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Have you ever had sex on the beach? It tastes great. 
 It is a wonderful concoction, which is made up of two measures of vodka, a measure of peach schnapps, and equal measures of orange juice and cranberry juice.
Take a swig and then wonder why the combination of sun and sand always adds up to sex. It is hard to avoid that equation when it comes down to women's beach volleyball, perhaps the most popular sport at the Asian Games judging by the crowds.
Okay, soccer wins hands down simply because of the size of the stadiums, while such sports as table tennis and badminton, which traditionally China does well in, are also jam-packed.
Yet, China teams have also dominated beach volleyball, winning four gold medals since it was introduced at the Asiad in 1998. Two years before, the sport became an Olympic event at the Atlanta Games. Canny American marketing ensured the sport, which  has all the right ingredients  for a great television spectacle, would be a hit. So it has proved. 
And with the sun beating down on the centre court at the beach volleyball venue yesterday,  it is hard to ignore those factors as China take on Sri Lanka in a women's match.
The DJ pumps up the volume and the crowd gets behind eight cheerleaders in skimpy blue bikinis who urge:  'Hands up, baby, hands up,  give me your love, give me, give me, your love.' The fans are glad to do so.
It would be great if you could read minds at beach volleyball. But not being able to do that, and with the help of an interpreter, I ask a spectator why he turned up.
The man who only identifies himself as Zhang replies: 'I like watching the girls play. And it is a bonus that China is doing well, too.' A woman next to him, who I presume is his wife, frowns.
Yes, the statuesque Chinese pair of Huang Ying and Yue Yuan, both sporting identical red bikinis, are proving a smash hit. They are hot and the poor Sri Lankan duo have no chance as they tamely fold 21-3 and 21-10 in just 25 minutes.
Next to the cheerleaders, who have pale complexions, the bronzed bodies of Huang and Yue stand out like a sight for sore eyes. However, it is the cheerleaders who have caused quite a stir, not only among the male fans but also among some of the teams.
Yemeni captain Adeeb Mahfoudh blamed the revealing attire worn by the cheerleaders for putting him and his teammate off in a straight-sets loss to Indonesia the other night.
'They had an effect on how we played. I think they had something to do with our losing the match. The girls are very beautiful,' a flustered Mahfoudh said.  Not bad as excuses go.
 And he is right. Even Kenneth Fok Kai-kong, son of Hong Kong Olympic Committee president Timothy Fok Tsun-ting and deputy chef de mission of the local delegation, admitted the cheerleaders were a distraction.
'They are sexy,' the younger Fok remarked after turning up to watch the competition. He should know. His girlfriend is China's darling, diver Guo Jingjing,  who is not taking part in these Games.
There are four cheerleader squads, each comprising eight girls in colourful two piece swimsuits and matching pom-poms, and they put on a dazzling show for the crowd during breaks in play.
And it seems to have worked, with  beach volleyball drawing everyone, like flies to jam. It is also one of the most favoured events athletes from other sports go to watch when they are not competing. Even officials get into the act.
Ask Toby Lothian, the Hong Kong rugby referee, who was spotted among the fans. His grin said it all.
The International Volleyball Federation  knows it is on to a good thing. Beach volleyball, especially the women, is good for television ratings. And it is not only the sun and sand that sell it.
A few years ago, the world governing body brought in regulations that covered the size of attire the women wore. If the shorts were too large, they had to go and trim them down.
The Sri Lankan girls would not have stood a chance if such regulations were strictly enforced yesterday. They chose to wear T-shirts and shorts. One official asked them to change, but they insisted on wearing their baggy attire. 
The sun, sand, sexy cheerleaders and China's imposing duo was enough intimidation in a sport where it seems half the battle is won if you look good in a bikini.



Sex on the beach: skimpy outfits help make volleyball a sizzler with fans