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Seeking one step higher, Sharon Alguetti and Amy Wang
In the Dominican Republic, Sharon Alguetti was beaten at the final hurdle by colleague Kanak Jha (11-7, 11-7, 12-10, 11-6), Amy Wang suffered at the hands of Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz (9-11, 11-8, 11-9, 10-12, 11-5, 7-11, 13-11), a contest in which she held match point in the deciding game.
Both Kanak Jha and Adriana Diaz, the dominant players in the history of the tournament are now out of the age group; new names will be added to the role of honour. Notably Kanak Jha is the only ever winner of the boys’ singles title; he won at the inaugural edition in 2016 in Burnaby, then repeated the success in 2017 in Buenos Aires, before last year completing the hat-trick in Santo Domingo. For Adriana Diaz, the only difference is that in the girls’ singles event in the Argentine capital city she was beaten in the final by Brazil’s Bruna Takahashi (7-11, 6-11, 11-3, 11-5, 13-11, 6-11, 12-10).
Notably performances but most notable is that last year in the Dominican Republic, the only title not to finish in the hands of the United States was the girls’ singles; in Cancun the Stars and Stripes could well be in line for a full house. Sharon Alguetti is the no.4 seed in the boys’ singles event behind Chile’s Nicolas Burgos, Brazil’s Guilherme Teodoro and colleague Nikhil Kumar. In the boys’ doubles Nikhil Kumar and Michael Minh Tran occupy the no.3 seeded spot; Nicolas Burgos and colleague Andres Martinez head the list, next in line is the partnership formed by Brazil’s Guillerme Teodoro and Rafael Torino.
A prominent United States presence, it is even more prominent in the mixed doubles event, Nikhil Kumar and Amy Wang head the list, Sharon Alguetti and Crystal Wang being the next in the order of merit. Meanwhile, in the girls’ singles competition, Amy Wang, Rachel Sung and Crystal Wang occupy the respective top three seeded positions; in the girls’ doubles Amy Wang and Crystal Wang lead the line ahead Rachel Sung and Rachel Yang, the defending champions.
Similarly in both the boys’ team and girls’ team events the United States is in top spot. Sharon Alguetti, Nikhil Kumar, Victor Liu and Michael Minh Tran form the boys’ team selection being listed ahead of Chile’s Nicolas Burgos, Sebastian Gonzalez, Andres Martinez and Jorge Paredes. Brazil’s Lauro Sebold, Guilherme Teodoro, Eduardo Tomoike and Rafael Torino reserve the third seeded spot.
In the girls’ team competition, Rachel Sung, Amy Wang, Crystal Wang and Rachel Yang comprise the United States squad; Canada’s Sophie Gauthier, Ivy Liao, Joyce Xu and Benita Zhou form the second seeded outfit. Guatemala’s Lucia Cordero, Mercedes Mendizabal and Hidalynn Zapata occupy the third seeded position.
Outfits finishing in the top three places in each of the boys’ team and girls’ team events, qualify for the 2019 World Junior Championships to be staged later this year in late November and early December in Bangkok, Thailand.
Tense times, top three seeds fall in round four
by Ian Marshall, Editor
Romania’s Bernadette Szocs, the top seed experienced defeat at the hands of Luxembourg’s 56 year old Ni Xia Lian (11-7, 11-8, 11-9, 7-11, 9-11, 8-11, 11-7), a player who has a distinct liking for Tokyo.
It was in that city in 1983, some 12 years before Bernadette Szocs was born, when Ni Xia Lian made her World Championships debut. She was a member of the gold medal winning Chinese team and partnered Guo Yuehua to mixed doubles success.
“This was a crazy match that made everyone nervous. I had a chance to finish the duel in the fifth game but I lost my focus. In next game, Bernadette was really good but when the decisive fifth game came, I had a better head. Szocs is very young and she improves with each tournament; sometimes more experience could help a little. Everybody comes prepared here, there is no doubt about it but sometimes the pressure is too high.” Ni Xia Lian
Defeat for Bernadette Szocs came after Germany’s Han Ying had proved too secure in defence for Austria’s Sofia Polcanova, the no.2 seed (12-10, 13-11, 13-11, 11-8).
“It was close, because in each game Polcanova commenced with new tactics. She did not play in her usual style and she changed things in each game; that gave her a little advantage but I have a good record against her and I was very confident. I managed to recover every time.” Han Ying
Success for one defender, soon after it was success for another; Russia’s Polina Mikhailova beat Sweden’s Matilda Ekholm, the no.3 seed (11-5, 11-13, 9-11, 11-8, 5-11, 11-7, 11-8).
“I never won against Matilda before and we have played so many times against each other; when I managed to win the opening game; that give me slight advantage. It boosted my confidence and I think it affected her game too. She made mistakes on first ball, which is not usual. Also, I had my downs. I lost the second game after I led 10-8. After that I lost third very easy. When we reached decisive game I told myself “yell, shout, do whatever it takes, just win”. I do not know how I managed to win.” Polina Mikhailova
The results mean that Germany’s Petrissa Solja is the highest ranked player remaining in the women’s singles event; in the fourth round, the no.4 seed, she beat Poland’s Li Qian, the reigning European champion (12-14, 11-8, 10-12, 11-6, 5-11, 12-10, 11-5).
U.S. Open Tickets on Sale as FS Investments Renews Title Sponsorship
Reigning US Open champions Mohamed ElShorbagy and Raneem El Welily
Support for SquashSmarts as sponsorship helps access, equality, community and excellence
By SEAN REUTHE
Tickets are now available for the 2019 FS Investments U.S. Open Squash Championships, which takes place between October 5-12, via usopensquash.com/tickets.
FS Investments, title sponsor of the 2018 U.S. Open Squash Championships, has committed to serve as the tournament’s title sponsor again in 2019.
The U.S. Open brings the world’s best players to Philadelphia to compete for the 2019-20 season’s most prestigious squash championship in the United States. In 2018, two reigning World Champions captured the U.S. Open trophies: Raneem El Welily won her first U.S. Open, while Mohamed ElShorbagy brought home his third.
The eight-day Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour Platinum event was first held in 1954 and has been hosted at Drexel University since 2011. The event pioneered gender parity in prize money for squash professionals in 2013 and is a leader in the drive for equality in the professional game. In 2019, a record $371,000 prize purse will be on offer at the Daskalakis Athletic Center.
“We are proud to extend our relationship with FS Investments,” said US Squash President and CEO, Kevin Klipstein.
“This sponsorship sustains the U.S. Open’s status as a premier Philadelphia sports event and world-leading squash championship. US Squash and FS Investments share values of access, equality, community and excellence, and through this partnership are providing significant resources to SquashSmarts as they offer academic resources and squash instruction to Philadelphia grade school and high school students from underserved communities.”
FS Investments Chairman and CEO, Michael Forman, said: “FS Investments is proud to renew its commitment to the U.S. Open Squash Championships, which furthers our efforts to support our city, its institutions and our communities.
“This sponsorship brings together organisations with common values, helps drive Philadelphia’s position as a global city and, most importantly, expands resources for Philadelphia youth who participate in the SquashSmarts program.”
The U.S. Open brings together all elements of the squash community through numerous special events celebrating the core values of the sport, alongside three amateur competitions: the Arlen Specter Pennsylvania Junior Championships, the U.S. Squash Skill Level Championships and the Intercollegiate Doubles Championships. The U.S. Open has become one of the most iconic and important annual sporting events held in the city of Philadelphia.
Website: www.usopensquash.com
Twitter and Instagram: @USOpenSquash on Twitter and Instagram
Picture courtesy of PSA
Brad Davis: London Irish add ex-Ospreys and Wasps defence coach to backroom staff
Premiership side London Irish have added former Bath, Wasps and Ospreys coach Brad Davis to their backroom staff for the forthcoming campaign
The former Castleford and Wakefield rugby league player worked with Pro14 side Ospreys last season.
He forms part of a five-man coaching team, alongside ex-Ireland boss Declan Kidney, George Skivington, ex-Kangaroos player Les Kiss and Declan Danaher.
"I am excited about the vision," said Davis, 51, who will join on 1 July.
Davis was a fans' favourite, in particular at Castleford, as a creative half, but has largely worked as a defence coach in union.
Kidney said: "Brad will add a vast amount of knowledge to our coaching set-up and will complement the already great work our current coaches do."
The Exiles return to the Premiership for 2019-20 after winning promotion from the Championship.
Kunavula joins Edinburgh and is backed to bring 'x-factor'
Fiji Sevens forward Mesulame Kunavula has been hailed as a player with "world class" attributes and a "bit of an x-factor" as he signed for Edinburgh.
The 23-year-old has agreed a "long-term" contract with the Pro14 club.
Head coach Richard Cockerill said: "Mesu really stood out during his time representing Fiji on the Sevens circuit.
"His ability to beat a man, as well as offload in the tackle, are really world class."
Kunavula, who can play at both flanker and lock, helped Fiji finish the last World Rugby Sevens Series in first place, winning five out of 10 tournaments.
"We have been looking at adding players who offer something different - that bit of x-factor - and I certainly think Mesu brings that dynamic to an already talented squad," Cockerill said.
The Edinburgh head coach is confident he can adapt to the full game in a similar way to compatriot and fellow forward Viliame Mata, who joined Edinburgh in 2016.
"Like Bill before him, we're really looking forward to seeing how he can develop in a 15's environment and we're really hopeful that he can be a big player for us," he said.
Kunavula joined the police force while representing Fiji Under-20 in the early stages of his career before making his Sevens Series debut in 2016 and was named in the Fiji Sevens squad that finished with a silver medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia's Gold Coast.
The back-row, who was born in Tailevu, the same village in which Mata was raised, said: "Viliame is a good friend of mine and he has told me so much about the club and life in Scotland.
"I've really enjoyed my time on the sevens circuit, but I felt it was the right time to move abroad and develop my own game further. The facilities in Edinburgh are world class and I'm only going to improve as a player."
Wasps sign scrum-half Wolstenholme but Daniels deal cancelled
Wasps have signed scrum-half Sam Wolstenholme from Yorkshire Carnegie, but have cancelled a deal for prop Mike Daniels after he failed a medical.
Wolstenholme, 20, joins after making 23 appearances for the Leeds-based Championship side.
The signing of Daniels, 26, from Championship side Nottingham was initially announced in February.
The club has also announced that fly-half Jacob Umaga has been promoted to the first team from their academy.
The 20-year-old is the nephew of former All Blacks captain Tana Umaga and has scored four tries in seven first-team appearances.
CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. — Overnight rain, continuing into the morning and early afternoon, has left Clarksville Speedway too saturated for Monday’s DIRTcar Summer Nationals and Summit Racing Equipment Modified Nationals event.
The event will not be rescheduled.
The Hell Tour continues Tuesday at Tri-City Speedway, in Pontoon Beach, Ill., with a $7,500-to-win make up event for the rained out event from June 21.
SPEED SPORT has been reporting on and covering motorsports happenings from all over the world for 85 years, so we thought it would be fun to take a look back in the archives to see what happened 10, 25 and 50 years ago each week.
So check out what SPEED SPORT was covering 10, 25 and 50 years ago this week in Looking Back!
10 Years Ago (June 24, 2009): Kasey Kahne survived multiple restarts to post a victory in NASCAR Sprint Cup Series competition at Infineon Raceway. Kahne, who’d never finished higher than 23rd at the track before, led the final 34 laps of the 113-lap event and held off road course aces Tony Stewart and Marcos Ambrose to post the first victory for the revamped Richard Petty Motorsports program.
Other Happenings: Chevrolet, facing a chapter 11 bankruptcy, confirmed to Chevrolet NASCAR teams that funding was going to be slashed; Dario Franchitti won the Indy Racing League event at Iowa Speedway; Sebastian Vettel was the class of the field during the British Grand Prix at the Silverstone Circuit.
25 Years Ago (June 22, 1994): Rusty Wallace survived a shootout with Dale Earnhardt and Mark Martin to win the Miller Genuine Draft 400 in front of the largest crowd ever to witness a race at Michigan Int’l Speedway. Wallace’s third-straight NASCAR Winston Cup Series victory pushed his career NASCAR earnings above the $10 million mark.
Other Happenings: USAC lowered the turbocharger boost pressure for purpose-built two-valve pushrod engines in a move that adversely affected the Mercedes-Benz Ilmor engine that won the 1994 Indianapolis 500; Paul Grosso and Dave Inness were killed in separate racing accidents in California and New Jersey; Dale Blaney and Ed Lynch Jr. earned two All Star Circuit of Champions victories each during Western Pennsylvania All Star Sprint Speedweek while Frankie Kerr won the week-long title.
50 Years Ago (June 25, 1969): Bobby Unser ended a 19-race winless drought in Indy car competition with a $50,000 victory at Langhorne Int’l Motor Speedway. The race originally began on June 15, but was postponed by rain until the following Sunday. Unser led 101 laps on the paved oval, finishing 10 seconds clear of Art Pollard to take home the victory.
Other Happenings: A.J. Foyt beat Don White to win the Indiana Classic 100-miler for stock cars in Indianapolis; Richard Petty and Bobby Isaac split a pair of NASCAR Grand National events at Kingsport Speedway and Greenville-Pickens Speedway; Pete Hamilton won the Norris Friel 400 at Beltsville (Md.) Speedway after it was shortened to 300 laps; Jim Shampine ended a dry spell of more than a year with a victory at Oswego Speedway.
SAN ANTONIO, Texas – CSJ Motorsports has been selected by Aston Martin Racing as the official North American distributor for sales and support of the Aston Martin Vantage GT3 and GT4 race cars.
Both the new Vantage GT3 and GT4 feature race-modified versions of the 4.0-liter V8 twin-turbocharged engine used in Aston Martin’s next generation sports car.
The selection of CSJ Motorsports represents a fresh start in North America for Aston Martin Racing. Under the direction of co-principals Cy Jary and Susan Jary, CSJ Motorsports brings a unique perspective to the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship and Michelin Pilot Challenge series and the SRO Blancpain GT World Challenge America and Pirelli GT4 America paddocks.
The Jarys, who have a combined 42 years of experience owning construction and project management companies, are experienced business and sales professionals coming to motorsports free and clear of any existing paddock relationships. The singular focus of CSJ Motorsports will be only on current and future Aston Martin customers.
“We’re honored and looking forward to working closely with Aston Martin Racing to build the Vantage GT3 and GT4 programs in the United States,” Susan Jary said. “We’ve been in business as long as we have because we put our clients and customers first and pride ourselves on customer relations. We’ll continue that by doing what’s best for the teams running the Aston Martin Vantage.”
Based in San Antonio, Texas, CSJ Motorsports will be on hand with a parts truck and support at every IMSA and SRO event with an Aston Martin on the entry list. In addition to parts at and away from the track, CSJ Motorsports will offer diagnostic and technical support to each North American team.
“We both started as motorsports fans and have been looking for the right opportunity to get more involved,” Cy Jary said. “Working with Aston Martin Racing, we’ve made the investments needed to run a first-class, competitive operation. Our season has gotten off to a great start with a Vantage GT4 campaigned by Automatic Racing, and we’re looking forward to increasing the number of competitive Aston Martin Vantage machines racing across the country.”
Though a new car for 2019, the Aston Martin Vantage has already had success in both GT3 and GT4 trims around the world. The car has posted a combined 22 top-five finishes in several international race series including Blancpain GT World Challenge Europe, the British GT Championship, International GT Open Championship, Creventic 24H Series and the Super Taikyu Series. The tally includes 11 podium finishes and a win for the GT4 machine at Suzuka in the Super Taikyu Series.
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