POSTED: Sunday September 9th 2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ELAINE YOUNGS BECOMES NEW GODDESS OF THE BEACH AT CAESARS PALACE KNOCKING DEFENDING CHAMPION KERRI WALSH OFF HER THRONE

Female Goddess of the Beach crowned this evening at the AVP Crocs Tour Gods & Goddess of the Beach at the Roman Plaza Amphitheater September 6-8 at Caesars Palace; Men?s Finals to take place Saturday, September 8 at 9:15 p.m.

LAS VEGAS, NV (September 7, 2007) ? In a competition fit for a queen, Elaine Youngs, with her selection of partner Jenny Johnson Jordan, proved she is the new Goddess of the Beach and the best individual female player of the 2007 AVP Crocs Tour. Youngs and Jordan defeated defending champion Kerri Walsh and her selected partner April Ross, for the 2007 Goddess title 23-21, 14-21, 15-11.  The women played Friday evening and the final will be broadcast Saturday, September 8, from 8-10 pm on MyNetwork TV.

Youngs was close to not advancing out of her pool when she defeated regular-season partner Nicole Branagh by only two points to make the finals.  Youngs, who had the second pick of partners, selected Jordan, the same player that she played with in the match prior to the finals. 

?The reason I choose Jenny really came down to chemistry,? said Youngs of her partner selection. ?There were a lot of people to choose from and I really felt like I had a good thing with Jenny. Winning this event finally is a monkey off my back.?

Walsh advanced out of her pool undefeated and had the first selection of partners and selected 2006 co-rookie of the year April Ross, who is making her debut Las Vegas appearance. 

?I had played with her before and against her and she was playing really well,? said Walsh of her partner selection.  ?I was going to pick Rachel (Wacholder) but at the end of the last game her foot was cramping and her knee was hurting so I decided to go with someone else.?

On the men?s side, defending champion Todd Rogers lost his first match with Stein Metzger, defeated by Matt Fuerbringer and John Hyden 21-16, 21-16.  His first match Saturday will be with John Hyden and they will face Stein Metzger and Matt Fuerbringer around 4:00 p.m. 

Phil Dalhausser and Mike Lambert defeated Fred Souza and Sean Rosenthal in three games 28-30, 21-16, 15-11. Dalhausser will play with Sean Rosenthal against Mike Lambert and Fred Souza in the evening at 5:00 p.m.  

The Roman Plaza Amphitheater at Caesars Palace has been transformed into the only beach-front property in Las Vegas, as 6,000 cubic feet of sand built the court.  A village reminiscent of beachside huts surrounds the tournament area and features live music.  Tournament sponsors to keep the beach vibe going strong for all three days of the event.

Courtside seating tickets are available for $55 and general admissions tickets are $27.50.  Three-day ticket passes for courtside seating are $150 and general admission passes are $75. 

Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased in person at the Caesars Palace Box Office, online by visiting www.ticketmaster.com (keyword: caesars palace) or by calling Ticketmaster at (702) 474-4000. For more information on Caesars Palace visit www.caesarspalace.com.  Journalists can download media materials including high-resolution photos at media.harrahs.com.

About AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc.

AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, Inc. is a lifestyle sports entertainment company focused on the production, marketing and distribution of professional beach volleyball events worldwide.  AVP operates the industry?s most prominent volleyball tour in the United States, the AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour, which was organized in 1983.  Featuring more than 150 of the top American men and women competitors in the sport, AVP staged 16 events throughout the United States in 2006.   In 2004, AVP athletes successfully represented the United States during the Olympics in Athens, Greece, winning gold and bronze medals, the first medals won by U.S. women in professional beach volleyball.  For more information, please visit www.avp.com.

About Caesars Palace
Caesars Palace is the world?s best known resort-casino, celebrating the glory that was Greece and the grandeur that was Rome, in an 85-acre destination location that sets the standard for entertainment, dining and luxury.  Reigning at the heart of the Las Vegas Strip, Caesars Palace ranks among the world?s top luxury resorts known for their originality and beauty and features 3,348 hotel guest rooms and suites, 25 unique restaurants and cafes, 4.5-acre Garden of the Gods pools and gardens, 50,000 square foot Qua Baths & Spa and 240,000 square feet of premium meeting and convention space.  The 4,100-seat Coliseum sits just steps from celebrity chef restaurants and the acclaimed Forum Shops at Caesars and spotlights world class entertainers such as Celine Dion, Elton John and Jerry Seinfeld; and starting in February 2008, Bette Midler.  Journalists can access media materials and request high-resolution image downloads at media.harrahs.com.

Media Contacts: Kenneth Langdon ,Caesars Palace 702-731-7506

klangdon@caesarspalace.com

Kimberly Moran, Brener Zwikel & Associates, 818-462-5612,           kimberlym@bzapr.com

2007 AVP CROCS Tour
$200,000 AVP Las Vegas Gods & Goddesses of the Beach
Las Vegas, Nev.
September 6-8, 2007

Pool Play Results ? second round (Friday, September 7)
Women?s Match 7:  Pool Y ? Kerri Walsh (seed 1) / Rachel Wacholder (seed 4) def. Jennifer Boss (seed 5) / April Ross (seed 8), 21-16, 20-22, 15-8 (62);
Women?s Match 8:  Pool Z ? Elaine Youngs (seed 2) / Nicole Branagh (seed 3) def. Tyra Turner (seed 6) / Jenny Johnson Jordan (seed 7), 21-16, 21-15 (45);
Women?s Match 9:  Pool Y ? Kerri Walsh (seed 1) / Jennifer Boss (seed 5) def. Rachel Wacholder (seed 4) / April Ross (seed 8), 21-16, 20-22, 15-13 (65);
Women?s Match 10:  Pool Z ? Nicole Branagh (seed 3) / Jenny Johnson Jordan (seed 7) def. Elaine Youngs (seed 2) / Tyra Turner (seed 6), 21-17, 16-21, 17-15 62);
Women?s Match 11:  Pool Y ? Kerri Walsh (seed 1) / April Ross (seed 8) def. Rachel Wacholder (seed 4) / Jennifer Boss (seed 5), 21-12, 21-14 (37);
Women?s Match 12:  Pool Z ? Elaine Youngs (seed 2) / Jenny Johnson Jordan (seed 7) def. Nicole Branagh (seed 3) / Tyra Turner (seed 6), 23-21, 20-22, 15-12 (67);
Men?s Match 7: Pool Y ? John Hyden (seed 5) / Matt Fuerbringer (seed 8) def. Todd Rogers (seed 1) / Stein Metzger (seed 4), 21-16, 21-16 (53);
Men?s Match 8:  Pool Z ? Phil Dalhausser (seed 2) / Mike Lambert (seed 3) def. Sean Rosenthal (seed 6) / Fred Souza (seed 7), 28-30, 21-16, 15-11 (68).

Advancing from Women?s Pool Y ? Kerri Walsh (3-0 match record, 6-2 game record)
Eliminated from Women?s Pool Y ? April Ross (1-2, 4-4), Rachel Wacholder (1-2, 3-5) and Jennifer Boss (1-2, 3-5)

Advancing from Women?s Pool Z ? Elaine Youngs (2-1, 5-3)
Eliminated from Women?s Pool Z ? Nicole Branagh (2-1, 5-3), Jenny Johnson Jordan (2-1, 4-4), Tyra Turner (0-3, 2-6)

Walsh selects April Ross as partner, Youngs selects Johnson Jordan as partner.

Women?s Match 13:  Championship ? Elaine Youngs / Jenny Johnson Jordan def. Kerri Walsh / April Ross, 23-21, 20-22, 15-12 (67).

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