Ex-Sailor is world champion

Newport Harbor High product Misty May-Treanor successfully defended

her SWATCH-FIVB beach volleyball world championship when she and

teammate Kerri Walsh defeated top-seeded Juliana Felisberta Silva and

Larissa Franca of Brazil, 21-17, 21-17, Saturday in Berlin, Germany.

May-Treanor and Walsh, the reigning Olympic and world champions,

shared the $62,000 first-place prize in claiming their 16th

SWATCH-FIVB World tour gold medal since forming their partnership in

2001.

Trailing, 17-15, in the first game, May-Treanor and Walsh scored

the next six points for the victory.

May-Treanor and Walsh took a 13-8 lead in the second game before

Silva and Franca cut the margin to 14-12.

After that, the Americans traded sideouts to win their second

career meeting with Silva and Franca. The first meeting came during

the 2004 season opener in Brazil.