Malaysia bags five titles but it is India’s Veer Chotrani who steals the show in the Macau
By ALEX WAN – Squash Mad Asian Bureau Editor

The Macau Squash Association hosted yet another major event on the Asian squash calendar after a successful Asian Junior Squash Championships. The event, which saw four age categories played in both the boys and girls events, attracted a record number of 217 entries, making this the biggest ever edition.

Malaysia were the biggest winners, returning home with five titles, while India, Hong Kong and Pakistan won one each. While Malaysia’s domination was evident, it was the heroics of Indian Veer Chotrani who stole the show in Macau with four upsets in a row to capture the boys under-19 title.

Chotrani is enjoying a successful month as earlier in the month, he had gate crashed into the last four of the Indian Nationals before bowing out to eventual champion Mahesh Magaonkar, the world number 53.

He continued his fine run here in Macau as he first took out Malaysia’s joint fifth seed Daniel Nurhaqiem in straight games in the last 16, before ousting top seed Siow Yee Xian, also of Malaysia, in the last eight. In the semi-final, he took out joint-third seed Haris Qasim of Pakistan in four, before completing his great run by ousting more accomplished compatriot, Yash Fadte, the joint-fifth seed in the final over five games in 67 minutes.

Pakistan’s 14-year old boy wonder Hamza Sharif also made headlines in the main event when he gate crashed into the after wins over joint-fifth seed Wong King Yeung of Hong Kong in the opening round and Malaysian second seeded Daryl Gan in the quarters. However, his run was halted by Indian finalist Yash Fadte who had to come back from 2-1 down to win in five.

Singapore’s Aaron Liang also made an impact when he made it into the last eight after taking out Hong Kong’s joint-fifth seed To Wai-Lok in the last sixteen. He was on his way to a bigger upset when he took a 2-0 lead against Pakistan’s joint-third seed Haris Qasim, but was unable to convert and lost out in five.

In the girls’ main event, there was a seeding controversy when Aifa Azman was seeded joint-third behind her compatriots Chan Yiwen and Ooi Kah Yan. Squash Rackets Association of Malaysia’s Director (Rtd) Major S. Maniam said to the media that Aifa Azman should seeded first based on her junior and senior achievements.

Chan Yiwen, the 18-year old from Kedah, a state in the north of Malaysia, was hardly troubled as she cruised into the final without dropping a game, while third seed Aifa Azman had to halt a comeback from second seed Ooi Kah Yan in the semi-finals, winning in five after taking a 2-0 lead.

In the final, Chan came back from a game down lead 2-1, and by this time, there were already 21 decisions from the referee, including a conduct stroke in the final point of the third game. Azman did well in the fourth to come back in the fourth to force a decider, much to the crowd’s delight.

In the final game, Azman allowed a 4-2 lead to fall into a 5-8 deficit and while she came back to level 10-a piece after some highly controversial decisions from the referee, it was Chan who would defend her title and justifies her top-billing in Macau.

“I’m really happy that I proved myself is good enough to be top seeding. It was brutal and tough, but I’m glad that I made it through.

“There is the World Juniors in a couple of weeks. That will be my last junior tournament, so this will be a good confidence booster for me going into the event and also into the senior ranks after this,” said a very delighted Chan Yi Wen, who twice lost to Aifa Azman in their last two competitive matches.

In the younger age groups, Malaysia’s other titles came through Anrie Goh and Wong Lee Hong who both performed above their seeding to win the under-13 events, Aira Azman who defended her girls under-15 title and Nathan Kueh in the boys under-17. The total haul of five titles is a big improvement from the two won the previous year.

Malaysia’s assistant head coach Andrew Cross was certainly pleased with his charges, stating:

“Overall, it’s a successful week, but it would have been nice to add the boys under-19 title to the list. There were some fantastic performances and some players were unlucky. But the important thing is it shows depth that we have when some of the other players can push through.”

Hong Kong’s Chan Sin Yuk and Pakistan’s Mohammad Hamza Khan denied more Malaysian victories as they saw off Malaysian opponents in their girls under-17 and boys under-15 categories respectively.
 

Results – All Finals.

G13: [3/4] Anrie Goh Chu Yu (Mas) 3-2 Kwong Ena (Hkg) 7-11, 4-11, 11-6, 11-6, 11-9
B13: [3/4] Wong Lee Hong (Mas) 3-0 [5/8] Christopher Buraga (Phi) 11-8, 11-7, 11-4

G15: [1] Aira Azman (Mas) 3-1 [3/4] Yuvna Gupta (Ind) 9-11, 11-1, 11-3, 11-9
B15: [1] Mohammad Hamza Khan (Pak) v3-1 [2] Joachim Chuah (Mas) 5-11, 11-7, 12-10, 11-7

G17: [1] Chan Sin Yuk (Hkg) 3-0 [3/4] Yee Xin Ying (Mas) 11-3, 11-2, 11-8
B17: [2] Nathan Kueh Tze Bing (Mas) 3-1 [3/4] Neel Joshi (Ind) 5-11, 11-3, 12-10, 11-8

G19: [1] Chan Yiwen (Mas) 3-2 [3/4] Aifa Azman (Mas) 7-11, 11-8, 13-11, 9-11, 12-10
B19: Veer Chotrani (Ind) 3-2 [5/8] Yash Fadte (Ind) 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-7
 

Pictures courtesy of   Macau Squash

Veteran Harlequins prop Mark Lambert has signed a new contract that will extend his career at his only club into a 17th season.

The loose-head, 34, joined Quins in 2003 and has played 239 senior games.

"Lamby has been a phenomenal servant to Harlequins - he is a bear of a man, is bright and has real feel for the game," said head of rugby Paul Gustard.

"Harlequins has been a huge part of my life and my family for the best part of two decades now," Lambert added.

"I feel a huge sense of pride every time I pull on the Quins jersey and I love being part of a team of players who share great challenges and incredible experiences together.

"That is what rugby is about for me and these things will motivate me as much in my 17th professional season as they did in my first."

Lambert, who is chairman of the Rugby Players Association, helped Quins win the Premiership title in 2012 and the LV= Cup the following year.

He is one of only four players to make over 200 appearances for the club, alongside Mike Brown, Chris Robshaw and Danny Care.

GLENDORA, Calif. – NHRA officials have announced that the popular SamTech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown category will feature a 32-car field at the 65th annual Chevrolet Performance U.S. Nationals at Lucas Oil Raceway at Indianapolis, Aug. 28-Sept. 2.

With ever-increasing interest from racers, fans and manufacturers, the SamTech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown series features the best of American muscle. Competitors line up against each other for a heads-up contest showcasing drag-racing ready, factory-built vehicles including Ford Mustang Cobra Jets, Dodge Challenger Drag Paks and Chevrolet COPO Camaros. To win requires an elegant combination of technical tuning and superior driving.

“We are thrilled to see the SAMTech.edu NHRA Factory Stock Showdown category continue to grow,” said Brian Massingill, vice president of business development for SAM Tech. “Just a few years ago, the category competed with an eight-car field at four events. The drivers, teams and manufacturers have really elevated this category, making it a fan favorite in a short amount of time. To expand the field at the World’s Biggest Drag Race is simply incredible, and something I have worked towards for the last few years. We hope the fans will all come out to see this milestone.”

Competition will begin with one qualifying session on Friday, Aug. 30, followed by two qualifying sessions on Saturday, Aug. 31. On Sunday, Sept. 1, drivers will compete in two rounds of eliminations. Eliminations will continue Monday, Sept. 2.

SLINGER, Wis. — Take Matt Kenseth, Ty Majeski, Bubba Pollard, Rich Bickle Jr. and a host of other late model stock car racing talent, bring them together and you have the Slinger Nationals.

One of the biggest annual Midwest short track stock car events, the 40th SUPERSEAL Slinger Nationals presented by Miller Lite is slated for Tuesday evening, July 9, at Slinger Speedway.

The high-banked, quarter-mile, paved oval will again be the site of the 200-lap mid-summer classic, which has seen a star-studded cast take the checkered flag previously.

Kenseth, the 2003 NASCAR champion who raced out of Cambridge, Wis., during his short track days, is a seven-time winner of the Slinger Nationals. Kenseth, who competed in NASCAR from 1998 through 2018 and was the NASCAR ‘Cup Champion in 2003 – winning 39 races in NASCAR’s Cup Series division, made his last Nationals appearance in 2016 and came home the winner.

Hailing from Seymour, Wis., Majeski, who has captured three ARCA Menards Series wins this year – the latest coming at the Chicagoland Speedway last week – won the 200-lapper last year, driving his familiar Toby Nuttleman-prepared Ford No. 91.

Pollard, the Senoia, Ga., speedster, won the event in 2017.  Earlier this year, Pollard won the ARCA Midwest Tour Joe Shear Classic 200 at Wisconsin’s Madison Int’l Speedway.  Bickle, the veteran driver from Edgerton, Wis., is a four-time winner of the annual Slinger contest, having last won in 2013 and will be on hand in his Tony D’Ambrose-prepped No. 45.

Some legendary names in racing like Dick Trickle, Joe Shear, Lowell Bennett, Mark Martin and Larry Detjens have scored Slinger Nationals victories.  Trickle, the Wisconsin short track racing legend, won at Slinger four times, with Shear also scoring four victories.

Bennett, a regular late model competitor at Slinger for many years, won the race five times. Detjens, who died from injuries suffered in a racing crash at the Wisconsin Int’l Raceway in 1981, was crowned the first Slinger Nationals champion in 1980.

For more information, go to the speedway’s website at www.slingersuperspeedway.com.

HUNTERSVILLE, N.C. – While the Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series contingent rolled into the outskirts of Chicago for the Camping World 400 last weekend, 16-year-old Ty Gibbs was back in the Southeast.

The young gun, fresh off his first ARCA Menards Series victory, was getting his head wrapped around a local late model race he was planning to compete at Virginia’s South Boston Speedway.

“Right now I’m at the race track and ready to go racing,” said Gibbs, grandson of legendary NFL football coach Joe Gibbs. “There is a late model stock car race running here this weekend (at South Boston Speedway). It’s not really a scheduled thing. I’m just going to go and get some seat time and to have some fun.”

Gibbs, son of Joe Gibbs Racing mastermind Coy Gibbs, is now front and center in the family racing business. He’s taking part in a racing crash course of ARCA, NASCAR K&N Pro Series, late model and Trans-Am races this year to help him gain experience.

“Yeah, it is really cool to climb into all of these different race cars,” explained Gibbs. “It’s really cool to get to drive a lot of different things from these roadcourses this year and to these big ovals and stuff, it’s good to race different stuff. I’m going to race a little bit of dirt this summer too. It’s pretty fun to try all these different things and even more importantly, to have a lot fun doing it.

“I like the variety of all the races and tracks too,” he added. “You can’t get too caught up in what you’re driving. Like driving the ARCA car on a bigger track, that’s really fun and the car drives really good compared to a late model or going to a dirt track, so you can’t get caught up in it. I love the bigger, faster tracks, but the smaller tracks make you a better driver. I guess I’m focused on a lot of stuff; we’ve got a lot of stuff going on. I mean it is only June and already summer is keeping us very busy with the racing. I think now we’ll go racing for 12 weekends in a row. I’ll be racing every weekend.”

Off to a very respectful start in 2019, Gibbs’ first big time win came at Myrtle Beach Speedway in February when fought off Justin Milliken to win the Icebreaker late model race.

“That was my first win,” said Gibbs. “To go out there and win that race was pretty cool. I didn’t really expect it because it was a really hard track and a totally new car and a different group of people, but going out there and winning that race was definitely a confidence-booster.”

Most recently, Gibbs scored his first ARCA Menards Series win when he bested rival Sam Mayer on the white flag lap to win the Day to Day Coffee 150 at World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison, Ill.

“That was a really big win,” pointed out Gibbs. “It was pretty cool because a lot of people were watching it too and we got a lot of TV time. Yeah, it was pretty cool that it came down to the wire there at the end and we got that last corner pass and won it. It was real cool that I got the race win there. We’ve been knocking on the door the whole year. Sometimes you do what you’ve got to do to win.”

The Gibbs surname is a moniker with a lot of horsepower behind it in these here United States of America. Hall of Fame football coach Joe Gibbs, as well as father Coy Gibbs and late uncle J.D. Gibbs, the Gibbs name is something young Ty Gibbs knows he’ll need to address along the way.

“The name Gibbs, it has its pros and cons, you know? I like it more than anything,” Gibbs said. “I mean, you know that people are always going to hate on you and you have to ignore that in your life and just focus on what you’re doing. I’m thankful that I got born into this great family and to be able to race. I’m the only one in my family who wanted to race, so I got lucky with that too. I really like it. I get a lot of backing and my family supports me a lot too. And my dad Coy, ‘He really likes it. He runs the NASCAR stuff now, so he goes to a lot of my races and he gets to see what happens. He’s like my boss and my dad, so it’s a good deal.”

THOMASVILLE, N.C. – Rick Ware Racing has added Joey Gase to its stable of drivers for Saturday’s Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series event at Daytona Int’l Speedway.

Gase will pilot the No. 53 entry, with Connected Claim Services, Action Restoration, TrackDown and EFX Corp as sponsors for the Coke Zero Sugar 400.

“We are very excited at RWR to be adding another patriotic scheme to our No. 53 for this weekend’s race at Daytona. Joey Gase is a fine driver, and always does great at the superspeedways and I am expecting the same out of Joey this weekend,” said team owner Rick Ware. “We are also excited to have Connected Claim Services, EFX Corp, Action Restoration, and TrackDown joining us this weekend, which plans to be a very fun and exciting weekend at Daytona. It speaks volumes about our team to have such quality companies represented on our cars. Our teams have experienced some of our best finishes at Daytona and we are all looking to build on that this weekend.”

“I’m very excited and thankful to be racing under the lights the 4th of July weekend at Daytona International Raceway in the Cup Series,” said Gase. “This is by far one of my favorite race weekends and the superspeedways are tracks I love racing at, because no matter if you are on a power house team or a small underfunded team everyone has a chance to win. I also really have to thank Rick for this opportunity and all of our partners for making this happen. If it wasn’t for each and every one of them we would not be able to race this weekend.”

The New York Islanders saw their previous captain, John Tavares, walk in free agency. They weren't going to let it happen again, agreeing with Anders Lee on a seven-year deal.

The team did not announce the money, but multiple reports said the contract has an annual average value of $7 million.

Lee became the Islanders captain this past season after Tavares bolted for Toronto.

#newprofilepic pic.twitter.com/GCknJDCdlg

— Anders Lee (@leeberr09) July 1, 2019

You know you can't spell Islanders without Anders...@leeberr09 is here to stay! ? https://t.co/HGvJiFvXJR pic.twitter.com/AeJn7ji0Yw

— New York Islanders (@NYIslanders) July 1, 2019

The 28-year-old had career highs with 40 goals and 62 points in 2017-18, but he made the adjustment to coach Barry Trotz's more defensive style last season and still had 28 goals and 51 points. More importantly, the Islanders returned to the playoffs, sweeping the Penguins in the first round before being swept by the Hurricanes in the second round.

Lee is coming off a four-year, $15 million contract with the Islanders. He has eclipsed 50 points the past three seasons and was due for a raise. He had said repeatedly, however, that he liked the idea of staying with the Isles.

While the Isles kept Lee, they lost out on forward Artemi Panarin. They had reportedly been pursuing the winger, but he signed with the Rangers.

The Chicago Blackhawks announced Monday that they have come to terms on a one-year, $5 million deal with Vezina Trophy finalist Robin Lehner.

Lehner is coming off a huge season with the New York Islanders that resurrected his career. He appeared to be in line for a longer-term contract.

Lehner has spoken about battling mental health and substance abuse issues for much of his nine-year career, but it came to a head in his last season in Buffalo in 2017-18. He got into treatment and turned his life and career around.

Signed before this past season to a one-year, $1.5-million, let's-see-how-it-goes contract, the 27-year-old showed the NHL just what he could do when his head was in a good space. He went 25-13-5 with a .930 save percentage and led the league with a 2.13 goals-against average.

He led New York to a sweep of the Pittsburgh Penguins in the first round of the playoffs. Though the Isles were swept by the Carolina Hurricanes in the next round, the fault didn't lie with Lehner. He led postseason goalies with a 2.00 goals-against average and .936 save percentage.

Lehner's $1.5 million deal was the lowest since his entry-level deal. He signed a three-year, $6.675 million contract with Ottawa in 2014 and a one-year, $4 million deal with Buffalo in 2017. After his Vezina Trophy-worthy season this year, he was due to get back to those higher levels.

Lehner had expressed interest in returning to the Islanders.

"I like the people there," he told media before the NHL Awards. "I love my teammates. I love the organization. So obviously I want to be back."

The Islanders instead signed former Avalanche goalie Semyon Varlamov to a four-year deal.

Chicago has Corey Crawford between the pipes, but he has battled concussion issues in recent seasons. He was limited to 39 games last season and only 28 the year before. The 34-year-old posted the highest goals-against average (2.93) and worst save percentage (.908) since he became a full-time goalie in 2010-11.

Crawford was backed up by veteran Cam Ward last season, but Ward had a 3.67 GAA and .897 save percentage.

Ward is an unrestricted free agent, and Crawford has one year left on his contract.