Gail Castro

The sand was so hot at Saturday's $20,000 pro beach volleyball World Championships in Manhattan Beach that most players wore special sand socks to compete. The gear is avoided when possible because it affects mobility. "They're hard to move in because they're slippery," top-seeded Karolyn Kirby said. "But it was so hot I almost felt like I couldn't breathe. It was oppressive."

Karolyn Kirby and Angela Rock won three opening-round matches Saturday and advanced to today's semifinals of the $40,000 Evian Women's Pro Beach Volleyball tournament at Belmont Shore in Long Beach. Kirby and Rock, who have won 17 titles together, will play Karrie Poppinga and Christine Schaefer in the championship-bracket semifinal at 9 a.m. The other semifinal will match Elaine Roque and Dennie Shupryt-Knoop against Lisa Arce and Patty Dodd at 9 a.m.

Karch Kiraly and American partner Kent Steffes beat Germany's Jorg Ahmann and former Cal State Northridge standout Axel Hager, 15-5, to set up a showdown today with countrymen Sinjin Smith and Carl Henkel in men's beach volleyball in Jonesboro, Ga. Smith and Henkel had to struggle to win, 15-13, in a match that led to an unsuccessful protest by Cuba's Francisco Alvarez and Juan Miguel Rosell.

Holly McPeak threw her body in the air and dove into the first row of spectators Sunday in the final of the Evian Long Beach Invitational, sending fans scrambling to get out of her way as she crashed through the barricade. Somehow, her outstretched arms found the ball and she sent it hurling back to partner Nancy Reno, who smashed it across the net for a sideout. The remarkable thing about this play was the score at the time--McPeak and Reno were leading Lisa Arce and Angela Rock, 12-3.

Hermosa Beach was not a good pro beach volleyball tournament site for Karolyn Kirby and Liz Masakayan last year. Kirby placed fifth with former partner Angela Rock, and Masakayan finished third with former partner Linda Carrillo. On Sunday Kirby and Masakayan teamed up to win the Hermosa Beach Open and split the $5,300 first prize. Kirby and Masakayan, top seeded, defeated second-seeded Barbra Fontana and Lori Kotas, 15-7, in the final.

James Moses, the former Serra High basketball standout, was named the University of Iowa's co-most valuable player during the team's award banquet last month. Moses, a junior guard, shared the award with center Acie Earl. Moses averaged 12 points and scored 78 points in the Hawkeyes' final four games, including 29 against Illinois and 23 in an NCAA tournament loss to eventual national champion Duke. As a sophomore, Moses shot 35.6% from the field, but improved to 46.6% last season.

Police are asking for help locating a 45-year-old woman who has been missing since May 11. Gail Marie Castro was last seen by relatives at her home on Whitney Drive. She has been diagnosed with a serious form of episodic schizophrenia and is dependent on medication, police said Tuesday. Detectives and Castro's family members are particularly concerned about her disappearance because her condition deteriorates without the medication.

Volleyball coach Jess Quiroz was watching the Olympic opening ceremonies at home when he received a phone call from Atlanta. On the line was U.S. water polo Coach Rich Corso. Corso, who also coaches water polo at Harvard-Westlake High, called Quiroz, the Wolverines' volleyball coach, from a cellular phone as he was entering Olympic Stadium with the rest of the U.S. delegation. "Do you see me on TV?" he asked Quiroz. Quiroz said no. Corso said he'd go stand near a TV camera, and the two hung up.

The top players on the women's pro beach volleyball tour will compete in the $50,000 U.S. Open this weekend at Venice Beach. The top-ranked team of Karolyn Kirby and Angela Rock has won 10 tournaments this season, including last week's event at Myrtle Beach, S.C. Janice Harrer and Elaine Roque are seeded second and Lori Kotas and Gail Castro are seeded third. Kotas-Castro have won two tournaments this year, including the $40,000 Reno Shootout on June 2.