Gabert races to victory

Stephanie Gabert, a Corona del Mar High junior-to-be, lived up to her

top seeding with a victory in the 200-meter breaststroke at the

United States Junior National swim championships Wednesday at the

William Woollett Jr. Aquatic Center in Irvine.

Gabert, who holds the CIF Southern Section Division II record in

the 100-yard breaststroke, raced to victory in two minutes, 33.01

seconds in the 200 breaststroke. Jessica Schmitt placed second in

2:33.71.

On Tuesday, Gabert swam the second leg of the Aquazot swim club’s

eighth-place finish in the 200 medley relay (2:02.36). Lake Country

swim team from Wisconsin was first in 2:00.20.

May-Treanor ready

* BEACH VOLLEYBALL: Misty May-Treanor, a former Newport Harbor

High standout, and partner Kerri Walsh will be shooting for their

third straight Association of Volleyball Professionals Tour crown

when they open play in the women’s main draw of the Huntington Beach

Open beginning Friday.

May-Treanor and Walsh, the 2004 Olympic gold medalists in beach

volleyball, are coming off an AVP title at the Hermosa Beach Open

July 24. The top-seeded duo has won seven of the eight AVP events

this season.

Other Newport-Mesa area players opening play in the main draw

Friday include former Estancia standout Matt Fuerbringer and partner

Casey Jennings, the third-seeded squad; Costa Mesa resident Jake Gibb

and partner Stein Metzger, the No. 2 seed; Costa Mesa resident Mike

Lambert and partner Karch Kiraly, the No. 7 seed; and Newport Beach

resident Ty Loomis and partner Anthony Medel of Newport Coast.

Main draw competition begins at 9 a.m. Friday and will be played

in order of seedings, with men’s and women’s matches played

simultaneously on different courts. The men’s final is slated for 1

p.m. Saturday while the women’s is 1 p.m. Sunday.

The qualifier bracket -- duos not seeded in the top 23 -- will be

played today beginning at 8 a.m.

-- Chris Yemma

Sailors soar at tourney

* SOFTBALL: Stephanie Mello and Jane Messersmith, who will begin

their sophomore years at Newport Harbor High next month, were members

of the 2005 Amateur Softball Association Western Nationals girls

under-14 championship team, There’s No Tomorrow (TNT).

TNT went 7-0 in the six-day tournament held at the Buchanan

Softball Complex in Clovis, Calif., winning by an average of 6-1. By

winning the 68-team tournament, TNT secured a berth to the 2006

National Championships in Seattle.