If you feel the need to chill, how about settling in with a bucket of high-carb popcorn and creating your own movie marathon? We’ve watched all the films out there and put together a collection of the best sports-themed chick flicks. Feel the need to add an educational element? Try watching the DVD in another language – a great way to brush up on your French or Spanish.

Pretty Tough Picks

My personal faves include Love & Basketball (Sanaa Lathan), Bend It Like Beckham (Keira Knightly) and League of Their Own (Geena Davis, Madonna). If you haven’t already seen it, Heart of the Game is a terrific documentary that matches any theatrical film for drama.

Despite the loss, the Sol remain in first place the WPS standings at 11-2-4 (37 points), while the Athletica tighten their grasp on second with a 23 points and 7-5-2 record.

According the league’s game report:

Saint Louis took the lead just 11 minutes into the match when midfielder Amanda Cinalli slotted home a pass from Eniola Aluko past a helpless Karina LeBlanc in the Sol net. The Sol nearly equalized in the 20th minute – Marta hit a low, first-time shot towards the goal that the Athletica’s Hope Solo dove to her left to smother.

Chinese forward Han Duan almost drew the Sol even in the 31st minute after collecting a pass from Marta and eluding a couple of defenders in the penalty area, but Solo knocked her low shot out of danger. Neither team threatened for the remainder of the first half and the visitors clung to the slimmest of margins at the interval.

In the opening minutes of the second half, the Sol threatened a couple of times in rapid succession, but were unable to break through the Athletica defense and the visitors remained in the lead.

Marta nearly equalized for the Sol in the 58th minute, but Solo parried her curling corner kick out of danger. Defender Brittany Bock got her head to a corner five minutes later, but Solo reacted quickly, covered the near post well and punched the ball off the line.

Miyama collected a pass from Marta in the box in the 67th minute, but she hesitated before taking a low shot and Solo cut off the angle and again made the save to preserve the victory.

This was the last home game of the 2009 season for the Los Angeles Sol.  Their next match will be on Thursday, July 23, when they take on FC Gold Pride at Buck Shaw Stadium at 7pm PT / 10pm ET in Santa Clara, Calif.

I am looking forward to a play-off  game back at HDC.  And I’ll be sure to be in attendance and cheering for the home team.

According to Newsday, there’s nothing hotter than New York sports.  Editors there decided to rank the area’s “prettiest” male athletes. So who makes the list?

1. Derek Jeter, New York Yankees
2. Alex Rodriguez, New York Yankees
3. David Wright, New York Mets
4. Henrik Lundqvist, New York Rangers
5. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets
6. Jose Reyes, New York Mets
7. Nate Robinson, New York Knicks
8. Justin Tuck, New York Giants
9. Kerry Rhodes, New York Jets
10. Rick DiPietro, New York Islanders

Honorable Mentions: Sean Avery (New York Rangers), Danilo Gallinari (New York Knicks), Thomas Jones (New York Jets), John Maine (New York Mets), Antonio Pierce (New York Giants).

Okay – we know we should only judge these athletes on their stats. Same goes for David Beckham, Rafa Nadal and Tom Brady. Now get back to work.

Gozzip Girl

No, not that Gossip Girl. While GG is on summer hiatus from TV, it has become clear that females have taken over as the stars in thoroughbred racing.

The latest filly to strut her stuff is Gozzip Girl, a 3-year-old who overwhelmed a 14-horse international field in the Grade I $700,000 American Oaks on Sunday at Hollywood Park.

Gozzip Girl, ridden by Hall of Fame jockey Kent Desormeaux, shifted gears in the stretch and unleashed an explosive finishing kick for a decisive 3 1/4 -length victory over Well Monied, completing the 1 1/4 miles on the turf in 2:00.22.

The victory was the first in a Grade I race for Gozzip Girl, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Dynaformer.

She won the Grade II Sands Point at Belmont on the turf in her last start and has won on dirt and synthetic surfaces in scoring her fifth victory in eight lifetime starts.

Gozzip Girl joins the 3-year-old filly Rachel Alexandra and the 5-year-old unbeaten mare Zenyatta as part of a trio of exceptional females in training. A fourth outstanding filly, Life Is Sweet, figures to be the favorite in Saturday’s Grade I $700,000 Hollywood Gold Cup at 1 1/4 miles on the Cushion Track.

Be sure to keep your eye on all these girls. xoxo

If it’s July, it’s time to pull out the board shorts and head down to the HB Pier. The nine-day event, known as the U.S. Open of Surfing, returns to Huntington Beach (“Surf City, USA”) July 18 to 26, 2009. This is the mother of North American action sports events; the Vegas of surfing with over 500,000 spectators, a host of entertainment stages, peripheral activities and tribes of hardcore fans who pack the sand to watch the competition.

The pier’s been the site of the extravaganza for 50 years now, starting with West Coast Surfing Championships (WCSC) and evolving to today. When the first comp took place in 1959 it quickly became the biggest surfing event in the country – if not the world. HB local Jack Haley won the first event while the legendary Linda Benson took women’s. And it marked the beginning of a long tradition of competitive drama along the 300-yard stretch known as the “South Side.”

In 1960, the women’s division was added to the Championships. Last year 14-year-old Malia Manuel became the youngest finalist ever at the US Open. Runner-up Coco Ho, 17, made it an all-Hawaiian final and a major statement that there’s a new generation in town.

This summer, Hurley takes the U.S. Open of Surfing to a new level, infusing a youthful attitude, elite athletes, fashion and music—all against the backdrop of 50 years of competitive surfing. The “Walk of Champions” pays tribute to this storied history with a special walkway dedicated to the “50 years at the pier” celebration. This will include a timeline with key dates and happenings, along with photos and a list of all the former champions.

The U.S. Open of Surfing boasts North America’s only six-star World Qualifying Series-rated men’s and women’s competitions, longboarding and men’s and women’s junior disciplines. As work crews snap together the last bleachers, and put the finishing touches on the nearby Tiki village, this year’s event promises to be as big and bad as ever.

Technically, the US Open is an all-access event. Just about anyone can get in, but the truth is that because of its high ratings on the circuit, a lot of Big Names surf this contest. It may not be Pipeline or Trestles but the world’s best show up.

Many of the world’s best female surfers are barely getting their driver’s licenses. Carissa Moore, last year’s champ Malia Manuel, Coco Ho, Sally Fitzgibbons…the list goes on. Which is why this year’s Girls Nike 6.0 Pro Junior will pack in all the drama and performance level of a major world tour event.

Halfway through the grueling season, 3000 points up for grabs and $4500 for first place in the women’s division. But most important, it’s that launch pad into the Bigs. Win here, and you’re on your way.

Nevermind that the hype doesn’t always match the waves. Summer in Huntington can mean mediocre surf near the famed pier. Sometimes it’s a surfers ability to perform in sub-par conditions that divides the groms from the pros. Maintaining speed, pulling tricks and destroying mid-sized waves takes real talent.

Whatever the conditions, the event has enough sideshows to keep it interesting. BMX bikers drop into a 13 foot deep kidney-shaped pool, FMX demos take place, DJs and live bands crank loud music, and dozens of sponsor tents promote new products to the massive crowds.

With all the local and international talent, anything can and does happen at this comp. The next superstar might easily emerge from the pack to become part of the U.S. Open’s  colorful and coveted history. So if you’re in SoCal at the end of the month, be sure to make it down. Should be fun.

Three-and-a-half hours after the women’s singles final at Wimbledon, Venus and Serena Williams took to Centre Court again but this time they were on the same side of the net.

The Williams sisters  put sibling rivalry them to win the women’s doubles title in emphatic style.

As the sun dipped down behind Centre Court’s roof, the Serena and Venus teamed up to win their fourth Wimbledon women’s doubles title, defeating Samantha Stosur and Rennae Stubbs of Australia 7-6 6-4.

It was consolation of sorts for Venus, who had lost the women’s singles final to her sister earlier in the day.

Serena beat her older sibling 7-6 6-2 to deny her a hat-trick of Wimbledon singles titles, while at the same time claiming a third Sw19 crown of her own.

Venus has now lost six of the eight grand slam singles finals she has played against Serena, three of them at Wimbledon.

Still, it was a good day for the American ladies.

Serena, when asked about her motivation and attempt to regain the world No. 1 ranking said:

You know, I’m not super motivated. I think if you hold three Grand Slam titles maybe you should be No. 1, but not on the WTA Tour obviously, so…

You know, my motivation is maybe just to win another Grand Slam and stay No. 2, I guess (laughter).

(Note: Despite being eliminated in the semifinals at Wimbledon, Dinara Safina remains No. 1 in the WTA rankings. Go figure).

A total of five Olympic qualification competitions will take place at Copper Mountain in Colorado’s Summit County and Mammoth Mountain in the Mammoth Lakes region of California. The tour will make its final stop at Park City Mountain Resort, the venue for the 2002 Olympics, to announce the 2010 Olympic halfpipe team.

The Grand Prix series, which will feature 22-foot halfpipes at each of its venues, will narrow down the competition for Olympic spots through its first two tour stops and solidify the 2010 team at the final event in Park City.

“Copper, Mammoth and Park City are all classic Grand Prix sites and will provide a most fitting stage on which to name the Olympic halfpipe team for 2010,” said Grand Prix Tour Director Eric Webster. “Copper, Mammoth and Park City all have a proven track record in hosting world class snowboard events, which lends confidence to the riders and coaches in a season with so much on the line.”

The competition will heat up as Olympic gold medalists Kelly Clark (Snow Mountain, VT), Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT), and Shaun White (Carlsbad, CA), along with fellow Olympic medalists Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO), JJ Thomas (Golden, CO) and Danny Kass (Portland, OR) all look for another shot at Olympic glory. Joining them in the hunt will be Grand Prix overall champions Steve Fisher (Breckenridge, CO) and Louie Vito (Sandy, UT) as well as Grand Prix podium performers Ellery Hollingsworth (Stratton, VT), Clair Bidez (Minturn, CO) Greg Bretz (Mammoth Lakes, CA) and Olympian Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA).

Copper Gets Things Started

For the second straight year Copper Mountain, which is known as one of the top resorts for snowboarding in the U.S., will play host to the first stop of the Grand Prix Dec. 11-12. Copper, which is at the epicenter of snowboarding development with variable terrain and more than 19,000 sq ft of park and pipe progression tools in the new Woodward at Copper Barn, has a longstanding history with the Grand Prix tour, having hosted events in 1998 and 1999.

“I’m really excited to have the Grand Prix at Copper once again because I personally love having my family and friends close, as well as having the support of my home mountain,” Copper local Clair Bidez said. “I know that Copper is really going to put their all into making the Grand Prix a great event.”

Copper Mountain, which lies a convenient 75 miles from the Denver area, is known for traditionally having the first superpipe open in the U.S. and continually providing the best conditions for riders to compete in. Another great feature of Copper’s superpipe is the location – it will provide a very entertaining and intimate experience for spectators because it is located just steps away from the Village at Copper and Burning Stones Plaza.

Look for the action in Copper to continue when the sun goes down as the mountain hosts a Paul Mitchell Progression Session under the lights.

“Copper delivered an outstanding Grand Prix for us last year with an amazing pipe. It brings an incredible snowmaking capacity, and an ability and commitment to build an early season pipe,” said USSA Vice President of Events Calum Clark. “This year Copper has committed to having a 22-foot pipe, which pushes the envelope even further. We will have an Olympic quality pipe ready for competition in early December.”

Mammoth Mountain Returns to Grand Prix

The hosting the first Olympic snowboard team announcement in 1998, Mammoth Mountain is back on the Grand Prix tour as the second of three stops and will host two full-field halfpipe competitions Jan. 8-10.

“Mammoth has been a tremendous partner of ours for years. It has been a hotbed for growing a tremendous amount of talent out of their parks and pipes,” Clark said. To be going back to a longstanding partner, someone who’s really grown with the snowboard industry as it has expanded in the U.S., it’s fitting and exciting.”

In addition to hosting the halfpipe competitions, Mammoth will also hold a slopestyle event where athletes have the chance to show off their style on the kickers and course features.

“Mammoth is a great place to hold the Grand Prix. The park staff and night crew will make the terrain perfect for competition,” Mammoth rider Greg Bretz (Mammoth Lakes, CA) said.”I think a lot of people will come up to watch the competition and the local crowd at Mammoth will make the event super exciting. It’s a great place to go for Olympic qualifications.”

Known for being the only resort in North America to offer three different-sized halfpipes, Mammoth’s 22-foot super pipe will give athletes their last two competitions in which they can qualify for a spot in the reduced field at the final tour stop where the Olympic team will be named.

“It is so exciting to be a part of this history making Grand Prix series,” Mammoth Mountain Youth Action Sports Marketing Director Oren Tanzer said. “I can’t wait to see the progression of snowboarding and to be a part of naming the U.S. Team for the upcoming Olympics. It doesn’t get any better than this!”

Park City’s Olympic Pipe Rides Again

The historic pipe where U.S. athletes swept the men’s podium and won gold in the women’s event during the Salt Lake City Olympics in 2002 will entertain the masses with Olympians again. The Grand Prix makes its final stop at Park City Mountain Resort for back to back night competitions, after which the winners will be crowned and the 2010 Olympic halfpipe team will be named.

Among the athletes stoked to hit the Park City pipe is White who, after having dinner with PCMR owner John Cummings, took to his Twitter page to spread the good news.

“Had dinner with John Cummings,” White wrote. “Super nice guy, he told me Park City is having Olympic qualis mid Jan! booyeah!”

A reduced field comprised of the highest scoring athletes from previous tour stops will throw down the best tricks in their bag in an attempt to be one of the few named to the Olympic halfpipe team when the event is over.

“It’s the perfect place to close the story of the Olympic team selection,” Clark said. “The pipe has the tradition of being one of the best in North America. They put a tremendous amount of pride and energy into their venue. They are very excited to have this here.”

In addition to hosting the Olympic halfpipe competition in 2002, Park City also held a Grand Prix the following December in which the Olympic medalists all returned for competition in their glory stomping ground.

2010 U.S. SNOWBOARDING GRAND PRIX SCHEDULE:

• Dec. 11-12, 2009, Copper Mountain
• Jan. 6-10, 2010, Mammoth Mountain
• Jan. 22-23, 2010, Park City Mountain Resort

Have a great 4th of July Weekend from Pretty Tough!

Reigning champion Venus Williams demolished world number one Dinara Safina 6-1, 6-0 to set up a clash with her sister Serena in the Wimbledon final.

The five-time Wimbledon champion was in perfect form and brushed aside the first seeded Russian in under an hour while barely breaking a sweat.

Williams began the match with a serve of 112mph, and followed it with the fastest delivery of the tournament at 124mph to consolidate her early break in the second game.  She needed only 51 minutes to demolish Safina and reach her eighth Wimbledon final.

Earlier, Serena Williams beat Elena Dementieva in an epic contest on Centre Court  to set up the fourth all-sister Wimbledon final and eighth meeting in a Grand Slam title match.

Two-time champion Serena saved a match point and overcame Elena Dementieva 6-7 (4), 7-5, 8-6 in 2 hours, 49 minutes – the longest women’s semifinal at Wimbledon in at least 40 years.

Though pushed to the limit by the fourth-seeded Dementieva,  Serena raised her game when she needed in one of the most compelling women’s matches at the All England Club in years. During the course of the match, Serena served 20 aces – the most for a woman at Wimbledon since 2000.

The Williams sisters – who hold 17 Grand Slam titles between them – will face each other Saturday on the Fourth of July.

One Williams or the other has won seven of the past nine championships at the All England Club. Serena beat Venus in the 2002 and ‘03 finals here, while Venus came out on top against her younger sister last year.

Venus is bidding to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win Wimbledon three years in a row.

There have been seven previous all-Williams championship matches at majors, with Serena holding a 5-2 lead. Overall, the sisters are tied 10-10.

The irony is that despite suffering a disgraceful defeat, Safina will remain the world number one regardless of whether Venus or Serena Williams seals victory in the final on Saturday.

Who are you rooting for?

• Why do you want to train? Are you interested in getting in shape, learning a little basic self defense, competing, exploring a whole system of personal development, becoming part of a community?
• Are you interested in a short-term program or do you envision at least the possibility of making the martial arts an integral part of your life journey?
• What kind of school do you want to train in (encouraging, supportive/ brass tacks, let’s just do it/ top down, authoritarian)? Do you want to push your limits, grow as a person, or just get a good workout?
• Do you want to train with men and women, or in a women only environment?
• What kind of teacher do you want? One who’s a coach? A taskmaster? Both?
• How important to you are martial arts traditions and cultures? Do you want a school that observes them strictly, or do you prefer a different sort of atmosphere?
• How important is the spiritual/philosophical component of training?
• Do you want to train at a school that is part of a large network of affiliated schools (this is often important if you’re interested in competition)?
• Next, consider any limitations that might narrow the range of possible schools. Can you only train in the evenings? Do you need on-site day care? Do you want to be able to train in the same classes as your children? How far can you realistically travel? How much can you afford to spend on training?

Once you’ve got those nailed down, it’s time to start checking out the schools in your area.

If you’re a beginner, it’s generally less important to focus on a particular style than it is to focus on your overall goals – they can often be met by any number of individual styles. Make a list of the schools in your area and prepare to spend a bit of time on the phone. Ask for descriptions of the style(s) taught, the structure of the curriculum, the cost of training and any additional fees (uniforms, required equipment, testing fees), and whether or not long-term contracts are required.

Don’t be put off if the person you speak with requests that you take a trial class before discussing fees – that’s a common practice in this business. Ask also about the qualifications of the instructors – how long they’ve trained, how long they’ve been teaching, the extent to which junior belts are involved in instruction. Be sure to make your own goals very clear as well and listen carefully to how your needs are addressed.

Based on what you hear, set up trial classes in several schools (3 is a good number to start with). If you can attend two classes at each school, that’s great. If not, take the time to at least observe a variety of classes to be sure you’re getting the complete picture. While you’re there, observe and ask a lot of questions. Talk to the instructors, the other students, and parents whose children train there. And spend some time just “feeling” the environment. All these things are important. As you check out the schools, here are some specific things to look for:

• Do the people you spoke with on the phone act professionally? Are they knowledgeable and forthcoming with information? If they don’t have the information you need, do they refer you to someone who does?
• Are costs, contracts, etc. clearly explained? How do they compare with other schools in the area? If contracts are required, can you take an initial short-term contract (one or two months) before making a long-term commitment? How often do prices go up?
• Does the school provide a clean, safe training environment?
• Do the instructors treat each other and all students with courtesy and respect? Do you see any signs of abuse (mental, physical, or emotional) masquerading as “discipline”? Trust your instincts on this one – if it looks and feels abusive, it probably is. Run, do not walk, away from that school!
• Are qualified instructors teaching all classes? In many traditional systems, students are expected to assist in class while they’re still junior belts – but watch out for schools in which junior belts are providing primary instruction in beginner’s classes, women’s classes, etc.
• Do all students in a given class receive the same quality of instruction, or does one group (women and girls, all too often) receive less attention from senior instructors, fewer challenges, etc.?
• Are women represented among the advanced ranks and/or instructors in the school? If not, why not? And don’t be afraid to ask!
• Do the instructors appropriately tailor instruction to students with different abilities and/or needs? Can physical limitations be accommodated safely without compromising the quality of training?
• Does the school owner/head instructor guarantee promotion to black belt (or its equivalent) within a fixed period of time? This is a good warning sign that the school may be more of a belt factory than a place to embark on a true path of lifelong development.
• Most students seem to find that it really doesn’t take long to figure out which school is right for them, based on a combination of these factors and their own “gut” feeling.

Finally, here are a few miscellaneous caveats that may help: Certificates don’t guarantee quality. A huge number of organizations offer “certification” of rank. Many are legitimate, conferring rank based on real accomplishment and sound criteria; others can simply be bought. Unless you already know something about the organization(s) conferring certification, pay more attention to what you see and hear than what you see on someone’s wall. Of course, it’s perfectly reasonable to ask what those certificates mean and where they come from!

Martial arts training is not necessarily the same as self defense training. Although all martial arts were originally developed as systems of defense, the degree to which practical self defense techniques are integrated into the formal curriculum varies widely among schools. So if self defense is your primary interest, make sure you find out exactly how a school’s curriculum will help you meet that goal.

“Masters” may know a lot, but they can’t make your decision for you. Don’t let a school owner/head instructor tell you what you need or want! So, that’s about it! Good luck with your quest, and let us know how it turned out!

Adapted from National Women’s Martial Arts Federation

The world top four players have all won their quarter-final matches setting the stage for a possible all Williams final.

First, Venus Williams dismantled 20-year-old Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland in 1 hour 8 minutes. Then there was a short break and then Serena Williams, on Centre Court, made it two sisters in the semifinals.

With Venus watching, number two seed Serena took out Victoria Azarenka, the 19-year-old from Belarus, 6-2, 6-3.

Serena will play Elena Dementieva after the Russian fourth seed came through 6-2, 6-2 against Francesca Schiavone of Italy.

Top seed Dinara Safina will face the defending champion Venus.

With Serena’s  10 Grand Slam victories to Venus’s 7, could it be another Venus vs. Serena final? It’s looking that way.

But nothing is sacred and some traditions have been scrapped in recent years. Players have not had to bow or curtsy to the royal box when entering and leaving Centre Court since 2003.

This year another formality has been dropped. For the first time in the tournament’s 132-year history female tennis players are no longer referred to as “Miss” or “Mrs” on scoreboards.

Insiders suggest the tradition has been dropped to bring the women’s game in line with the men’s (women now get paid the same as men at Wimbledon), and because not using first names can become confusing if sisters are playing each other.

“There is no official line on this,” says a spokeswoman for Wimbledon. “It’s something that we’ve just changed this year. It’s actually gone completely unnoticed, until now.”

Up until this year women players had been referred to as “Miss” or “Mrs” and no first names were used, according to the All England Club. The title “Ms” has never been used.

When the Williams sisters played each other, the initials from their first names were used to differentiate who was who. Now, first names will regularly replace social titles.

But the use of titles has not been completely consigned to the record books. Women players are still referred to as “Miss” or “Mrs” by umpires during games.

Female Gondolier

It’s a familiar site on the water streets of Venice, the striped shirts and flat hats of the gondoliers  expertly steering their black boats underneath bridge after bridge in the picturesque city.

And now, after 900 years, the canals of Venice, Italy finally have their first female Gondolier.

Giorgia Boscolo, 23 and the mother of two, had to pass a grueling 400 hour course, but told reporters that she had no fear that she couldn’t handle the physicality of the job:  “Childbirth is much more difficult.” she said.

The trade, normally handed down from father to son, opened up to everyone when the city of Venice introduced an official gondoliering course in 2007.

During the exhaustive six-month course, students learn how to steer their gondolas and must show a perfect knowledge of Venice’s canals. Aspiring gondoliers learn how to propel the narrow boats with a single oar and how to predict treacherous tides and currents.

Boscolo will now be able to row tourists around the Venice’s picturesque canals alongside her male counterparts after demonstrating that she has mastered the tricky art of maneuvering her 500lb, 35ft-long gondola.

Boscolo’s father, also a gondolier, has doubts about her participation in this historically male tradition: “I still think being a gondolier is a man’s job, but I am sure that with experience Giorgia will be able to do it easily,” he said.

Papa Boscolo better get used to waving across the canal to his daughter. No doubt she’ll be busy. Pretty Tough, indeed!

Bet you never thought you’d be scaling the cliffs of the Grand Canyon from home. But working in tandem with the Active Life floor mat and Wii remote, you’ll be climbing the “virtual crag” in no time – no need to lug a rope or rally a belay partner to conquer.

Pump up the adrenaline with this and a dozen other extreme sports activities in Active Life: Extreme Challenge – from base jumping to street luging through San Francisco, snowboarding and BMX riding to kite-surfing. When you can’t make it outside to get your extreme thrills, this active game is one way to get your heart pumping (you may even break a sweat!), and rally your friends for a little friendly competition.

Active Life: Extreme Challenge launches later this summer.

Sanctioned as the National Championship by World Cup Skateboarding (www.wcsk8.com), the Maloof Money Cup (MMC) is the largest pursed event in the history of professional skateboarding with more than $450,000 in prize money.

We’ve been waiting for months to see what the women’s field would look like and yesterday, the competitors for the US Pro Women’s Street Championship at the 2009 MMC were announced. This year’s riders include:

Abisha Alshebaiki
Lacey Baker
Evelien Bouilliart
Leticia Bufoni
Amy Caron
Marisa Dal Santo
Tamara Drybrough
Lorena Lima
Lauren Perkins
Rachel Reinhard
Elissa Steamer
Vanessa Torres

Last year, the inaugural event featured  the largest first prize in women‟s skateboarding with $25,000 going to Lacey Baker.

This year features a good group who are sure to throw down some great tricks. And the comp should be a nice tune-up for the X Games which  take place a couple weeks later.  Elissa Steamer took home the top X prize last summer after battling it out with Marisa Dal Santo.

Be sure to support the girls  who, despite their enormous talent and passion,  get only a tiny fraction of the purse and the attention.

And to prove the point, American teenager Melanie Oudin pulled off the biggest upset of the first week today, beating former No. 1 Jelena Jankovic, 6-7 (8), 7-5, 6-2.

The No. 6-seeded Jankovic, who was last year’s U.S. Open runner-up, struggled with the heat and was plagued by erratic groundstrokes, while the 17-year-old Oudin played with poise down the stretch and swept the final three games.

Oudin arrived in London with an 0-2 record in Grand Slam matches, and she had to win three qualifying matches to make Wimbledon’s main draw for the first time. She’s ranked 124th and will crack the top 100 for the first time after the tournament.

Playing on Court 3, she wore down Jankovic in an arduous first set. Oudin failed to convert four set points, committing an unforced error each time, but when the 66-minute set ended, it was Jankovic who appeared on the ropes.
A trainer and doctor came on court to check Jankovic. She rested on a towel while being treated, and after several minutes sat up while ice was applied to her neck.

Jankovic played on, but the match turned when Oudin overcame a 5-4 deficit in the second set. She repeatedly won points with drop shots, punctuating winners with shouts of «Come on!» The teenager smacked a forehand winner on the final point, then raised her arms in celebration.

Meanwhile, five-time champion Venus Williams joined Oudin in the round of 16 by beating the 34th ranked Carla Suarez Navarro 6-0, 6-4. The two played only once before, when Suarez Navarro upset Williams in the second round at the Australian Open in January.

Williams, whose younger sister Serena reached the round of 16 by winning Friday, meets 2008 French Open champion Ana Ivanovic for a berth in the quarterfinals. Ivanovic advanced by defeating French Open semifinalist Samantha Stosur 7-5, 6-2.

Williams is trying to become the first woman since Steffi Graf in 1991-93 to win three consecutive titles at the All England Club. The No. 3-seeded Williams is bidding for her sixth Wimbledon championship overall.

Serena Williams, competing this week at Wimbledon, admitted she had been left speechless by the news of Jackson’s death.  Her post-match press conference after defeating Daniela Hantuchova was dominated by her recollections of MJ. Serena had met the self-styled King of Pop several times and paid tribute to his legacy as a cultural icon and musical innovator.

“He was a great guy and a complete icon,” Serena said. “Words can’t express my shock and horror.

“He was definitely the ultimate celebrity. Any celebrity who met him was completely in awe. I know I was.”

It’s hard to believe today, but there was a time when not everyone on the planet had made a video. Videos from Jackson’s Thriller album, especially the title cut, helped the genre explode in the early ’80s. By 1985, even the Chicago Bears were getting into the act with the Super Bowl Shuffle.

Athletes celebrated their achievements long before Michael, but the Gloved One took the art of the dance to new heights, and you could argue that Touchdown celebrations ever since owe a debt of gratitude to the King of Pop.

Mascots, too, paid homage to MJ during half-time programs. From the football field, to the basketball court, dance numbers have always had a pop sensibility influenced in great part by Jackson’s talents.

Hoopfeed.com has a great post today: Moonwalking on the hardwood: A basketball tributed to MJ that discusses Jackson’s impact on the world of basketball. His music was omnipresent from the high school level to the NBA.

To this day in basketball arenas snippets of “Billie Jean,” “Beat It,” “Thriller,” “Wanna Be Startin’ Somethin’,” and “Smooth Criminal” are commonly heard tracks and never fail to get fans dancing.

The post also captures tweets from throughout the day yesterday of players and fans who posted their heartfelt thoughts on Jackson. Many pro women’s basketball players were clearly shaken by his passing including Ashley Battle, Chamique Holdsclaw and Candace Parker.

And Jackson’s influence on basketball extends further. The video for the singer’s hit “Jam” featured Jackson and the other MJ, basketball superstar Michael Jordan who taught Jackson how to play basketball while Jackson taught Jordan how to dance.

It is rare that an individual can impact so many people on a global scale. Michael Jackson’s music and dance moves did just that. Like some of the sports greats, just when you were ready to write off Jackson as a has-been, the King would stage one of his famous comebacks. Unfortunately, a final comeback won’t be forthcoming and  he’ll be greatly missed.

The ESPY Awards honor the best achievements, moments and leading athletes of the previous year. Fans determine winners through online (www.espys.tv) and mobile phone voting (www.espn.mobi) that begins today and runs through July 11.

The Arthur Ashe Courage Award will be given to former South African president Nelson Mandela. Dara Torres, who won three silver medals as a 41-year-old swimmer at the Beijing Olympics, will receive the Best Comeback award.

The voting has begun so be sure to cast your vote for your fave nominees….

BEST FEMALE ATHLETE

Natalie Coughlin, Swimming
Nastia Liukin, Gymnastics
Maya Moore, NCAA Basketball
Candace Parker, WNBA
Serena Williams, Tennis

BEST MALE ATHLETE

Kobe Bryant, NBA
LeBron James, NBA
Jimmie Johnson, Auto Racing
Michael Phelps, Swimming

BEST CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCE

Kobe Bryant, Los Angeles Lakers
Cole Hamels, Philadelphia Phillies
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimming
Misty May-Treanor and Kerri Walsh, Olympic Beach Volleyball

BEST BREAKTHROUGH ATHLETE

Shawn Johnson, Olympic Gymnastics
Evan Longoria, Tampa Bay Rays
Derrick Rose, Chicago Bulls
Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

BEST FEMALE COLLEGE ATHLETE

Courtney Kupets, Gymnastics, UGA
Kerrie Hanks, Soccer, Notre Dame
Danielle Lawrie, Softball, Washington
Maya Moore, Basketball, UConn
Dana Vollmer, Swimming, Stanford

BEST FEMALE INTERNATIONAL ATHLETE

Marta, Soccer, Brazil
Yelena Isinbayeva, Pole Vault, Russia
Lorena Ochoa, Golf, Mexico
Stephanie Rice, Swimming, Australia
Dinara Safina, Tennis, Russia

BEST FEMALE ACTION SPORTS ATHLETE

Torah Bright, Snowboarding
Ashley Fiolek, Motocross
Sarah Burke, Skiing
Maya Gabeira, Surfing

BEST RECORD BREAKING PERFORMANCE

Usain Bolt, Olympic Sprinter
Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
Phil Jackson, Los Angeles Lakers
Michael Phelps, Olympic Swimmer

BEST UPSET

Mine That Bird wins the Kentucky Derby
Oregon State stuns then #1 USC
Tampa Bay Rays win the American League Championship Series
US Soccer shocks Spain in the Confederations Cup semifinals

BEST GAME

Federer vs. Nadal in the 2008 Wimbledon Final
Steelers vs. Cardinals in Super Bowl XLIII
Syracuse vs. Connecticut in the Big East Tournament Quarterfinals

BEST MOMENT

Florida’s Tim Tebow’s speech
Helio Castroneves wins the Indy 500
US swim team wins thrilling finish in Olympic relay

BEST TEAM

Connecticut Women’s Basketball
Los Angeles Lakers
North Carolina Men’s Basketball
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Steelers

In that last category, Go UConn!!