Heath takes on the world’s best

Cook Islands beach volleyballer Brendon Kainuku Heath will be competing this weekend at the New Zealand Open in Mount Maunganui and is hoping for the chance to take on German pairing of Julius Brink and Jonas Reckermann.

Brink and Reckermann, the 2009 FIVB Swatch World Beach Volleyball Champions, are using the New Zealand beach volleyball tournament to prepare for the 2011 Swatch World Championships.

Also competing at the New Zealand tournament will be three other experienced beach volleyball world tour teams namely French brothers Andy and Kevin Ces, Dutch players Emile Boersma and Dan Spijkers and the New Zealand pairing of Kirk Pitman and Jason Lochhead who are ranked 26th in the world.

Heath and playing partner Edwin O’Dea are the current number one ranked Kiwi pair and top seeds at this weekend’s tournament in Mt Maunganui following a series of wins over the 2010-2011 summer.

Heath, who is also the vice president of the Cook Islands Volleyball Association, is eager to take on the world’s top players and learn from the best.

“This is a unique opportunity to play world class teams on our familiar turf,” says Heath.

“It’s great to have the opportunity to play, watch and learn from some of the best. We train here and we’re familiar with the local conditions, and that’s a real advantage.”

Heath, who has spent the last two months competing in various beach volleyball competitions across New Zealand, will be back training with the national volleyball team in Rarotonga next week.