer & Casey Jennings, Olympian Stein Metzger & Jake Gibb, Nick Lucena & Phil Dalhausser, Olympians Jeff Nygaard & Dax Holdren, and Lambert & John Hyden in the 2005 winners circle.

As Chicago is the final AVP Championship event, several questions fuel the pre-event hype. Will May-Treanor and Walsh battle Youngs and Wacholder for a seventh consecutive Championship? Will three-time Gold Medal winner Karch Kiraly add to his legendary status by capturing his 149 career title? Will an eighth Men’s team win the big check? And who will the inaugural Nissan Series Championship?

Tune in as more than 150 of the top professional beach volleyball athletes head to the shores of Lake Michigan for the AVP Chicago Open presented by McDonald’s. The Women’s side features 2004 Olympic gold medal winners May-Treanor and Walsh, and 2004 Olympic bronze medal winners Holly McPeak and Youngs. The men’s side is highlighted by three-time Olympic gold medal winner Kiraly, AVP MVP Lambert and 2000 Olympic gold medalists Eric Fonoimoana and Dain Blanton.

The competition will be fierce as $375,000 is on the line in Chicago.

Watch and Win: Catch all the action LIVE on NBC for your chance to win a 42” Flat Panel TV. Log on to http://avp.com for details.