Ross to play with Pavlik in Poland
April Ross, a former Newport Harbor standout, will team with Whitney Pavlik, a former UC Irvine star, to play in the Federation Internationale de Volleyball Beach Volleyball World Championships in Poland, Monday through July 7, according to an FIVB press release.
Jennifer Kessy has withdrawn from the FIVB World Championships because of hip and Achilles injuries.
Kessy’s withdraw puts her long-term future in the sport in doubt, the press release said.
Kessy, 35, and Ross, 31, won the silver medal in the 2012 Olympics.
“I’ve had some hip issues and I had an Achilles issue in the Brazil World Cup Final that was caused by the hip problem,” Kessy said in the press release. “I need to take a break. Sadly it came during World Championships, but I didn’t want to do any further permanent damage.”
Kessy said she will most likely miss the FIVB Grand Slam in Gstaad, Switzerland (July 9-14).
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Kerri Walsh Jennings is registered to return from having her third child to play with Ross in the Grand Slam in Gstaad, according to the press release.
Kessy plans to compete with Ross at the Grand Slam in Long Beach July 22-27 and in more events during the 2013 season.
“I’m not retiring,” Kessy said in the press release. “I do eventually want to slow down and spend more time with my husband [French beach volleyball player Andy Cès, whom she married in March], but April and I are still playing together. I really wanted to try to win another World Championship.”
Kessy and Ross won the 2009 FIVB Beach Volleyball World Championships in Stavanger, Norway.
Kessy took to Twitter to make a statement: “I’m NOT retiring! I’m nursing some injuries and will be back in Long Beach w/ @AprilRossBeach. Don’t always believe everything you read!”
As a team Ross and Kessy have medaled at 32 FIVB beach volleyball events, including 10 gold medals. Most recently, they took silver on June 23 at the Rome Grand Slam.
Multiple news outlets have reported Ross and Walsh Jennings will play in multiple events in 2013, but Ross has yet to officially announce such news.
Ross posted a photo on Facebook from Poland Saturday night during a dinner with friends along with the message: “Had a great first day in Poland! Got two training sessions in and then went to a charming traditional Polish restaurant out in the countryside Loving it here, missing Jen, but excited to see what Whitney and I can do!”
— Steve Virgen