Beach volleyball the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) was founded. At the professional level, the sport remained fairly obscure until the 1980s when beach volleyball experienced a surge in popularity with high-profile players such as Sinjin Smith, Randy Stoklos, and Karch Kiraly. Kiraly won an Olympic gold medal in beach volleyball in its first Olympic appearance in 1996, adding that to the two Olympic golds he won as part of the USA men's indoor team, and has won 142 titles. In the 1980s, the sport gained popularity on the beaches of Copacabana and Ipanema in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 1986, the
2008 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour This is the complete schedule of events on the 2008 AVP Crocs Tour calendar, with team progression documented from the semifinals stage. All tournaments, with the exception of the Glendale Best of the Beach Invitational, consisted of single-elimination qualifying rounds followed by a double-elimination main draw. The Glendale Best of the Beach Invitational was a round-robin tournament. 2008 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour The 2008 AVP Pro Beach Volleyball Tour was a domestic professional beach volleyball circuit organized in the United States by the Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) for the 2008 beach volleyball season. The 2008 AVP calendar comprises