Subscribe to sportsvibe.co.uk latest topics!

Tony Hawk

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Tim Farr's Paralympic Dream

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Great Britain enjoyed great success at the Winter Olympics when Amy Williams won the countries first gold medal in 30 years. Tim Farr, a member of the British Disabled Ski Team hopes to return to his home town of London with his own personal success story.

This may not come in the form of a medal for the 27 year-old from Twickenham, for him simply competing in Vancouver is an achievement as it is just five years since he had the accident which left him wheelchair bound.

While skiing with friends on the French slopes, Farr attempted a jump which changed the course of his life. “I went to do this jump and didn’t land it too well. I ended up shattering one of my vertebrae which meant I was paralysed from the waist down,” Farr explains. “I immediately started thinking about how serious it might be, then in the hospital in Grenoble I was told that I would never walk again.”

This devastating news did not stop Farr from deciding that one day he would find himself back on the slopes. Less than a year after the accident, while still completing his degree in Politics and Sociology at Exeter University, Farr was again skiing, this time using a specially designed sit-ski.

“To be back skiing within a year of breaking my back was a great experience for me as it made me realise what I could do. I met a couple of the guys from the British Disabled Ski Team, who are actually out here with me. They then fed the idea to me and the following year after finishing university in 2006, I went out with the team to have a trial and they invited me to join the development squad.”

For the following four years Farr competed in tournaments across Europe with the hope of one day taking part in the Paralympics. Yet, he was always aware that the Vancouver Games could come too soon and after a disappointing 2009 he was unsure of whether he had done enough to join the GB Team.

After some early season improvements his dream became a reality when he was selected to be part of the British Paralympic Team. “To be selected was a great experience but once I arrived it was even more amazing,” Farr describes excitedly. “It’s everything you could imagine, hearing the roar of the crowds when we first arrived and then going out for the first run was simply amazing. I had a few nerves but the support has been brilliant, we have a great support staff with us and I have a lot of family and friends out here as well.”

In his first competitive race in the Slalom, Farr finished in 20th position on a tricky course in tough conditions. It was a result that pleased one of the least experienced members of the GB Team. “I think I am ranked about 50th in the world so I’m punching above my weight. It was a good result in really tough conditions and the competition was pretty fierce so I was over the moon with the result.”

Unfortunately in his second event, the Giant Slalom, Farr was disqualified after leaving his gate early. However, before the result was announced Farr had placed in 15th position, a fact that has given him plenty of encouragement.

“I was so focused on getting down the hill that I left the gate a little early, it was a tight call but it doesn’t affect the time and I know in my heart where I came so no one can take that away from me, well only on paper,” jokes Farr. “It was a great experience and I know that I have it in me, so I am looking forward to building on that over the next four years to Sochi. Hopefully by then I will have learnt to count and will get out of the start blocks at the right time.”

Taking part in the next Paralympics in Sochi, Russia is Farr’s next objective and his thoughts have already turned to 2014. “The road to Sochi starts here, that’s the next aim but before that we have competitions and the World Championships next year in Italy. We will follow the race circuit and try to build on the momentum that we have had leading up to these games. Hopefully we can thrive on that and continue improving.”

This desire to constantly improve and push the boundaries extends into Farr’s life away from the snow. Being confined to a wheelchair does not stop him from being involved in other sporting activities. He regularly water-skis and has raised money for the British Ski Team by completing a number of half marathons.

“I would love to do the London marathon but at the moment skiing takes preference, plus it’s always at the end of the season and requires a different type of fitness. I think that the New York marathon is just before the start of the season which might be the next challenge.”

Farr hopes his story can be an inspiration to anyone who has suffered a similar injury and admits that before his accident he never dreamed he would one day be representing his country. “Before the accident I was never going to be able to become an Olympic skier, but it can open other doors, you just have to grab it with both hands.”

For more information on ParalympicsGB please visit www.paralympics.org.uk/default.asp

Win BSB Tickets

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Tony Hawk

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Sportsvibe caught up with skateboarding legend Tony Hawk at the Laureus World Sports Awards. See Tony talk about being an outcast, pulling off the '900' and his appearance on The Simpsons.

Identical Saints Set to Confuse the French

Thu, 18 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

It is a selection tactic seemingly missed by everyone except Sportsvibe. England boss Martin Johnson has decided to give Northampton winger Chris Ashton his test match debut against the all-conquering France on Saturday in Paris. Nothing hugely unusual about that. Ashton is the top try-scorer in the country. But take a close look at him, and then his Northampton teammate, Dylan Hartley, who will also be playing for England at the Stade de France in the hooker's number two jersey. There's not a lot of difference, is there? They could easily be brothers and, at a push, twins! So when the French fancy a sprint against Hartley they should double check that it is not, in fact, Ashton. Here's a tip to Les Bleues, though. Ashton's ears are different sizes. Failing all else, the French can always check out the ears!

The Longest Pee in History

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Still on the subject of the Laureus World Sports awards last week in Abu Dhabi, I met my former cricket captain, a certain Steve Waugh, who reminded me of a ludicrous moment in both our lives a few years ago when I'd been spending a week in the company of the great - and I mean great - Australian cricket team of Warne, McGrath, Gilchrist, Langer, Mark and, of course, Steve Waugh. Having managed to get a game for New South Wales against Australia in a warm-up one-day match I was duly caught second slip (Tom Moody) off the bowling of Andy Bichel after just four balls. That evening in the Surf Bar in Maroochydore on the Sunshine Coast the Aussie players spiked my drinks and watched with much amusement as I grew sillier by the hour. After closing hours we all piled into a mini bus to take us back to our hotel but, ten minutes into the journey, I had to stop for a nature break. As I stood beside the road in the middle of nowhere some of the greatest cricketers in the history of the game peered through the bus windows into the night and laughed. "There's one thing I particularly remember about that," recalled Steve Waugh. "It was, and remains, the longest piss in history."

NPOWER TO LIGHT UP THE FOOTBALL LEAGUE

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

The Football League has agreed a new three-year title sponsorship with energy provider npower. From the beginning of the 2010/11 season, The League’s flagship competition will be titled ‘the npower Football League’ with its three divisions being titled ‘the npower Championship’, ‘npower League 1’ and ‘npower League 2’.

Football League Chairman Lord Mawhinney said: “I am delighted to welcome npower to this new partnership with The Football League. They are a widely respected company with a strong pedigree in sports sponsorship. Their support is a huge boost to our clubs and represents the enhanced reputation of The Football League in the commercial marketplace.

Like us, npower recognise the extraordinary attachment that Football League clubs have with people living in their local communities. This agreement will provide real benefit to those people.”

As part of the new agreement, each of The League’s 72 clubs will receive a grant from the npower Charity Fund for a bespoke community initiative in their local area. Fans will also be rewarded for switching their gas and/or electricity supply to npower.

TIGER WOODS RETURNS

Wed, 17 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Our man James Desborough gives his thoughts on the return of Tiger Woods.

The question on golf fans lips around the globe is - can Tiger make a comeback and win?.

His return to the fairway is now just days away - and he's been out practicing like a man possessed for the last few weeks.

Will he succeed - of course!

From the people who know him who I have spoken to - he has that fire back in his belly and a desire to prove himself the best in the business again.

Some of his associates think that the scandal was what the star needed - saying that he was drifting alone before almost on auto-pilot, letting his natural ability push him through

Now he has something to stand up for - some of those close to him have remarked that this year will like a fresh start - an incredible statement considering the epic proportion of the scandal and its fallout - from loss of sponsors, attacks by fellow players and split with his wife.

But here in the USA their comments seem to be valid.

And in an incredible twist of public opinion Tiger's career is back on track.

This past week one would have thought Tiger's image would have sunk to the gutter as renown DJ Howard Stern presented the Tiger Woods mistress beauty pageant.( I refuse to call Stern a shock jock because quite frankly he is one of the bravest and talented interviewers I've ever heard at work.)

Now for an hour three of Tiger's" birdies" - Jamie Jungers, Loredana Jolie and Jamie Grubbs - opened up about their adventures with the golfer. There were no holds barred - sex, his wife, the personal dynamics of how his secrets played out - no-one had any doubts about the levels of deception involved and played out on a weekly basis.

And what happened - well the media here celebrated the event and in an obscure way gave their blessing to Woods' escapades.

And this is the remarkable fact of it all - the audience is now indifferent to the scandal.

I would be bold enough to say they may be even desperate to see Tiger win through after his bad behaviour. I can't recall anything like this in terms of a scandal involving a celebrity.

The sheer scale of as many as six women presenting their affairs directly or indirectly with the media - has filled up forests of newsprint and hours of news current affairs and 'entertainment" shows.

It got to a level back in early December where some networks were actually turning down mistresses' appearances as they didn't have time to slot them all in.

And after that furore briefly quelled Tiger ventured off to rehab, while his advisors were trying to rescue his endorsements.

So all in all the American public - sports fans and viewers - were treated to three months of nonstop revelations.

And in a perverse way this has helped him - there is little else left to damage Tiger or perhaps more importantly that the public can be bothered with.

The pawing of the star by the mistresses and former friends has seen his public switch from shock to disgust to disinterest to sympathy.

The truth is now everyone wants the comeback. His remaining sponsors aside most Jo Schmos walking through their local mall want the ex golden boy to retain his crown.

Weirdly a poll came out last week which saw that 79 percent forgave the icon and wanted him to get back to golf. Just 19 per cent believed he should stay with his wife. If he comes back and succeeds this cataclysmic blow to the Tiger brand will be forgotten.

In two years time if he reaches his heights then I expect very little to be made off this scandal - and despite four years of cheating it will be deemed a blip.

Aides of the star have told me that they are following what they call the Kobe Bryant template. The LA Lakers star was accused of raping a woman back in 2003 - for weeks it seemed like his career and reputation was over. Publicly he apologised, settled legal matters out of court, his wife stood by him and he let his work on the court do the talking. Hey see - does this sound familiar now?

Kobe is on the news here all the time - no-one even touches the subject of the scandal - it played out and it's old news.

Since his announcement of a golf return, just a few hours ago, the debates on TV and radio have exploded, with the biggest sentiments being now "let him get on with it."

Just this morning top US advertising executive Donnie Deutsch boasted on TV: "He is the biggest golfer in the world and this doesn't change him. The sexiest story is taking someone down, the next is bringing someone back up.

"He didn't kill or rape anyone - he did what 50 per cent of his country did unfortunately - be unfaithful. Not one man is buying one less golf shirt. If he walks the straight line he will be bigger than ever. "

Whether it's morally correct is a matter for millions to argue over - but for the fallen pin up boy of golf I'd say now is the time to let your play on the greens do the talking.

Kip Keino and the Man Who Fell into the Water Jump

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Kip Keino was his usual friendly self when we met up again after a period of ten years at the Laureus World Sports awards last week in Abu Dhabi. The man who opened the gates to African middle and long-distance running - he won Olympic gold in 1968 and 1972 - once watched me run in the 3000 metres steeplechase in Kapsabet, western Kenya, a race that constituted the official national trials. Seeing that this particular event is one that Kenya has totally dominated globally forever, it could be argued that it was the most competitive race anyone could participate in. Predictably, with 2 laps remaining, I was out on my own running at altitude (9,000 feet) and in front of 15,000 bemused Kenyans in a ramshackle stadium with all the other runners long-finished. I fell into the water once and was told, while the winner received a cow, that I would be awarded a fish "as you like to spend time in the water." Keino invited me back to his house and orphanage he runs and it was there that he presented me with a leather water gourd complete with multi-colour beading. "This is for you," he announced. I asked him why. "Because you finished the race, and I found you most entertaining." I'm not entirely sure that was a compliment but that gourd sits in my office at home today, a priceless memento of an experience neither I nor 15,000 Kenyans are likely to forget.

HOLLYOAKS CAST TO SING FOR ENGLAND

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Cast members of Hollyoaks, the popular Channel 4 drama, will be releasing an England 2010 World Cup song for charity.

The single, ‘Sing for England’, will be released on May 23, with all profits being donated to the Alder Hey Imagine Appeal, which raises money for the Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.

Nick Pickard, who plays Tony Hutchinson in the show and captain of the Hollyoaks celebrity football team said: “All the lads in the team are passionate about football and we love playing regularly to raise money for charity, so it only seems natural to show our support for the England football team in South Africa by releasing 'Sing for England'”.

‘Sing for England’ will be available to pre-order in May, before it’s full release on May 23.

More information on the single and the Hollyoaks celebrity football team is available at:

http://www.e4.com/hollyoaks/index.html

http://www.singforengland.com

Nathan Robertson, the best of British Badminton

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Nathan Robertson, this country's biggest name in badminton, has been at the top of the sport for the last decade. He still remains one of the best players in the world as the British game goes through a difficult transition period.

The Nottingham-born player, thrust into the spotlight after winning silver at the 2004 Athens Olympic games and gold two years later at the World Championships with then partner Gail Emms, is a prime example of dedication to the sport he played throughout his childhood.

“I was about five or six, when I went along to my Mother’s junior badminton club. It was a natural thing to play when my parents were playing.

“My older brother played for England as a junior, so I was following in his footsteps.”

There is more to Robertson than just badminton. At 6’ 2”, he is a more than useful basketball player, a sport he still enjoys following.

“I watch it a lot. We got to see the dream team play before the Beijing games, in a warm up match in Macau, where our training base was. That was pretty amazing. I definitely think basketball is one of the best spectator sports you can go and see.

“Sometimes when we go on trips, we try to find a court and buy a basketball. It’s just for fun really. We don’t use it for training or anything.”

Despite playing basketball in school, badminton remained his main sport as he travelled around, playing in junior tournaments and developing his game. It was only by chance that he struck up the formidable partnership enjoyed with Emms, a player he came to know through the junior circuit.

“We were the same age. We came up through junior badminton together and were near the top in our age groups. When you are a junior, you’ve got to ask each other to play. I think Gail came up to me at one tournament, all shy and asked: ‘Can we play?’ and I said ‘Yeah, ok’.

“We were just a couple of moody teenagers asking each other to play when we were about 14 or 15.”

From there they went on to become the number one mixed pair in the World, finishing runners-up in Athens and victors in Madrid, two-years later.

Winning the World Championships in 2006 is a major achievement for Robertson, who along with Emms beat his best friend on the circuit, Anthony Clark and partner Donna Kellogg. Despite this, it is missing out on the illustrious Olympic title which sticks with him.

“Obviously it doesn’t get much better than becoming World champion, apart from becoming Olympic champion and I’m yet to achieve that. Becoming World champion was definitely up there [as an achievement], but I think the Olympic medal brings with it so much more than a world medal. It brings more profile to the sport, and personally, there’s a lot more that comes with an Olympic medal.”

With the 2012 Olympics just over two-years away, it looks like the last chance for Robertson to win Olympic Gold, but he is looking at it positively.

“I’m still playing at the top of my game in the men’s doubles, which is good. We’re still competing against the best in the world. I think it’s realistic to say that we can do that for two-years only and then after the 2012 games it will definitely be retirement time.

“It should be a great way to go out, especially if we can do what we want to do leading up to those games. We are taking it tournament by tournament at the moment, but with badminton we’ve got a lot of big events coming up, such as the European Championships in April in Manchester, and then the World Championships in London.”

Retirement will allow Nathan a new focus, whether it is golf, turning his hand to poker, or pursuing his current interest of scrabble.

“I do like scrabble. I’ve been playing it quite a while now. I’m not too bad, it’s one of my finer skills.

"The biggest word score I’ve got is 163, which is a very big score. I certainly don’t know anyone else who has got one like that on Facebook scrabble anyway, well not any of my friends. At times I play a lot of the other badminton players, but they are not quite up to standard yet.

“I used to host a poker night once a week and all the other badminton players would come around and play. It was always a little bit competitive, but also a lot of fun, but I’ve not been doing it of late.”

Regardless of his Scrabble achievements, the only success Robertson will be interested in is Olympic glory in London. It is the only piece of the puzzle missing in his career.

Bryony Shaw

Tue, 16 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Bryony Shaw became the first ever British Medallist in Women’s Windsurfing at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing and now has her sights firmly set on winning Gold at the London Games in 2012. Sportsvibe caught up with Bryony who is currently training in Valencia and trying to avoid the miserable British weather.

How did you first get involved in windsurfing?

I first started when I was nine years of age and we went on family holidays to the south of France. There was the option of giving it a go and as the weather was absolutely perfect I thought I would try it, luckily I loved it straight away.

What’s the best thing about being a professional windsurfer?

I would probably say the lifestyle as you get to travel the world and do what you love. Plus I am a really competitive person so I love being able to improve and compete. Of course there are some negatives in that you are away from home and you miss your friends and family but most of it is positive.

You went to the Olympics in Beijing, how did you find the experience?

It is something completely unique, it’s on another level of excitement and going there with the British sailing team was great. They have a real pedigree and have had plenty of success with names like Ben Ainslie and Iain Percy so travelling with them was great. I knew them before but being there and having them as a support team was really helpful. They gave me plenty of encouragement which definitely helped lift my game.

What was it like being part of the Olympic village with all the other athletes?

As often happens with the sailing team we have to be based near the water so if the main city is inland we have our own little mini Olympics going on, which was the case in Beijing. It will be the same in England as well as the sailing will take place in Weymouth, so we are away from the other sports. Having said that, on the final day in Beijing when the closing ceremony was taking place it was really cool as I was with the cycling girls who were real heroes in my eyes. I had followed them throughout and knew of their success. When I found out that I was going to be sharing a room with the cycling girls, Victoria Pendleton and Shanaze Reade, I was really excited and it was really cool to meet them.

How did you celebrate winning your bronze medal?

My boyfriend flew in for the final day of racing so he came over which was a really special moment. My Mum and Dad were also there so it was a really good moment to share with them, especially when they all got to see me go up on the podium. I went out to celebrate afterwards but it just can’t compare with the feeling I got just after winning and when I was up on the podium, which was very special.

How much are you looking forward to the 2012 Games?

I am aiming to try and win Gold as it would be absolutely massive. At the minute I can’t really get my head round it and understand just how big it’s going to be as I am still in my daily routine and working on my present goals. But it will come around so quickly, I don’t want to be coming away from those games disappointed so I am going to be putting in a lot of effort.

Do you think having a home crowd will help spur you on?

My parents live in Weymouth and I lived with them for a while, so Weymouth is kind of a home town for me as I spent quite a few years there. I am hoping I get plenty of support as the sailing community down there are really supportive. All the locals are great as well as they have been getting on bard and giving me loads of encouragement.

You get to do quite a lot of travelling, where is your favourite place to windsurf?

I was lucky enough to go to New Zealand which was really good. I was based near Auckland but I also got to go surfing down the coast which is great as obviously it’s a great climate out there. I would love to go to Mauritius and Morocco as well. Morocco is obviously a lot more accessible so I would really like to go there.

Training in the freezing cold English winters can’t be much fun, do you wish you had grown up somewhere a bit warmer?

When I was younger and I first got into the sport I did a lot of training in the cold weather but that was mainly because it was costly to go abroad, so I have definitely done my time in the cold weather. Currently I am in Valencia and trying to avoid the cold, but it has been quite frosty out here. It’s been an unpredictable winter and they have actually had a lot of cold spells throughout France and Spain but I try and chase the sun.

Can you tell us about your training schedule?

I spend a lot of time on the water doing the windsurfing itself, but there is also a lot of land based training involved as well. I do a lot of road cycling which helps the base level fitness. I try to get the hours in on the bike, so a good 2-3 hours at a steady speed and heart rate. But if the weather is bad then we can do it in the gym and use the cycles, tread mills, cross trainers and rowers. Then before a big event we will ramp up the training and start to do high intensity interval and explosive training, but you can’t do that more than twice a year, so that will be around major World Championships and Olympic trials. I will also do quite a lot of power lifting which can be pretty hard.

When you’re training do you listen to music to pump yourself up?

Yeah all the time, I put together upbeat playlists to keep myself going and quite often I will be singing in my head. When I go out on the water I will actually be singing a tune like Beyonce to keep me nice and relaxed and happy. I also make chilled out playlists to listen to in the car so I am always humming a tune. Also when you are trying to get yourself motivated in the gym for all that hard work then its good to get some real up beat stuff going.

What do you like to do in your spare time?

Whenever I get free time I am at home spending as much time as possible with friends. A lot of the time my training in the UK will take me to Weymouth, so I get to catch up with my parents and see them which is really important as I spend a lot of time travelling. But most of the time I spend in my new flat, I love doing all the interior decorating and DIY stuff, I am actually quite in to all that sort of stuff. I have even been stripping the floorboards.

You once received hate mail when you inadvertently swore on live TV after winning the Bronze medal, that must have been quite surreal?

To be fair there was only one, it was bizarre as it was hand typed and it was saying that he was watching it with his granddaughter and it was inappropriate and that I should be a role model. Obviously my immediate reaction when I did it was to apologise as it was a bad time of morning but it was just the emotion of the occasion. I heard that Hazel Irvine was in absolute stitches in the presentation box and Adrian Chiles was trying to briskly move on.

Why would you suggest people try windsurfing?

Windsurfing comes across as inaccessible but actually there are so many centres out there, it’s great to learn inland on a lake or reservoir. There are centres across England which provide a safe environment where you can get instructions and have a laugh with your friends. I did it with my school and we went to the local reservoir, some of the kids went sailing but I already knew that I loved windsurfing. It’s just great to be out on the water and having a laugh as that’s what it’s all about.

Bryony is a sporting ambassador for Fat Face clothing company.

www.fatface.com

Is It The End For Beckham?

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

David Beckham’s dream of appearing at a fourth World Cup was ruined yesterday as the former England captain suffered an achilles tendon injury. The midfielder was stretchered off during Milan’s win over Chievo and now looks certain to miss the World Cup.

Although no longer an England regular, Beckham was still a major part of Fabio Capello’s plans and looked certain to be on the plane to South Africa. So what will come next for the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar? Will he continue to ply his trade in the MLS or could this be the end for one of England’s most capped players?

Are England simply losing a squad player or will they miss the vastly experienced Beckham?

CHELTENHAM FESTIVAL PREDICTIONS

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Tomorrow marks that start of one of racing’s greatest occasions, The Cheltenham festival. This four-day event will welcome more than 200,000 spectators with millions of pounds being bet on the outcome of the 26 races.

The culmination of the festival is the much anticipated Gold Cup, which takes place on Friday and sees two of the highest rated jump horses, Kauto Star and Denman go head to head. Kauto Star is bidding to win the race for the third time while Denman will be hoping for his second victory.

With both horses trained by Champion Trainer Paul Nicholls, opinion has been divided on who will come out on top in this sporting spectacle. Here are the thoughts of some of our country’s most famous sports stars as to who will win the prestigious Gold Cup.

England and Premiership footballer, Michael Owen:
“It’s the ultimate match: the tough, gritty AP and Denman, versus the skill and flair of Ruby and Kauto Star although at the prices, my wallet says Denman.”

World Champion Heavyweight Boxer, David Haye:
“They remind me of Muhammad Ali and George Foreman – Kauto’s brilliantly talented and flashy like Ali, whilst Denman’s a real slugger like George Foreman. The Cheltenham Gold Cup this year is racing’s very own ‘Rumble in the Jungle!’”

Top Jockey and TV Personality, Frankie Dettori:
”I think Kauto Star will win because he has a good cruising speed and a very good turn of foot. I really like the horse as he is such a flashy looker.”

Professional darts player, Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor:
"I can't wait for this race - Kauto Star is a tremendous horse but Denman has Tony McCoy on board now and I think that will prove the difference on the day."

Former England Rugby Captain, Lawrence Dallaglio:
"For me it is too close to call and it will very much depend on the going. If it's soft or worse then definitely Denman and if it's better ground then definitely Kauto Star! If you can find me a weather man that can be that precise this early then I'll get off the fence!"

Golfing legend, Sam Torrance:
“I think that Kauto Star will win very easily. On Boxing Day he was sheer brilliance in four legged motion and I think Denman, even with the mighty AP on board, will struggle to keep him at bay.”

Former England Rugby Player and current BBC Sports Pundit, Jeremy Guscott:
“It’s the most eagerly awaited race I can remember. I can’t wait to see the two of them coming up the hill at Cheltenham, but it has to be Kauto who’ll win it.”

Former England Rugby Player, Matt Dawson:
“I think Denman this year, as AP McCoy loves a challenge and he is a born winner.”

Top Irish jockey, Johnny Murtagh:
“I think Kauto Star will win as I have always thought Denman is more of a Grand National horse.”

WIN TICKETS TO BRANDS HATCH FOR BSB SEASON OPENER

Mon, 15 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0400

Sportsvibe.co.uk are offering a lucky winner the chance to go to Brands Hatch for the opening round of the 2010 MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship.

Courtesy of CAME UK, the country’s premier supplier of automatic gates and sponsor of the CAME Yamaha team in the Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship, one of you will get the chance to go on raceday and see world-class riders such as James Ellison, Josh Brookes, Simon Andrews and Tommy Hill in action.

To enter, just answer this simple question:

Where is the opening round of the MCE Insurance British Superbike Championship held?

Cathy Freeman and Her Extraordinary Senses.

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Meeting Cathy Freeman the other day at the Laureus World Sports awards in Abu Dhabi for the first time since she won the 2000 Olympics gold medal in the 400 metres in Sydney in front of an expectant home nation reminded me of an amazing trick she pulled off the only other time we had met. Shaking my hand for a second or two at a Melbourne gym where she was working out she immediately told me that I played guitar. This was correct but I wanted to know how on earth she knew this on the basis of a two-second handshake. "It's the hard skin on your fingertips," she explained. For those not in the know it is the continual pressure of your fingertips on the strings that hardens the skin, but it was an incredible spot from Freeman, nonetheless. "I find my senses are heightened when I've been exercising," she told me last week. "That's my only explanation for what I did that day. Funnily enough I was only telling someone else about it recently, but I couldn't remember who it was I shook hands with until you reminded me." So Cathy was happy that little mystery was solved, while I continue to marvel at her extraordinary senses.

Cathy Freeman Advises Jessica Ennis on Home Expectation at the Olympics.

Sun, 14 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Cathy Freeman has advised Jessica Ennis to stay true to her origins, to not contemplate defeat and to ignore the views of all but her support team as the countdown to the London Olympics begins in earnest.
World outdoors heptathlon champion Ennis has revealed that she plans to seek out Freeman, the 2000 Olympics 400 metres gold medallist, to find out how the sporting champion of Australia’s indigenous people coped with the eyes of the nation fixed upon her at the Sydney Games.
Freeman not only lit the Olympic flame inside the Olympic stadium before a global audience, but then appeared at the start line of the 400 metres final in a full body suit before taking the crown in emphatic style. Britain’s Katherine Merry took bronze.
Ten years on and Ennis, who clinched the Gold medal in the pentathlon at yesterday’s World Indoor championships in Doha, Qatar, knows she will carry the full weight of expectation on her slender shoulders as she prepares for the London Olympics as the athlete most likely to win gold.
“I’m a big fan of Jessica and what I’ll tell her if she gets round to talking to me is that if she’s doing it in London for the same reason she did it in the first place then she can’t go wrong,” Freeman explained, speaking at the Laureus World Sports Awards last week in Abu Dhabi.
“It has to be a continuation of an emotion that comes straight from the heart. It’s the wind in your wings. What Jess should know is that when you’re in the middle of it all you don’t share the same perspective as the public, the media or her sport. If she does then that’s where the cracks will appear in her fortress of well-being that she has psychologically established around herself. She’ll need to secure and protect it.
“What I know of Jess reminds me a little of myself. I’ve always felt I’m a grass roots person, partly because of my humble beginnings. I’ve carried that innocence and it’s helped me to cope. That way you don’t see all the distractions and nervousness.
“It would be a very dangerous thing for Jess if she listened or took notice of what others are saying in the build up to the 2012 Olympics. It could disturb the foundations of that fortress of well-being I always refer to. She needs to rely more heavily on her support team – her coach, her family, her friends, the doctor, the physio.”
It is still early days for Ennis in terms of dominating the multi-events discipline in track and field, but the 37-year-old Freeman advocates total belief and an aversion to defeat as compelling tools towards success.
“I dreamt of becoming the world’s greatest athlete as a ten-year-old,” she admitted. “As I moved up the ranks and became more confident my competitive spirit got stronger and stronger. In time I developed a hatred of losing and this, too, grew and grew.
“I had a driver coupled with a pure love of my sport and a happiness in what I was doing. When it’s all about that it makes it easier. Jess will need to draw on a similar kind of positivity for the energy she’ll need not only to overcome the pressure of an expectant home nation, but to also go on and win the Olympic gold medal for herself.
“If she remains driven by pure intention then the energy drawn is always positive. I get the feeling that’s the case with her right now, as it is for all athletes when they first get to the top. Not all keep it that way and that’s when the problems set in. If Jess can stick to what has worked for her in the past then she’ll be on track to add the Olympic gold to her world outdoors gold.”

Cathy Freeman is a member of the Laureus World Sport Academy.

Six Nations Under-20s with Danny Wright

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

This is the third part to a series of interviews with Danny Wright, England under-20 lock. Danny currently plays for Cinderford, on a loan deal from his parent club Gloucester.

Considering the disappointing defeat by Ireland two-weeks ago, ultimately ending England’s chance of winning the grand-slam, the under-20s will look positively at their next match, away to Scotland on March 12.

The squad still have a chance of winning the six nations, as the unpredictability of this years championship has seen some surprising results.

Wright and the rest of the squad are aware of what the focus is now. “We have to stay positive. We can’t win the Grand Slam any more, but we can still win the competition. If we beat Scotland and we beat France, we’ll win the six nations and that’s what we’ve got to focus on. Maybe as the pressure of the grand slam is off, we’ll start performing more.”

Dealing with Scotland will be the first big test in their two remaining fixtures. Considering the calibre of England’s final opponents, France, however, the biggest challenge is thought to lie on the continent.

“Definitely, you would think that France would be our biggest match. But then France drew with Scotland 8-8, away. Scotland is going to be difficult, if not perhaps harder, than France away. I think we have to respect both teams and I expect both games to be hard and physical and we should not take anyone for granted.”

Disappointment against Ireland was understandable though, as the home side had the lion’s share of possession, paired with Ireland being reduced to 14 players for a period of the game. Despite this, mistakes by England cost them any chance of victory.

“We lost the game because of a few silly mistakes. It was more disappointment than anger with each other, as we knew we could of played better and pulled off the win. The team wasn’t clinical enough and made a few, stupid decisions. We didn’t really attack when we should have attacked.”

Defeat is a huge part of sport, and dealing with it is just as important. With Wright, now a fixture in the under-20 set up, and a senior member to boot, it is as much about how he deals with defeat, in order for him to set an example for the other players.

“You’ve got to stay positive about yourself and positive around other people. You’ve got to focus on the next task. I haven’t thought about the game, my only intention now is to go out there, and beat Scotland. If we sit and think about the Ireland game, then we’re not going to progress.

Obviously I have to be a role model, show a bit more leadership, but it’s not just down to me. It boils down to having a good attitude around camp, a good attitude to training. For me to say to people ‘Come on you have to do this’ or ‘Do that a bit more’, I have to show myself doing it, so it works both ways.”

This attitude and leadership attribute is something that transcends to Danny’s club rugby as well.

“I tend to try and show leadership. The more responsibility at Cinderford I get, the better it is for me. When I’m there I tend to show a lot of leadership and I enjoy it. I would never just back down and sit in the corner. I’d rather be up there shouting my mouth off.

Obviously it helps, when you actually go away, you become a director, but it doesn’t change your role.”

Regardless how the team deal with defeat, the main aim will be to press on, starting with Scotland in Glasgow.

Danny Wright is exclusively represented by Total Sport Promotions.

DAVYDENKO JOINS DUNLOP

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 00:00:00 -0500

Dunlop has announced their new partnership with Russian tennis ace, Nikolay Davydenko for rackets, clothing and accessories. The partnership will also see Davydenko endorse Dunlop’s junior talent identification programme – D-Squad.

Currently ranked no.6 in the ATP rankings, the Russian has been rising in prominence over the past few years with some strong performances, culminating in his ATP title in London, where he became only the second person to defeat both Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the same tournament.

Commenting on his new partnership Davydenko said: “I am really proud to be a brand ambassador for Dunlop and pleased to be working with one of the most iconic brands in Tennis”.

For the latest Dunlop products click on www.dunlopsports.com/dunlop-tennis/

Jaguar Academy of Sports