The 2013 Marathon Visual Media NZ Beach Volleyball Open came to a resounding finish when local boy Sam O'Dea and partner Brendon Heath came from a set down to beat the US pairing of Tri Bourne and Will Montgomery in a thrilling final set.
Tauranga-based O'Dea brought the bumper crowd to their feet, at the world class location on Mount Maunganui's Main Beach, when he smashed a winner down the line to take it to 14-13 in the final set and then he calmly served for the match and with the help of the dynamic Heath at the net, they stole the victory that both had wanted for so long.
The US pairing looked to be cruising to victory to repeat their win at last week's Hamilton Open - also against O'Dea and Heath in another pulsating final - when they took the first set 21-14 and there seemed little the Kiwis could do to stop Bourne's domination of the net.
But the second set told a different story as the crowd began to warm to their work and support O'Dea in particular. He and Heath led the second stanza until they were overtaken 16-15 but Heath showed why he is regarded as one of the world's best with some big plays to win the clutch points to take out the second set.
Even more remarkable was Heath's form as he was a late replacement to play with O'Dea after Kirk Pitman took a job overseas. Heath and his wife run a luxury bed and breakfast in Rarotonga so he had little time to acclimatise before last week's Hamilton Open.