CANOE-KAYAK: National champs sweep six of eight races at National Sprint Trials

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 harrison, nevin 750 — Olympic hopeful Nevin Harrison, 16, a double winner at the National Sprint Team Trials

The American Canoe Association, the national governing body for canoeing and kayaking in the U.S., held its 2019 National Team Trials on the Oklahoma River near Oklahoma City over the weekend, with the reigning U.S. champions winning most of the honors.

Reigning K-1 200 and 500 m champion Stanton Collins won both of those races for the men, while the women’s K-1 champions – Sam Barlow and Kaitlyn McElroy – won those races.

The C-1 200 m and 500 m for women were both won by current national title holder Nevin Harrison. Still just 16, she’s in the midst of a fund-raising campaign to support her training expenses; she writes:

“I’m 16 years old and chasing my dream to compete in the 2020 Olympic Games in flatwater sprint canoe. This will be the first year that women will be competing in this event, and it would be an incredible experience and honor to represent the United States in Tokyo. I’ve been paddling for close to 5 years and have dedicated my whole life to being the best that I can be in this sport. …

“The annual cost of training and competing for the Olympics can easily reach or exceed $20,000. My goal is to raise $10,000 this year to help me cover the cost of racing, traveling, equipment and training. If I qualify for the Olympics, my expenses will increase a lot, but I’m trying to take it year by year.”

Summaries:

American Canoe Association/National Sprint Team Trials
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (USA) ~ 12-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men

C-1 1,000 m: 1. Ian Ross, 4:13.919; 2. Ryan Grady, 4:17.614; 3. Jonathan Grady, 4:20.661; 4. Edward Surles, 4:25.503; 5. Oliver Farquhar, 4:41.869.

K-1 200 m: 1. Stanton Collins, 39.753; 2. Owen Farley-Klacik, 39.949; 3. Miles Cross-Whiter, 40.125; 4. David Zoltan, 40.461; 5. Nate Errez, 41.241.

K-1 500 m: 1. Collins, 1:43.858; 2. Farley-Klacik, 1:44.840; 3. Errez, 1:45.438; 4. Jesse Lishchuk, 1:46.358; 5. Thom Crockett, 1:46.964.

K-1 1,000 m: 1. Lishchuk, 3:49.739; 2. Errez, 3:50.971; 3. Tim Burdiak, 3:52.377; 4. Crockett, 3:53.529; 5. Nathan Humbertson, 3:53.955.

Women

C-1 200 m: 1. Nevin Harrison, 51.512; 2. Ann Armstrong, 57.082; 3. Zoe Hein, 58.836; 4. Lydia Keefe-Sampson, 58.844; 5. Kaley Martin, 59.392.

C-1 500 m: 1. Harrison, 2:13.945; 2. Lydia Keefe-Sampson, 2:27.469; 3. Lia Gaetano, 2:28.121; 4. Armstrong, 2:30.237; 5. Martin, 2:30.259.

K-1 200 m: 1. Sam Barlow, 47.513; 2. Kaitlyn McElroy, 48.133; 3. Elena Wolgamot, 49.911; 4. Wilding Kali, 50.253; 5. Mira Corrao, 52.089.

K-1 500 m: 1. Kaitlyn McElroy, 1:58.492; 2. Sam Barlow, 2:00.832; 3. Elena Wolgamot, 2:04.766; 4. Wilding Kali, 2:07.102; 5. Renae Jackson, 2:08.898.

LANE ONE: “Show me the money” was the first order of business at the International Athlete Forum

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 haddad, lana 750 (IAF2) — IOC Chief Finance Officer Lana Haddad during the International Athletes Forum (Photo: screen shot from the IOC's live video stream)

The International Olympic Committee assembled about 350 current and former athletes from 185 countries at the SwissTech Convention Center in Lausanne (SUI) for the ninth International Athlete Forum over the weekend and felt it necessary to talk money before everything else.

The conference had sessions on anti-doping, athlete career transition, mental health and a lot more, but after the perfunctory opening remarks, the first topic was a panel on “Direct and indirect support to athletes.”

This was the IOC meeting, head on, criticisms from athletes – especially a German group which has demanded more direct payments to athletes – news media and others about how the organization collects and spends money. It was by far the most in-depth explanation by the IOC about money and featured the IOC’s chief of finance, Lana Haddad, an Iraqi-British citizen who joined the IOC in 2013.

She made an impressive, forthright presentation that fully met the IOC’s needs, but suffered from the fact that she was not talking to a group of financial analysts and, because the program lasted 81 minutes, took only a few questions.

And while what Haddad and her co-presenters showed was hardly news to those who have followed the IOC and its finances closely over the years, it is still instructive to realize how financially fragile the entire Olympic Movement actually is.

Haddad started oddly, first stating that the IOC distributes 90% of its revenue back to sport, then adding an explanation of how the IOC paid for its new headquarters, a futuristic building estimated to have cost $145 million:

“Some of you actually asked me a question because they saw some things in the media. They say, ‘Lana, you are building an Olympic house, a new house, where did you get [the money] from?’

“For sure, it’s not from the 90%, but let me tell you something else, that is paid by a loan. OK? Not cash, it’s a loan. And instead of paying rent over four buildings across all the organizations spread the Lausanne area, we decided to come together, but not funding which takes away from the athletes.

“It is a loan from a bank. Now, of course, I got it as cheap as possible rate, OK, and that’s actually cheaper than paying rent to someone else.”

If you don’t think the IOC is sensitive to what appears in the public discussion, here’s your proof that it is. And that’s a good thing. More highlights:

● IOC revenues and distributions

Haddad showed a series of slides which detailed the distribution of $5 billion from the IOC to its various partners during the last Olympiad from 2013-16 (for which there have been audited financial statement compiled).

The revenue came from broadcasting rights (73%), sponsorships (18%), other revenues (5%) and other rights sales, such as product licensing (4%). Despite all the clamor about new media, television is the backbone of the Games, and without it, sponsorships would shrivel and so would the entire Olympic Movement.

But the IOC has television agreements out as far as 2032, and Haddad posted a chart which showed sponsorship commitments into the future as well:

To 2024: Toyota, Intel, Panasonic, Bridgestone
To 2028: Alibaba, Samsung, Allianz Bank
To 2032: Visa, Omega

As far as distributions, Haddad’s next slides explained where the money goes:

$2.5 billion to Olympic organizing committees
$1.9 billion to International Federations & National Olympic Committees
$0.6 billion to anti-doping, education programs, Youth Olympic Games and related

She added that “I think I should explain why we do the Youth Olympic Games. It’s really to ensure there are Olympian athletes of the future. So that’s why we invest this.” That’s more than debatable, but at least she addressed it.

● IOC funds to support athletes

Haddad also went into detail about the IOC’s direct spending on athletes and “entourage” through what the IOC calls the “Solidarity” model. For example, of the athletes at the Forum, about 25% had been the recipient of Olympic scholarships of some kind, paid by Olympic Solidarity from IOC revenues. She noted that Solidarity programs had funded 6,400 scholarships to the Olympic Games from 2000-16 and 1,300 winter-sport scholarships from 2010-18, and training for more than 1,800 coaches. And there have been new programs for refugee athletes, career transition and for athletes at the sub-Olympic level, paid with IOC funds.

There was also considerable detail on the anti-doping effort, with $136 million invested in the past four years, and another $30 million for the start-up costs of the International Testing Agency. In addition, she noted that the International Federations have contributed another $124 million for a quadrennial total of $260 million to fight doping. “That’s not a small number,” she said.

● Athlete rights under Rule 40

Showing that the IOC is perfectly aware of the hot-button issues in front of it, the 6-foot, 7-inch James Tomkins of Australia – a triple gold medalist in rowing from 1996-2000-2004 – and a member of the IOC Athletes Commission, addressed the athlete-marketing restrictions of Rule 40 of the Olympic Charter.

He was clear: “The infamous Rule 40 is there to protect that revenue; without that funding, the Olympic Games doesn’t happen.”

He added that “more than 50% of the NOCs wouldn’t be able to get to the Games without IOC funding.” But without mentioning the finding of a German court that the rule was overbroad, he also explained that the “framework of how that rule is applied is determined by the local NOC” now and that the rule is administered more locally.

● The Q&A

There was a limited time for questions at the end of the presentation, which included more than 30 slides. The first was a request for small amounts of support funding for athlete projects within their own NOC or their own country. This was actually carried forward to a formal request by the athletes in their final declaration, asking for about $10 million in total support over four years. IOC chief Thomas Bach pledged to support this request, meaning it will happen.

A lengthy question from a Lesotho athlete stated that “the greatest challenge is in individual countries not having the national federations with athlete’s reps within them,” especially in the distribution of funds from International Federations, to ensure that it goes to athlete development and support. This request was also formalized in the final declaration, asking the IOC to develop guidelines with the IFs to ensure that IOC funds are used on identifiable athlete-support programs, and for more transparency about what happens with IOC funds given to the IFs or the National Olympic Committees.

A fascinating comment from an athlete from Mali asked directly about Rule 40, and from an African perspective, “I wanted to know what was the request of the athletes who were against it, and to speak on behalf of Africa to say that, for us, it is essential that we have at least a stage and an opportunity to perform” and that Olympic Solidarity funding is crucial to being able to come to the Games and access that “platform.”

This question was so perfectly served up for the IOC panel that a cynical observer would say it had to be pre-arranged. But there it was and Tomkins explained it this way:

“So Rule 40 is guidelines around what you can and can’t do [regarding advertising] during that Games period, and it’s all around trying to protect that revenue. And Lana, as you said, we need to take a global approach, and you said it yourself, that by promoting the athlete, that only will affect 20, 30, 40 athletes in a meaningful way, as opposed to the other 10,000 athletes that need that support to get to the Games, to compete, do their sports in their countries.”

Haddad asked the assembly to consider the impact of any changes carefully. “As an ex-engineer, I promise you, when you change a formula, be careful what you change. Many bridges fall when you change one little thing. So what I ask is really make an informed decision and that’s part of why we are here, really, to give you the information and facts that you can make an informed decision.”

The IOC got exactly what it wanted in the Forum’s final declaration, with point 2 stating “The athletes emphasised the need to continue and strengthen the solidarity funding model because it serves all athletes from all 206 NOCs and all Olympic sports. It was noted that the athletes participate in the Olympic Games as a team of their NOC. Therefore, the financial support from the IOC should go to the Olympic team, i.e. the NOC.” Translation: no direct payments by the IOC to athletes.

There was a lot more to the Forum and the presentations were well done and informative. For the IOC, facing the continuing criticism from athletes who want more of the IOC’s money and comments from academia and news media, it got exactly what it wanted moving forward.

But the Forum was only one step in a long journey, whose ultimate destination will be shaped by the future of television.

Rich Perelman
Editor

CURLING: Upset wins for Bottcher and Einarson in Players Championship

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 einarson, kerri 750 — Canada's Kerri Einarson, skip of the Players' Championship winners

The final “regular season” tournament of the Grand Slam of Curling showcased some of the biggest names in curling, but it was the lesser-known teams that scored impressive wins in the finals.

Canadian Kerri Einarson’s rink sat at 1-3 in the round-robin play and had to win their final group match to squeeze into the playoffs. But they did and then managed wins over Tracey Fleury and Robyn Silvernagle’s teams to get to the final against the formidable – and undefeated – Anna Hasselborg (SWE), the Olympic champs and twice World Championships runner-ups.

Hasselborg had a 2-1 lead after three ends, but then Einarson scored twice in end six for a 4-3 lead. The Swedes came back to tie in the eighth, but in the extra end, Einarson came up with a score to take the match and the tournament by 5-4.

The men’s match had a similar storyline, as Brendan Bottcher’s team managed a 3-2 record in the round-robin, but caught fire in the playoffs. His rink dispatched World Champ Niklas Edin (SWE), then Ross Paterson (CAN) in the semis and then faced two-time World Champion Kevin Koe in the final.

The final was tight until the end, with Bottcher scoring one in the first and Koe evening in the third end. Bottcher edged ahead, 2-1, in the fifth and it remained that way until the eighth, when everything was on the line and Bottcher ended up scoring four points to a 6-1 final.

It was the second Grand Slam title for Bottcher and crew, as they won the Canadian Open earlier and will now advance to the Humpty Champions Cup in Saskatoon (CAN) starting 23 April. Koe didn’t go away empty-handed, however, as he clinched the overall seasonal title earlier in the tournament.

The women’s seasonal title went to Canadian Rachel Homan’s rink, with Hasselborg second and Einarson third. Summaries:

Grand Slam of Curling/Players Championship
Toronto (CAN) ~ 9-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Brendan Bottcher (CAN); 2. Kevin Koe (CAN) ; 3. Peter de Cruz (SUI) and Ross Paterson (SCO). Semis: Bottcher d. Paterson, 7-4; Koe d. de Cruz, 9-8. Final: Bottcher d. Koe, 6-1.

Men’s Pinty’s Cup (season standings): 1. Kevin Koe (CAN), 50; 2. Brendan Bottcher (CAN), 46; 3. Brad Gushue (CAN), 45; 4. Brad Jacobs (CAN), 40; 5. Glenn Howard (CAN), 36.

Women: 1. Kerri Einarson (CAN); 2. Anna Hasselborg (SWE); 3. Casey Scheidegger (CAN) and Robyn Silvernagle (CAN). Semis: Hasselborg d. Scheidegger, 5-4; Einarson d. Silvernagle, 7-4. Final: Einarson d. Hasselborg, 5-4 (extra end).

Women’s Pinty’s Cup (season standings): 1. Rachel Homan (CAN), 56; 2. Anna Hasselborg (SWE), 49; 3. Kerri Einarson (CAN), 38; 4. Jennifer Jones (CAN), 37; 5. Casey Scheidegger (CAN), 33.

RUGBY: South Africa wins in Singapore, but U.S. remains in first place in Sevens Series

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 south africa wins singapore — South Africa celebrates its Singapore Sevens Series win! (Photo: World Rugby)

After a modest season by South African standards, the Springboks have suddenly won two Sevens Series titles in the past three weeks to move back into contention for Olympic qualifying and even the season title.

South Africa edged Fiji, 20-19, in the Singapore Sevens Series final to move into fourth place overall, with 121 points, while Fiji maintained its hold on the second place and moved closer to the U.S., which stayed on top of the standings by placing fourth to England, losing 28-7 in the bronze medal game.

With just legs remaining, the U.S. has 145 points to 142 for Fiji, 130 for New Zealand and 121 for the Springboks. England is fifth with 107 and is the only other squad in serious contention for a top-four finish and qualification for the Tokyo Olympic tournament.

The U.S., South Africa, New Zealand and Australia all swept through group play undefeated, but Fiji edged the New Zealanders, 19-5 in their quarterfinal to advance against England, That was another win for Fiji, 26-12, and they advanced to the final only to fall a point short. South Africa scooted past the U.S., 24-12 to advance to only their second final of the season.

If the U.S. can finish 10th or better in the London leg coming up on 25-26 May, they will clinch a spot in Tokyo. Equally worth noting is that the Eagles have never finished better than fourth overall in the Sevens Series, and now sit on the top of the standings with two series remaining, in London and Paris. Summaries:

HSBC Sevens Series
Singapore (SGP) ~ 13-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings: 1. South Africa; 2. Fiji; 3. England; 4. United States; 5. Samoa; 6. New Zealand; 7. tie, Australia and Argentina. Semis: South Africa d. U.S., 24-12; Fiji d. England, 26-12. Third: England d. U.S., 28-7. Final: South Africa d. Fiji, 20-19.

MODERN PENTATHLON: Come-from-behind win for Mexico’s Padilla in Sofia World Cup

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 padilla, manuel (mod pent) 750 — Sofia World Cup winner Manuel Padilla of Mexico (Photo: UIPM)

Heading into the final event with a lead is no guarantee of success in the UIPM World Cup, as Mexico’s Manuel Padilla showed in Sofia (BUL) with a surprise win.

Padilla had never won a medal in a World Cup and started 24 seconds behind co-leaders Alexander Lifanov (RUS) and Amro Elgeziry (USA). But he was well positioned and shot well and had the third-fastest time in the field to jump from eighth to first. He won by 1,452-1,448 over Britain’s Joseph Choong, while El Geziry fell to 10th and Lifanov to 11th.

The women’s competition was a win not only for France’s Marie Oteiza, but also for runner-up Laura Asadauskaite (LTU).

Oteiza dominated the fencing, was third in swimming and sixth in riding, starting the Laser Run with a 21-second edge on the field. She had no trouble maintaining her lead, even though her time was only 24th-fastest in their field and she won easily.

Asadauskaite, the 2012 Olympic Champion, was equally pleased, after moving from 15th to second on the Laser Run in her first competition in 10 months. “I had an operation but now I’ve come back and I am very happy,” she said afterwards.

Poland’s Marta Kobecka and Jaroslaw Swiderski came into the Laser Run with the lead, but lost it on the first lap to Britain’s Francesca Summers and James Cooke. However, a long shooting effort by Summers allowed Kobecka to hand Swiderski a lead he wouldn’t relinquish to win the Mixed Relay. Summaries:

UIPM World Cup
Sofia (BUL) ~ 10-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men: 1. Manuel Padilla (MEX), 1,452; 2. Joseph Choong (GBR), 1,448; 3. Fabian Liebig (GER), 1,446; 4. Christian Zillekens (GER), 1,438; 5. Shuhuan Li (CHN), 1,438. Also in the top 10: Amro ElGeziry (USA), 1,424.

Women: 1. Marie Oteiza (FRA), 1,352; 2. Laura Asadauskaite (LTU), 1,337; 3. Alice Sotero (ITA), 1,332; 4. Francesca Summes (GBR), 1,326; 5. Gulnaz Gubaydullina (RUS), 1,325.

Mixed Relay: 1. Marta Kobecka/Jaroslaw Swiderski (POL), 1,438; 2. Francesca Summers/James Cooke (GBR), 1,429; 3. Rebecca Langrehr/Marvin Dogue (GER), 1,425; 4. Tamara Vega/Manuel Padilla (MEX), 1,422; 5. Yufei Bian/Shuai Luo (CHN), 1,419.

SPORT CLIMBING: Garnbret wins second straight Bouldering World Cup

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 92818 garnbret janja — Slovenia's climbing star Janja Garnbret

With Sport Climbing now set to be confirmed for the 2024 Olympic Games as well as in Tokyo next year, the focus now turns to who will be the favorite next year.

The 2020 format will be a combined event, and the obvious women’s favorite will be Slovenia’s Janja Garnbret, 20, and she demonstrated why with her second World Cup win in as many weeks in Bouldering, this time in Moscow (RUS).

She reached the same number of tops and zones as former World Cup champ Shauna Coxsey (GBR), but did so in less tries. Garnbret’s edge is that she is excellent in Lead – the World Champion in 2016 – as well as Bouldering.

The men’s competitions in Moscow were dominated by Europeans. The 2014 Worlds silver medalist in Bouldering, Jernej Kruder (SLO) managed to overcome the 2014 gold medalist, Adam Ondra (CZE) for the win, while last year’s Speed silver medalist, Bassa Mawem (FRA), for his third career World Cup victory. Summaries:

IFSC World Cup
Moscow (RUS) ~ 13-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Bouldering: 1. Jernej Kruder (SLO), 4t4z-8; 2. Adam Ondra (CZE), 3t4z-5; 3. Yoshiyuki Ogata (JPN), 3t3z-6; 4. Anze Peharc (SLO), 2t3z-6; 5. Rei Kawamata (JPN), 1t3z-2.

Men/Speed – Big Final: 1. Bassa Mawem (FRA), 5.730; 2. Vladislav Deulin (RUS), 11.545. Small Final: Aspar Jaelolo (INA), 6.083; 4. Long Cao (CHN), 10.004.

Women/Bouldering: 1. Janja Garnbret (SLO), 4t4z-4; 2. Shauna Coxsey (GBR), 4t4z-6; 3. Fanny Gibert (FRA), 4t4z-6; 4. Lucka Rakovec (SLO), 3t4z-3; 5. Jessica Pilz (AUT), 3t4z-9.

Women/Speed – Big Final: 1. YiLing Song (CHN), 7.389; 2. Anouck Jaubert (FRA), 7.682; Small Final: 3. Iullia Kaplina (RUS), 8.233; 4. Anna Tsyganova (RUS), fell.

ICE HOCKEY: Finland makes history, but U.S. wins bizarre final in shoot-out, 2-1

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 raty, noora 750 — Finland's superstar keeper Noora Raty, the top goalie in the 2019 IIHF Worlds (Photo: Jeff via Wikipedia)

In a strange and even surreal final in front of a screaming home crowd in Espoo, Finland appeared to win the IIHF World Championship over the United States in overtime … but then their goal was disallowed and the U.S. won in the shoot-out.

Really? Yes, this happened, somehow.

In the prior 18 championship finals, only the U.S. and Canada had played for the title, but Finland pushed aside Canada in the semifinals, 4-2, behind sensational goaltending from Noora Raty. The U.S. smashed Russia, 7-0 to set up the final.

The U.S. dominated the game from the outset, making it hard for the Finns to even get possession in the first two periods. Even with a 17-4 edge in shots in the first period, the game was scoreless thanks to brilliant work from Raty.

The Americans killed off two penalties in the second period, but maintained the pressure.

The U.S. finally got a goal with 4:14 to play in the second period, thanks to more good checking. Off a scrum in front of the U.S. bench, the puck popped forward and onto the stick of Annie Pankowski at full speed. She had space to send a rocket toward the Finnish goal and it flew past Raty’s pad for a 1-0 lead.

The goal made the game more intense for the Finns, who launched attack after attack into the U.S. zone. With 1:31 to play, a cross-ice pass from Petra Nieminen found a wide-open Susanna Tapani, and she found the net with a screamer that Alex Rigsby could not stop. The Finns out-shot the U.S., 10-7, in the period.

The third period was more of the same: physical. Both sides made strong rushes at goal, but the U.S. controlled the action and had a 13-4 edge in shots (and 37-18 in regulation). But they couldn’t get the puck past Raty and the game went to 4-on-4 overtime.

In the extra period, the U.S. got a power play, but Hilary Knight hit the post and the game continued. Even though the American offense dominated play, Finland got a break-out with 8:27 remaining, and after a Rigsby save, Nieminen buried the rebound in the U.S. net, setting off a wild celebration from the full house of 6,053 at the Metro Areena, on and off the ice.

The play was reviewed immediately, and at length, and the goal was waved off due to a penalty call – prior to the shot – against Rigsby. After all the explanations and a 12-minute delay, play resumed with a Finnish power play. The U.S. killed it, but after dominating play for another six minutes, the U.S. was called for another penalty with 1:54 to go. Another penalty kill and the overtime expired, and the exhausted teams – and crowd – advanced to a shoot-out.

Could the U.S. get anything past Raty? Was Rigsby up to the test?

Michelle Karvinen missed wide to the left on the opening shot, but Amanda Kessel faked Raty to the right and scored between her pads for a 1-0 lead. Ronja Savolainen’s shot was saved by Rigsby and Pankowski also deked Raty and scored for a 2-0 lead.

Now, Minnamari Tuominen had to score and she ripped a shot past Rigsby’s right shoulder to narrow the deficit to 2-1. Both Alex Carpenter’s and Hilary Knight’s shots were saved by Raty, so it came down to the fifth try for Finland by Tapani, and her shot was saved easily by Rigsby, giving the title to the U.S. for the fifth straight time.

It was, in a word, unbelievable. Finnish defender Jenni Hiirikoski was named Most Valuable Player and the Best Defender; Kendall Coyne Schofield of the U.S. was named Best Forward, and Raty was – to the surprise of no one – was Best Goaltender.

The All-Star team voted on by news media included Raty in goal, Hiirikoski and Cayla Barnes (USA) on defense and forwards Knight, Coyne Schofield and Finland’s Karvinen.

Knight ended up as top scorer with 11 points (7 goals + 4 assists), followed by Canada’s Natalie Spooner (10: 6+4) and Hiirikoski (10: 2+8), then Coyne Schofield (9:5+4) and Canada’s Brianne Jenner (9: 3+6).

The U.S. won for the fifth straight time and for the ninth time in tournament history, out of the 19th played. Finland won its 13th medal, but it’s first other than bronze. Canada’s bronze was its 19th medal, but first bronze. Summaries:

IIHF Women’s World Championship
Espoo (FIN) ~ 4-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings: 1. United States; 2. Finland; 3. Canada; 4. Russia; 5. Switzerland; 6. Czech Republic; 7. Germany; 8. Japan; 9. Sweden; 10. France. Semis: U.S. 8, Russia 0; Finland 4, Canada 2. Third: Canada 7, Russia 0. Final: U.S. 2, Finland 1 (shoot-out).

BADMINTON: Top-ranked Momota and Tai take Singapore Open titles

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 112318 momota kento 750 — World men's Singles no. 1 Kento Momota (JPN)

Japan dominated the Singapore Open with four finalists and three winners, but the top-ranked Singles players in the world impressed with wins by Kento Momota and Tzu Ying Tai.

Japan’s Momota won his third title of the 2019 season, having taken the All-England Open and the German Open, but he had a tough time with Indonesia’s Anthony Ginting, who won the first set, 19-10. But Momota gathered himself, tied the match with a 21-19 win in the second set and then took the third set by 21-13.

“This was a match I was losing,” admitted Momota. “Ginting was playing at a higher level in the beginning, but possibly he started getting tired later on and that gave me opportunities.

“This is the place I won my first big title (Singapore Open 2015). Everything changed for me after that, so I’m happy to win here once again.”

Tai (TPE) took the Malaysia Open last week and won the final in Singapore in a battle with no. 3 Nozomi Okuhara (JPN), winning a tight first set by 21-19 and then 21-15 in the second set. It was also her second Singapore Open title, having won in 2017.

All three of the Doubles winners won their first Singapore Open titles. Summaries:

BWF World Tour/Singapore Open
Singapore ~ 9-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: 1. Kento Momota (JPN); 2. Anthony Sinisuka Ginting (INA); 3. Tien Chen Chou (TPE) and Viktor Axelsen (DEN). Semis: Ginting d. Chou, 21-17, 18-21, 21-14; Momota d. Axelsen, 21-15, 21-18. Final: Momota d. Ginting, 10-21, 21-19, 21-13.

Men’s Doubles: 1. Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (JPN); 2. Mohammad Ahsan/Hendra Setiawan (INA); 3. Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (INA) and Junhui Li/Yuchen Liu (CHN). Semis: Kamura.Sonoda d. Gideon/Sulkamuljo, 13-21, 21-10, 21-19; Ahsan/Setiawan d. Li/Liu, 21-11, 21-14. Final: Kamura/Sonoda d. Ahsan/Setiawan, 21-13, 19-21, 21-17.

Women’s Singles: 1. Tzu Ying Tai (TPE); 2. Nozomi Okuhara (JPN); 3. Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) and V. Sindhu Pusarla (IND). Semis: Tai d. Yamaguchi, 15-21, 24-22, 21-19; Okuhara d. Pusarla, 21-7, 21-11. Final: Tai d. Okuhara, 21-19, 21-15.

Women’s Doubles: 1. Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagihara (JPN); 2. Hye-Jeong Kim/Hee Yong Kong (KOR); 3. Xuanxuan Liu/Yuting Xia (CHN) and Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (JPN). Semis: Matsumoto/Nagihara d. Fukushima/Hirota, 21-18, 21-17; Kim/Kong d. Liu/Xia, 21-15, 21-15. Final: Matsumoto/Nagihara d. Kim/Kong, 21-17, 22-20.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA); 2. Kian Meng Tan/Pei Jing Lai (MAS); 3. Hafiz Faisal/Gloria Emanuelle Widjaja (INA) and Siwei Zheng/Yaqiong Huang (CHN). Semis: Tan/Lai d. Faisal/Widjaja, 21-16, 20-22, 22-20; Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai d. Zheng/Huang, 24-22, 21-19. Final: Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai d. Tan/Lai, 21-14, 21-6.

GYMNASTICS: Two wins each for Soldatova and Ashram in World Cup Sofia

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 soldatova, aleksandra 750 — Russia's Rhythmic star Aleksandra Soldatova

The expected stars of the second FIG Rhythmic World Cup shone as expected with Russia’s Aleksandra Soldatova and Israel’s Linoy Ashram each capturing two victories.

Soldatova captured the victory in the All-Around over Ashram, 82.450-80.450, but Ashram came back with wins in Hoop and Clubs. Soldatova also took the gold in Ribbon, but Ashram was the only one to medal in all five events.

Russia’s Ekaterina Selezneva won the Ball, the only event that Soldatova and Ashram did not win. Soldatova ended with four medals, as did home favorite Katrin Taseva (BUL). Summaries:

FIG Rhythmic World Cup no. 2
Sofia (BUL) ~ 12-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

All-Around: 1. Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS), 82.450; 2. Linroy Ashram (ISR), 80.450; 3. Katrin Taseva (BUL), 80.150; 4. Nicol Zelikman (ISR), 78.900; 5. Vlada Nicolchenko (UKR), 78.200. Also in the top 10: 6. Evita Griskenas (USA), 77.350.

Hoop: 1. Ashram (ISR), 21.200; 2. Ekaterina Selezneva (RUS), 21.050; 3. Soldatova (RUS), 20.750. Also: 5. Griskenas (USA), 20.000.

Ball: 1. Selezneva (RUS), 20.700; 2. Taseva (BUL), 19.950; 3. Ashram (ISR), 19.600.

Clubs: 1. Ashram (ISR), 20.900; 2. Taseva (BUL), 20.650; 3. Soldatova (RUS), 20.050. Also: 7. Griskenas (USA), 17.300.

Ribbon: 1. Soldatova (RUS), 19.700; 2. Taseva (BUL), 19.400; 3. Ashram (ISR), 19.150. Also: 6. Griskenas (USA), 17.550.

Group/All-Around: 1. Bulgaria, 49.350; 2. Italy, 48.200; 3. Japan, 46.800; 4. Ukraine, 45.200; 5. Russia, 45.050. Also: 8. United States, 39.400.

Group/5 Balls: 1. Belarus, 23.600; 2. Japan, 23.250; 3. Russia, 23.150. Also: 5. United States, 21.650.

Group/3 Hoops+2 Clubs: 1. Ukraine, 24.100; 2. Bulgaria, 24.050; 3. Japan, 23.600.

CYCLING: Gilbert moves into elite company with sprint victory at Paris-Roubaix

Rich Perelman

April 14, 2019

tsx pix 2019-414 gilbert, philippe 750 (P-R) — A happy Philippe Gilbert wins his fourth Monument at Paris-Roubaix

Belgium’s Philippe Gilbert is no stranger to success. At 36, he has won more than six dozen races in his professional career, including the 2012 World Championships Road Race.

But like the other “Monument” races, Paris-Roubaix is special. So when he was part of a breakaway at the 209 km mark (of the 257 km race) with Wesley Kreder (NED), Nils Politt (GER), Rudiger Selig (GER), Peter Sagan (SVK) and Wout van Aert (BEL), the group was determined to break the race open.

They had a minute’s edge on the main chasers and then Gilbert attacked with 23 km left. Sagan – the defending champion – and Politt followed, soon joined by Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) and Yves Lampaert (BEL) with 17 km left. Then Politt attacked with 13 km left on another cobbled section and only Gilbert followed; the two had a 45-second lead with just 6 km left.

The two still had 15 seconds of their lead left when they entered the Roubaix velodrome and from there the experience Gilbert was ready for the final sprint that won him a fifth Monuments race:

● 2009: Giro di Lombardia
● 2010: Giro di Lombardia
● 2011: Liege-Bastogne-Liege
● 2017: Ronde van Vlaanderen
● 2019: Paris-Roubaix

For Gilbert, his win in a fourth different Monuments race moves him into elite company, as only eight others have ever won four or more Monuments. Gilbert and five others have won four; only Rik Van Looy (BEL: 1958-65), Eddy Merckx (BEL: 1966-76) and Roger De Vlaeminck (BEL: 1970-79) have ever won all five. For Gilbert, he will now target next year’s Milan-Sanremo to join them! Summaries:

UCI World Tour/Paris-Roubaix
Compiegne to Roubaix (FRA) ~ 14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings (257 km): 1. Philippe Gilbert (BEL), 5:58:02; 2. Nils Politt (GER), 5:58:02; 3. Yves Lampaert (BEL), 5:58:15; 4. Sep Vanmarcke (BEL), 5:58:42; 5. Peter Sagan (SVK), 5:58:44; 6. Florian Senechal (FRA), 5:58:49; 7. Mike Teunissen (NED), 5:58:49; 8. Zdenek Stybar (SLO), 5:58:49; 9. Evaldas Siskevicius (LTU), 5:58:49; 10. Sebastian Langeveld (NED), 5:58:49.

ATHLETICS: Two world leaders in Grenada Invite, but Gatlin pulls up in 200 m

Rich Perelman

April 13, 2019

tsx pix 2019-413 britton, evonne 750 — New world leader in the 100 m hurdles: Evonne Britton (USA)

The third Grenada Invitational always finds drama and this year’s meet focused all of the attention on the final event, the men’s 200 m.

Comebacking Andre De Grasse (CAN) and 2017’s 100 m world champ Justin Gatlin of the U.S. were supposed to be the dramatis personae, but it didn’t turn out that way.

Off the gun, it was British sprinter Miguel Francis who was off and running in lane eight, while everyone was watching Gatlin in lane five and De Grasse in six. Into the straightaway, Francis has control of the race – but couldn’t see anyone behind him – as De Grasse closed in and Gatlin began moving up with 80 m left.

But Gatlin slowed and grabbed his left hamstring, jogging across the line last, while Francis continued smoothly to the line, with De Grasse unable to catch him. The reward for Francis was a world-leading 20.16, with De Grasse just behind in 20.20, the fastest he has run in two years.

Francis, who has a best of 19.88 from 2016, said afterwards that he was just trying to execute his plan to run hard from the start and then maintain his form in the straightaway. De Grasse, after two years of injuries, said “I’m happy I came out healthy. Now I can go back to the drawing board and figure out what I have to do. I haven’t raced in over a year.”

Gatlin was asked by ESPN field reporter Jill Montgomery if he was OK and Gatlin replied only, “I hope so.” The injury appeared to be more of a cramp, but time will tell. Kyle Greaux (TTO) was third in the race at 20.51.

The other world-leading mark came in the women’s 100 m hurdles, where American Evonne Britton – strong during the indoor season – ran 12.81 for a lifetime best and the top mark in the world for 2019.

Among the other winners was home favorite Bralon Taplin, who ran a sterling 44.92 to take the 400 m over Vernon Norwood of the U.S. (45.43); Jamaica’s Shelley-Anne Fraser-Pryce, who won the women’s 100 m in 11.20; Britain’s Adam Gemili, winner of the men’s 100m in 10.11, and Jamaica’s Andrew Riley, who won the 110 m hurdles in 13.49.

The complete results are here.

There were three other world leaders in the past few days, led by an impressive 44.60 for 400 m hurdles star Abderrahmane Samba (QAT) on 9 April in Pretoria (RSA); 67.15 m (220-3) in the women’s discus for Valarie Allman of the U.S. in the wind-tunnel conditions at Chula Vista, California, and 67.72 m (222-2) in the women’s javelin for China’s Huihui Lu in Huangshi (CHN).

ATHLETICS Preview: Strong field and better conditions for 123rd Boston Marathon on Monday

Rich Perelman

April 13, 2019

tsx pix 2019-413 linden, des 750 (gr555) — Des Linden (USA) braving the conditions on the way to winning the 2018 Boston Marathon (Photo: Gr555 via Wikipedia)

The weather was the story of the 2018 Boston Marathon, run in cold, wet and windy conditions hardly suited for racing, but which produced memorable champions in Yuki Kawauchi (JPN: 2:15:58) and Des Linden (2:39:54).

The situation looks a bit better for Monday for the 123rd running of this race, with temperatures projected in the low 60s at race time – some 20 degrees better than last year – but with more rain and plenty of wind, expected to be about 14 miles per hour in the mid-morning.

That should keep the runners cool, but complicate the race for the elite fields that are strong on time. The top men’s entries include 20 athletes with bests under 2:10, including:

Men:
● 2:04:06 Lawrence Cherono (KEN: 2018) ~ Six wins in 13 career marathons
● 2:04:08 Sisay Lemma (ETH: 2018) ~ Frankfurt winner in 2015; dnf in Boston ‘17
● 2:04:33 Lemi Berhanu (ETH: 2018) ~ 2016 winner, but dnf in Boston 2017-18
● 2:04:40 Solomon Deksisa (ETH: 2018) ~ PR for third in Amsterdam 2018
● 2:04:45 Lelisa Desisa (ETH: 2013) ~ Winner in 2013-15; NYC ‘18; Worlds silver ‘13
● 2:05:44 Kenneth Kipkemoi (KEN: 2018) ~ Rotterdam winner 2018 + 4th at Chicago
● 2:06:03 Felix Kandie (KEN: 2017) ~ Seoul 2017 runner-up
● 2:06:13 Festus Talam (KEN: 2017) ~ Eindhoven Marathon winner 2016-17
● 2:06:13 Wesley Korir (KEN: 2012) ~ Won in 2012; finished 5-5-4-15 in 2013-15-16-17
● 2:06:27 Geoffrey Kirui (KEN: 2016) ~ 2017 World Champion; Boston second in 2018

The top U.S. entries include Dathan Ritzenheim (2:07:47 ‘12) and Abdi Abdirahman (2:08:56 ‘08). Japan’s Kawauchi (2:08:14 ‘13) is back to defend his title; this will be his fourth marathon of 2019 already!

Women:
● 2:19:31 Aselefech Mergia (ETH: 2012) ~ New York Marathon runner-up in 2015
● 2:19:50 Edna Kiplagat (KEN: 2012) ~ Winner in 2017; 2011-13 World Champion
● 2:19:52 Mare Dibaba (ETH: 2012) ~ 2015 World Champion; Boston runner-up 2014-15
● 2:19:53 Worknesh Degefa (ETH: 2018) ~ 1-4-2 in Dubai Marathon 2017-18-19
● 2:20:36 Meskerem Assefa (ETH: 2018) ~ Nagoya & Frankfurt winner in 2018
● 2:20:57 Jordan Hasay (USA: 2017) ~ Third in Boston and Chicago 2017
● 2:21:53 Belaynesh Oljira (ETH: 2018) ~ 2013 Worlds 10,000 m bronze; ninth in 2014
● 2:22:28 Sharon Cherop (KEN: 2013) ~ Winner in 2012; fifth in 2015
● 2:22:35 Marta Megra (ETH: 2018) ~ Toronto Marathon winner in 2017
● 2:22:38 Desiree Linden (USA: 2011) ~ Winner in 2018; seventh Boston race

The field also includes 2015 winner Caroline Rotich (KEN: 2:23:22 ‘12), who will be running her fifth Boston Marathon; she didn’t finish in 2017 or last year.

The U.S. entries include Sara Hall (2:26:20 ‘18) and ex-Kenyan Sally Kipyego (2:28:01 ‘16), the 2012 Olympic silver medalist in the 10,000 m who became an American citizen on 25 January 2017.

Hasay showed amazing promise in he first year of marathoning in 2017, with third-place finishes in Boston and Chicago, but ran into injury problems thereafter. She has run twice in 2019, including a third in Roma-Ostia in March (1:11:06). Is she back in shape?

Linden is now 35, proved that she is as mentally tough as anyone anywhere last season and has changed coaches. Will the likely conditions play to her favor again?

The legendary Joan Benoit Samuelson, now 61, will also be running on Monday. She will be celebrating the 40th anniversary of her brilliant 1979 victory in Boston, in 2:35:15, as a student at Bowdoin College in Maine. She made history, of course, winning the first-ever Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles in 1984.

The race has a prize purse of $868,000, with $706,000 allocated to the elite field for places 1-15: $150,000-75,000-40,000-25,000-15,000 on down to $1,500 for 15th place.

NBCSN will have live coverage on Monday beginning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time, with the women’s race slated to go at 9:32 a.m. Eastern time. Look for results here.

SWIMMING: Andrew stuns Kalisz in 200 m Medley on final day of Tyr Pro Swim in Richmond

Rich Perelman

April 13, 2019

tsx pix 2019-309 andrew, michael 750 (fly) — Two American Records on the first day of the U.S. Olympic Trials for Michael Andrew

“That hurt so bad; I have a massive headache. I didn’t expect that at all.”

Neither did anyone else, as 19-year-old Michael Andrew dominated not the 50 m sprint races he’s famous for, but the 200 m Medley, defeating superstars Chase Kalisz and Caeleb Dressel on the final day of the third Tyr Pro Swim Series in Richmond, Virginia.

Andrew served notice in the morning heats that he was going to be a contender, leading everyone at 1:59.35, with reigning 200-400 m World Champion Kalisz at 2:01.35, and Dressel at 2:01.90.

In the final, however, surely Kalisz would be first, off his 1:57.68 in January in Knoxville, fourth-best in the world in 2019. But Andrew was off like a rocket, claiming a huge 0.92-second lead over Dressel in the Butterfly opener, and didn’t let up. He was more than a second ahead of Kalisz heading into the Freestyle leg and although he cramped up in the final meters, held on for a 1:57.49-1:59.02 victory, moving him to no. 4 on the world list, just ahead of Kalisz’s 1:57.68 from January. Dressel finished fourth at 2:01.72.

“I haven’t hurt like that after a race for a long time,” he said on the NBC Olympic Channel broadcast later. He noted that he is racing the medley in preparation for the new FINA Champions Series later this month, where he will compete in the event.

He came back 31 minutes later to win the 50 m in 27.41, just holding off World Champs bronze medalist Kevin Cordes by a decisive 0.19. Andrew had been penciled in as just a 50 m sprinter, but he suddenly has new avenues open to him for 2020 and beyond.

There were four world-leading marks during the four days of the meet, all by women:

● 800 m Freestyle: 8:14.24, Katie Ledecky (USA)
● 50 m Breaststroke: 30.42, Molly Hannis (USA)
● 50 m Butterfly: 25.65, Farida Osman (EGY)
● 200 m Butterfly: 2:07.03, Hali Flickinger (USA)

However, several of the swimmers also noted that this meet came during a time of especially heavy training, as the U.S. Nationals aren’t until August and the teams for the summer championship events – especially the World Championships and Pan American Games – have already been selected.

Said Madisyn Cox, winner of the women’s 200 m Medley, “These meets are a good marker of where you are in the season,” and double Backstroke winner Ryan Murphy added, “This is a training meet. We’re shaping out well for the next 14 weeks or so.”

On Saturday, Murphy completed his 100-200 m Back double with a furious final 15 m to overtake Jacob Pebley to win the 200 m, 1:57.23-1:57.61. Olympic champ Simone Manuel, swimming despite a case of strep throat, won the women’s 100 m Free in 53.74, ahead of 50 m Free winner Olivia Smoliga (54.65); Katie Ledecky was sixth in 55.69.

The next Tyr Pro Swim event isn’t until 16 May in Bloomington, Indiana, but the new FINA Champions Swim Series – a finals-only series of the top swimmers in the world – comes next on 27-28 April in China. Summaries from Richmond (all Americans unless otherwise indicated):

USA Swimming/Tyr Pro Swim Series no. 3
Richmond, Virginia (USA) ~ 10-13 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men

50 m Freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel, 21.69; 2. 3. Michael Andrew, 21.83; 3. Michael Chadwick, 21.96.

100 m Free: 1. Ryan Held, 48.70-; 2. Tate Jackson, 48.76; 3. Michael Chadwick,48.83.

200 m Free: 1. Dressel, 1:47.31; 2. Zane Grothe, 1:48.12; 3. Jack Conger, 1:49.21.

400 m Free: 1. Anton Ipsen (DEN), 3:48.22; 2. Zane Grothe, 3:48.53; 3. Marcelo Acosta (ESA), 3:54.55.

800 m Free: 1. Grothe, 7:55.78; 2. Acosta (ESA), 7:59.17; 3. Gil Kiesler (ISR), 8:07.00.

1,500 m Free: 1. Ipsen (DEN), 14:57.15; 2. Acosta (ESA), 15:20.0; 3. Grothe, 15:26.38.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Andrew, 24.76; 2. Ryan Held, 25.16; 3. Matt Grevers, 25.18.

100 m Back: 1. Ryan Murphy, 53.47; 2. Grevers, 53.81; 3. Jacob Pebley, 54.23.

200 m Back: 1. Murphy, 1:57.23; 2. Pebley, 1:57.61; 3. Hennessey Stuart, 2:01.07.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Andrew, 27.41; 2. Kevin Cordes, 27.60; 3. Itay Goldfaden (ISR), 27.87.

100 m Breast: 1. Cody Miller, 1:00.98; 2. Andrew Wilson, 1:01.04; 3. Nic Fink, 1:01.05.

200 m Breast: 1. Josh Prenot, 2:11.51; 2. Nic Fink, 2:12.15; 3. Carlos Claverie (VEN), 2:12.87.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel, 23.43; 2. Andrew, 23.54; 3. Giles Smith, 23.69.

100 m Fly: 1. Dressel, 52.08; 2. Giles Smith, 52.72; 3. tie, Zach Harting and Santiago Grassi (ARG), 52.87.

200 m Fly: Antani Ivanov (BUL), 1:56.34; 2. Kalisz, 1:57.03; 3. Harting, 1:58.56.

200 m Medley: 1. Andrew, 1:57.49; 2. Kalisz, 1:59.02; 3. Josh Prenot, 2:00.70.

400 m Medley: 1. Chase Kalisz, 4:13.45; 2. Tomas Peribono (ECU), 4:16.87; 3. Zachary Tan (SGP), 4:25.91.

Women

50 m Freestyle: 1. Olivia Smoliga, 24.83; 2. tie, Simone Manuel and Farida Osman (EGY), 24.97.

100 m Free: 1. Simone Manuel, 53.74; 2. Olivia Smoliga, 54.65; 3. Margo Geer, 55.19.

200 m Free: 1. Katie Ledecky, 1:56.28; 2. Leah Smith, 1:57.54; 3. Madisyn Cox, 1:58.76.

400 m Free: 1. Ledecky, 4:01.50; 2. L. Smith, 4:05.17; 3. Kaersten Meitz, 4:09.20.

800 m Free: 1. Ledecky, 8:14.24; 2. L. Smith, 8:16.33; 3. Kristel Kobrich (CHI), 8:36.19.

1,500 m Free: 1. Hannah Moore, 16:13.72; 2. Kobrich (CHI), 16:20.96; 3. Meitz, 16:29.52.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Bobbie Gichard (NZL), 29.14; 2. Lisa Bratton, 29.32; 3. Laura Laderoute, 29.38.

100 m Back: 1. Smoliga, 58.73; 2. Katharine Berkoff, 59.83; 3. Ali Deloof, 1:00.80.

200 m Back: 1. Lisa Bratton, 2:09.24; 2. Hali Flickinger, 2:10.12; 3. Sonnele Oeztuerk (GER), 2:10.74.

50 m Breaststroke: 1. Alia Atkinson (JAM), 30.58; 2. Molly Hannis, 30.77; 3. Sophie Hansson (SWE), 30.95.

100 m Breast: 1. Annie Lazor, 1:06.72; 2. Hansson (SWE), 1:08.05; 3. Bethany Galat, 1:08.26.

200 m Breast: 1. Lazor, 2:23.22; 2. Galat, 2:25.43; 3. Emily Escobedo, 2:25.67.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Osman (EGY), 25.65; 2. Kelsi Dahlia, 25.90; 3. Curzan, 26.18.

100 m Fly: 1. Dahlia, 57.99; 2. Claire Curzan, 58.61; 3. Osman (EGY), 58.89.

200 m Fly: 1. H. Flickinger, 2:07.03; 2. Katie Drabot, 2:08.65; 3. Dahlia, 2:09.09.

200 m Medley: 1. Cox, 2:10.27; 2. Ella Eastin, 2:11.68; 3. Ledecky, 2:14.45.

400 m Medley: 1. Eastin, 4:38.80; 2. Cox, 4:40.55; 3. L. Smith, 4:41.08.

CYCLING: Izagirre claims Itzulia Basque Country with late rush in stages 5-6

Rich Perelman

April 13, 2019

tsx pix 2019-413 izagirre, ion (basque cty) 750 — A happy Ion Izagirre (ESP), winner of the 2019 Itzulia Basque Country

In multi-stage races like the 59th Itzulia Basque Country – the Tour of the Basque Country – it’s usually the mountains that make the difference. And the uphill fifth stage turned out to be the difference as Spaniard Ion Izagirre claimed his second career World Tour stage-race victory without winning any individual stage.

For the first four days, the race belonged to Germany’s Maximilian Schachmann, who won stages 1-3-4 and had a 51-second lead on the field. But the fifth stage, a 149.8 km trek from Arrigorriaga to Arrate had two miserable climbs; while the race started at 51 m altitude, the Izua at the 111 km mark crested at 539 m and after a steep descent and three more climbs, the finish was all uphill to Arrate at 535 m.

This stage broke the race apart and German Emanuel Buchmann dominated the finish, winning by 1:08 for his first-ever World Tour race win. He finished the stage as the race leader, up 54 seconds on Izagirre – who was third in that stage – and 1:04 over Schachmann.

The final stage was another mountain-climbing exercise, with four major climbs, beginning and finishing in Eibar. Britain’s Adam Yates, one of the pre-race favorites, won the stage from a pack of four chasers, which included Izagirre, who finished one second back.

Buchmann was 1:24 back of the leaders and Schachmann some 3:33 behind, so it was Izagirre who got the overall victory, with Ireland’s Dan Martin the next closest at 29 seconds back and then Buchmann at 31 seconds behind. Buchmann was initially given fourth, but his time was amended after he was led off the course by a broadcast motorcycle and then returned.

Izagirre has long been known as a solid rider, but not a big winner. This was his seventh career World Tour win, and second in a multi-stage event; he won the Tour de Pologne in 2015. He owns stage wins in the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France and will ride in the Giro this year.

The win also gives Ion more bragging rights against his older brother, Gorka, who owns one career World Tour win, a Giro stage back in 2017. Summaries:

UCI World Tour/Itzulia Basque Country
Spain ~ 8-13 April 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 1 (11.3 km Individual Time Trial): 1. Maximilian Schachmann (GER), 17:10; 2. Daniel Felipe Martinez (COL), 17:19; 3. Michal Kwiatkowski (POL), 17:20; 4. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA), 17:22; 5. Adam Yates (GBR), 17:26. Also in the top 25: 13. Lawson Craddock (USA), 17:44.

Stage 2 (149.5 km): 1. Alaphilippe (FRA), 3:29:37; 2. Bjorg Lambrecht (BEL), 3:29:38; 3. Kwiatkowski (POL), 3:29:28; 4. Omar Fraile (ESP), 3:29:28; 5. Valentin Madouas (FRA), 3:29:38. Also in the top 25: 24. Peter Stetina (USA), 3:29:46.

Stage 3 (191.4 km): 1. Schachmann (GER), 4:47:57; 2. Diego Ulissi (ITA), 4:47:57; 3. Enrico Battaglin (ITA), 4:47:57; 4. Marc Hirschi (SUI), 4:47:57; 5. Ion Izagirre (ESP), 4:47:57.

Stage 4 (163.6 km): 1. Schachmann (GER), 4:03:55; 2. Tadej Pugacar (SLO), 4:03:55; 3. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), 4:03:56; 4. A. Yates (GBR), 4:03:56; 5. Hirschi (SUI), 4:04:04. Also in the top 25: 14. Craddock (USA), 4:04:04.

Stage 5 (149.8 km): 1. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), 3:44:14; 2. Izagirre (ESP), 3:45:22; 3. A. Yates (GBR), 3:45:22; 4. Fuglsang (DEN), 3:45:22; 5. Pogacar (SLO), 3:45:38.

Stage 6 (118.2 km): 1. A. Yates (GBR), 2:59:46; 2. Dan Martin (IRL), 2:59:47; 3. Fuglsang (DEN), 2:59:47; 4. Izagirre (ESP), 2:59:47; 5. Pogacar (SLO), 2:59:53.

Final Standings: 1. Ion Izagirre (ESP), 19:24:09; 2. Dan Martin (IRL), +0:29; 3. Emanuel Buchmann (GER), +0:31; 4. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), +0:36; 5. Adam Yates (GBR), +0:51; 6. Tadej Pogacar (SLO), +1:36; 7. Mikel Landa (ESP), +2:56; 8. Mikel Nieve (ESP), +3:13; 9. Patrick Konrad (AUT), +3:29; 10. Maximilian Schachmann (GER), +3:44.

FIGURE SKATING: Tennell leads U.S. to fourth World Team Trophy title in Fukuoka

Rich Perelman

April 13, 2019

tsx pix 2019-413 tennell, bradie 750 — American figure skating champ Bradie Tennell (Photo: ISU)

A solid performance from Bradie Tennell helped the United States to another victory in the ISU World Team Trophy competition, ending Saturday in Fukuoka, Japan.

Where the locals had hoped for another sensational performance from 16-year-old Rika Kihira, who won the Short Program with a record score, it was instead Russia’s Elizaveta Tuktamysheva who won the Free Skate at 153.89, the second-highest score this season (and all time, under the new scoring system).

Tennell had her best score of the season at 150.83 – no. 3 on the world list – and popped up to second, assuring the U.S. win as Japan’s duo of Kaori Sakamoto and Kihira finished third and fifth. Mariah Bell of the U.S. finished fifth.

France’s Vanessa James and Morgan Cipres again outclassed the Pairs field, winning by more than 10 points and scoring 152.52, second-highest on the season.

The U.S. totaled 117 points to 104 for Japan and 102 for Russia. In the six editions of the World Team Trophy, the U.S. has won four times and Japan twice. This edition of the event showcased not only the U.S. depth, but also the continuing emergence of Vincent Zhou as a contender for all honors in the future. Summaries:

ISU World Team Trophy
Fukuoka (JPN) ~ 11-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Short Program: 1. Nathan Chen (USA), 101.95; 2. Vincent Zhou (USA), 100.51; 3. Shoma Uno (JPN), 92.78; 4. Keiji Tanaka (JPN), 89.05; 5. Andrei Lazukin (RUS), 88.96.

Men/Free Skate: 1. Chen (USA), 199.49; 2. Zhou (USA), 198.50; 3. Uno (JPN), 189.46; 4. Keehan Messing (CAN), 178.04; 5. Matteo Rizzo (ITA), 172.89.

Women/Short Program: 1. Rika Kihira (JPN), 83.97; 2. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS), 80.54; 3. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), 76.95; 4. Bradie Tennell (USA), 76.95; 5. Mariah Bell (USA), 70.89.

Women/Free Skate: 1. Tuktamyskeva (RUS), 153.89; 2. Tennell (USA), 150.83; 3. Sakamoto (JPN), 146.70; 4. Sofia Samodurova (RUS), 138.84; 5. Kihira (JPN), 138.37. Also: 6. Bell (USA), 135.17.

Pairs/Short Program: 1. Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS), 75.80; 2. Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres (FRA), 73.48; 3. Nicole Della Monica/Matteo Guarnise (ITA), 69.77; 4. Kirsten Moore-Towers (CAN), 68.38; 5. Ashley Cain/Timothy LeDuc (USA), 66.91.

Pairs/Free Skate: 1. James/Cipres (FRA), 152.52; 2. Zabiiako/Enbert (RUS), 141.32; 3. Moore-Towers/Marinaro (CAN), 131.84; 4. Della Monica/Guarise (ITA), 130.85; 5. Cain/LeDuc (USA), 125.24.

Ice Dance/Rhythm Dance: 1. Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA), 87.31; 2. Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS), 84.57; 3. Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA), 82.86; 4. Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA), 80.25; 5. Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN), 79.60.

Ice Dance/Free Dance: 1. Papadakis/Cizeron (FRA), 135.82; 2. Sinitsina/Katsalapov (RUS), 130.63; 3. Hubbell/Donohue (USA), 127.11; 4. Weaver/Poje (CAN), 124.18; 5. Guignard/Fabbri (ITA), 122.29.

Final Standings: 1. United States, 117; 2. Japan, 104; 3. Russia, 102; 4. France, 75; 5. Canada, 73; 6. Italy, 69.

SWIMMING: Dressel back to dominant with four wins (so far) at Tyr Pro Swim in Richmond

Rich Perelman

April 12, 2019

tsx pix 2019-412 dressel, caeleb 750 — Another win for U.S. sprint superstar Caeleb Dressel!

After seven gold medals at the 2017 FINA World Championships, there seemed like nothing Caeleb Dressel couldn’t do.

Then came a motorcycle accident last June that almost caused him to miss the U.S. Nationals, the meet which principally selected the U.S. team for the 2019 World Championships. That contributed to what Dressel called “just a little off season” for him in 2018, that he was sure would be different in 2019.

So far, so good for Dressel, who has won four events over the first three days of the third installment of the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Richmond, Virginia.

He took the 200 m Freestyle and 100 m Butterfly on Thursday, then came back tonight to sweep the 50 m Freestyle and 50 m Fly, edging Michael Andrew by 0.14 and 0.11 respectively.

He’ll have a chance at a fifth win tomorrow in the 100 m Free, but he’s already put up some impressive swims:

● Thursday: 50 m Free ~ won in 21.69, third-fastest in the world in 2019
● Thursday: 200 m Free ~ won in 1:47.31, ninth-fastest in the world in 2019
● Friday: 50 m Free ~ won in 23.24, fifth-fastest in the world in 2019
● Friday: 100 m Fly ~ won in 52.98; he already has a 51.51 from March (4th)

On the NBC Olympic Channel telecast, analyst Rowdy Gaines noted that Dressel is swimming the 200 m Free because he wants to be on the 4×200 m Relay for the U.S. in Tokyo. Interesting.

There have been three world-leading marks in the meet so far, all by women:

● 800 m Freestyle: 8:14.24, Katie Ledecky (USA)
● 50 m Butterfly: 25.65, Farida Osman (EGY)
● 200 m Butterfly: 2:07.03, Hali Flickinger (USA)

Ledecky has been busy in Richmond, taking the 200-400-800 m Frees, and finishing eighth in the B-final of the 50 m Free (26.06). Her 400 m win on Friday in 4:01.50 is her fastest of the season and continues her no. 2 spot on the world list, behind the impressive 3:59.66 of Australia’s teen star Ariarne Titmus at the Australian Championships earlier in the week.

Also impressive was the 100-200 m Breaststroke double for Annie Lazor, who will not be on the U.S. World Championships team this summer, but is a clear contender for the 2020 Games next year. And remember this name: Claire Curzan, just 14, who claimed second in the 100 m Fly on Thursday and third in the 50 m Fly tonight.

The other double winner in Richmond was veteran star Olivia Smoliga, who took the 50 m Free in 24.83 (=10th in 2019), then came back 14 minutes later to win the 100 m Back in a lifetime best of 58.73, third in the world so far this season.

The meet wraps up tomorrow; NBC’s Olympic Channel will have live coverage at 6 p.m. Eastern time. Summaries so far:

USA Swimming/Tyr Pro Swim Series no. 3
Richmond, Virginia (USA) ~ 10-13 April 2019
(Full results here; all U.S. unless otherwise indicated)

Men

50 m Freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel, 21.69; 2. 3. Michael Andrew, 21.83; 3. Michael Chadwick, 21.96.

200 m Free: 1. Dressel, 1:47.31; 2. Zane Grothe, 1:48.12; 3. Jack Conger, 1:49.21.

400 m Free: 1. Anton Ipsen (DEN), 3:48.22; 2. Zane Grothe, 3:48.53; 3. Marcelo Acosta (ESA), 3:54.55.

800 m Free: 1. Grothe, 7:55.78; 2. Acosta (ESA), 7:59.17; 3. Gil Kiesler (ISR), 8:07.00.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Andrew, 24.76; 2. Ryan Held, 25.16; 3. Matt Grevers, 25.18.

100 m Back: 1. Ryan Murphy, 53.47; 2. Grevers, 53.81; 3. Jacob Pebley, 54.23.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Cody Miller, 1:00.98; 2. Andrew Wilson, 1:01.04; 3. Nic Fink, 1:01.05.

200 m Breast: 1. Josh Prenot, 2:11.51; 2. Nic Fink, 2:12.15; 3. Carlos Claverie (VEN), 2:12.87.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel, 23.43; 2. Andrew, 23.54; 3. Giles Smith, 23.69.

100 m Fly: 1. Dressel, 52.08; 2. Giles Smith, 52.72; 3. tie, Zach Harting and Santiago Grassi (ARG), 52.87.

200 m Fly: Antani Ivanov (BUL), 1:56.34; 2. Kalisz, 1:57.03; 3. Harting, 1:58.56.

400 m Medley: 1. Chase Kalisz, 4:13.45; 2. Tomas Peribono (ECU), 4:16.87; 3. Zachary Tan (SGP), 4:25.91.

Women

50 m Freestyle: 1. Olivia Smoliga, 24.83; 2. tie, Simone Manuel and Farida Osman (EGY), 24.97.

200 m Free: 1. Katie Ledecky, 1:56.28; 2. Leah Smith, 1:57.54; 3. Madisyn Cox, 1:58.76.

400 m Free: 1. Ledecky, 4:01.50; 2. L. Smith, 4:05.17; 3. Kaersten Meitz, 4:09.20.

800 m Free: 1. Ledecky, 8:14.24; 2. L. Smith, 8:16.33; 3. Kristel Kobrich (CHI), 8:36.19.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Bobbie Gichard (NZL), 29.14; 2. Lisa Bratton, 29.32; 3. Laura Laderoute, 29.38.

100 m Back: 1. Smoliga, 58.73; 2. Katharine Berkoff, 59.83; 3. Ali Deloof, 1:00.80.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Annie Lazor, 1:06.72; 2. Sophie Hansson (SWE), 1:08.05; 3. Bethany Galat, 1:08.26.

200 m Breast: 1. Lazor, 2:23.22; 2. Galat, 2:25.43; 3. Emily Escobedo, 2:25.67.

50 m Butterfly: 1. Osman (EGY), 25.65; 2. Kelsi Dahlia, 25.90; 3. Curzan, 26.18.

100 m Fly: 1. Dahlia, 57.99; 2. Claire Curzan, 58.61; 3. Osman (EGY), 58.89.

200 m Fly: 1. Hali Flickinger, 2:07.03; 2. Katie Drabot, 2:08.65; 3. Dahlia, 2:09.09.

400 m Medley: 1. Ella Eastin, 4:38.80; 2. Cox, 4:40.55; 3. L. Smith, 4:41.08.

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Friday, 12 April 2019

Rich Perelman

April 12, 2019

Welcome to The Sports Examiner SPEED READ, a 100 mph (44.7 m/s) review of what happened this week in Olympic sport:

LANE ONE

Wednesday: It seems like every Olympic-sport federation (and some U.S. federations) now have world rankings, but it all started 72 years ago in a Bay Area town in California. But Track & Field News is still doing it better than any of them.

Friday: Athletes want clean sport, but who is going to pay for it? The reality facing athletes at this week’s IOC Athletes Forum and at the World Anti-Doping Agency’s Athlete Session means they should be looking for more sophisticated solutions than asking the IOC to pay for everything.

THE BIG PICTURE

Tuesday: The Swedish national government came through – sort of – for the Stockholm-Are bid for the 2026 Winter Games with promises of guarantees on security and visa control. But the commitment wasn’t exactly enthusiastic …

ARTISTIC SWIMMING

Monday: Five wins for Ukraine, but seven medals for Canada’s Jacqueline Simoneau in the second FINA World Series in Greece.

ATHLETICS

Monday: Ten more world-leading marks over the weekend, but the best was a big shot put performance by New Zealand’s Tom Walsh. Plus, a high school senior to watch for in the women’s pole vault … for a year from now!

FIGURE SKATING

Friday: World Champ Nathan Chen and Worlds bronze medalist Vincent Zhou dazzle at the ISU World Team Trophy event in Japan and the U.S. is in a good position to win the title once again!

ICE HOCKEY

Tuesday: U.S. women go undefeated in Group A of the IIHF World Championships, beat Canada, and ready for playoff quarterfinals vs. Japan on Thursday,

Thursday: American women shut down Japan, 4-0, now face Russia in World Championships semifinals in Finland.

RUGBY

Wednesday: The U.S. men’s Sevens squad is closing in on its season’s goal – a berth in the 2020 Olympic tournament – as it remains in first place going into the eighth leg of the HSBC Sevens Series in Singapore.

SWIMMING

Thursday: A world-leading 800 m Free by Katie Ledecky and two wins for sprint star Caeleb Dressel headlined the first two days of the third Tyr Pro Swim Series meet on Richmond, Virginia.

PREVIEWS

Badminton: All five no. 1-ranked players and team in this week’s Singapore Open!
Canoeing: Multiple U.S. champions lined up for Sprint & Slalom Team Trials.
Curling: Final “regular season” event in the Grand Slam of Curling: Players Champs.
Cycling: An all-British battle for the title in the Izturia Basque Country?
Cycling: Anyone have a real favorite for 117th Paris-Roubaix on Sunday?
Gymnastics: Second Rhythmic World Cup features Worlds silver winner Ashram.
Modern Pentathlon: World Champs Cooks & Protopenko in action in Sofia!

UPCOMING

Highlights of the coming week, with coverage on TheSportsExaminer.com:

● IOC: The ninth International Athletes Forum will be held in Lausanne (SUI) this weekend.

● Athletics: It’s mid-April, so get ready for the Boston Marathon on Monday!

And a full report on the weekend’s results in Monday’s exclusive Stat Pack!

FIGURE SKATING: Chen & Zhou go 1-2 twice to help U.S. into World Team Trophy lead

Rich Perelman

April 12, 2019

tsx pix 2019-412 us team world tm trophy 750 — Well, the World Tram Trophy is supposed to be fun, as the U.S. shows after another Nathan Chen win (Photo: ISU)

“We knew we were strong going in and we wanted to fight together as a team and to show how strong we are.”

That comment from U.S. team captain Madison Hubbell summed up the high-quality American performance on the first two days of the ISU World Team Trophy competition in Fukuoka, Japan.

The U.S. leads, as expected, going into the final day, with 91 points to 79 for Japan and 70 for Russia. Although in a strong position, the U.S. hasn’t clinched the title, with Japan expected to score 22 in the women’s Free Skate, and seven in the Pairs Free Skate. That would be 108 points, so the U.S. has to score 18 to win. American skaters Bradie Tennell and Mariah Bell scored 17 in the women’s Short Program and Pairs entry Ashley Cain and Tim LeDuc scored eight in their Short Program; a repeat would give the U.S. 25 points and another title.

World Champion Nathan Chen and Worlds bronze medalist Vincent Zhou were impressive with 1-2 finishes in both the Short Program and Free Skate, scoring a combined 301.44 and 299.01, respectively. That’s a combined lifetime best for Zhou, who has made a solid move up the ladder to be able to compete with anyone in 2019.

Japan’s home favorite Rika Kihira dazzled the home crowd with a brilliant Short Program that score 83.97, a new record for the scoring system put into place this season. She held the prior high of 82.51, and of course included a triple Axel in her program. Her Free Skate comes on Saturday.

Reigning World Champions Gabriella Papadakis and Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) dominated the Ice Dance event, winning the Rhythm Dance by almost three points over Victoria Sinitsina and Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) and the Free Dance by more than five. Americans Hubbell and Zachary Donohue were third in both events. Summaries so far:

ISU World Team Trophy
Fukuoka (JPN) ~ 11-14 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men/Short Program: 1. Nathan Chen (USA), 101.95; 2. Vincent Zhou (USA), 100.51; 3. Shoma Uno (JPN), 92.78; 4. Keiji Tanaka (JPN), 89.05; 5. Andrei Lazukin (RUS), 88.96.

Men/Free Skate: 1. Chen (USA), 199.49; 2. Zhou (USA), 198.50; 3. Uno (JPN), 189.46; 4. Keehan Messing (CAN), 178.04; 5. Matteo Rizzo (ITA), 172.89.

Women/Short Program: 1. Rika Kihira (JPN), 83.97; 2. Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS), 80.54; 3. Kaori Sakamoto (JPN), 76.95; 4. Bradie Tennell (USA), 76.95; 5. Mariah Bell (USA), 70.89.

Ice Dance/Free Dance: 1. Papadakis/Cizeron (FRA), 135.82; 2. Sinitsina/Katsalapov (RUS), 130.63; 3. Hubbell/Donohue (USA), 127.11; 4. Weaver/Poje (CAN), 124.18; 5. Guignard/Fabbri (ITA), 122.29.

LANE ONE: The anti-doping fight isn’t easy and it’s going to get harder … because of money

Rich Perelman

April 11, 2019

tsx pix 2019-411 buck rogers in 25th C comic 750 — A hard truth for athletes to learn about doping prevention in the future: "No bucks, no Buck Rogers"

There appears to be considerable momentum in the fight against doping in the aftermath of the exposure of the Russian doping program beginning in 2015. The testing program and investigative arm of the World Anti-Doping Agency continues to grow, the new International Testing Agency promises to provide a completely independent process of doping control for sports worldwide and national anti-doping agencies are showing better organization.

But the entire worldwide program rests on one element which is hardly guaranteed: money.

The International Olympic Committee will hold its largest-ever International Athletes Forum this weekend in Lausanne (SUI), with several hundred athletes attending with a full slate of discussion topics, with doping among them.

It’s a surety that the athletes at the Forum will unanimously demand “clean sport” and that competitions should be free of doping. This is easier said than done; consider that even after the wide publicity over the hundreds of doping positives from the IOC’s re-testing of samples from the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, a major bust of a blood-doping ring took place in February and March, including a raid on five athletes at the FIS World Nordic Skiing Championships in Seefeld (AUT). The Austrian and Germany authorities involved have indicated that at least 21 athletes in five sports from Austria, Croatia, Estonia, Finland, Germany Italy, Sweden, Slovenia, South Korea and the U.S. were involved.

Against this background, the World Anti-Doping Agency held its “Athlete Session” of the WADA Annual Symposium in Lausanne on 13-14 March, during which support for the WADA “Anti-Doping Charter of Athlete Rights” was discussed and promoted. The basic concept is expressed in Article 1 of the Charter:

“To equal opportunity in their pursuit of sport to perform at the highest potential level in both training and competition, free of participation by other Athletes who dope, or Athlete Support Personal, Sport Officials, Sport Administrators, or Anti-Doping Organizations that otherwise violate anti-doping rules and requirements.”

The rest of the Charter promises fair testing programs, rights to hearings, working whistleblower programs, education, more representation within WADA, and, importantly, to

“[A]n independent WADA appointed Athlete Ombudsperson that shall have the power to advise, report and make recommendations so as to protect Athletes and their rights in relation to this Charter and all anti-doping matters. These services shall be free, confidential, independent and a mechanism will be put in place to allow such communication. The ombudsperson shall report to the WADA Athlete Committee.”

This is all fine, but who is paying for all this? As the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations noted in its Future of Global Sport report released at the end of February, “[A]round half the IFs may be said to have a significant reliance on IOC revenues, that is more than 25% of their revenues coming from their Games revenue share [of television rights sales] in any four-year cycle, with more than a third relying on Games revenue share for over 45% of their income.”

The International Olympic Committee is already paying about half of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s annual budget, and by its payments to the International Federations from its television revenues, is indirectly paying more.

Renee Anne Shirley, who served for eight months as the Executive Director of the Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission (JADCO) in 2012-13, is an outspoken observer of doping in sports and holds nothing back in her often-scathing Twitter feed. On Wednesday, she laid out the funding issue with clarity (Tweets numbered only for reference):

(1) The global anti- doping model has to change. The NADO structure has to be revisited.

Sport want Govts to dole out more & more money & resources to police sport competition corruption/cheating. This isn’t an essential govt service for betterment of its citizens!

(2) Athletes want more say at the WADA table…OK no problem. But go find alt source of $ to fund your dreams. Govts can’t budget ever-increasing $ to police sport rules when they can’t cover basic govt services/life+death needs of citizens. NADO funding needs to come from elsewhere!

(3) This is feel good stuff…Flying nat’l flags at OLY Games is about making ctries’ citizens feel good/superior to others…Winning is a powerful feeling but the price to be paid under current WADA structure is unsustainable. Govts can’t keep up w/ pretense that they can afford this.

(4) Setting up a NADO wasn’t/isn’t a glamorous proposition. The struggles to keep funds flowing is a draining process & why ppl just go w/ the PRspin flow pretending that resources are available to do investigations, expensive testing that catches no one + adequate edu/info resources.

(5) This is the painful conversation that everyone is avoiding. Fans/media want to focus on pretense that testing works, that a couple former cops w/ limited resources can catch well-funded cheats using hidden cameras+ whistleblowers…TV reality shows images re catching dopers.

(6) When Aths go far away to train in off-season in remote/hard to reach locations to train/dope NADOs can’t test. IFs don’t want their stars to be caught so testing gets done in-season using the ineffective but cheapest tests+ABP suspicious follow-up isn’t targeted to catch cheats.

(7) All the tinkering with “governance” reform at WADA misses the sheer ineffectiveness of the global AD structure. Nothing in the paper pushing or political fights can lead to Govts forking out more money to pretend that sport cheating is viable & we get value for scarce $ spending.

(8) Also the so-called compliance audits like the current RUS doping saga can’t bring Govts to their knees. The pretense and hypocrisy that surrounds the media-hype is simply hot air.

Govts won’t fork out more money…They are ok with creating PR optics but don’t expect more funds.

So this weekend, the IOC’s athlete conclave will surely demand more representation for athletes, more funding to prevent doping, and following the lead of a German group, more athlete funding in one form or another.

But even the IOC’s resources are not infinite and it’s worthwhile to remember that in today’s financial environment – as Shirley noted – it would be difficult to hold an Olympic Games without the IOC providing more than $1 billion in support of every Games directly to organizing committees, the largest percentage of what the IOC pays out.

In order to get to where the athletes say they want to go – in the WADA Anti-Doping Charter of Athlete Rights – what should be discussed is under what conditions athletes will accept multi-national corporate sponsorship of anti-doping programs, just as the IOC created its Games-focused worldwide sponsorship program back in 1985.

Why? Because the obvious supporters of clean sport should be the health-care industry worldwide. The consulting firm Deloitte has estimated that global health care is a $7.7 trillion (U.S.) business today and will grow to $10.0 trillion (U.S.) by 2022.

Until sustainable funding comes to the anti-doping movement – and Shirley’s warning shows the danger of depending on governments – it will continue to struggle to level the playing field.

One of the most memorable lines of the 1983 film “The Right Stuff” about the early days of the U.S. space program came near the start when the Air Force press liaison officer said to the pilots, “You know what really makes your rocket ships go up? … Funding. That’s what makes your ships go up. I’ll tell you something, and you guys, too. No bucks, no Buck Rogers.”

Good advice for athletes demanding a doping-free future … who have no way to pay for it.

Rich Perelman
Editor

CANOEING Preview: National Sprint and Slalom Trials set for Oklahoma City

Rich Perelman

April 11, 2019

tsx pix 2019-411 eichfeld, casey 750 — Three-time U.S. Canoe Slalom Olympian Casey Eichfeld (Photo: ICF)

The American Canoe Association is holding the U.S. National Team Trials this weekend in Oklahoma City, with competition in both Sprint and Slalom disciplines.

In Sprint, races will be held only in single-person events, including the C-1 and K-1 for men and women, on the Oklahoma River. Most of the 2018 national champions are entered and expected back:

Men:
● Ken Kasperbauer ~ C-1 200 m
● Stanton Collins ~ K-1 200 m and K-1 500 m
● Alex Lee ~ K-1 1,000 m

Women:
● Nevin Harrison ~ C-1 200 m and C-1 500 m
● Kaitlyn McElroy ~ K-1 200 m
● Sam Barlow ~ K-1 500 m

Look for Sprint results here.

The Slalom Trials are being readied at the McClendon Whitewater Center, with one men’s medalist and all of the women’s medal winners returning from 2018:

Men:
● C-1: Casey Eichfeld (champion)

Women:
● C-1: Michaela Corcoran (champion), Evy Leibfarth (2nd), Harriet Rollins (3rd)
● K-1: Leibfarth (champion), Ashley Nee (2nd), Madison Corcoran (3rd)

Eichfeld is a three-time Olympian in 2008-12-16 and a double Pan American gold medalist in the C-1 and C-2 (with Devin McEwan) from 2015. Leibfarth is a prodigy, who just turned 15 in January and is now age-eligible for the FIC World Championships (and a possible 2020 Olympic berth beyond that).

Slalom results will be posted here.

SWIMMING: World leader for Ledecky, PR for Smith in 800 m Free headlines Tyr Pro Swim

Rich Perelman

April 11, 2019

tsx pix 51718 ledecky katie wr 1500 m — Freestyle superstar Katie Ledecky (USA)

The third leg of USA Swimming’s Tyr Pro Swim Series in Richmond, Virginia showcased some of the world’s best swimmers in the middle of a hard training time. And it showed.

The marks were good, but not great compared to the world’s top marks as most of the other important swimming nations are in the middle of their national championships. But then there was Katie Ledecky.

The American distance superstar won the women’s 800 m Free on Wednesday with a world-leading time of 8:14.24, followed by Leah Smith, whose 8:16.33 was a lifetime best and produced a big grin when she looked back at the scoreboard.

It’s the no. 3 time of the year, behind Ledecky and China’s Jianjiahe Wang (8:14.64) and moves Smith no. 6 on the all-time list.

Said Ledecky before the meet, “Sometimes we go right to a meet after altitude and sometimes that’s really tough and sometimes it’s great. Just getting back into training, sometimes the first couple of days at sea level are hard getting back into it, feeling a little different, feeling a little funky getting back into it, but then you start to see that you’re at a better place than where you were when you left for altitude.”

Ledecky won the 200 m Free on Thursday, timing 1:56.28, not as fast as her 1:55.78 in the Tyr Pro Swim opener in Knoxville, Tennessee in January, still no. 3 on the world list for 2019.

The only double winner on the men’s side was sprint star Caeleb Dressel, who took the 200 m Free in 1:47.31 (no. 9 for 2019 so far) and the 100 m Butterfly in 52.08, not as fast as his 51.51 back in March in Des Moines.

Michael Andrew impressed with a prelim mark of 24.66 in the 50 m Back, and won the final in 24.76. The prelim mark was .02 faster than his Knoxville mark and leaves him no. 2 on the world list.

The meet continues tomorrow, televised on the NBC Olympic Channel, beginning at 6 p.m. Eastern time. Summaries:

USA Swimming/Tyr Pro Swim Series no. 3
Richmond, Virginia (USA) ~ 10-13 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men

200 m Freestyle: 1. Caeleb Dressel, 1:47.31; 2. Zane Grothe, 1:48.12; 3. Jack Conger, 1:49.21.

800 m Free: 1. Zane Grothe, 7:55.78; 2. Marcelo Acosta (ESA), 7:59.17; 3. Gil Kiesler (ISR), 8:07.00.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Michael Andrew, 24.76; 2. Ryan Held, 25.16; 3. Matt Grevers, 25.18.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Cody Miller, 1:00.98; 2. Andrew Wilson, 1:01.04; 3. Nic Fink, 1:01.05.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Dressel, 52.08; 2. Giles Smith, 52.72; 3. tie, Zach Harting and Santiago Grassi (ARG), 52.87.

400 m Medley: 1. Chase Kalisz, 4:13.45; 2. Tomas Peribono (ECU), 4:16.87; 3. Zachary Tan (SGP), 4:25.91.

Women

200 m Freestyle: 1. Katie Ledecky, 1:56.28; 2. Leah Smith, 1:57.54; 3. Madisyn Cox, 1:58.76.

800 m Free: 1. Ledecky, 8:14.24; 2. L. Smith, 8:16.33; 3. Kristel Kobrich (CHI), 8:36.19.

50 m Backstroke: 1. Bobbie Gichard (NZL), 29.14; 2. Lisa Bratton, 29.32; 3. Laura Laderoute, 29.38.

100 m Breaststroke: 1. Annie Lazor, 1:06.72; 2. Sophie Hansson (SWE), 1:08.05; 3. Bethany Galat, 1:08.26.

100 m Butterfly: 1. Kelsi Dahlia, 57.99; 2. Claire Curzan, 58.61; 3. Farida Osman (EGY), 58.89.

400 m Medley: 1. Ella Eastin, 4:38.80; 2. Cox, 4:40.55; 3. L. Smith, 4:41.08.

BOXING: Cuba wins five, U.S. and Dominicans top medal table at AMBC Pan Am Qualifier

Rich Perelman

April 11, 2019

tsx pix 2019-416 isley, troy 750 — Troy Isley (USA), the Pan Am qualifier gold medalist at 75 kg.

This summer’s Pan American Games boxing competition will be a replay of the Americas Boxing Confederation qualification event in Managua (NIC), as the top seven or eight fighters in each class qualified for the Games.

Based on the bouts in Managua, look for a three-day showdown between Cuba, the U.S. and the Dominican Republic.

The Cubans had five wins and eight medals overall, all in the men’s category, including victories from reigning (2017) World Champions Yosvany Veitia (52 kg), Andy Cruz (64 kg), Julio Cesar la Cruz (81 kg) and Erislandy Savon (91 kg).

The U.S. won four golds and had nine total medals to top the table with the Dominicans (2-2-5). American wins came from Delante Johnson (69 kg) and Troy Isley (75 kg) among the men and Virginia Fuchs (51 kg) and Rashida Ellis (60 kg) in the women’s events. The American squad won two silvers and three bronzes in an excellent showing. They will try to do better this summer in Lima; summaries:

Americas Boxing Confederation/Pan American Qualifier
Managua (NIC) ~ 4-10 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men

49 kg: 1. Yuberjen Martinez (COL); 2. Oscar Collazo (PUR); 3. Kevin Vivas (NCA) and Ronaldo da Silva (BRA). Semis: Martinez d. Vivas, 5:0; Collazo d. da Silva, 3:2. Final: Martinez d. Collazo, 4:1.

52 kg: 1. Yosvany Veitia (CUB); 2. Marte Rodrigo (DOM); 3. Yilmar Gonzalez (COL) and Rivera Yankiel (PUR). Semis: Veitia d. Gonzalez, 5:0; Rodrigo d. Yankiel, 3:2. Final: Veitia d. Rodrigo, forfeit.

56 kg: 1. Alexy de la Cruz (DOM); 2. Jean Caicedo (ECU); 3. Duke Ragan (USA) and Ceiber Avila (COL). Semis: de la Cruz d. Avila, forfeit; Caicedo d. Ragan, 3:2. Final: De la Cruz d. Caicedo, 4:1.

60 kg: 1. Leonel de los Santos (DOM); 2. Lazaro Alvarez (CUB); 3. Luis Cabrera (VEN) and Jonathan Romero (COL). Semis: De los Santos d. Cabrera, 5:0; Alvarez d. Romero, 5:0. Final: De los Santos d. Alvarez, 3:2.

64 kg: 1. Andy Cruz (CUB); 2. Keyshawn Davis (USA); 3. Miguel Ferrin (ECU) and Michael Alexander (TTO). Semis: Cruz d. Ferrin, 5:0; Davis d. Alexander, 5:0. Final: Cruz d. Davis, 3:2.

69 kg: 1. Delante Johnson (USA); 2. Rohan Polanco (DOM); 3. Roniel Iglesias (CUB) and Gabriel Maestre (VEN). Semis: Johnson d. Iglesias, forfeit; Polanco d. Maestre, 5:0. Final: Johnson d. Polanco, forfeit.

75 kg: 1. Troy Isley (USA); 2. Arlen Lopez (CUB); 3. Hebert Conceicao (BRA) and Euri Cedeno (DOM). Semis: Lopez d. Cedeno. forfeit; Isley d. Concaicao, forfeit. Final: Isley d. Lopez, 3:2.

81 kg: 1. Julio la Cruz (CUB); 2. Carlos Mina (ECU); 3. Keno Machado (BRA) and Luis Georges (DOM). Semis: La Cruz d. Machado, 5:0; Mina d. Georges, forfeit. Final: La Cruz d. Mina, 5:0.

91 kg: 1. Erislandy Savon (CUB); 2. Julio Deivis (COL); 3. Joaquin Berroa (DOM) and Julio Castillo (ECU). Semis: Savon d. Berroa, 5:0; Deivis d. Castillo, 3:2. Final: Savon d. Deivis, TKO (R3: 2:57).

+91 kg: 1. Dainier Pero (CUB); 2. Cristian Salcedo (COL); 3. Darwin Rodriguez (NCA) and Richard Torrez (USA). Semis: Pero d. Rodriguez, retired (R2: 1:44); Salcedo d. Torrez, forfeit. Final: Pero d. Salcedo, 5:0.

Women

51 kg: 1. Virginia Fuchs (USA); 2. Valeria Cardenas (CRC); 3. Irismar Cardozo (VEN) and Miguelina Hernandez (DOM). Semis: Fuchs d. Cardozo, 5:0; Cardenas d. Hernandez, 4:1. Final: Fuchs d. Cardenas, 5:0.

57 kg: 1. Leonela Sanchez (ARG); 2. Yeni Arias (COL); 3. Sabrina Aubin (CAN) and Jucielen Romeu (BRA). Semis: Sanchez d. Aubin, 5:0; Arias d. Romeu, 4:1. Final: Sanchez d. Arias, forfeit.

60 kg: 1. Rashida Ellis (USA); 2. Beatriz Ferreira (BRA); 3. Krisandy Rios (VEN) and Irene Fiolek (CAN). Semis: Ellis d. Rios, 5:0; Ferreira d. Fiolek, 5:0. Final: Ellis d. Ferreira, 5:0.

69 kg: 1. Atheyna Bylon (PAN); 2. Oshae Jones (USA); 3. Maria Moronta (DOM) and Nisa Rodriguez (PUR). Semis: Bylon d. Moronta, 5:0; Jones d. Rodriguez, 5:0. Final: Bylon d. Jones, 5:0.

75 kg: 1. Tammara Thiebault (CAN); 2. Jessica Caicedo (COL); 3. Naomi Graham (USA) and Erika Pachito (ECU). Semis: Caicedo d. Pachito, 5:0; Thiebault d. Graham, 5:0. Final: Thiebault d. Caicedo, 4:1.

ICE HOCKEY: U.S. women blank Japan, face Russia in Worlds semis

Rich Perelman

April 11, 2019

U.S. goalie Maddie Rooney (Photo: BDZ Sports via Wikimedia Commons)

The U.S. women’s hockey team continued its march toward a 19th straight World Championships final with a 4-0 shutout of Japan in its quarterfinal in Espoo (FIN).

The Americans will now face Russia, a 3-0 winner over Switzerland in its quarterfinal. The U.S. pounded Russia, 10-0, in its final group game, back on Tuesday.

Against Japan, the U.S. got a first-period goal from Hilary Knight at 16:48 and it proved to be the winner. Dani Cameranesi scored on a power play in the middle of the second period and Cayla Barnes and Kendall Coyne Schofield added goals in the third for the 4-0 final.

Just as important was the second shutout in a row for Olympic hero Maddie Rooney in goal. She faced only 10 shots against Japan, while the U.S. piled up 53 against Nana Fujimoto.

Russia got a slow start against the Swiss, but took the lead in the second period on an Anna Shokhina goal, then added a second on a third period power play, scored by Yelena Dergachyova. An empty-net goal in the third ended the scoring at 3-0.

In the lower half of the bracket, Canada blanked Germany, 5-0, with Emerance Maschmeyer getting the shutout. The Canadians – who have also participated in all 19 Worlds finals – and now faces Finland, a 3-1 winner over the Czech Republic. In their group game, Canada swamped the Finns, 6-1, back on the ninth.

The semis will be played on Saturday, with games at 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Eastern time; the NHL Network will have the U.S. game live. Look for results here.

CYCLING Preview: Any idea on a favorite for the 117th Paris-Roubaix?

Rich Perelman

April 10, 2019

tsx pix 2019-330 stybar wins harelbeke 750 — Victory for Czech Zdenek Stybar at the E3 Binckbank Classic.

One of the historic races in cycling is the famed Paris-Roubaix, traditionally the end of the spring “Cobbled Classics” circuit in Belgium and France. The winners of the six UCI World Tour Cobbled Classics held so far:

● 02 March: Omloop Het Nieuwsblad ~ Zdenek Stybar (CZE)
● 27 March: Drie Daagse de Panne ~ Dylan Groenewegen (NED)
● 29 March: E3 Binckbank Classic ~ Zdensk Stybar (CZE)
● 31 March: Gent-Wevelgem ~ Alexander Kristoff (NOR)
● 03 April: Dwars door Vlaanderen ~ Mathieu van der Poel (NED)
● 07 April: Ronde van Vlaanderen ~ Alberto Bettiol (ITA)

First held in 1896, the 117th running of Paris-Roubaix on Sunday will be on a hilly, 257 km course that has 29 – yes, 29! – cobbled sections of 300 to 3,700 m along the hilly, south-to-north route from Compiegne to Roubaix. The entries show three returning champs and eight returning medalists in all:

● Greg van Avermaet (BEL) ~ Winner in 2017; third in 2015
● John Degenkolb (GER) ~ Winner in 2015
● Peter Sagan (SVK) ~ Winner in 2018
● Silvan Dillier (SUI) ~ Second in 2018
● Zdenek Stybar (CZE) ~ Second in 2015 and 2017
● Sep Vanmarcke (BEL) ~ Second in 2013
● Sebastian Langeveld (NED) ~ Third in 2017
● Ian Stanndard (GBR) ~ Third in 2016

Stybar has been second twice in this race, has won two of the Cobbled Classics already and was third in the Ronde van Vlaanderen, losing out in the final meters. Is he the favorite? Van Avermaet has finished in the top 10 in four of the six one-day races he’s been in this year.

Even with all of the cobbled sections, the end of the race is pretty flat and that’s good news for the sprinters. Consider these five, already medal winners on the World Tour this season:

● Alexander Kristoff (NOR) ~ Winner of Gent-Wevelgem
● Fernando Gaviria (COL) ~ Second at Drie Daagse de De Panne
● Wout van Aert (BEL) ~ Second in the E3 Binckbank Classic
● Oliver Naesen (BEL) ~ Third at Gent–Wevelgem
● Kasper Asgreen (DEN) ~ Second at Ronde van Vlaanderen

The home team hasn’t done well in this race: the last French winner was way back in 1997 with Frederic Guesdon! Look for results here.

RUGBY Preview: U.S. could clinch a 2020 Olympic berth in Singapore Sevens this weekend

Rich Perelman

April 10, 2019

tsx pix 2019-228 hughes, madison 750 — U.S. rugby scoring star Madison Hughes

The season-long goal for the United States men’s Sevens rugby is now within sight: a berth in the 2020 Olympic tournament in Tokyo (JPN).

The top four teams in the 2018-19 Sevens series qualify for Tokyo and going into the eighth leg (of 10), the U.S. finds itself at the top of the list:

1. 130 United States
2. 123 Fiji
3. 118 New Zealand
4. 99 South Africa
5. 90 England

The top places score 22-19-17-15-13-12-10 for the top seven places, so a strong finish could clinch a top-four placing for the Eagles. The pools:

● Pool A: Fiji, South Africa, Scotland, Canada
● Pool B: France, Argentina, Australia, Hong Kong
● Pool C: United States, England, Kenya, Wales
● Pool D: Samoa, New Zealand, Japan, Spain

Last season in Singapore, Fiji defeated Australia, 28-22, in the championship match, while England won the bronze medal over South Africa.

The U.S. now has the top two scorers in the series, with Madison Hughes at 216 points and Carlin Isles at 205, both ahead of New Zealand’s Andrew Knewstubb (200) and Australia’s Andrew Porch (175). Isles leads all players in tries with 41, comfortably ahead of Fiji’s Alasio Sovita Naduva, with 30.

Pool play continues into Sunday and the playoffs are in the afternoon. Look for results here.

GYMNASTICS Preview: Worlds All-Around silver winner Ashram in Rhythmic World Cup in Sofia

Rich Perelman

April 10, 2019

tsx pix 2019-410 ashram, linoy 750 — Israeli Rhythmic Gymnastics star Linoy Ashram

After a demonstration of dominance by Russia’s Averina sisters at the FIG Rhythmic World Cup opener in Pesaro (ITA) last week, their primary challenger will open her 2019 World Cup schedule this week in Sofia (BUL).

That would be Israel’s Linoy Ashram, who won the 2018 Worlds silver in the All-Around and Hoop and a bronze in the Ribbon. She also won 10 World Cup medals last year, and will be in competition with Russia’s Aleksandra Soldatova, who won World Cup All-Arounds in 2018 in Sofia (Ashram third) and Tashkent (UZB), with Ashram second. The top entries:

● Aleksandra Soldatova (RUS) ~ 2015-18 Worlds Team gold; 2018 All-Around bronze
● Ekaterina Selezneva (RUS) ~ 2018 Sofia World Cup All-Around silver medalist
● Alina Harnasko (BLR) ~ 2017 European Champs Ball bronze medalist
● Neviana Vladinova (BUL) ~ 2018 Worlds Team silver; 2018 Ball bronze
● Katrin Taseva (BUL) ~ 2018 Worlds Team silver medalist
● Linoy Ashram (ISR) ~ 2018 Worlds All-Around & Hoop silvers
● Nikol Zelikman (ISR) ~ 2018 Portimao World Challenge Cup Ball winner
● Milena Baldassari (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team bronze & Ribbon silver
● Alexandra Aguirgiuculese (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team bronze medalist

The U.S. has two entries, led by two-time Nationals All-Around silver medalist Evita Griskenas, who competed last week in Pesaro (ITA) and finished sixth in the All-Around. Camilla Feeley, third in the U.S. All-Around in 2017 and 2018, returns to Sofia for the fourth time; she competed in the 2017 and 2018 World Cups there and was a member of last year’s U.S. team that finished seventh at the World Championships.

Prize money of CHF 2,000-1,500-1,000-500-400-300-200-100 is available to the top eight placers in the All-Around, and CHF 1,000-750-500-300-250-200-150-100 for each apparatus. Look for results here.

FIGURE SKATING Preview: Strong U.S. team looks to be favored in World Team Trophy in Fukuoka

Rich Perelman

April 10, 2019

tsx pix 110718 hubbell-donohue 750 — American Ice Dance stars Madison Hubbell and Zachary Donohue

The sixth World Team Trophy competition will be held this week to finish off the 2018-19 international figure skating season, but outside of Tokyo (JPN) for the first time.

Instead, the 15,000-seat Marine Messe Fukuoka will be the site this time, for the four-day event (including a non-scoring exhibition on Sunday). The performance schedule:

● 11 April: Ice Dance/Short Dance, Women/Short Program, Men/Short Program
● 12 April: Pairs/Short Program, Ice Dance/Free Dance, Men/Free Skate
● 13 April: Pairs/Free Skate, Women/Free Skate

There are six competing teams, chosen on the basis of a points system that incorporates the World Championships, World Junior Championships, the European Champs and Four Continents and the Grand Prix season. The qualifiers:

1. 9,038 Russia
2. 7,752 United States
3. 6,991 Japan
4. 5,541 France
5. 4,344 Italy
6. 4,217 Canada

The teams include two men’s skaters, two women’s skaters plus one Pairs and one Ice Dance team, for a total of eight skaters. They will score points from 12 down to one in each phase (short program and free skate) of each discipline and the total will decide the overall winner.

Is this event important? Not really, but the skaters report that it’s fun and it is a rare opportunity for a team competition, which is also part of the Olympic program now. There is also money attached: $200,000-170,000-160,000-150,000-140,000-130,000 for the teams placed 1-6, to be split equally among the eight skaters. So the winning team members each get $25,000 for their effort.

The U.S. has a formidable team and there are excellent entries in all four events. The top competitors, based on this season’s competitions:

Men:
● Nathan Chen (USA) ~ 2019 World Champion
● Vincent Zhou (USA) ~ 2019 Worlds bronze medalist
● Shoma Uno (JPN) ~ Fourth at the 2019 Worlds
● Matteo Rizzo (ITA) ~ Seventh at the 2019 Worlds
● Andrei Lazukin (RUS) ~ 10th at the 2019 Worlds

Women:
● Rika Kihira (JPN) ~ Fourth at 2019 Worlds
● Kaori Sakamoto (JPN) ~ Fifth at 2019 Worlds
● Elizaveta Tuktamysheva (RUS) ~ 2019 Grand Prix Final bronze medalist
● Bradie Tennell (USA) ~ Seventh at 2019 Worlds
● Sofia Samodurova (RUS) ~ Eighth at 2019 Worlds
● Mariah Bell (USA) ~ Ninth at 2019 Worlds

Pairs:
● Natalia Zabiiako/Alexander Enbert (RUS) ~ 2019 Worlds bronze medalists
● Vanessa James/Morgan Cipres (FRA) ~ Fifth at 2019 Worlds
● Ashley Cain/Tim LeDuc (USA) ~ Seventh at 2019 Worlds
● Nicole Della Monica/Matteo Guarise (ITA) ~ Eighth at 2019 Worlds
● Kirsten Moore-Towers/Michael Marinaro (CAN) ~ Seventh at 2019 Worlds

Ice Dance:
● Gabriella Papadakis/Guillaume Cizeron (FRA) ~ 2019 World Champions
● Victoria Sinitsina/Nikita Katsalapov (RUS) ~ 2019 Worlds silver medalists
● Madison Hubbell/Zachary Donohue (USA) ~ 2019 Worlds bronze medalists
● Kaitlyn Weaver/Andrew Poje (CAN) ~ Fifth at 2019 Worlds
● Charlene Guignard/Marco Fabbri (ITA) ~ Seventh at 2019 Worlds

The U.S. appears to have the best-balanced team and looks poised to win the Team Trophy for the fourth time in its six editions. Japan won in 2017 (second title), with Russia second and the U.S. third. Chen and the Pairs entry of Cain/LeDuc return from that 2017 team.

The World Team Trophy is not being televised in the U.S. and is only available online. Look for results here.

LANE ONE: After 72 years, Olympic sports have finally caught up with Track & Field News

Rich Perelman

April 9, 2019

The newest tool for promoting athletes in Olympic sports was pioneered 72 years ago in San Bruno, California.

World rankings.

If you follow USA Wrestling’s impossibly comprehensive coverage of their sport at TheMat.com, you know that the first men’s Freestyle Rankings for 2019 appeared on Tuesday, continuing its ranking program that started at least as far back as 2001.

Wrestling’s international federation, United World Wrestling, adopted a world ranking program as part of its revision of the sport – in order to stay in the Olympic Games – in February 2018.

Archery has world rankings. So does badminton, modern pentathlon and table tennis. The world rankings in fencing and judo are so deeply ingrained in their competition platforms that they are posted with each athlete’s name in the entry lists for World Cup and Grand Prix competitions. And, of course, all of the team sports have them.

These are all fairly new. Professional tennis was an early adopter of the concept, beginning back in 1973.

But the idea came from a tiny, start-up magazine covering track & field back in 1947. The T&FN Web site explains:

“The first-ever Rankings, for the ‘47 season (men only), were the brainchild of T&FN cofounder Cordner Nelson. The next year he handed the task off to stat legends R.L. Quercetani & Don Potts, who shepherded the project for the next three decades.

“In ’56, Czechoslovakia’s Jan Popper began parallel women’s Rankings; these were folded into the T&FN family in the early ’80s.”

Nelson’s idea was not to establish a rolling series of rankings that would establish who was the “best” at any moment in time. Instead, the concept was to grade out the best athletes in a single year, one against another.

That’s a little different than the intent of the rankings from most of today’s federations, who carry rankings from year to year. Most are based on a computer-generated points system which pre-assigns values to specific competitions, usually based on their level. A victory in the Olympic Games or World Championships means a lot more than at a Pan American Championship or a World Cup, and so on down the line.

But that’s not how T&FN’s World Rankings work. And the magazine’s criteria are better. As has been the case since the beginning, the T&FN World Rankings are based on three simple criteria, in descending order of importance:

1. Honors won.
2. Head-to-head records with other athletes.
3. Sequence of marks.

As the January 1964 edition of T&FN further explained, “Ranking is not based on the best mark for each man, nor are the athletes listed in the order in which the compilers believe they would finish in an idealized contest.”

That’s clear. It’s not at all clear what the rankings posted by international federations mean, other than that someone has the most points at a given time.

The beauty of the T&FN rankings concept is that it rewards not only winning (or placing high), but who you beat, in what meet and when. For someone to set a world record early in the season is noteworthy, but if they faded into obscurity as the season went on and then performed miserably in the championship meets, their ranking would be low (or none).

For an athlete who built on success during the season, rose to greatness as the competition got tougher and reached their peak at the height of the season, they receive the highest standing.

That’s hard to program into a computer, but a very human approach to who did best in a given year or season. And that’s why it’s better, then and now.

It took more than 70 years, but the governing body of track & field, the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) – finally got around to adopting the idea last year and introducing its own ranking system in 2019. It has some serious flaws – we noted them previously – but will be used, in part, for entry into the 2020 Olympic Games and for the World Championships beginning in 2021.

But the IAAF approach is once again computer-driven and fails to recognize the importance of specific competitions which may be critical in a specific year, but not in other years.

Wouldn’t it be better for a federation ranking system to be based on a two-layer approach, using a computer-generated points system for a first listing, then reviewed by actual experts in the sport? That would certainly make for more interest, since it’s hard to argue with a computer, but more interesting (and fun) to argue with “experts.”

(There is also another approach, which is used by the Federation Internationale de Ski, which compiles World Cup standings on an annual basis only, but has a ranking system to determine who has priority in race draws, the infamous “World Cup Start List” rankings.)

Strangely, the term “world rankings” means something entirely different in swimming. For the aquatics federation, FINA, the term “world rankings” simply means the best times in each year, one per swimmer per event. This is clearly objective, but hardly exciting. In a time when there are new promotional energies in swimming, it might behoove the FINA to check into how an actual merit-ranking system might work and attach annual awards (and money) to such a program.

Gymnastics has nothing like this at all, but this makes some sense in that many of the top gymnasts appear so rarely during the year. A “season” which includes just a handful of performances is hard to rank, but it’s worth noting that T&FN faces the same issues with ranking marathoners annually and still makes that work.

Known as the Bible of the Sport almost since its beginning in the 1940s, T&FN carries on today and its annual merit rankings are a far more precise tool to measure achievement that the IAAF’s multi-million-dollar project, or those of other federations.

At their best, T&FN’s World Rankings are both a reference point and the starting line for heated arguments. Isn’t that what the federations really want?

Rich Perelman
Editor

ICE HOCKEY: U.S. women rocket through Group A, start playoffs on Thursday vs. Japan

Rich Perelman

April 9, 2019

tsx pix 2019-409 carpenter alex vs rus 750 — Alex Carpenter leads the break for the U.S with Amanda Kessel on her right (Photo: USA Hockey)

The four-time defending World Champion U.S. women finished the round-robin action in the 2019 IIHF World Championships in Espoo (FIN) as the definite favorites to reach the championship final for the 19th straight time.

The American squad wasn’t just undefeated (4-0); they pounded their opposition by 27:4 in goals, with one close game: a 3-2 win over arch-rival Canada. The final group standings:

● Group A:
1. 12 points: United States (4-0)
2. 9 points: Canada (3-1)
3. 6 points: Finland (2-2)
4. 3 points: Russia (1-3)
5. 0 points: Switzerland (0-4)

● Group B:
1. 12 points: Czech Republic (4-0)
2. 6 points: Germany (1-1 + 1 overtime win + 1 overtime loss)
3. 6 points: Japan (1-1 + 1 overtime win + 1 overtime loss)
4. 4 points: Sweden (1-2 + 1 overtime loss)
5. 2 points: France (0-3 + 1 overtime win)

In the IIHF’s odd playoff system, all five Group A teams qualify for the quarterfinals, as do the top three teams in Group B. So:

● 11 April: United States vs. Japan
● 11 April: Russia vs. Switzerland

● 11 April: Canada vs. Germany
● 11 April: Finland vs. Czech Republic

The semis will be played on 13 April and the medal matches on the 14th. In terms of the match-ups through the semis, the U.S. did not play Japan (in Group B), but smashed Russia, 10-0, and defeated the Swiss, 8-0.

To no one’s surprise, the U.S. and Canada dominate the scoring charts, and the U.S. has three of the top five scorers in the tournament so far:

1. 7 points: Kendall Coyne Schofield (USA: 4 goals + 3 assists)
1. 7 points: Natalie Spooner (CAN: 4+3)
3. 6 points: Alex Carpenter (USA: 2+4)
3. 6 points: Brianne Jenner (CAN: 2+4)
5. 5 points: Hilary Knight (USA: 4+1)

In terms of the overall team performance, the U.S. is 27-4 in goal differential and Canada is 19-5. The U.S. has had Alex Rigsby in goal for the wins over Finland, Canada and Switzerland; Olympic hero Maddie Rooney was in goal for the shutout against Russia.

Canada had Emerance Maschmeyer between the pipes for the loss to the U.S. (3-2), Genevieve Lacasse for the 5-1 win over Russia and Shannon Szabados for the opening shutout vs. the Swiss (6-0) and the 6-1 win over Finland.

Click here for the U.S. schedule and game times on the NHL Network; look for game results here.

MODERN PENTATHLON Preview: World Champs Cooke and Protopenko back in action in Bulgaria

Rich Perelman

April 9, 2019

tsx pix 2019-409 cooke, james 750 (uipm-virag busa) — Great Britain's 2018 World Champion James Cooke (Photo: UIPM/Virag Buza)

The second leg of the 2019 UPIM World Cup is in Sofia (BUL), with strong fields for both men and women. The top entries:

Men:
● James Cooke (GBR) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2016 World Cup Final winner
● Valentin Prades (FRA) ~ 2016 World Champion; 2018 Worlds silver
● Ahmed Elgendy (EGY) ~ 2018 World Junior Champion
● Arthur Lanigan-O’Keefe (IRL) ~ 2018 World Cup Final bronze
● Ilya Palazkov (BLR) ~ 2018 World Cup Final fourth
● Woongtae Jun (KOR) ~ 2018 World Cup Final silver
● Jin-Hwa Jun (KOR) ~ 2017 World Champion; 2016 Worlds bronze

Women:
● Anastasiya Protopenko (BLR) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2017 Worlds bronze
● Laura Asadauskaite (LTU) ~ 2012 Olympic Champion; 2013 World Champion
● Uliana Batashova (RUS) ~ 2019 Cairo World Cup winner
● Natalya Coyle (IRL) ~ 2019 Cairo World Cup runner-up
● Marie Oteiza (FRA) ~ 2018 European Champion
● Kate French (GBR) ~ 2018 European Championships silver
● Gulnaz Gubaydullina (RUS) ~ 2017 World Champion

The World Cup is part of a long road to the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2020. Cooke was something of a surprise winner at last year’s Worlds, so his form will be carefully watched.

Protopenko could be in a final-event sprint with 2012 Olympic champ Asadauskaite (LTU), who is still in good form at 35. Both are renowned for their finishing speed on the Laser Run. Look for results here.

CURLING Preview: Final “regular season” tournament in Grand Slam of Curling in Toronto for the Players Championship

Rich Perelman

April 9, 2019

tsx pix 2019-409 pinty's cup trophy 750 — The Pinty's Cup trophy (Photo: Grand Slam of Curling/Anil Mungal)

The first five legs of the Grand Slam of Curling act as qualifiers for the Champions Cup and the last chance to get into the season finale comes this week at Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto (CAN) with the Players Championship.

This is the 27th edition of the Players, which began in 1993, and the first Grand Slam event since January and figures to be hotly contested given the quality of teams, including (listed by skip):

Men:
● Brendan Bottcher (CAN) ~ 2019 Meridian Canadian Open winners
● Peter de Cruz (SUI) ~ 2018 Winter Olympic bronze medalist
● Niklas Edin (SWE) ~ Four-time World Champion (including 2019)
● John Epping (CAN) ~ 2019 Masters Champion
● Brad Gushue (CAN) ~ 2017 World Champion
● Glenn Howard (CAN) ~ 2012 World Champion
● Brad Jacobs (CAN) ~ 2014 Olympic Champion
● Kevin Koe ( CAN) ~ 2010 and 2016 World Champion; 2019 runner-up

Women:
● Satsuki Fujisawa (JPN) ~ 2018 Winter Olympic bronze medalists
● Anna Hasselborg (SWE) ~ 2018 Winter Olympic gold; 2018-19 Worlds silvers
● Silvana Tirinzoni (SUI) ~ 2019 World Champions
● Rachel Homan (CAN) ~ 2017 World Champions; 2014 Worlds silver
● Jennifer Jones (CAN) ~ 2018 World Champions; 2015 Worlds silver

The Players Championship will also decide the Pinty’s Cup trophy for the top rinks in the series. Gushue leads a very tight men’s race with 34 points, followed by Koe (31), Epping (30), Jacobs (29) and Howard (25). Scoring for the Players is 25-19-15 for the top three places and 11 for the quarterfinalists.

The women’s race looks to belong to Homan (52), followed by Hasselborg and Tirinzoni (30), then Jones (26) and Kerri Einarson (CAN: 19).

By the way, if you haven’t been following ice hockey, then you should know that the Ryerson’s Mattamy Athletic Centre was know for decades as … Maple Leaf Gardens. Look for results here.

BADMINTON Preview: All five no. 1-ranked players and teams in Singapore Open

Rich Perelman

April 9, 2019

The BWF World Tour’s Asian swing continues this week at the Singapore Indoor Stadium for the Singapore Open, held continuously since 1987. It has hosted many of the top players each year and 2019 is no exception: all five of players or teams ranked no. 1 in the BWF World Rankings are entered and at the top of the seedings:

● Men’s Singles:
1. Kento Momota (JPN)
2. Tien Chen Chou (TPE)
3. Viktor Axelsen (DEN)

● Men’s Doubles:
1. Marcus Fernaldi Gideon/Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo (INA)
2. Junhui Li/Yuchen Liu (CHN)
3. Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (JPN)

● Women’s Singles:
1. Tzu Ying Tai (TPE)
2. Nozomi Okuhara (JPN)
3. Akane Yamaguchi (JPN)

● Women’s Doubles:
1. Yuki Fukushima/Sayaka Hirota (JPN)
2. Misaki Matsutomo/Ayaka Takahashi (JPN)
3. Mayu Matsumoto/Wakana Nagihara (JPN)

● Mixed Doubles:
1. Siwei Zhang/Yaqiong Huang (CHN)
2. Yuta Watanabe/Arisa Higashino (JPN)
3. Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA)

The men’s Singles tournament is especially noteworthy, with the 2008-12 Olympic champ, Dan Lin (CHN) and Rio winner Long Chen (CHN) also in the field. They faced off in the final of last week’s Malaysia Open, with Lin the winner after battling injuries for more than a year.

There are four defending champions returning: Chou in men’s Singles, Japan’s Sayaka Takahashi in women’s Singles, Ayako Sakuramoto/Yukiko Takahata (JPN) in women’s Doubles and Soon Huat Goh/Shevon Jemie Lai (MAS) in Mixed Doubles.

Former champs in the field include B. Sai Praneeth (IND: 2017) and Momota (2015) in the men’s Singles and Ratchanok Intanon (THA: 2016) and Tai (2017) in the women’s Singles.

Prize money for this Super 500-level tournament has $26,625-13,490-5,147.50 for the top three places in Singles (and more down to 32nd place) and $28,045-13,490-4,970 for the Doubles medal winners (and on down to 32nd). Look for results here.

SWIMMING Preview: World leaders Ledecky and Flickinger headline Tyr Pro Swim Series 3

Rich Perelman

April 9, 2019

tsx pix 120218 flickinger hali 750 (Red&Blk) — U.S. swim star Hali Flickinger

The third leg of the Tyr Pro Swim Series comes this week in Richmond, Virginia and the Collegiate School Aquatic Center, beginning on Wednesday (10th) with the 800 m Freestyles and following with full programs from Thursday through Saturday.

When we last left the Tyr Pro Swim Series in Des Moines, Iowa in early March, there were 11 new world-leading marks in the meet, and 10 of those by American swimmers. Coming into this week’s event, American swimmers head the world list in just three events: the 400 m and 1,500 m Frees (Katie Ledecky) and the 200 m Butterfly (Hali Flickinger).

The late March and early April rush of national championships in Europe and Asia have re-written the world lists, but with the World Championships not until July and the U.S. team selected off of the 2018 National Championships, it’s still training time for the top Americans.

The top entries for Richmond, subject to scratches, of course:

Men:
● Michael Andrew ~ 50 m Free, 50-100 m Back, 50-100 m Breast, 50-100 m Fly, 200 m Medley
● Jack Conger ~ 200 m Free, 50-100 m Back, 100 m Fly
● Kevin Cordes ~ 50-100-200 m Breast
● Caeleb Dressel ~ 50-100-200 m Free, 100 m Breast, 50-100 m Fly, 200 m Medley
● Matt Grevers ~ 50-100 m Back
● Zane Grothe ~ 200-400-800-1,500 m Free
● Chase Kalisz ~ 200 m Breast, 200 m Fly, 200-400 m Medley
● Cody Miller ~ 50-100-200 m Breast
● Ryan Murphy ~ 100-200 m Free, 50-100-200 m Back

Women:
● Madisyn Cox ~ 200-400 m Free, 200 m Back, 100-200 m Breast, 200-400 m Medley
● Kelsi Dahlia ~ 50 m Free, 50-100-200 m Fly
● Ella Eastin ~ 200 m Free, 100-200 m Back, 100-200 m Fly, 200-400 m Medley
● Hali Flickinger ~ 200-400 m Free, 100-200 m Back, 100-200 m Fly, 200-400 m Medley
● Annie Lazor ~ 50-100-200 m Breast
● Katie Ledecky ~ 50-100-200-400-800 m Free, 200-400 m Medley
● Simone Manuel ~ 50-100-200 m Free, 100 m Back
● Katie Meili ~ 50 m Free, 50-100 m Breast
● Leah Smith ~ 100-200-400-800 m Free, 200-400 m Medley
● Olivia Smoliga ~ 50-100 m Free, 50-100-200 m Back

There actually is a limit of seven events per swimmer, so Andrew (8) and Flickinger (8) will have to cut at least one of their events.

Prize money of $1,500-1,000-500 will be available in all Olympic-event finals. The meet will be televised on Friday and Saturday on NBC’s Olympic Channel starting at 6 p.m. Eastern time. Look for results here.

THE BIG PICTURE: Swedish government gets behind the Stockholm-Are bid … sort of

Rich Perelman

April 9, 2019

In what was essentially a fish-or-cut bait scenario, the Swedish national government finally indicated that it would supply the necessary guarantees to support the Stockholm-Are bid, with a formal announcement coming soon.

Following up on the support announced by the Italian government for the Milan-Cortina bid last week, the Swedish reply was muted. While the actual language of the guarantees was not provided, the GamesBids.com site quoted a news release from the Green-Blue ruling coalition and Stockholm Mayor Anna Koenig Jerlmyr:

“I welcome the government’s message to enter into financial guarantees for security.”

“The city welcomes major international arrangements and will, on market terms, rent out our facilities and lend the necessary land.

“The important thing is that a possible Winter Olympics 2026 does not burden Stockholm’s taxpayers.”

The details will still be important, ahead of the vote of the International Olympic Committee on 24 June in Lausanne (SUI). The Swedish bid faces two complicating issues not in play in Italy:

(1) The sliding sports – bobsleigh, luge and skeleton – will be held in Latvia, at the famed track in Sigulda, a perennial World Cup venue for the IBSF and FIL. The Latvian government is supportive, but this is a new concept for the Winter Games.

(2) Public support in Sweden is hardly solid, especially as compared to Italy. The IOC Working Group report from last September showed that, according to its own polling, support for the 2026 Games was just 46-24% across Sweden, compared to 81-6% across Italy.

Moreover, a Green-Blue statement issued today also noted that “the City of Stockholm will, however, not allocate any financial or personnel resources, or otherwise shoulder any formal responsibility for hosting or to arrange such Winter games, if they would be arranged in Sweden in 2026.”

It leaves the IOC with a fascinating choice, to go to Sweden, with a population lukewarm to the Games and a hostile political situation, or Italy, which seems to want the Games and resists only the imposition of any financial burden.

Game on!

ATHLETICS Panorama: Ten more world leaders, including 21.91 m (71-10 3/4) for Tom Walsh

Rich Perelman

April 8, 2019

tsx pix 2019-408 cunliffe, chloe 750 — New American Junior Record holder in the pole vault: Chloe Cunliffe, headed to Washington State

As the outdoor season gets going, there are plenty of new, outdoor world-leading marks, but hardly any to really be excited about.

Of 10 outdoor leaders over the last weekend, the best was a victory for Commonwealth Games champion Tom Walsh (NZL) in the Australian Nationals in Sydney, reaching 21.91 m (71-10 3/4). Good, but sure to be surpassed soon. Among the other world leaders:

Men:
● 400 m: 44.81, Tyrell Richard (USA)
● High Jump: 2.31 m (7-7), Michael Mason (CAN)
● Decathlon: 8,060, Karl Richard Saluri (EST)

Women:
● 1,500 m: 4:11.74, Chloe Tighe (AUS)
● Mile: 4:41.03, Chrystal Aluya (USA)
● 100 m Hurdles: 12.87, Chanel Brissett (USA)
● Long Jump: 6.81 m (22-4 1/4), Naa Anang (AUS)
● Shot: 19.67 m (64-6 1/2), Chase Ealey (USA)
● Hammer: 76.23 m (250-1), Gwen Berry (USA)

On the roads, Kenyan Edward Cheserek equaled the world record for 5 km, running 13:29 to win the Carlsbad 5k, tying him with Julien Wanders (SUI), who won in Monaco in February. The distance was only approved for world-record status last year, and will be lowered considerably in 2019.

If you’re looking for a dark horse for the 2020 U.S. Olympic team, you might consider West Seattle High School’s Chloe Cunliffe.

She cleared an American Junior Record (and U.S. high school record) of 4.47 m (14-8) to win the Arcadia Invitational over the weekend, breaking the mark of 4.46 m (14-7 1/2) by Lexi Weeks (now Lexi Jacobus) in 2015.

What makes Cunliffe’s performance so interesting is that a year after Weeks set her 2015 record, she made the U.S. team at the Olympic Trials as an Arkansas frosh. And she did it by clearing 4.70 m (15-5), exactly the new standard needed by the IAAF to compete in the 2020 Games.

Cunliffe has signed a National Letter of Intent to attend Washington State. Can she repeat Weeks’s feat?

The IAAF’s Athletics Integrity Unit posted two more Russian doping cases last week and released a notice of a third suspension:

● Sergey Bakulin, a 2012 Olympian with a 2008 best of 1:18:18 in the 20 km Walk; he already served a doping suspension from December 2012 to February 2016.

● Kseniya Savina, an 800 m runner with a best of 1:59:97 from 2017; her offense was for “tampering and complicity.”

● Aleksei Savin, the husband of Savina, also for “tampering and complicity.”

Savina, 29, was a Ukrainian until changing her allegiance to Russia in June of 2014. She was reported to have “used the Ukrainian passport of a childhood friend from Crimea to compete internationally because the IAAF suspended Russia in 2015 for running a state-backed doping program.”

She was already suspended from June 2018, per the AIU, “on a separate charge of the presence of a prohibited substance.”

The AIU finally posted the doping suspension of American long jump star Jarrion Lawson, who was reported to have tested positive for the steroid trenbolone last year. The silver medalist at the 2017 World Championships, Lawson’s next step is to have his case heard by the IAAF’s Disciplinary Tribunal.

USA Track & Field made a surprise announcement last Thursday that “USATF and NYC Parks have agreed to defer hosting the previously awarded 2020 USATF Indoor Track & Field Championships at NYC Parks’ Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex to a later date.”

There was a two-year deal in place for the USATF Indoor Nationals to be held at the facility, but the Staten Island Advance reported that “A source with knowledge of the situation told the Advance on Thursday, that the “USATF made beyond exorbitant money demands from Ocean Breeze and the local organizing committee with a date ultimatum to comply by and the Parks said that was unacceptable.”

The meet had been held at the Albuquerque (New Mexico) Convention Center in 2011-12-13-14-17-18, in the Boston (Mass.) area in 2015 and the Oregon Convention Center, in Portland, in 2016. They may have gotten a call from Indianapolis already.

CYCLING Preview: A British battle for the Itzulia Basque Country?

Rich Perelman

April 8, 2019

The sixth multi-stage race in the 2019 UCI World Tour is the Itzulia Basque Country, a six-leg race through northeast Spain that traces its roots all the way back to 1924.

No prior winner returns to this year’s race – also known as the Tour of the Basque Country – but there are five former medal winners in the race:

● Sergio Henao (COL) ~ Second in 2015 and 2016; third in 2013
● Michal Kwiatkowski (POL) ~ Second in 2014
● Mikel Landa (ESP) ~ Second in 2018
● Ion Izagirre (ESP) ~ Third in 2017 and 2018
● Blake Mollema (NED) ~ Third in 2012

So who’s the favorite? Based on form, the race could shape up as a battle of British riders, notably Adam Yates, runner-up in the Tirreno-Adriatico and in the Volta a Catalunya, both in March of this year, and the reigning Tour de France champ, Geraint Thomas, who didn’t finish at the Tirreno-Adriatico last month.

Also among the favored is France’s Julian Alaphilippe, who won the Strade Bianche and Milan-Sanremo, one of only three men to win more than once on the 2019 World Tour. Jakob Fuglsang (DEN), second at Strade Bianche and third at Tirreno-Adriatico, also must be counted among those to watch.

After the opening Time Trial, won by German Maximilian Schachmann on Monday, this is a climber’s race and Colombia’s Henao figures to be exceedingly dangerous, having finished on the podium in three of the last six years. Stage summaries:

UCI World Tour/Itzulia Basque Country
Spain ~ 8-13 April 2019
(Full results here)

Stage 2 (149.5 km): Zumarraga to Goraiz (hilly)
Stage 3 (191.4 km): Sarriguren to Estibaliz (mountains)
Stage 4 (163.6 km): Vitoria to Arrigorriaga (hilly)
Stage 5 (149.8 km): Arrigorriaga to Arrate (mountain finish)
Stage 6 (118.2 km): Eibar to Eibar (mountains)

STAT PACK: Results for the week of 1-7 April 2019

Rich Perelman

April 8, 2019

The Stat Pack: a summary of results of international Grand Prix, World Cup and World Championships events, plus U.S. domestic events and Pan American championships events of note.

In this week’s issue are reports on 16 events in 11 sports:

● Artistic Swimming: FINA World Series
● Athletics: IAAF Race Walk Challenge
● Badminton: BWF World Tour/Malaysia Open
● Curling: WCF men’s World Championship
● Cycling: Dwars door Vlaanderen, Ronde van Vlaanderen, and more
● Equestrian: World Cup Dressage & Jumping Finals
● Golf: ANA Inspiration
● Gymnastics: FIG All-Around World Cup, FIG Rhythmic World Cup
● Judo: IJF World Tour/Antalya Open
● Rugby: HSBC Sevens Series/Hong Kong
● Sailing: 50th Trofeo Princess Sofia Olympic Classes Regatta

plus our calendar of upcoming events through 19 May. Click below for the PDF:

[wpdm_package id=12354 template=”link-template-button-popup.php”]

ARTISTIC SWIMMING: Five wins for Ukraine and seven medals for Canada’s Simoneau

Rich Perelman

April 8, 2019

tsx pix 2019-408 simoneau, jacqueline 750 — Canada's Pan American Games gold medalist Jacqueline Simoneau

The second leg of the FINA Artistic Swimming World Series in Greece was a showcase for the Ukraine, but the big individual winner was Canada’s Jacqueline Simoneau.

Simoneau, the 2015 Pan American PAG Duet and Team gold medalist, won the Solo Technical competition and then took home six other medals. She won bronze in the Solo Free, then two more bronzes in the Duet events with Claudia Holzner, and was a part of Canada’s gold and two silvers in the various team competitions.

Ukraine’s entries won the Team Technical and Team Highlight events and Marta Fiedina won two golds in the Solo Free event and with Anastasiya Savchuk in the Duet Technical. Sisters Vladyslava and Maryna Aleksiiva won the Duet Free. Summaries:

FINA Artistic Swimming World Series
Alexandroupolis (GRE) ~ 6-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Solo Technical: 1. Jacqueline Simoneau (CAN), 87.8487; 2. Evangelia Platanioti (GRE), 87.5534; 3. Marlene Bojer (GER), 76.9753.

Solo Free: 1. Marta Fiedina (UKR), 92.7000; 2. Linda Cerruti (ITA), 90.1667; 3. Simoneau (CAN), 90.0000,

Duet Technical: 1. Marta Fiedina/Anastasiya Savchuk (UKR), 91.4462; 2. Linda Cerruti/Costannza Ferro (ITA), 88.6696; 3. Claudia Holzner/Jacqueline Simoneau (CAN), 87.3405.

Duet Free: 1. Vladyslava Aleksiiva/Maryna Aleksiiva (UKR), 92.8000; 2. Cerruti/Ferro (ITA), 90.1000; 3. Holzner/Simoneau (CAN), 89.1667.

Team Technical: 1. Ukraine, 91.7261; 2. Canada, 86.6664; 3. Greece, 85.6633.

Team Free: 1. Canada, 88.8000; 2. Greece, 87.0333; 3. Israel, 83.7000.

Team Free Combination: 1. Israel, 84.7667; 2. Greece, 82.9667; 3. Hungary, 77.2000.

Team Highlight: 1. Ukraine, 93.3330; 2. Canada, 89.3333; 3. Greece, 84.5333.

Mixed Duet Technical: 1. Atsushi Abe/Yumi Adachi (JPN), 85.4462; 2. Kristina Averina/Mikhail Vasilev (RUS), 81.8957; only entrants.

Mixed Duet Free: 1. Manila Flamini/Giorgio Minisini (ITA), 90.1000; 2. Abe/Adachi (JPN), 87.5333; 3. Averina/Vasilev (RUS), 85.1000.

SPEED READ: Headlines from The Sports Examiner for Monday, 8 April 2019

Rich Perelman

April 8, 2019

Welcome to The Sports Examiner SPEED READ, a 100 mph (44.7 m/s) review of what happened over the last 72 hours in Olympic sport:

LANE ONE

Monday: Does track & field matter? UCLA’s gymnastics program shows it could, IF they can learn from what retiring UCLA coach Valorie Kondos Field did to create what has now become a media machine!

BADMINTON

Sunday: Fabulous showdown in the men’s Singles final of the Malaysia Open, where 2008 and 2012 Olympic champion Dan Lin (CHN) faced down 2016 Olympic gold winner Long Chen (CHN)! Plus a third straight Malaysia Open title for Chinese Taipei’s Tzu Ying Tai.

CURLING

Sunday: Sweden is now the power in men’s curling, as Niklas Edin collected his fourth world title as skip of the Swedish rink, defeating Canada’s Kevin Koe in the Worlds finals in Lethbridge, Canada, 7-2.

CYCLING

Sunday: The 103rd running of the Ronde van Vlaanderen – the Tour of Flanders – ended with Italy’s Alberto Bettiol winning first career World Tour race! Wow! The women’s Ronde van Vlaanderen was won by another Italian, World Tour leader Marta Bastianelli, the only women to beat the Dutch riders this season.

And American Kate Courtney easily won the Pan American Mountain Bike Cross Country title, in a 1-2 with teammate Erin Huck, in Aguascalientes (MEX).

EQUESTRIAN

Sunday: Germany’s Isabell Werth, now 49, was never better in winning her fifth World Cup Dressage title in Goteborg (SWE), finishing just ahead of American Laura Graves for the third year in a row. In the World Cup Jumping Final, Swiss Steve Guerdat won his third title, but needed a perfect final run to do it!

FOOTBALL

Sunday: The U.S. women had an easy time – as expected – with no. 20 Belgium, winning 6-0 at the Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. The first four goals were all on headers!

GYMNASTICS

Sunday: The U.S. had a good day at the FIG All-Around World Cup in Tokyo, winning both the men’s competition (Sam Mikulak) and women’s (Morgan Hurd). Impressive!

Sunday: Russia essentially owns Rhythmic Gymnastics and the current superstars are Dina and Arina Averina and they dominated the first Rhythmic World Cup in Italy, as Russia swept all eight events.

ICE HOCKEY

Sunday: The women’s World Championship is continuing in Espoo (FIN), but the U.S. women are flying, winning their first three games impressively, defeating Finland, Canada (!) and Switzerland. In terms of goals, it’s U.S. 17, opponents 4 (so far).

JUDO

Sunday: The Antalya Grand Prix in Turkey had three Olympic gold medalists entered, but none of them won. But Korea’s World Champion Chang-Rim An did win the men’s -73 kg class, and the leading medal winner was Georgia, with five.

RUGBY

Sunday: Fiji won the Hong Kong round of the World Rugby Sevens Series for the fifth year in a row, but the U.S. finished third and continues to lead the seasonal series, with three legs to go!

UPCOMING

Highlights of the coming week, with lots of coverage in the coming days on TheSportsExaminer.com:

● Figure Skating: The season ends with the World Team Trophy in Fukuoka (JPN);

● Shooting: The ISSF Shotgun World Cup – with Olympic qualification places on the line – gets going in the UAE,

● Swimming: The third Tyr Pro Swim Series in Richmond, Virginia starts 10 April.

Off the field will be the IOC Athletes Forum in Lausanne, starting on 13 April!

LANE ONE: Does track & field matter? UCLA’s gymnastics program shows it could, IF…

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 kondos field, val 750 — Legendary UCLA women's gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field (Photo: UCLA)

To produce this site, with coverage of 41 different sports, there’s a lot of reading involved.

One of the best newsletters I see is the monthly news summary provided by the Track & Field Writers of America (TAFWA). The new April issue included a disturbing Tweet and reply concerning the recent NCAA Indoor Championships in Birmingham, Alabama.

The initial comment came from former 100 m world-record holder Leroy Burrell, now the head coach at the University of Houston:

“Day 1 of the NCAA Indoor Track & Field Champs starts today in Birmingham. One local morning newscast covered a gymnastics tourney, AAF football game, a local soccer team but ZERO coverage of the National Champs meet. Our sport MUST demand more or it will keep getting less.”

This from the coach of powerful teams which finished second (men) and 15th (women) at the NCAA meet. Burrell didn’t have to wait long for a response, which came from Tom Lewis of the U.S. Track & Field & Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA):

“Sad to say, but these days, it matters completely who’s hosting – a campus or a building.

“A campus and home SIDs, have way more influence on local media than a building with folks that put up a few banners while collecting tourism dollars.

“Ground hustle matters.”

At exactly the same time, an amazing example of what promotion can do is playing out in Los Angeles, as the UCLA women’s gymnastics team is nearing the end of their stunning 2019 season.

Already the reigning national champions after getting a 10.0 on their final routine of last year’s NCAA Championship from Christine Peng Peng Lee to win the title, the buzz about the Bruins had been building into 2019 when long-time coach Valorie Kondos Field announced that the 2019 season – her 29th – would be her last.

But those elements didn’t bring more than modest media attention in Los Angeles. But then the area media – especially the Los Angeles Times – suddenly began covering the Bruin women this spring as if they were the storied UCLA men’s basketball team: full previews of upcoming meets, lengthy game stories and in-depth features.

What happened?

The reality is that Kondos Field – better known as Miss Val on campus – has worked for years to get the program to the level of notoriety that it enjoys today. Her effort, aided immeasurably by the quality of her championship-level team, produced sensational crowds at 13,000-seat Pauley Pavilion for their five home meets this season:

● Jan. 04: 5,440 vs. Nebraska (Season opener)
● Jan. 21: 10,270 vs. Arizona State (Miss Val mint tin giveaway)
● Feb. 16: 10,232 vs. Arizona (NCAA Championships pin giveaway)
● Mar. 10: 12,927 vs. Stanford (UCLA Gymnastics bracelet giveaway)
● Mar. 15: 12,270 vs. Utah State (Miss Val tote bag giveaway)

Full house for a Bruins home gymnastics meet at Pauley Pavilion

That’s an average of 10,228, compared with the men’s basketball average, over 18 games, of 8,269.

Let’s be clear: that didn’t happen because of the coverage in The Times. Instead, the enhanced coverage came because people were interested and it was a story that had to be covered.

How did Kondos Field do it?

First and foremost, it was a lot of work. Second, Kondos Field assembled an outstanding team whose performances last season – including some that earned 10.00 scores that went viral – began to generate significant buzz through their posting on social media, especially Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest, plus lots and lots of video.

And then there was the groundwork. Kondos Field and her team made sure that within the greater Los Angeles area, there wasn’t a gym club that hadn’t been invited to come to a meet, that hadn’t received ticket offers or opportunities to meet the Bruins.

At the meets, in addition to the giveaways – which were limited to keep costs down – there were also autograph sessions and chances to meet the Bruins after the meet was over. True, this is also a fabulous recruiting tool, but is also how a fan base is expanded. Kondos Field created a fast, frenzied, fun atmosphere and then kept adding to it.

This is difficult, time-consuming and numbing, year after year. But Kondos Field believed in it, believed in her team and believed in the show – and gymnastics under Miss Val is a show – that she was putting on.

Moreover, because the Bruin gymnastics team had a schedule of scored meets, it was clear to the spectators whether they did well or did poorly. They won or they lost, and the situation was posted on the scoreboard for everyone to see, as the meet progressed. And when the Bruins started scoring 10.00s again and again – 21 so far this season – the ohh-and-ahh factor exploded … as did the attendance.

Contrast that with track & field, which has so few scholarships at the college level that dual meets – the central focus in gymnastics – are almost impossible except for a few schools with large walk-on programs. And at the NCAA Championships, most fans have no clue what the team scoring situation is at any time during the meet.

Marketing experts talk endlessly about brand equity and why there are multiple variations of Cheerios and Crest, so that consumers will grab a trusted brand before trying a new one. With Kondos Field retiring, UCLA’s gymnastics program will be hard-pressed to retain its high profile, including in area news media next season. But that won’t be because the Bruins won’t be trying.

Track & field can once again receive more interest, raise its profile and enjoy more coverage. But it will come – and this is true for any sport, anywhere – because fans are already starting to pay attention, not because the mass media says so. That’s so 20th Century.

Burrell is right that T&F – along with other sports – need more attention. But it starts at each school, at each team and within the U.S. Olympic community, with each of the National Governing Bodies.

After the NCAA women’s Gymnastics Championships end in a couple of weeks, maybe Miss Val will have some time to help?

Rich Perelman
Editor

CURLING: Sweden (and Edin) score late to rout Koe’s Canada for men’s world title no. 4

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 edin, niklas 750 — Sweden's World Champion skip Niklas Edin

Sweden’s Niklas Edin showed once again that he leads the finest curling rink in the world with a masterful 7-2 victory over Kevin Koe and Canada in Sunday’s final of the men’s World Curling Championship in Lethbridge, Canada.

The Swedes were the best throughout the tournament, compiling an impressive 11-1 record in round-robin play, ahead of 9-3 marks for Canada, Switzerland and Japan. In the playoffs, Edin swept aside Yuta Matsumura’s Japan squad, 8-2 while Koe’s Canadians reached the final with a tight, 6-5 win over Peter de Cruz’s Swiss rink.

The U.S. squad, skipped by John Shuster, made the playoffs, but were eliminated in the qualification round by Japan, 6-5.

After de Cruz and the Swiss won the bronze-medal match by 8-4, Edin and Koe lined up as a clash of the titans. Koe skipped the 2010 and 2016 World Champions, while Edin had world titles of his won from 2013, 2015 and 2018.

The final started slowly. Koe posted a point in the third end and Sweden matched in the fourth. Canada scored in the fifth; the Swedes matched in the sixth, now 2-2.

Neither side scored in the seventh end, but Edin broke the game open in the eighth end, taking out two stones on the next-to-last shot and Koe unable to move either of Sweden’s stones away from the house, leaving the Swedes with a 4-2 lead.

In an almost identical situation in the ninth end, Koe failed to remove any of three Swedish stones and the triple gave the match to Edin, 7-2, for his fourth title as a skip.

It’s a remarkable turn in favor of Edin, who has now won four titles in the last seven years and three of the last five. At just 33, he’s going to be around for a while. Summaries:

WCF Men’s World Championships
Lethbridge (CAN) ~ 30 March-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings: 1. Sweden (Niklas Edin); 2. Canada (Kevin Koe); 3. Switzerland (Peter de Cruz); 4. Japan (Yuta Matsumura); 5. United States (John Shuster); 6. Scotland (Bruce Mouat). Non-playoff teams: 7. Italy (Joel Retornaz); 8. Germany (Marc Muskatewitz); 9. Russia (Sergey Glukhov); 10. Netherlands (Jaap van Dorp); 11. China (Qiang Zou); 12. Korea (Soo-Hyuk Kim). Playoffs/Qualification: Japan 7, United States 6; Canada 6, Scotland 5. Semis: Sweden 8, Japan 2; Canada 6, Switzerland 5. Third: Switzerland 8, Japan 4. Final: Sweden 7, Canada 2.

FOOTBALL: U.S. women use their heads, rout Belgium 6-0 in L.A. friendly

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 lloyd, carli 750 — Thanks for the memories: U.S. star striker Carli Lloyd

After the important 5-3 win over Australia in Colorado on Thursday, the first-ever meeting for the U.S. women with no. 20 Belgium on Sunday at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles figured to be light work.

It was.

The Red Flames were no match for the Americans, who maintained constant pressure from the first minute and had the game well in hand by the middle of the first half.

There were six line-up changes for the U.S., including placing Carli Lloyd into the starting list, as well as Ali Krieger as right back. Off a free kick in the 14th minute, Lloyd was closely marked, but still got her head on the ball and ripped it past Belgian keeper Nicky Evrard for a 1-0 lead. It was her 106th career goal for the U.S. But there were clearly more to come.

It only took six minutes for another Lloyd goal, on another header off a Crystal Dunn cross that found the right side of the Belgian goal. The lead grew to 3-0 in the 26th minute on a Lindsey Horan header into the right side of the net off another Press assist.

A laser off the head of Sam Mewis off an out-swinging Press corner kick sailed into the Belgian goal in the 33rd minute and the issue was well decided, all on headers.

U.S. coach Jill Ellis made a load of substitutions for the second half, but the scoring continued. Sub Alex Morgan scored her 101st career goal for the U.S. off a Lloyd pass into the box in the 52nd minute for a 5-0 lead. Belgium’s Janice Cayman hit the post in the 78th minute for the best chance for the Red Flames, but U.S. keepers Alyssa Naeher and Ashlyn Harris managed to post a shutout.

A last goal came in stoppage time, as another Press free kick found the head of Jessica McDonald in front of the goal and the ricochet popped over Evrard for the 6-0 final.

Belgium is not playing in the 2019 Women’s World Cup and the game was hardly the test that the prior six games this year – all against World Cup teams – have been. But it did showcase Lloyd’s skills and in a World Cup tournament that will have ups and downs, having someone of her talent available off the bench could end up being crucial.

After a 1-1-2 start, the U.S. women have won three in a row and scored 11 goals to three in those games. The U.S. women are off until their final tune-up series starting on 7 May in Santa Clara, California against South Africa, followed by games vs. New Zealand and Mexico.

JUDO: Korea’s An triumphs in Antalya Grand Prix as other stars fade

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 an chang-rim d rustov antalya (IJF gabriela sabau) — Korea's Chang-Rim An (white) on the way to winning the Antalya Open (Photo: IJF/Gabriela Sabau)

There were three Olympic gold medalists entered in the Antalya (TUR) Grand Prix and all of them lost. But the one World Champion in the field came through.

That would be Chang-Rim An of Korea, who collected the gold in the men’s -73kg category, who all six of his matches by ippon: quite impressive.

The Olympic gold winners – Lukas Krpalek (CZE), Rafaela Silva (BRA) and Tina Trstenjak (SLO) – had varying degrees of success. Krpalek finished third at +100 kg, but Silva was eliminated by eventual winner Julia Kowalczyk (POL) in round 3 at -57 kg, and Trstenjak did not compete after all in the -63 category.

Overall, Georgia ended up with five (1-2-2), including a victory from Luka Maisuradze at -81 kg, to lead the medal table. Brazil (0-1-3), Germany (1-0-3) and Azerbaijan (1-1-2) all had four. Summaries:

IJF World Tour/Antalya Grand Prix
Antalya (TUR) ~ 5-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men

-60 kg: 1. Yeldos Smetov (KAZ); 2. Kemran Nurillaev (UZB); 3. Ashley McKenzie (GBR) and Mihrac Akkus (TUR).

-66 kg: 1. Denis Vieru (MDA); 2. Mikhail Puliaev (RUS); 3. Bagrati Niniashvili (GEO) and Alberto Gaitero Martin (ESP).

-73 kg: 1. Changrim An (KOR); 2. Rustam Orujov (AZE); 3. Georgios Azoidis (GRE) and Guillaume Chaine (FRA).

-81 kg: 1. Luka Maisuradze (GEO); 2. Christian Parlati (ITA); 3. Khasan Khalmurzaev (RUS) and Antoine Valois-Fortier (CAN).

-90 kg: 1. Mikhail Ozerler (TUR); 2. Giorgi Papunashvili (GEO); 3. Komronshokh Ustopiriyon (TJK) and Avtandili Tchrikishvili (GEO).

-100 kg: 1. Alexandre Iddir (FRA); 2. Rafael Buzacarini (BRA); 3. Toma Nikiforov (BEL) and Elmar Gasimov (AZE).

+100 kg: 1. Roy Meyer (NED); 2. Levani Matiashvili (GEO); 3. Lukas Krpalek (CZE) and Vladut Simionescu (ROU).

Women

-48 kg: 1. Distria Krasniqi (KOS); 2. Otgonsetseg Galbadrakh (KAZ); 3. Milica Nikolic (SRB) and Yujeong Kang (KOR).

-52 kg: 1. Andreea Chitu (ROU); 2. Urantsetseg Munkhbat (MGL); 3. Gultaj Mammadeliyeva (AZE) and Larissa Pimenta (BRA).

-57 kg: 1. Julia Kowalczyk (POL); 2. Kaja Kajzer (SLO); 3. Mariia Skora (UKR) and Wen Chang (CHN).

-63 kg: 1. Maylin del Toro Carvajal (CUB); 2. Jing Tang (CHN); 3. Alice Schlesinger (GBR) and Amy Livesay (GBR).

-70 kg: 1. Elisavet Teltsidou (GRE); 2. Maria Portela (BRA); 3. Elvismar Rodriguez (VEN) and Miriam Butkereit (GER).

-78 kg: 1. Anna Maria Wagner (GER); 2. Kaliema Antomarchi (CUB); 3. Luise Malzahn (GER) and Anastasiya Turchyn (UKR).

+78 kg: 1. Iryna Kindzerska (AZE); 2. Beatriz Souza (BRA); 3. Kayra Sayit (TUR) and Jasmin Kuelbs (GER).

BADMINTON: Four golds for China and one for Taipei in Malaysia Open

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 dan lin malaysia open 750 — An emotional Dan Lin (CHN) contemplates his Malaysia Open victory (Photo: BWF)

Depending on how you look at it., China won four or all five divisions at the Malaysia Open in Kuala Lumpur, including a remarkable battle in the men’s Singles between the gold medalists at the last three Olympic Games.

That would be the legendary Dan Lin, now 35 and the winner in Beijing and London, and Long Chen, 30, the 2016 victor. Chen only lost one set on his way to the finals, but Lin labored more, with three of his first four matches going to three sets. In the final, Chen won the first set easily, 21-9, but then Lin came back with impressive 21-17 and 21-11 wins to claim the $49,000 first prize and his career title in the Malaysia Open.

“My performance last year was not ideal. As a result I was under a lot of pressure and I had doubts about myself,” said Lin afterwards. “I have been playing for so many years, now that I’m at the tail end of my career, I hope everyone can understand that it’s normal that my form fluctuates. I feel that I played well in this Malaysia Open because I was very determined, in good form and hungry for victory. I didn’t play at an exceptionally high level in this tournament, all I did was stick to my strategy and play to my strengths.”

The women’s Singles crown was no surprise: no. 1-ranked Tzu Ying Tai of Chinese Taipei, who won her third straight Malaysia Open title and fourth overall, defeating no. 4 Akane Yamaguchi (JPN) in the final in straight sets.

China swept all of the Doubles matches, with all-China finals in the women’s and Mixed divisions. No. 2-ranked Junjui Li and Yuchen Liu took the men’s Doubles over no. 3 Takesi Kamura and Keigo Sonoda (JPN) in straight sets and Qingchen Chen and Yifan Jia won the women’s title over Yue Du and Yunhui Li, also in straight sets.

No. 1-ranked Siwei Zhang and Yaqiong Huang won their second straight Malaysia Open title, defeating Yilyu Wang and Dongping Huang, 21-17, 21-13. Summaries:

BWF World Tour/Malaysia Open
Kuala Lumpur (MAS) ~ 2-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men’s Singles: 1. Dan Lin (CHN); 2. Long Chen (CHN); 3. Jonaton Christie (INA) and Yuqi Shi (CHN). Semis: Chen d. Christie, 12-21, 21-10, 21-15; Lin d. Shi, 21-19, 16-21, 21-12. Final: Lin d. Chen, 9-21, 21-17, 21-11.

Men’s Doubles: 1. Junhui Li/Yuchen Liu (CHN); 2. Takeshi Kamura/Keigo Sonoda (JPN); 3. Fajar Alfian/Muhammad Rian Ardianto (INA) and Takuro Hoki/Yugo Kopbayashi (JPN). Semis: Kamura/Sonoda d. Alfian/Ardianto, 21-13, 22-20; Li/Liu d. Hoki/Kobayashi, 13-21, 21-19, 21-15. Final: Li/Liu d. Kamura/Sonoda, 21-12, 21-17.

Women’s Singles: 1. Tzu Ying Tai (TPE); 2. Akane Yamaguchi (JPN); 3. Yufei Chen (CHN) and Nozomi Okuhara (JPN). Semis: Tai d. Chen, 21-14, 21-19; Yamaguchi d. Okuhara, 21-15, 22-20. Final: Tai d. Yamaguchi, 21-16, 21-19.

Women’s Doubles: 1. Qingchen Chen/Yifan Jia (CHN); 2. Yue Du/Yinhui Li (CHN); 3. Jongkolphan Kititharakul/Rawinda Prajongjai (THA) and Ye Na Chang/Kyung Eun Jung (KOR). Semis: Du/Li d. Kititharakul/Prajongjai, 21-12, 21-14; Chen/Jia d. Chang/Jung, 21-14, 21-18. Final: Chen/Jia d. Du/Li, 21-14, 21-15.

Mixed Doubles: 1. Siwei Zhang/Yaqiong Huang (CHN); 2. Yilyu Wang/Dongping Huang (CHN); 3. Dechapol Puavaranukroh/Sapsiree Taerattanachai (THA) and Kian Meng Tan/Pei Jing Lai (MAS). Semis: Zheng/Huang d. Puavaranukroh/Taerattanachai, 21-14, 21-9; Wang/Huang d. Tan/Lai, 21-13, 21-17. Final: Zhang/Huang d. Wang/Huang, 21-17, 21-13.

RUGBY: Fiji wins in Hong Kong again, but U.S. retains top spot in Sevens Series standings

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

If it’s Hong Kong, then give the trophy to Fiji. For the fifth straight year, Fiji won the HSBC Sevens Series round in Hong Kong, defeating France by 21-7 in the final.

However, the U.S. men retained their first-place status with a third-place finish, defeating Samoa, 22-10, in the third-place game against a very competitive semifinal loss to Fiji, 28-19.

South Africa, France and Fiji breezed through group play with 3-0 records, as did England in Group D. The U.S. went 1-2, beating Spain, 36-7, then losing to Wales (21-19) and England (28-22). But the +21 scoring differential got the U.S. through to the playoffs.

Once there, the U.S. knocked off South Africa, 21-12, in the quarterfinals and then ran into Fiji in the semis.

In an otherwise brilliant season for the Eagles, they have lost to Fiji by 29-15 (Cape Town final), 38-0 (Hamilton final) and 24-14 (Vancouver bronze). This time, the match was 7-5 for Fiji at half, but Fiji got out to a 21-5 lead in the second half and held off the U.S. despite two tries for Carlin Isles.

Fiji went on to win in the final over France, and with the U.S. taking the bronze medal, the standings after seven of 10 legs:

1. 130 United States
2. 123 Fiji
3. 118 New Zealand
4. 99 South Africa
5. 90 England

The top four finishers in the seasonal standings will qualify for Tokyo 2020, but nothing has been clinched yet with three legs remaining in Singapore, London and Paris. Summary:

World Rugby Sevens Series
Hong Kong (HKG) ~ 6-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings: 1. Fiji; 2. France; 3. United States; 4. France; 5. Argentina; 6. New Zealand; 7. South Africa and England. Semis: Fiji 28, U.S. 19; France 19, Samoa 12. Third: U.S. 22, Samoa 10. Final: Fiji 21, France 7.

ICE HOCKEY: U.S. women sweep first three World Championships games by 17-4

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 knight hilary vs. canada 750 — U.S. captain Hilary Knight shoots against Canada's Emerance Maschmeyer in the IIHF Women's World Championships (Photo: USA Hockey)

The U.S. and Canada have played 18 straight Women’s World Championships finals and everyone else has played none.

It looks like there might be a 19th, at least for the U.S.

In the 2019 edition, being played in Espoo (FIN), the round-robin play continues through Tuesday, but in Group A – which has all the contenders in the odd style used by the International Ice Hockey Federation – the standings so far show:

1. 9 points United States (3-0)
2. 3 points Canada (1-1)
3. 3 points Finland (1-1)
4. 3 points Russia (1-1)
5. 0 points Switzerland (0-3)

The U.S. has played and beaten both Finland (by 6-2) and Canada (3-2) right out of the gate, plus an 8-0 pounding of Switzerland on Sunday. That’s a 17-4 goal differential, with just a very winnable game against Russia remaining.

Canada lost to the U.S., and will play Russia on the 8th and Finland on the 9th.

Finland had a 2-1 lead against the U.S. in the opener after two periods, but the American squad poured in five goals in the third period by Melissa Samoskevich, Hilary Knight, Alex Carpenter, Brianna Decker and Annie Pankowski for a 6-2 win. Alex Rigsby was in goal for the U.S.

In the 3-2 win over Canada, the U.S. got first-period goals from Knight and Kendall Coyne Schofield for a 2-1 edge at the end of the period. Brianne Jenner’s power-play goal tied it for Canada 1:55 into the second period, but Pankowski’s power-play goal at 14:03 of the period made it 3-2 and there was no more scoring.

There were, however, plenty of penalties, with five total in the third period alone. But U.S. keeper Rigsby stayed strong and the U.S. fought off a 4-on-6 situation late in the game to save the victory.

Canada had Emerance Maschmeyer in goal against the U.S.; Olympic hero Maddie Rooney played against Switzerland and posted the first U.S. shutout of the tournament.

The U.S. has the top four scorers in the tournament so far, with Coyne Schofield at 5 points (2 goals + 3 assists) and three with four points: Knight (3+1), Dani Cameranesi (2+2) and Carpenter (2+2).

The U.S. games are on the NHL Network (schedule here); look for results and game summaries here.

CYCLING: Viva Italia! Bastianelli and Bettiol claim wins in sweep of Ronde van Vlaanderen

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 bastianelli, marta 750 — A happy Marta Bastianelli (ITA), winning the famed Ronde van Vlaanderen on Sunday!

Imagine winning The Masters or Wimbledon for your first professional victory. That’s about what Italy’s Alberto Bettiol, 25, achieved by winning the 103rd Ronde van Vlaanderen in Belgium on Sunday.

Riding with an accomplished lead pack that included superstars like three-time World Champion Peter Sagan (SVK), Olympic Champion Greg van Avermaet (BEL) and Vuelta a Espana winner Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Bettiol tried an attack on the Oude Kwaremont with 16 km to go … and no one followed.

A previous attack on the same climb earlier in the race wasn’t decisive, but this time Bettiol made everyone else pay for not going with him. No one could cover his charge on the descent and with a flat ride on the last 12 km, he sailed into Oudenaarde with his first professional title!

Bettiol had finished second in the Bretagne Classic in 2016, but otherwise never higher than third, although he was second in the Individual Time Trial to close the Tirreno Adriatico last month, presaging his ride to the finish on Sunday.

Dane Kasper Asgeen, 24, got his first World Tour medal in second and Norway’s Alexander Kristoff led a parade of frustrated sprinters in third.

In the women’s race, the World Tour leader, Marta Bastianelli, showed once again that she’s the only one who knows how to beat the Dutch riders in 2019.

Coming into the race, Bastianelli had won the Ronde van Drenthe, the only Women’s World Tour race this season not won by a rider from the Netherlands. In the Ronde van Vlaanderen, the decisive move came at the 146 km mark, with about 13 km left.

Denmark’s Cecile Uttrup Ludwig took the lead on the ascent, but was joined by reigning Women’s World Tour champ Annemiek van Vleuten (NED), Poland’s Kasia Niewiadoma and Bastianelli. There was a quick descent and then the final climb over the Paterberg and with van Vleuten leading, Niewiadoma lost contact and three raced to the finish.

Van Vleuten was the first to sprint, but the Italian had more in her legs and got to the line first, with van Vleuten and Ludwig given the same time.

For Bastienelli, it was her fifth Women’s World Tour race of the season and she’s finished well in all of them: 4-1-7-4-1. She now has a 660-450 lead over Kirsten Wild (NED) on the Women’s World Tour, but with a long way to go.

In the Pan American Mountain Bike Championships in Aguascalientes (MEX), World Champion Kate Courtney of the U.S. routed a good field, winning by 1:16 over fellow American Erin Huck in the women’s Cross Country race.

The men’s race was much closer, with Canada’s Raphael Gagne edging Jose Ulloa (MEX) by 1:25:47 to 1:26:03, with Colombian Fabio Castaneda third. Summaries:

UCI World Tour/Ronde van Vlaanderen
Antwerp to Oudenaarde (BEL) ~ 7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings (270.1 km): 1. Alberto Bettiol (ITA), 6:18:49; 2. Kasper Asgreen (DEN), 6:19:03; 3. Alexander Kristoff (NOR), 6:18:06: 4. Mathieu van der Poel (NED), 6:18:06; 5. Nils Politt (GER), 6:18:06; 6. Michael Matthews (AUS), 6:18:06; 7. Oliver Naesen (BEL), 6:18:06; 8. Alejandro Valverder (ESP), 6:18:06; 9. Tiesj Benoot (BEL), 6:18:06; 10. Greg van Avermaet (BEL), 6:18:06.

UCI Women’s World Tour/Ronde van Vlaanderen
Oudenaarde (BEL) ~ 7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Final Standings (159.2 km): 1. Marta Bastianelli (ITA), 4:16:50; 2. Annemiek van Vleuten (NED), 4:16:50; 3. Cecile Uttrup Ludwig (DEN), 4:16:50; 4. Sofia Bertizzolo (ITA), 4:16:57; 5. Ellen van Dijk (NED), 4:16:57; 6. Kasia Niewiadoma (POL), 4:16:57; 7. Chantal Blaak (NED), 4:17:00; 8. Lisa Brennauer (GER), 4:17:00; 9. Lucinda Brand (NED), 4:17:00; 10. Amy Pieters (NED), 4:17:00.

Pan American Mountain Bike Championships
Aguascalientes (MEX) ~ 3-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Cross Country

Men: 1. Raphael Gagne (CAN), 1:25:47; 2. Jose Ulloa (MEX), 1:26:03; 3. Fabio Castenada (COL), 1:27:00; 4. Keegan Swenson (USA), 1:27:03; 5. Catriel Soto (ARG), 1:28:21. Also in the top 25: 16. Lukas Vrouwenvelder (USA), 1:32:30.

Junior Men: 1. Adair Gutierrez (MEX), 58:39; 2. Riley Amos (USA), 1:00:33; 3. Gustavo Xavier de Oliveira (BRA), 1:01:54.

Women: 1. Kate Courtney (USA), 1:22:28; 2. Erin Huck (USA), 1:23:44; 3. Daniela Campuzano (MEX), 1:25:28; 4. Catharine Pendrel (CAN), 1:25:37; 5. Chloe Woodruff (USA), 1:28:10.

Junior Women: 1. Natalia Torres (MEX), 58:16; 2. Catalina Vidaurre (CHI), 58:50; 3. Valentina Garces (COL), 1:00:39.

Team Event (mixed senior and junior athletes): 1. Mexico (Ulloa, Martinez, Campuzano, Rodriguez, Herrera), 1:16:18.517; 2. United States (Blevins, Amos, Huck, Batten, Vrouwenvelder), 1:17:00.671; 3. Argentina, 1:20:47.819.

EQUESTRIAN: Ageless Werth dominates World Cup Dressage Final for sixth career win

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 werth, isabell 750 — The amazing Isabell Werth (GER), winner of a sixth World Cup Final in Dressage in 2019 (Photo: FEI).

When the subject of the all-time greatest equestrian riders is discussed, Germany’s Isabell Werth has to be right near the top, as she demonstrated once again at the 2019 FEI World Cup Final in Goteborg (SWE), with a clear victory in both sections of the Dressage final.

Riding aboard Weihegold OLD, on whom she won last ear, Werth out-pointed American Laura Graves in the Dressage Grand Prix on Friday, scoring 81.755% to 80.109% for Graves.

In the Grand Prix Freestyle final on Saturday, Werth triumphed again over Graves, 88.871%-87.179%, giving Werth her fifth World Cup title and third in a row. Graves won the silver for the third year in a row.

Werth, 49, won her 12th career World Cup medal and has championships in three decades: 1992-2007-2017-18-19. She owns six Olympic gold medals (1992-2016) and four silvers, plus nine World Championships golds, spanning 1994-2018.

Graves was upbeat about her silver, saying “I was super thrilled with my horse today, and the crowd really got a good show up until the very last ride.”

For the Freestyle Final, Werth’s victory was worth €60,000, while Graves won €50,000 and bronze medalist Helen Langehanenberg (GER) received €40,000, out of a final-day prize purse of €275,100.

The Jumping final also had plenty of drama, as home favorite Peter Fredricson took the lead with two riders left, having just five penalties through the two rounds of the final-day competition. Swiss Martin Fuchs had just three faults on his first-round run and pushed Fredricson to silver with an error-free round.

Now, only his teammate Steve Guerdat, the winner of the first of the three Finals events, remained. He had two faults in his first-round event, so he had no margin for error … but he didn’t need any.

Guerdat proceeded to guide Alamo clear all of the barriers and finish with a perfect round, the gold medal and €172,500 out of the €750,000 prize purse for his sixth career World Cup medal and his third win in the past five years (also in 2015 and 2016).

Fuchs settled for silver and €131,250 and Fredricson was a popular third and won €78,750. Defending champ Beezie Madden of the U.S. finished sixth with 11 total faults: seven in the first ride and four on the second, losing a tie-breaker for fifth on time. That was still good enough for €45,000.

The World Cup Finals will be back in the U.S. in 2020 in Las Vegas; summaries:

FEI World Cup Final
Goteborg (SWE) ~ 3-7 April 2019
(Full results for Dressage here; for Jumping here)

Dressage/Final I: 1. Isabell Werth (GER, on Weihegold OLD), 81.755%; 2. Laura Graves (USA, on Verdades), 80.109%; 3. Daniel Bachman Andersen (DEN, on Blue Hors Zack), 78.152%; 4. Kasey Perry-Glass (USA, on Goerklintgarrds Dublet), 77.267%; 5. Helen Langehanenberg (GER, on Damsey FRH). Also: 8. Adrienne Lyle (USA, on Salvino), 75.326%.

Dressage/Final II: 1. Werth (GER), 88.871%; 2. Graves (USA), 87.179%; 3. Langehanenberg (GER), 86.571%; 4. Bachmann Andersen (DEN), 85.468%; 5. Perry-Glass (USA), 84.975%. Also: 7. Lyle (USA), 81.832%.

Jumping/Final I: 1. Steve Guerdat (SUI, on Alamo), 61.28; 2. Pieter Devos (BEL on Apart), 61.31; 3. Olivier Philippaerts (BEL, on H&M Legend of Love), 61.43; 4. Francois Mathy Jr. (BEL, on Casanova de l’Herse), 61.62; 5. Martin Fuchs (SUI, on Clooney 51), 62.04. Also: 10. Beezie Madden (USA, on Breiting LS), 63.74.

Jumping/Final II: 1. Peder Fredicson (SWE, on Catch Me Not S), 37.94 (0 faults); 2. Eduardo Alvarez Aznar (ESP on Rokfeller de PlevilleBois Margot), 37.97 (0); 3. Max Kuhner (AUT, on Chardonnay 79), 39.44 (0); 4. Jaroslaw Skrzyczynski (POL on Chacclana), 39.68 (0); 5. Madden (USA), 34.75 (4).

Jumping/Final III: 1. Guerdat (SUI), 2 (2 faults in Round A and 0 in Round B); 2. Fuchs (SUI), 3 (3+0); 3. Fredricson (SWE), 5 (5+0); 4. Daniel Deusser (GER, on Scuderia 1918 Tobago Z), 6 (6+0); 5. Niels Bruynseels (BEL, on Delux van T&L), 11 (7+4). Also: 6. Madden (USA), 11 (7+4; lost tie-break on time, 66.14-66.27); … 15. Eve Jobs (USA, on Venue d’Fees Des Hazalles), 30 (26+4).

GYMNASTICS: Averina & Averina dominate opening Rhythmic World Cup as Russia sweeps all eight events

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 2019-407 averina dina+arina 750 — Dominant: Dina and Arina Averina (RUS)

Russia has dominated the Rhythmic Gymnastics discipline from 2002 to today. The current custodians of the sport are the twins Dina and Arina Averina, now 20, who between them swept all five individual events at the first Rhythmic World Cup of the season, held in Pesaro, Italy.

Dina, the two-time reigning World All-Around Champion, won the All-Around, Clubs and Ribbon events, while Arina took the Hoop and Ball titles. Between them, they won nine medals in the five events and went 1-2 in three of them.

Russia also won the three group events for a sweep of all eight gold medals. Honorable mention goes to Boryana Kaleyn (BUL), who won the All-Around bronze and silver in Ball for the only other individual to win multiple medals. Summaries:

FIG Rhythmic World Cup
Pesaro (ITA) ~ 5-7 April 2019
(Full results here)

All-Around: 1. Dina Averina (RUS), 85.750; 2. Arina Averina (RUS), 83.750; 3. Boryana Kaleyn (BUL), 80.400; 4. Katsiaryna Halkina (BLR), 79.600; 5. Katrin Taseva (BUL), 79.050. Also: 6. Evita Griskenas (USA), 78.700; … 35. Lili Mizuno (USA), 68.000.

Hoop: 1. Arina Averina (RUS), 22.050; 2. Dina Averina (RUS), 21.800; 3. Halkina (BLR), 21.200; 4. Taseva (BUL), 21.200; 5. Khrystyna Pohranycna (UKR), 20.750. Also in the top 10: 6. Griskenas (USA), 20.600.

Ball: 1. Arina Averina (RUS), 21.400; 2. Kaleyn (BUL), 21.300; 3. Dina Averina (RUS), 21.100; 4. Milena Baldassari (ITA), 20.800; 5. Taseva (BUL), 20.250. Also in the top 10: 8. Griskenas (USA), 19.850.

Clubs: 1. Dina Averina (RUS), 22.700; 2. Arina Averina (RUS), 21.500; 3. Alina Harnasko (BLR), 21.200; 4. Kaelyn (BUL), 21.050; 5. Alexandra Agiurgiuculese (ITA), 20.750. Also in the top 10: 10. Griskenas (USA), 19.650.

Ribbon: 1. Dina Averina (RUS), 20.150; 2. Salome Pazhava (GEO), 19.700; 3. Taseva (BUL), 19.150; 4. Halkina (BLR), 19.150; 5. Arina Averina (RUS), 18.800. Also in the top 10: 7. Griskenas (USA), 18.600.

Group All-Around: 1. Russia, 51.050; 2. Bulgaria, 49.600; 3. Italy, 49.400. Also: 12. United States, 40.400.

Group/5 Balls: 1. Russia, 25.250; 2. Belarus, 24.050; 3. Italy, 24.000. Also: 9. United States, 22.250.

Group/3 Hoops+2 Clubs: 1. Russia, 25.800; 2. Ukraine, 25.700; 3. Bulgaria, 25.650. Also: 14. United States, 18.150.

GYMNASTICS: Mikulak and Hurd sweep World Cup All-Around in Tokyo

Rich Perelman

April 7, 2019

tsx pix 92618 mikulak, sam 750 — Tokyo World Cup winner Sam Mikulak (USA)

It was a good day for USA Gymnastics at the Musashino Forest Sports Plaza in Tokyo (JPN), as American Sam Mikulak and Morgan Hurd won both the men’s and women’s competitions at the FIG All-Around World Cup.

Mikulak was dominant, winning by almost a full point over Japan’s Wataru Tanigawa and five-time Worlds gold medalist Kenzo Shirai. He scored 14.000 or above on all six apparatus, winning on Pommel Horse and High Bar, finishing second on Parallel bars, third in Floor and Rings and fourth on Vault.

For Mikulak to win so completely over an excellent field is a confidence boost for an athlete who has one World Championships medal – a bronze – in his career so far.

For Hurd, the 2017 World Champion, it was another step in her development – she’s still 17 – toward the 2020 Games in Tokyo.

Embed from Getty Images

She survived a rough routine in the Beam, scoring only 12.933, while piling up points on the Vault (14.233: 3rd), Uneven Bars (14.300: 1st) and Floor (13.633 (1st). Hurd out-pointed Canada’s Ellie Black by 0.067: 55.099 to 55.032.

“I honestly thought everything was just spectacular,” Hurd said afterwards. “The crowd, the equipment, the arena, everything was just amazing, and there wasn’t any negative parts.

“My overall impression of this Tokyo World Cup was absolutely amazing. Tokyo is stunning; the arena is great, people are so kind, and I love it.”

This wasn’t a dress rehearsal for the 2020 Games, as the gymnastics competition will be held in a temporary facility. The Musashino Forest Sports Plaza will host badminton. Summaries:

FIG Artistic World Cup
Tokyo (JPN) ~ 7 April 2019
(Full results here)

Men/All-Around: 1. Sam Mikulak (USA), 86.599; 2. Wataru Tanigawa (JPN), 85.665; 3. Kenzo Shirai (JPN), 82.964; 4. Nikita Ignatyev (RUS), 82.899; 5. Giarnni Regini-Moran (GBR), 81.030.

Women/All-Around: 1. Morgan Hurd (USA), 55.099; 2. Ellie Black (CAN), 55.032; 3. Asuka Teramoto (JPN), 54.799; 4. Aiko Sugihara (JON), 51.966; 5. Carolyne Pedro (BRA), 51.132.