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≡ THE 5-RING CIRCUS ≡
1. Gold Cup crushes everyone on TV, Univision crushes FS1, TUDN
2. Utah keeps investing in 2002 venues, to dismay of some
3. Semenya wins round at European Human Rights Court
4. Philipsen wins again, Vingegaard still leads Tour de France
5. Panama and Mexico on to CONCACAF Gold Cup final
U.S. television viewers enjoyed the CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals last week, especially on Univision. Sure, Univision had the most viewers – vs. FS1 and TUDN – for the game featuring Mexico, but once again for the U.S. games! And the Canada-U.S. thriller that went to penalty kicks was easily the top sporting event on U.S. TV last week! A story in the Deseret News detailed how the State of Utah is investing in the 2002 Salt Lake City winter-sport facilities, now that the money from the Olympic Winter Games surplus is starting to wane, 20-plus years later. But of course, there are some who don’t think sports is worth spending money on. South Africa’s twice Olympic women’s 800 m champ Caster Semenya won a minor decision at the European Court of Human Rights, with a very divided court holding that the Swiss Federal Tribunal didn’t give Semenya’s case a through-enough review. There was no consideration of the underlying issue of whether the World Athletics regulations were fair or not. An appeal is very likely for reasons have nothing to do with Semenya’s actual case. At the 110th Tour de France, Belgian sprinter Jasper Philipsen won his fourth stage, but the battle between past champs Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar continues. At the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals, Panama and the U.S. were 0-0 after regulation time, 1-1 after extra time and then Panama won on penalties, 5-4, to advance to its third Gold Cup final. Mexico stomped Jamaica, 3-0, to advance to the final on Sunday.
● Panorama: Paris 2024 (2: Paris named top sports city for 2023; Airbnb offering night at de Coubertin’s youth home) = World University Games (Russia, Belarus banned for 2023 WUG in China) = Ukraine (Youth minister confirms no participation in events with Russia or Belarus) = Memorabilia (Grenoble torch up to $50,000 on auction) = Aquatics (World Champs start Saturday; no live U.S. TV) = Athletics (2: Kerley, Richardson in Sunday Diamond League; poor TV audience for USATF Champs) = Gymnastics (Nassar stabbed in cell, headed to new prison) = Modern Pentathlon (World U-17s debuts obstacle) = Sport Climbing (let’s get it right: Roberts wins Lead World Cup) ●
1.
Gold Cup crushes everyone on TV, Univision crushes FS1, TUDN
In a lighter week for sports television in the U.S., the CONCACAF Gold Cup topped the field and Univision was the reason.
The Spanish-language network was unstoppable as the top choice for viewers, not only for games featuring Mexico, but also the United States. According to Nielsen-provided audience data for last weekend’s quarterfinals:
Sunday, 9 July:
● 2,323,000 for Canada-USA on Univision
● 1,388,000 for Canada-USA on FS1
● 524,000 for Canada-USA on TUDN
● 4,235,000 total
● 1,528,000 for Guatemala-Jamaica on Univision
● 453,000 for Guatemala-Jamaica on TUDN
● 294,000 for Guatemala-Jamaica on FS1
● 2,275,000 total
The Canada-U.S. game was easily the top sports show on Sunday, in fact for the entire week (Monday to Sunday), with the combined viewership of 4.235 million easily topping Sunday’s NASCAR Cup race in Atlanta (2.323 million). The combined total for the Guatemala-Jamaica game was a clear no. 3. Although a distance second to Univision for the Canada-U.S. match, the Fox folks reported that its audience was up 91% over its broadcast of the 2021 U.S. quarterfinal against Jamaica (also on FS1).
The figures from the first two quarterfinals from Saturday were also good:
Saturday, 8 July:
● 2,472,000 for Mexico-Costa Rica on Univision
● 608,000 for Mexico-Costa Rica on TUDN
● 278,000 for Mexico-Costa Rica on FS1
● 3,358,000 total
● 1,127,000 for Panama-Qatar on Univision
● 287,000 for Panama-Qatar on TUDN
● No report for Panama-Qatar on FS1
Mexico-Costa Rica was already the no. 1 sports show of the day on Univision alone, and the combined 3.358 million total was 50% higher than Fox Saturday Baseball. The Panama-Qatar match, with only Univision and TUDN reporting, was no. 3 on the day at 1.414 million, ahead of ABC’s Wimbledon coverage (1.235 million).
There was no report on the FS1 audience for Panama-Qatar on Saturday, indicating the viewership averaged less than 200,000, usual Nielsen cut-off.
These are good audiences for soccer, but the Univision dominance for U.S. games is interesting. Very interesting.
As for the most-reported-on event of the week, ESPN drew an average live audience of 1,008,000 for its Fourth of July Nathan’s Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest, and a stunning 491,000 for a replay three hours later!
¶
The U.S. women’s send-off match against Wales (a 2-0 win), also on Sunday (9th) but prior to the men’s CONCACAF quarterfinal, drew a respectable average audience of 662,000 on TNT.
2.
Utah keeps investing in 2002 venues, to dismay of some
In a world which – in the words of International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach (GER) – is more and more “aggressively divisive,” the question of the role of sport in communities and of public spending is an easy target.
Veteran reporter Lisa Riley Roche of the Deseret News in Salt Lake City, Utah, contributed a long story on Monday that detailed continued spending by the State of Utah to maintain and expand facilities for sports, including those used for the 2022 Winter Games.
The story noted that the state began to spend on these facilities with a 10-year plan from 2018-28 that will provide about $44 million for facility maintenance and upgrades, and has established a separate fund for support of Olympic and Paralympic venues, with $22 million set aside in 2022 and $40 million to be delivered this year. Projecting out to 2028, perhaps $140 million might be spent.
The Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation, created after the 2002 Winter Games to operate the sports sites left by the event, received $76 million as an endowment from the organizing committee’s operating surplus and has spent $234 million since 2002, including $80 million in capital improvements. The endowment fund is now down to about $46 million, thus the request for state funds to keep the facilities up to date.
Is this all about the Salt Lake City bid for the 2030 or 2034 Olympic Winter Games?
Bid chief executive Fraser Bullock noted that “We as a bid committee are not asking for any of these investments,” and the Salt Lake City-Utah Committee for the Games has said that it does not expect government funding for its projected $2.2 billion budget to operate the Games, once selected.
It’s worth remembering that a $59 million tax set-aside was voted in in 1989, which eventually was used for 2002 Winter Games projects. The 2002 effort was so financially successful that the organizing committee paid back $99 million to cover the costs of the set-aside, with interest.
Naturally, there are naysayers about any government spending. Riley Roche quoted a University of Utah professor who says the public would, given a choice, want the funds used for something else, but cannot explain the passage of the 1989 referendum. Another University of Utah public policy director pointed out that the spending on winter sport helps the economy and keeps the area attractive.
So much for experts. Neither mentioned the tax revenue, in multiple layers, that a Winter Games will bring to Utah, nor the employment, tourism and other spending which comes with a Winter Games that would otherwise not be there. By the way, the Utah budget for fiscal year 2024 alone is $29.4 billion.
3.
Semenya wins round at European Human Rights Court
Twice Olympic champion Caster Semenya of South Africa won a modest, but unimpactful victory at the European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday, but the decision has no bearing on her ability to compete.
A seven-judge panel in Semenya vs. Switzerland did not look into the merits of the World Athletics regulations for women with differences in sex development (DSD). What it examined was whether the Swiss Federal Tribunal dismissal of her appeal from the Court of Arbitration for Sport was proper vis-a-vis the European Convention on Human Rights.
The facts were not in doubt: Semenya’s appeal from the World Athletics regulations failed in 2019 as the Court of Arbitration for Sport held that while the regulations discriminated against her, they were fair and proportionate to the goal of protecting the women’s division. Semenya appealed to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, which dismissed her appeal in 2020, noting that its review powers over the Court of Arbitration for Sport were limited to “whether the award under appeal was incompatible with substantive public policy and concluded that it was not.”
Three years later, the ECHR delivered a fractured decision, which produced four opinions amongst the seven judges. Two judges wrote what was characterized as the “majority” decision. One judge concurred in a separate opinion. Another concurred in part and dissented in part. Three dissented.
Out of all this was a 4-3 decision that the Swiss Federal Tribunal’s review of the appeal from the Court of Arbitration for Sport “failed, in the present case, to respond to the serious concerns expressed by the CAS in a manner compatible with the requirements of Article 14 of the Convention.”
This was characterized further that the Swiss Federal Tribunal should have “led to a thorough institutional and procedural review, but the applicant had not been able to obtain such a review.”
The Court did not say that Semenya’s challenge to the World Athletics regulations should be upheld, but that the manner of review was insufficient.
So now what? The case summary noted:
“[T]his Chamber judgment is not final. During the three-month period following its delivery, any party may request that the case be referred to the Grand Chamber of the Court. If such a request is made, a panel of five judges considers whether the case deserves further examination. In that event, the Grand Chamber will hear the case and deliver a final judgment. If the referral request is refused, the Chamber judgment will become final on that day.”
If the case reaches the Grand Chamber, it will be heard before a new, 17-judge panel, with none of the seven judges who heard the case involved.
As the defendant was essentially the Swiss Federal Tribunal, it is the body which must decide whether to appeal the judgement. It is highly likely to do so, because the ECHR decision – as contested as it was – would require the Federal Tribunal’s jurisdiction over the Court of Arbitration for Sport to be significantly enlarged and far more controversial. In essence, the Swiss high court would become the supreme court for world sport, not the Court of Arbitration.
And what of the World Athletics DSD regulations? No change. The World Athletics statement:
“World Athletics notes the judgment of the deeply divided Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). We remain of the view that the DSD regulations are a necessary, reasonable and proportionate means of protecting fair competition in the female category as the Court of Arbitration for Sport and Swiss Federal Tribunal both found, after a detailed and expert assessment of the evidence.
“The case was filed against the state of Switzerland, rather than World Athletics. We will liaise with the Swiss Government on the next steps and, given the strong dissenting views in the decision, we will be encouraging them to seek referral of the case to the ECHR Grand Chamber for a final and definitive decision. The current DSD regulations, approved by the World Athletics Council in March 2023, will remain in place.”
For Semenya, now 32, very little has changed. The legal confrontation will continue, and is unlikely to be finally determined until well after the Paris 2024 Games have concluded. She has won a skirmish, but the battle continues.
However, now in play is the role of the Court of Arbitration for Sport and the authority over it of the Swiss Federal Tribunal. And that will interest many additional parties, including the International Olympic Committee, the International Federations and many others who will be solidly against making a non-national arbitration facility essentially a Swiss lower court.
4.
Philipsen wins again, Vingegaard still leads Tour de France
The 110th Tour de France resumed on Tuesday, with no changes to the overall standings in stages 10 or 11, but good riding for the sprinters. Tuesday’s stage was a hilly, 167.2 km route in central France, finishing in Issoire. A six-man breakaway finally led to a win for Spain’s Pello Bilbao, his first career Tour de France stage victory, in 3:52:34, ahead of George Zimmerman (GER), Ben O’Connor (NZL) and Krists Neilands (LAT). Neilands led until just 3.2 km remained, but was then passed.
Race leader Jonas Vingegaard (DEN) was 21st and chaser Tadej Pogacar (SLO) was 27th, with the same time.
On Wednesday, the hills in the 179.8 km route to Moulins came in the first half, with the finish clear for the sprinters. The last breakaway was retrieved with 13.5 km remaining and it was once again Jasper Philipsen (BEL) with the victory, his fourth of this year’s Tour and sixth career. He finished in 4:01:07, just ahead of Dylan Groenewegen (NED) and German Phil Bauhaus.
Vingegaard was 18th and Pogacar 20th, so Vingegaard – the defending champion – remains 17 seconds up on Pogacar – who won the prior two Tours. Australia’s Jai Hindley stands third, but 2:40 back. Spain’s Carlos Rodriguez and Bello are 4-5, 4:22 and 4:34 behind.
The next big test is expected Friday, with a brutal, uphill finish from 248 to 1,495 m atop the Grand Colombier over the last 18 km. Ouch!
¶
British sprint specialist Mark Cavenish, 38, tied for the most career Tour de France stage wins with 34, said he will retire at the end of this season, and tragically crashed out of the race during Stage 8 and broke his right collarbone.
But if he wants to come back to try for the stage-wins record again, his team – Astana Qazaqstan – will offer him a contract for the 2024 Tour.
¶
In the U.S., NBC has the rights to show the Tour de France and has shuffled it off to USA Network, with respectable ratings last week, especially given the time difference with Europe:
● 4 July (stage 4): 278,000 on USA Network (8 a.m. Eastern)
● 5 July (stage 5): 265,000 on USA Network (8 a.m.)
● 6 July (stage 6): 291,000 on USA Network (8 a.m.)
● 7 July (stage 7): 234,000 on USA Network (8 a.m.)
Last Friday’s live broadcast on USA was the last for the rest of the Tour; live coverage will only be on the Peacock subscription channel. NBC will have a wrap-up show at 5 p.m. Eastern on Sunday, 23 July, with the race finishing earlier in the day.
5.
Panama and Mexico on to CONCACAF Gold Cup final
Another barn-burner for the U.S. men on a hot afternoon in San Diego’s Snapdragon Stadium – over 80 degrees and 49% humidity – facing Panama in the first CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinal on Wednesday afternoon. More than three hours later, it was Panama moving on to the final with a 5-4 edge in penalty kicks after a 1-1 tie.
The first half started with the U.S. nearly scoring in the first minute, as forward Cade Cowell blasted a right-footed spinner from the middle of the box to the right side of the Panamanian net that slammed off the goalpost after 24 seconds.
From there, Panama slowly gained control of the game, with superior passing and continued probing of the American defense and keeper Matt Turner. Midfielder Edgar Barcenas scored in the 28th minute, but was offsides to create the space to allow his shot from the left side. The half ended scoreless, with Panama owning 66% of possession and four shots to three for the U.S.
The U.S. changed their alignment in the second half to bring more help in the midfield and it changed the game, with the U.S. more comfortable on offense and keeping more (and better) possession. But regulation time ended at 0-0, with U.S. keeper Turner making an excellent save on Panamanian forward Ismael Diaz’s header in the 53rd minute, that required a quick, left-handed fist to push it over the net. Panama ended 90 minutes with 57% of possession, but the U.S. had 10 shots to eight.
American striker Jesus Ferreira nearly scored in the 65th for the U.S., just missing a right-to-left shot from the top of the box that flew just wide to the left. Defender Miles Robinson’s header looked promising in the 79th, but went wide off of a free kick, and Ferreira’s header from the middle of the box in the 85th flew past the left goalpost and out of bounds.
Diaz scored in the 93rd for Panama, but another player was offside, with added confusion of a possible hand ball on the U.S. Regulation time ended 0-0, with Panama down to 57% of possession and the U.S. a 10-8 shots lead.
On to extra time, with Turner making a ghastly error in the 99th, off a 2×1 break for Panama, with substitute midfielder Ivan Anderson bouncing the ball by him as he came way off his line to challenge, and then scoring in the open net for a 1-0 lead.
But it didn’t last. Off a header across the box from Jordan Morris, U.S. striker Jesus Ferreira – who had just missed on chances in the 65th and 85th minutes – sent a volley off his right shin and it flew from left to right and into the net for the tie. Extra time ended that way and on to penalty kicks.
Ferreira missed his opener for the U.S., but Turner saved one and the sides were 4-4 and going into sudden-death rounds. Panama’s keeper, Orlando Mosquera, had been favoring his right side, but Cristian Roldan sent his penalty that way and it was saved, leaving the door open for Panama midfielder Adalberto Carrasqulla to beat Turner to the top left corner and win the game.
This will be the third CONCACAF Gold Cup final, which lost to the U.S. in the championship games in 2005 and 2013.
In the second semi, in Las Vegas, Mexico pressured Jamaica from the start and got a second-minute goal (80 seconds actually) from striker Henry Martin from the center of the box. And they doubled the lead in the 30th, with midfielder Luis Chavez curled a magnificent free kick over the Jamaican wall and over the hand of keeper Andre Blake for a 2-0 lead at half. Mexico had 56% of possession and a 9-1 lead on shots.
The second half was more of the same, with Mexico controlling the game and Jamaica generating the occasional chance, but did not severely test Mexico’s star keeper, Memo Ochoa.
A final goal came at 90+3 on a perfect cross by defender Jesus Gallardo from left of the goal to the far side of the goal that Robert Alvarado simply knocked into the open goal. Mexico finished with 55% possession and 13-8 on shots.
Mexico has won this tournament eight times, most recently in 2019, and has been in 10 finals, losing to the U.S., 1-0, in 2021.
The final will be Sunday (16th) at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.
≡ PANORAMA ≡
● Paris 2024 ● With the 2024 Olympic Games just a year away, preceded by the Rugby World Cup later this year, Paris came out no. 1 on the BCW Ranking of Sports Cites, released on Monday. The top five:
● Paris (FRA)
● Los Angeles (USA)
● London (GBR)
● New York (USA)
● Manchester (GBR)
While Paris’ place at the top is undoubtedly tied to its Olympic status, the other top destinations are mostly home to iconic professional sports teams such as the Los Angeles Dodgers and Lakers, the New York Yankees, Knicks and Rangers and football clubs Manchester City and Manchester United.
The power of the Olympic Games as a game-changer in attitudes was shown by Brisbane’s emergence at no. 15 – after having not been previously ranked in the top 50 – and the presence of multiple championship events has brought three Middle East cities into the list: Doha (QAT: 11th), Dubai (UAE: 19th), and Abu Dhabi (UAE: 21st).
The U.S. has 15 entries in the top 50; the list was expanded this year to 100 and the full report is here.
The methodology includes a quantitative “digital footprint analysis of the association between sport and a city” (weighting 50%), combined with the perception-based views of leaders of International Sports Federations (25%) and major international sports media (25%).
¶
IOC sponsor Airbnb has created a unique year-to-go promotion for Paris 2024, offering a one-night stay at the Chateau de Mirville in Normandy, France, home to the young Pierre de Coubertin, before he decided to revive the Olympic Games from antiquity.
What was de Coubertin’s study has been converted into a bedroom. The listing for the one-night program on 26 July – one year prior to the Games – also comes with conditions:
“This Stay might be covered by the press. By booking you agree to appear in the media.”
● World University Games ● “A TASS correspondent asked the spokesman whether he understood it correctly that Russia and Belarus had been barred from the 2023 Summer Universiade and Olivier van Bogaert [SUI] replied ‘Yes, you do.’”
Having Russia and Belarus unable to compete at the 2023 World University Games in Chengdu, China, which runs from 28 July to 8 August, is ironic for a couple of reasons. One is that the 2021 WUG was awarded to Yekaterinburg, Russia, then postponed due to Covid and then removed because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.
Second, the elected head of the International University Sports Federation (FISU) remains Russian Oleg Matytsin, now the Russian Sports Minister, whose athletes will now be barred. FISU spokesman van Bogaert gave TASS an exclusive, as a public announcement about the absence of the Russian and Belarusians has not been made.
Russia has set up its own replacement event for Yekaterinburg this year, the “University International Sport Festival” for 19-31 August, with athletes from the BRICS countries and Commonweath of Independent States – both association to which Russia belongs – invited to compete.
● Ukraine ● The current position of the Ukrainian national federations and National Olympic Committee is that they will not compete in events which include Russian or Belarusian athletes. Minister of Youth and Sport, and NOC chief Vadym Gutzeit said in an interview:
“There is a state decision that we still do not participate in these competitions.
“Today, such an option [to review the decision] is not being considered. It is difficult now, but there is such a decision, we have made it, we are moving on it. Everyone’s heart is heavy, you understand. But here, there was a meeting with all the presidents of the federations who expressed their opinion, it was a common decision.”
● Memorabilia ● There’s still a week to go in the 396-lot RR Auction Olympic Memorabilia bonanza, which will finish on 20 July.
An ultra-rare Grenoble 1968 Winter Games torch – one of only 33 used in the relay – has unsurprisingly drawn the most interest so far, with a top bid of $50,000. It is expected to go for perhaps three times that much when the hammer finally comes down.
Also doing well is a gold medal from the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, won by Indian field hockey player Peter Paul Fernandes. It’s now at $13,659 after six bids.
A total of 11 lots have surpassed $5,000 in bidding through Wednesday, all either Olympic torches or Olympic medals. Plenty of time to still get in on the action!
● Aquatics ● The 2023 World Aquatics Championships begin on Friday (14th) in Fukuoka, Japan, with competitions over 17 days in artistic swimming, diving, high diving, open-water swimming, swimming and water polo:
● 14-19 July: Open-water Swimming
● 14-21 July: Artistic Swimming
● 14-22 July: Diving
● 15-29 July: Water Polo
● 22-30 July: Swimming
● 24-26 July: High Diving
In the U.S., television coverage will only be available on NBC’s Peacock subscription streaming network. NBC will show two highlights programs, on 30 July 30 at 5 p.m. Eastern and Saturday, 5 August, at 1 p.m. Eastern.
● Athletics ● The Wanda Diamond League continues on Sunday from Chorzow (POL) for the Kamila Skolimowska Memorial, with many of the U.S. stars back in Europe after the USATF Championships in Eugene.
World men’s 100 m champ Fred Kerley, 110 m hurdles World Champion Grant Holloway, shot put supremo Ryan Crouser, and former women’s 100 m world-record holder Keni Harrison are all expected to compete. A showdown is projected between women’s 100 m U.S. champ Sha’Carri Richardson and world leader Shericka Jackson of Jamaica, plus entries from middle-distance star Jakob Ingebrigtsen (NOR) and world-record vaulter Mondo Duplantis (SWE).
The meet will be shown in the U.S. on the Peacock streaming service and CNBC from 10 a.m. to noon Eastern on Sunday.
¶
The USATF Championships did poorly on television last weekend. Reports for television audiences for 2023 and 2022 showed:
● Fri., 7 July: 176,000 in 2023 vs. 214,000 on CNBC in 2022
● Sat., 8 July: 207,000 in 2023 vs. 1.050 million on NBC in 2022
● Sun., 9 July: 288,000 in 2023 vs. 1.052 million on NBC in 2022
(These totals does not include streaming viewers on Peacock, but those numbers are not publicly reported unless NBC publicizes them.)
The USATF Nationals was a great, compelling meet, but very few people saw it. NBC preferred to show the LPGA U.S. Women’s Open from Pebble Beach and had excellent ratings of 364,000 on Thursday; 333,000 on Friday and then 1.084 million on Saturday and 1.548 million on Sunday.
● Gymnastics ● Further details on last Sunday’s stabbing of infamous athlete abuser Larry Nassar, who was attacked in his cell at the maximum-security United States Penitentiary Coleman in Florida, by an attacker with a makeshift knife. Nassar was stabbed in the back, neck and chest.
He was removed to a hospital, where he was reported in stable condition. The Associated Press reported that Nassar was previously attacked at the first prison in which he was assigned, in Tucson, Arizona in 2018, leading to his re-assignment to Coleman. He will have to be moved again.
● Modern Pentathlon ● Let’s face it, most sports do not get much interest in their world championships for U-17 athletes or younger. But there is special attention being paid to the 2023 World U-17s with Obstacle Course added as a discipline, replacing riding.
Now underway in Alexandria (EGY), the new pentathlon format approved by the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne has fencing, obstacle, swimming and then the two-in-one laser run as the event order.
Amaya El-Masri, half of the winning German women’s relay team on Tuesday, said: “Obstacle is really cool, and not too hard, but really intense, really fun.”
Unimpressed was the Pentathlon United athlete-activist group, which pointed out that where the 2022 World U-17s – with riding – had 117 entries from 26 national federations, the 2023 Worlds have 106 from 25, with the women’s down from 58 to 45.
The UIPM has insisted that the change of obstacle for riding will make the sport much more attractive, a key issue the IOC has asked about in considering whether to include the sport on the program for Los Angeles in 2028.
● Sport Climbing ● The International Federation of Sport Climbing has an interesting way of reporting results for its World Cup events, posting scores in real time, but without any indication of when a competition is actually over.
Unfortunately, that can lead to errors, like ours on Monday, reporting only partial results of the men’s Lead event from Chamonix (FRA) last weekend. The final results actually showed:
Britain’s Toby Roberts, who won a Boulder World Cup this season, took the Lead title as the only climber to reach the top of the wall. Sam Avezou (FRA) was a clear second at 50 holds, followed by Sorato Anraku (JPN: 48).
The correction has been made in Monday’s post. Sorry about that.
¶
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