Overtime!

A breakout week for Aleksandra Wozniak.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 17:17:00 +0000

Yesterday for the final of the Bank of the West tournament held at the Stanford University campus, Aleksandra Wozniak completed a dream week by defeating Marion Bartoli in two sets of 7-5 and 6-3.

The title won by the 20-year old player from Blainville, Quebec is her first one in career. In fact, Wozniak is only the fifth Canadian woman and the very first Quebec native to win a WTA title. Jill Heterington in 1988 was the last Canadian woman to win a WTA title.

Aleksandra Wozniak had an awesome week. After playing three qualifying matches to access the main draw, she defeated four top 30 players on her way to the title.

During the first round, she defeated Francesca Schiavone in two sets. Then, Wozniak won a place into the semifinals with a victory over Sybille Bammer in three hard fought sets. A match with the number five player in the world Serena Williams made all of us think that her magnificent run was over. But against all odds, Wozniak won the first set by 6-4 and was leading the second set by 3-1 when Serena was forced to retire because of a knee injury. During the final, Marion Bartoli ranked 15th in the world wasn't able to defeat a dominating and focused Wozniak.

The 225 points awarded to the tournament champion combined with her 3rd round at Roland-Garros and 2nd round result at Wimbledon propells Aleksandra Wozniak around the 45th rank. She achieved her objective for this year as she was hoping to be ranked around the 50th place at the end of the season.

Aleksandra will stay in California this week as she participates in another tournament. Tuesday, she will play Flavia Pennetta in her first round match. Once her tournament will be over, she will come back to Montreal to play the Rogers Cup next week in front of her own fans. We can bet that she will receive a warm welcome from the fans gathered at the Uniprix stadium.

Congratulations Aleksandra!

(Picture: Aleksandra Wozniak, Canadian Press.)

German Grand Prix: Imperial Hamilton.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:49:00 +0000

The German Grand Prix final results can be reduced to a single event that shaped the finishing order of the race.

Timo Glock's suspension failure in the last corner of the circuit produced a big crash and brought the safety car on the track while grouping the cars together. Only a handful of cars did not went to the pits while the safety car was on the track. Among them, race leader Lewis Hamilton and Nelson Piquet Jr who went to the pits only a single lap before the incident.

At the restart, only a few of us were aware that Piquet was on a single stop strategy. The strategy worked like a charm for the rookie driver who led the race with only a few laps to go. But Hamilton's car was too good for the competition. The British driver took back the lead by overtaking Piquet Jr rather easily. Piquet Jr finished in second place and offered Renault their first podium finish of the season. The combination of a great strategy and a bit of luck helped the young Brazilian driver.

For Ferrari, it is a race to forget. Felipe Massa did okay all day long and brought in some valuable points with a third place. For Kimi Raikkonen, it was a different story. The defending champion struggled all weekend long and finished in sixth position.

German Grand prix top ten finish:

Winner: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2-Nelson Piquet Jr (Renault) +5.5 seconds
3-Felipe Massa (Ferrari) +9.3 seconds
4-Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber) +9.8 seconds
5-Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) +12.4 seconds
6-Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) +14.4 seconds
7-Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) +22.6 seconds
8-Sebastian Vettel (Toro Rosso) +33.2 seconds
9-Jarno Trulli (Toyota) +37.1 seconds
10-Nico Rosberg (Williams) +37.6 seconds

Drivers championship after 10/18 races:

1-Lewis Hamilton 58 points
2-Felipe Massa 54 points
3-Kimi Raikkonen 51 points
4-Robert Kubica 48 points
5-Nick Heidfeld 41 points
6-Heikki Kovalainen 28 points
7-Jarno Trulli 20 points
8-Mark Webber 18 points
9-Fernando Alonso 13 points
10-Rubens Barrichello 11 points
11-Nelson Piquet Jr 10 points
12-Nico Rosberg 8 points
13-Kazuki Nakajima 8 points
14-David Coulthard 6 points
15-Sebastian Vettel 6 points
16-Timo Glock 5 points
17-Jenson Button 3 points
18-Sebastien Bourdais 2 points

Constructors championship:

1-Ferrari 105 points
2-BMW-Sauber 89 points
3-McLaren 86 points
4-Toyota 25 points
5-Red Bull 24 points
6-Renault 23 points
7-Williams 16 points
8-Honda 14 points
9-Toro Rosso 8 points

(Picture: Lewis Hamilton, McLaren.)

German Grand Prix: Second consecutive pole for McLaren

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sat, 19 Jul 2008 14:41:00 +0000

The German Grand Prix qualifying session was presented earlier today on the Hockenheim circuit. The points leaders who are tied at the halfway point of the season, Lewis Hamilton, Felipe Massa and Kimi Raikkonen battled for the pole.

After the third and final leg of the session, Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren-Mercedes had registered the best time of the leading trio. The British driver edged the Ferrari driven by Felipe Massa by less than two tenths of a second. The second McLaren-Mercedes driven by Heikki Kovalainen will start from the third position.

Kimi Raikkonen was very competitive in the early portions of the session but will have to start from the sixth position. We can speculate and guess that his Ferrari had more fuel on board.

As for the underdogs, Jarno Trulli in his Toyota placed fourth while the Red Bull racing machines are both positioned in the top ten.

Top ten on the grid for tomorrow's German Grand Prix:

Pole: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 1:15.666
2-Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:15.859
3-Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) 1:16.143
4-Jarno Trulli (Toyota) 1:16.191
5-Fernando Alonso (Renault) 1:16.385
6-Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:16.389
7-Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) 1:16.521
8-Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1:17.014
9-Sebastian Vettel (Toro Rosso) 1:17.244
10-David Coulthard (Red Bull) 1:17.503

(Picture: Lewis Hamilton, McLaren.)

2009 Winter classic.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Thu, 17 Jul 2008 14:05:00 +0000

Yesterday, the National Hockey League has unveiled the 2008-2009 regular season calendar along with some informations on the next winter classic.

The next edition of the winter classic will be held on January 1st 2009 in Chicago. The Chicago Blackhawks will host the Stanley Cup champions Detroit Red Wings for this special outdoor game. The game will be presented at the Wrigley field, home of the Chicago Cubs.

It will be an opportunity and a great event for the Chicago Blackhawks. The team lacked visibility in the last few years and the winter classic will put some spotlight on this ''original six'' franchise. With young talents like Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews in their roster, the Blackhawks are competitive again after being relegated to the bottom of the standings for too long.

The Detroit Red Wings is a great choice of opponent for the Blackhawks. The Wings are also an ''original six'' team and with the immense talent pool of the Red Wings roster (Zetterberg, Datsyuk, Hossa and Lidstrom only to name those four) will insure a great spectacle for the fans that will be attending the game at Wrigley field.

Last January for the winter classic, the Pittsburgh Penguins played the Buffalo Sabres at the Ralph Wilson stadium in Buffalo.

Get the good gear at L.A. Police Gear.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 16:01:00 +0000

A wide variety of equipment for any outdoorsman is available at www.lapolicegear.com.

From items like DEL flashlights, tactical gear or Belleville boots. To 5.11 Tactical eyewear, handcuffs or shotgun bags, L.A. Police Gear has a very wide range of products in every of those categories and more.

The site is very easy to browse and adequatly categorized so you can find what you are looking for in a matter of seconds.

Many of the items displayed on the website can be used for trekking, camping, fishing or hunting. So if you are looking to complete your gear with high quality products, a visit at www.lapolicegear.com can satisfy your need.

This post was sponsored by www.lapolicegear.com

Brett Favre saga: A tormented fan.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Mon, 14 Jul 2008 14:56:00 +0000

Brett Favre announced his retirement thru a press conference a few months ago but has now asked the NFL to put him back on the active players list last week.

The legendary quarterback wishes to play at least for one more season. His dramatic last play in career which resulted in an interception during the fifth quarter of this year's NFC Championship is probably still haunting him. Favre feels that he still can be competitive in the NFL and I personally do believe so too.

With the retirement of Favre announced in march, the Green Bay Packers were free to complete their rejuvenation program initiated a few seasons ago. Aaron Rodgers logically became the number one quarterback of the team. With Favre now wanting back, the Packers' General Manager Ted Thompson told the press this weekend that they are interested in him but only as a backup for Aaron Rodgers.

Yesterday, around 200 fans gathered at Lambeau field were shouting to the Packers ''We want Brett''. Among the core of fans, Adam and Erick Rolfson launched a website at www.bringbackbrettfavre.com. On the website, the fans are asked to vote and leave their opinions about the return of Favre. The crowd could grow bigger as they promised to be back in front of Lambeau field every sunday until Favre is back with the Pack.

I have been a Packers fan since before the Brett Favre era. The team had difficulties and was far from being a contender. Favre's arrival with the team some twenty years ago allowed Green Bay to leave the bottom of it's division to shortly after being into the playoffs on a regular basis. His strong arm, leadership, and toughness made of him my favorite athlete in pro sport.

Should the dispute between the two parties remain as it is, we will most likely see Favre land somewhere in the NFL as the number one quarterback for next season.

As a fan, I am tormented and will then be torn in two. I will still root for the Packers but will surely watch Favre's season. But worse case scenario: if they ever face each other next season, who will I go with? The man or the team?

I am a tormented fan.

(Picture: Brett Favre.)

Santos puts Alcine away.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 11:32:00 +0000

The WBA super-middleweight champion Joachim Alcine and the 11 203 fans gathered at the Uniprix stadium in Montreal yesterday were KOed by a crushing left from Daniel Santos.

At the sixth round of a bout scheduled for twelve rounds, Santos (32-3-1, 23 KOs) sent a decisive left hook to the head of a wide open WBA champion. The attack was swift and precise just as Alcine (30-1-0 19 KOs) was recovering from a missed attempt.

Joachim Alcine was never able to stand up before the count of ten and referee Marlon B. Wright stopped the fight. Daniel Santos becomes the new WBA super-middleweight champion, his third world championship title.

As for the home crowd, the damage from Santos' left hook left them silenced and shocked. Their champion is no longer undefeated. It is by no means the end for Joachim Alcine but surely a step back in his pro career.

The result of the fight cannot be considered an upset and was by no means decided on a lucky punch. I had a legitimate fear and knew that Daniel Santos was really able to strip Joachim Alcine of his title.

(Picture: Joachim Alcine, Canadian Press.)

Alcine-Santos: Ready to rumble.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Fri, 11 Jul 2008 16:08:00 +0000

Tonight at the Uniprix stadium in Montreal, Joachim Alcine and Daniel Santos will dispute the WBA super-middleweight title.

Both fighters respected the weight limit without any problem yesterday. Don King animated the official weight in with his colored comments. The internationally known promoter said to be excited by tonight's main event as he recognizes that two top quality fighters will clash tonight.

King also had good words for Montreal as he mixed his comments with some french expressions like ''Merci Quebec, Viva Montreal and merci beaucoup.'' After the weight in, he went to the Percival Molson stadium to watch the CFL regular season game between the Calgary Stampeders and the Montreal Alouettes.

As for both fighters, they said to be in top shape and ready to dispute a long and tough fight. Both Alcine and Santos are convinced to be WBA super-middleweight champion once the evening is over.

Personnally, I will follow tonight's match with high interest. Sadly, I will not be able to be at the Uniprix stadium but I will watch the fight on television tonight.

(Picture: Daniel Santos, Joachim Alcine and Don King, Canadian Press.)

Joachim Alcine is ready for his title defense.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 15:18:00 +0000

Friday night at the Uniprix Stadium in Montreal, Joachim Alcine (30-0-0, 19 KOs) will put his perfect record on the line and will defend his WBA super middleweight championship against Daniel Santos (31-3-1, 22 KOs).

Alcine won the WBA championship last july when he defeated Travis Simms in Bridgeport Connecticut. One year later, the hardest fight of his career is just around the corner. Both Joachim Alcine and Daniel Santos have said to be confident to walk out of the Uniprix stadium as the WBA super middleweight champion.

Santos is the mandatory opponent for the title as he is ranked as the No1 contender for Alcine's title. He has already two title reigns in his record. In 2000, Santos won the WBO middleweight championship and from 2002 to 2005 he was the WBO super middleweight champ.

This will be the second title defense for Alcine. Both corners expect a very disputed fight and possibly a ''fight of the year'' nomination. The fans that will be massed at the Uniprix stadium in Montreal Friday are in for a treat.

If I were to pick a winner, my heart goes with Joachim Alcine. But this opponent is too good to be taken lightly. I also as a boxing fan expect a great fight while I am really nervous for the champ's reign. The smallest of mistake or decrease of the intensity will be dramatic. Daniel Santos is a worthy challenger able to strip the belt from the champ.

(Picture: Joachim Alcine.)

British Grand Prix: Lewis Hamilton surfs thru at Silverstone.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 20:33:00 +0000

Rainy conditions on the Silverstone track animated the 2008 British Grand Prix. Many drivers had a hard time keeping their car on the track. The rain accumulated in certain portions of the track sent many of them off track.

Very early into the race, Lewis Hamilton took the first place and increased his lead at will. He managed to avoid the most of trouble by not exceeding the car's limits. Hamilton even lapped both Ferrari drivers during the race. At the finish line, only Nick Heidfeld and Rubens Barrichello were on the lead lap, but over a minute behind Hamilton.

Among those who entertained the fans with wild spins we find both Ferrari drivers. Felipe Massa alone spun off track at least three times during the course of the race. Kimi Raikkonen had also his share of problems but managed to finish in the points.

Robert Kubica also finished his race when he lost control of his car, victim of the elements. With only a few points today the BMW-Sauber pilot would be leading the drivers championship at the halfway mark. Rubens Barrichello made the race of his season under the rain as he dragged his Honda into third place.

As things cannot be more undecided, three drivers are tied for first place in the drivers championship at the halfway point of this 2008 season. To predict about who will take the title this year is a difficult task at this point. None of the drivers involved in the championship can claim of having a perfect season. The one that will score points with the more consistency until the end of the season will take home the drivers championship.

British Grand Prix top ten:

Winner: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2-Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber) +68.5 seconds
3-Rubens Barrichello (Honda) +82.2 seconds
4-Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) -1 lap
5-Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) -1 lap
6-Fernando Alonso (Renault) -1 lap
7-Jarno Trulli (Toyota) -1 lap
8-Kazuki Nakajima (Williams) -1 lap
9-Nico Rosberg (Williams) -1 lap
10-Mark Webber (Red Bull) -1 lap

Drivers championship after 9/18 races:

1-Lewis Hamilton 48 points
1-Felipe Massa 48 points
1-Kimi Raikkonen 48 points
4-Robert Kubica 46 points
5-Nick Heidfeld 36 points
6-Heikki Kovalainen 24 points
7-Jarno Trulli 20 points
8-Mark Webber 18 points
9-Fernando Alonso 13 points
10-Rubems Barrichello 11 points
11-Nico Rosberg 8 points
12-Kazuki Nakajima 8 points
13-David Coulthard 6 points
14-Timo Glock 5 points
15-Sebastian Vettel 5 points
16-Jenson Button 3 points
17-Sebastien Bourdais 2 points
18-Nelson Piquet Jr 2 points

Constructors championship:

1-Ferrari 96 points
2-BMW-Sauber 82 points
3-McLaren 72 points
4-Toyota 25 points
5-Red Bull 24 points
6-Williams 16 points
7-Renault 15 points
8-Honda 14 points
9-Toro Rosso 7 points

(Picture: Lewis Hamilton, McLaren.)

British Grand Prix: First career pole for Kovalainen.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 18:48:00 +0000

Tomorrow's Grand Prix on the Silverstone track promises a lot of unexpected results. There is some rain forecasted for tomorrow and the starting grid for the race is as ecclectic as it can get.

The McLaren-Mercedes had slipped in the constructors championship during the last few races. Lewis Hamilton has not scored points in the last two races. This weekend, the car looked to be the fastest of the plateau. But Lewis Hamilton missed a great opportunity to start from the pole as he pushed the limits of his car a little too much during the final qualifying stage. At the opposite, Heikki Kovalainen was brilliant and he registered the fastest time. A first pole position in career for him.

Mark Webber in his Red Bull shocked the racing fans only a few seconds before the end of qualifying when he registered the fastest time. But Kovalainen was just behind him and took back the pole a few seconds later. Webber will start in second place, a very good starting position for the Red Bull.

Silverstone top ten on the grid:

Pole: Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) 1:21.049
2-Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1:21.554
3-Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:21706
4-Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) 1:21.835
5-Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber) 1:21.873
6-Fernando Alonso (Renault) 1:22.029
7-Nelson Piquet Jr (Renault) 1:22.491
8-Sebastien Vettel (Toro Rosso) 1:23.251
9-Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:23.305
10-Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) --------

(Picture: Heikki Kovalainen, Getty Images.)

Bob Gainey buys respect.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:22:00 +0000

Montreal Canadiens' General Manager Bob Gainey made a popular decision as he has signed a three year contract with the heavy forward Georges Laraque.

Laraque is really coming back home as he originates from the Montreal area in Laval, Quebec. At 6' 3'' and 240 pounds, Laraque is a tough man to handle in a fight. His reputation is well known among the players across the NHL. His very presence on the roster will make some opponents think twice before laying out a cheap shot.

With the acquisition, Bob Gainey also wants to give more room to work for his goaltenders. Last season, too many players charged Montreal's net at will. Carey Price and Jaroslav Halak will be able to work with less contact and obstruction from the opponents.

When asked about his impressions, Laraque said to be very pleased. He declared that being a free agent, he wished for such an offer from the Montreal Canadiens. A three year deal worth $4.5 Millions at home in Montreal is a perfect fit for him.

Adding the fact that the club will celebrate it's 100th anniversary this next season and will host the All-Star game, Georges will be pleased and will most probably have a great season. His arrival with the Canadiens created quite a lot of reactions among the population. The majority of hockey fans, including myself, are thrilled with Gainey's decision.

(Picture: Georges Laraque, Getty Images.)

If you can't beat them, join them!

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:33:00 +0000

Yesterday, Marian Hossa, one of the most talented player of the NHL without a contract accepted an offer from the Detroit Red Wings. A one year deal worth $7.45 Millions.

Just a few weeks ago, Hossa was playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins and was trying to defeat the Red Wings in the Stanley Cup final. We all know the rest of the story: the Wings won the series in six games.

So instead of trying again next time and lead the Penguins to a Stanley Cup championship, Hossa decided to join the Wings that will try to repeat their fantastic season during the upcoming 2008-2009 season.

In 701 matches in career, Marian Hossa scored 299 goals and totals 648 points.

(Picture: Marian Hossa, Getty Images.)

Euro 2008: Spain is victorious.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 14:19:00 +0000

Yesterday, a goal from Fernando Torres at the 33rd minute was enough to give Spain a 1-0 victory over Germany.

Spain waited for this moment for 44 years. The country had not won a major international soccer tournament since their first conquest at the Euro in 1964. Now with the 2008 european title in the bag, their next objective is nothing less than a victory during the next World Cup.

The 2008 edition of the Euro was a success, especially if we compare the quality of the teams in this tournament versus the previous one. The level of the competition was excellent and some teams who went as far as the semifinals like Turkey and Russia offered great matches all tournament long.

On the other hand, some teams like France and Italy could be accused of a lack of creativity. The quality and talent contained in those two teams is obvious but the way that they decided to play in this competition was anything but satisfying.

Overall, the soccer fans had a great competition and now they are counting the days until the next World Cup.

(Picture: Spain, Agence France Presse.)

Euro 2008: Germany - Spain.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 11:47:00 +0000

The Euro 2008 is to be concluded this sunday as the remaining two teams, Germany and Spain, will dispute the honors. It is the first time that these two countries will meet for the final stage of a championship.

In the semis, Spain walked thru Russia by the score of 3-0. The Spaniards controlled the pace of the game at will and scored their three goals during the second half. For Russia, it was a good tournament overall as they haven't reached the semis at the Euro since the end of the Soviet Union.

For Germany, their semifinal match was a nailbiter until the end. A goal at the 90th minute gave them a 3-2 victory over Turkey. A great tournament for Turkey who played the most entertaining matches during the tournament.

The match to be played this sunday could produce an entertaining outcome. Both teams are loaded with talent and able to score. Spain will try and win the Euro for a second time while Germany has already three titles.

(Picture: Spain, Getty Images.)

Early exit for Djokovic.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:20:00 +0000

Novak Djokovic is already eliminated at the 2008 Wimbledon championships.

Novak had a serious opponent in Marat Safin coming early in his draw and was defeated in three straight sets of 6-4, 7-6 (7-3) and 6-2 in one of the second round match played yesterday.

Canada's Frank Dancevic has also lost his second round match. After upsetting David Nalbandian in his first round match, Dancevic did not continue on his run and was defeated by Bobby Reynolds in four sets of 4-6, 7-6, 6-4 and 6-4.

The only remaining Canadian in the singles competition at Wimbledon is Alexandra Wozniak. She has to play her second round match today.

French Grand Prix: Massa wins a boring race.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:44:00 +0000

The configuration of the Magny Cours track rarely offers spectacular races and this year was not different.

An exhaust problem on Kimi Raikkonen's Ferrari prevented him from winning the race in favor of his teammate Felipe Massa.

It was simply a walk in the park for the Ferrari drivers this weekend. Their domination on the French race track was obvious since the start of the weekend. Massa's victory allows him to lead the drivers championship while Raikkonen places himself in a comfortable position for the remainder of the season.

Jarno Trulli offered Toyota it's first podium since the Australian Grand Prix in 2006. Trulli, who was very emotional during the post-race interview, dedicated the podium finish to the late Ove Andersson who directed the team at it's beginnings in 2002.

French Grand Prix top ten:

Winner: Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
2. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) -17.984
3. Jarno Trulli (Toyota) -28.250
4. Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) -28.929
5. Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) -30.512
6. Mark Webber (Red Bull) -40.304
7. Nelson Piquet Jr (Renault) -41.033
8. Fernando Alonso (Renault) -43.372
9. David Coulthard (Red Bull) -51.072
10. Lewis Hamilton (McLaren) -54.521

Drivers championship after 8/18 races:

1-Felipe Massa 48 points
2-Robert Kubica 46 points
3-Kimi Raikkonen 43 points
4-Lewis Hamilton 38 points
5-Nick Heidfeld 28 points
6-Heikki Kovalainen 20 points
7-Jarno Trulli 18 points
8-Mark Webber 18 points
9-Fernando Alonso 10 points
10-Nico Rosberg 8 points
11-Kazuki Nakajima 7 points
12-David Coulthard 6 points
13-Timo Glock 5 points
14-Sebastian Vettel 5 points
15-Rubens Barrichello 5 points
16-Jenson Button 3 points
17-Nelson Piquet Jr 2 points
18-Sebastien Bourdais 2 points

Constructors championship:

1-Ferrari 91 points
2-BMW-Sauber 74 points
3-McLaren 58 points
4-Red Bull 24 points
5-Toyota 23 points
6-Williams 15 points
7-Renault 12 points
8-Honda 7 points
9-Toro Rosso 7 points

(Picture: Felipe Massa, Canadian Press.)

French Grand Prix: An all-red first row.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 18:13:00 +0000

The qualifying session of the French Grand Prix was run earlier today on the Magny Cours circuit. The session went smoothly, without any major incident.

The main story of the qualifying session is coming from Ferrari team. There was no possible doubt after the last lap completed by the drivers that the Scuderia driven by Kimi Raikkonen and Felipe Massa were the fastest team on the French track.

As for Lewis Hamilton, his third place registered today will not allow him to start behind the Ferraris. A penalty was awarded to the British driver for the incident in the pit lane during the last race. That penalty is costing him ten positions on the grid.

After a magnificent one-two finish in Montreal, the BMW-Sauber had a lot of problems in France today. The points leader, Robert Kubica, registered the seventh best time and will start from the sixth position while Nick Heidfeld did not even manage to place into the top ten for tomorrow's race.

Magny Cours' top ten on the grid:

Pole: Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:16.449
2-Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:16.490
3-Fernando Alonso (Renault) 1:16.840
4-Jarno Trulli (Toyota) 1:16.920
5-Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren) 1:16.944
6-Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) 1:17.037
7-Mark Webber (Red Bull) 1:17.233
8-David Coulthard (Red Bull) 1:17.426
9-Timo Glock (Toyota) 1:17.596
10-Nelson Piquet Jr. (Renault) ---------

(Picture: Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari.)

2008 NHL entry draft: Steven Stamkos, first overall pick.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sat, 21 Jun 2008 01:08:00 +0000

The 2008 NHL entry draft is presented tonight in Ottawa and halfway into the first round of picks there has been a lot of action already. Outside the normal order of picks scheduled, there has been a number of trades. .

And here are some of the most important moves from the teams:

First, the Montreal Canadiens acquired forward Alex Tanguay from the Calgary Flames for Montreal's first round pick and for their 2009 second round pick.

The Phoenix Coyotes acquired forward Olli Jokinen from the Florida Panthers for defensemens Nick Boynton, Keith Ballard and their second round pick.

The Calgary Flames have acquired forward Mike Cammalleri from the Los Angeles Kings for their first round draft pick.

The Columbus Blue Jackets traded their first and third round picks for the Philadelphia Flyers forward R.J. Umberger.

2008 NHL entry draft first round picks:

1-Tampa Bay Lightning - Steven Stamkos
2-Los Angeles Kings - Drew Doughty
3-Atlanta Thrashers - Zach Bogosian
4-St-Louis Blues - Alex Pietrangelo
5-Toronto Maple Leafs - Luke Schenn
6-Columbus Blue Jackets - Nikita Filatov
7-Nashville Predators - Colin Wilson
8-Phoenix Coyotes - Mikkel Boedker
9-New-York Islanders - Josh Bailey
10-Vancouver Canucks - Cody Hodgson
11-Chicago Blackhawks - Kyle Beach
12-Buffalo Sabres - Tyler Myers
13-Los Angeles Kings - Colten Teubert
14-Carolina Hurricanes - Zach Boychuk
15-Ottawa Senators - Erik Karlsson
16-Boston Bruins - Joe Colborne
17-Anaheim Ducks - Jake Gardiner
18-Nashville Predators - Chet Pickard
19-Philadelphia Flyers - Luca Sbisa
20-New-York Rangers - Michael Del Zotto
21-Washington Capitals - Anton Gustafsson
22-Edmonton Oilers - Jordan Eberle
23-Minnesota Wild - Tyler Cuma
24-New-Jersey Devils - Mattias Tedenby
25-Calgary Flames - Greg Nemisz
26-Buffalo Sabres - Tyler Ennis
27-Washington Capitals - John Carlson
28-Phoenix Coyotes - Viktor Tikhonov
29-Atlanta Thrashers - Daultan Leveille
30-Detroit Red Wings - Thomas McCollum

(Picture: Steven Stamkos, Getty Images.)

Tiger wins a 14th Major title.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:26:00 +0000

Tiger Woods has won his 14th Major title yesterday when he edged Rocco Mediate during the first extra hole of this extra round of the U.S. Open played at the Torrey Pines club.

It was not an easy one because Tiger had to overcome a sore knee and a two month inactivity. With a three strokes lead after the tenth hole, we all thought that it was in the bag for Woods.

But Rocco Mediate was playing the tournament of his career. He registered three consecutive birdies to erase Tiger's lead then he even took a one stroke lead going on the 18th hole. But Tiger once again tied the matchup on the 18th to finally win during the first extra hole of this extra round.

The victory counts as the 14th Major title for Woods who is now only four behind the great Jack Nicklaus who has won eighteen Majors during his career.

(Picture: Tiger Woods, Canadian Press.)

U.S. Open: Tiger forces an overtime.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 12:11:00 +0000

Tiger Woods gave the golf fans another classic moment yesterday for the U.S. Open played at the Torrey Pines club.

After being down a few strokes on the leader all day long during the final round of the tournament, Woods was a single stroke away from a tie with leader Rocco Mediate at the 18th hole. On a long twelve foot putt for a birdie and a tie, Tiger sent the ball in the hole and forced the presentation an extra round that will be played today.

Before the start of the tournament, Tiger Woods had issues about the condition of his knee as he missed action for the last two months. He will gladly play an extra one now as he didn't look bothered by it at all.

Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate are going to play head to head in a classic showdown this afternoon. A major title is in the balance and I expect a great battle from those two players.

(Picture: Tiger Woods, Canadian Press.)

Villeneuve second at Le Mans.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 14:16:00 +0000

Jacques Villeneuve had another try this weekend at winning the 24-hour classic race of Le Mans. With a victory at Le Mans, Villeneuve would become only the second driver to claim the triple crown of racing.

Along with Nicolas Minassian and Marc Gené, the Peugeot 908 HDi-FAP finished in second place, a single lap behind the winner. The regularity of the Audi R10 TDI driven by Tom Kristensen, Allan McNish and Rinaldo Capello allowed them to finish in first place.

After a few hours of racing, Villeneuve and his team had managed to take a thirty seconds lead over the Audi. But later on, some mechanical complications caused overheating on the Peugeot which costed crucial seconds and track position.

Villeneuve, Minassian and Gené finished third last year and with this second place this year, they now form a decently solid and experienced team. I expect that they will be reunited and pushing for the victory again next year.

(The Peugeot 908 HDi-FAP, Getty Images.)

2008 French Open: A 4th title for Nadal.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 16:48:00 +0000

The French Open concluded last weekend and once again this year, Rafael Nadal has dominated the competition and won the tournament. A fourth Roland-Garros title in a row!

This last weekend for his fourth victory in a row, Nadal inflicted a severe correction to the great Roger Federer during the final. A victory in three straight sets of 6-1, 6-3 and 6-0. Rafael Nadal is inching closer to Federer in the race for the number one spot in the ATP.

Some health problems encountered by Roger Federer early in this current season has reduced his advantage over Nadal. As Wimbledon is approaching, Federer has now two serious contenders for his number one spot in the world.

Novak Djokovic and Rafael Nadal have a legitimate shot at a number one spot at the end of the season. Their respective result at Wimbledon as well as Federer's results could give us a good idea of who has the inside track at the number one spot.

My congratulations to Rafael Nadal for his fourth Rolland-Garros title.

On the women's side, Ana Ivanovic has captured her first Grand Slam title in career and deserves all of it. Her constant rise in the rankings is due to her constant work and she banked it this weekend with a great victory over Dinara Safina by 6-4 and 6-3.

(Picture: Rafael Nadal, Canadian Press.)

Montreal Grand Prix: A race full of surprises.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 20:52:00 +0000

Historically, the Canadian Grand Prix is the theatre of exceptional performances and has a lot of surprises in store. Today's edition was no different.

The 30th Canadian Grand Prix was the occasion for the BMW-Sauber to shine. Not only Robert Kubica finished in first place for the first time in his career but Nick Heidfeld who was starting from the eight spot finished in second place. A pleasant and unexpected one-two finish for the team who finishes in first place for a first time also.

The main incident of the race came at the 19th lap when the Force India of Adrian Sutil stalled and was forced to retire. The safety car was sent out on the track and the leaders decided to pit in. Lewis Hamilton who was starting from the pole position came out of the pits after his service behind Robert Kubica and Kimi Raikkonen. Hamilton committed a fatal mistake when he came out of the pitlane. He did not see the red light and the stalled Ferrari of Kimi Raikkonen and rammed him. Both drivers had to retire because of the incident.

The incident coupled with the victory propells Robert Kubica in front of the drivers championship.

Here is the top ten finish of the Canadian Grand Prix:

Winner: Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber)
2-Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber)
3-David Coulthard (Red Bull)
4-Timo Glock (Toyota)
5-Felipe Massa (Ferrari)
6-Jarno Trulli (Toyota)
7-Rubens Barrichello (Honda)
8-Sebastian Vettel (Toro Rosso)
9-Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren)
10-Nico Rosberg (Williams)

Drivers championship after 7/18 races:

1-Robert Kubica 42 points
2-Lewis Hamilton 38 points
3-Felipe Massa 38 points
4-Kimi Raikkonen 35 points
5-Nick Heidfeld 28 points
6-Heikki Kovalainen 15 points
7-Mark Webber 15 points
8-Jarno Trulli 12 points
9-Fernando Alonso 9 points
10-Nico Rosberg 8 points
11-Kazuki Nakajima 7 points
12-David Coulthard 6 points
13-Timo Glock 5 points
14-Sebastian Vettel 5 points
15-Rubens Barrichello 5 points
16-Jenson Button 3 points
17-Sebastien Bourdais 2 points

Constructors championship:

1-Ferrari 73 points
2-BMW-Sauber 70 points
3-McLaren 53 points
4-Red Bull 21 points
5-Toyota 17 points
6-Williams 15 points
7-Renault 9 points
8-Honda 8 points
9-Toro Rosso 7 points

(Picture: Robert Kubica, Getty Images.)

Montreal Grand Prix: Hamilton on pole.

noreply@blogger.com (Frank) — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 23:09:00 +0000

Today at the Gilles Villeneuve circuit of Ile Notre-Dame, the qualifying session of the Canadian Grand Prix was presented.

The vast majority of the pilots were deceived by the track conditions as the asphalt was peeling off the track at three different locations. Lewis Hamilton did manage to work with the poor track conditions to qualify his McLaren-Mercedes on pole position. Hamilton has registered his first F1 victory in career on the Gilles Villeneuve circuit last season and will try to repeat this year.

As for the rest of the field, Robert Kubica placed his BMW-Sauber on the first row. Kubica is remembered in Montreal for his spectacular crash last year. Fernando Alonso did very well in his Renault and will start fourth. As for the Ferrari pilots, Kimi Raikkonen placed third while Felipe Massa will start from the sixth position.

Mark Webber crashed during the last portion of the second run and was not able to run during the final stage of the qualifying session.

Here is the top ten starting positions for tomorrow:

Pole: Lewis Hamilton (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:17.886
2-Robert Kubica (BMW-Sauber) 1:18.498
3-Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 1:18.735
4-Fernando Alonso (Renault) 1:18.746
5-Nico Rosberg (Williams) 1:18.844
6-Felipe Massa (Ferrari) 1:19.048
7-Heikki Kovalainen (McLaren-Mercedes) 1:19.089
8-Nick Heidfeld (BMW-Sauber) 1:19.633
9-Rubens Barrichello (Honda) 1:20.848
10-Mark Webber (Red Bull) ---------

(Picture: Lewis Hamilton, Canadian Press.)