I Dig Sports

Rotterdam Open: Dan Evans beaten in quarter-finals by Gael Monfils

Published in Tennis

Friday, 14 February 2020 13:21

British number one Dan Evans was knocked out of the Rotterdam Open at the quarter-final stage after losing to defending champion Gael Monfils on Friday.

Third seed Monfils came through a tight first set to win 7-6 (7-5) 6-2.

The Frenchman will face either Serbia's Filip Krajinovic or Russian seventh seed Andrey Rublev.

Spain's Pablo Carreno Busta will play Canadian teenager Felix Auger-Aliassime in the other semi-final.

Carreno Busta beat Italian Jannik Sinner 7-5 3-6 7-6 (8-6) while Auger-Aliassime overcame Slovenia's Aljaz Bedene 6-4 7-6 (8-6).

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New York Open: Kyle Edmund reaches semi-finals with win over Kwon Soon-woo

Published in Tennis

Friday, 14 February 2020 14:20

British number three Kyle Edmund reached his first ATP semi-final since June 2019 with victory over South Korea's Kwon Soon-woo.

The 25-year-old recorded a 3-6 6-2 7-6 (7-5) win over the world number 84 and will now play Serbia's sixth-seed Miomir Kecmanovic.

USA's third seed Reilly Opelka faces Chinese Taipei's Jason Jung later.

Australian Jordan Thompson takes on Italy's Andreas Seppi in the other quarter-final.

Earlier, Kecmanovic defeated French fourth seed Ugo Humbert 3-6 6-2 6-4.

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Sisters excel but big sister claims centre stage

Published in Table Tennis

Friday, 14 February 2020 15:15

Suthasini Sawettabut progressed to the third round of the women’s singles event as her status predicted, she accounted for Yuan Jia Nan of France (11-7, 11-8, 11-8, 11-9) before overcoming Spain’s Maria Xiao, the no.21 seed (2-11, 13-11, 11-2, 11-7, 11-5).

Whatever world rankings may read, they were most worthy wins; at the recent 2020 ITTF World Team Qualification tournament in Gondomar, Maria Xiao lost just one match; similarly in singles contests it was very much the same for Yuan Jian Nan; just one reverse.

Restored family pride

Somewhat differently the performance of Jinnipa Sawettabut, 19 years of age, was contrary to expectations. In the opening round she caused the host nation heartache. She beat Shao Jieni, the no.20 seed (16-14, 11-9, 12-10, 3-11, 8-11, 9-11, 11-9) and restored family pride.

Last November in Batam, Shao Jieni had beaten Suthasini Sawettabut in the final of the women’s singles event at the 2019 ITTF Challenge Indonesia Open.

“This was my first time to play against Jieni. She is a difficult player for me. I prepared for the match by watching and analysing videos of her past matches. I told myself to stay calm during the match, keep moving and play point by point. My game plan involved varying my play, changing the rhythm of the match, moving her around the table. It was a very close match. Of course I am very happy with the outcome!” Jinnipa Sawettabut

Alas for Jinnipa Sawettabut, there was defeat in the next round but she had the toughest draw of all; she was beaten by Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, the top seed (12-10, 11-3, 11-4, 11-6).

Reflect with pride

Nevertheless, Jinnipa Sawettabut could reflect on her efforts with pride but the member of the Thailand team who could reflect with the greatest pride was Nanthana Komwong. Like Jinnipa Sawettabut required to qualify, she accounted Switzerland’s Rachel Moret, the no.25 seed (11-8, 11-8, 11-13, 11-8, 12-14, 11-3), before causing one of the biggest upsets of the day.

She ousted Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu, the no.5 seed (14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5) and once again underlined her liking for players who had excelled at last month’s ITTF World Team Qualification.

Chen Szu-Yu in the one match she had been required to compete was the one player to inflict defeat on Yuan Jian Nan.

Orawan Paranang

Performances that excelled expectations, for the one further member of the Thailand women’s contingent present in Lisbon, life was as expected. Orawan Paranang, 22 years old and the no.27 seed, following an opening round success against Aikaterini Toliou (12-10, 11-9, 11-8, 11-8), experienced defeat at the hands of Germany’s Shan Xiaona, the no.16 seed (13-11, 11-2, 11-5, 11-2).

However, medal hopes remain alive for Orawan Paranang, partnering Suthasini Sawettabut, the no.4 seeds, they recorded an opening round win against Russia’s Kristina Kazantseva and Mariia Tailakova (11-8, 11-5, 11-6).

Performances bode well for Busan

Good form from the Thai duo, very much the same form as was on show on home soil in 2018 at the ITTF Challenge Series tournament in Bangkok; they emerged the winners beating Japan’s Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata in the final. Following that defeat, Satsuki Odo and Saki Shibata have won six ITTF Challenge Series women’s doubles titles; in Lisbon they emerged successful in their opening round contest. Could there be a Bangkok repeat in Lisbon?

One thing is certain; Nanthana Komwong and Orawan Paranang alongside Jinnipa and Suthasini Sawettabut make a formidable combination and they could well upset the order at the forthcoming Hana Bank 2020 World Team Championships in Busan.

They form the Thailand outfit that will compete in the Championship Division, they are the no.19 seeds.

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Alberto Miño, the Pan American flag bearer

Published in Table Tennis

Friday, 14 February 2020 17:06

by Ian Marshall, Editor

In Guaynabo, he experienced defeat at the hands of Brazil’s Gustavo Tsuboi, the eventual runner up; he experienced defeat in a closely contested seven games exchange (11-6, 10-12, 2-11, 11-9, 8-11, 11-9, 11-6).

He proved himself a most worthy adversary, in Lisbon he beat most worthy adversaries; players against whom notable names have experienced problems.

In the opening round the 29 year old from the city of Guayaquil beat Zhang Kai of the United States in five games (11-6, 11-8, 15-13, 8-11, 13-11), followed by success against Japan’s Masataka Morizono, the no.5 seed (11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9), to cause one of the day’s biggest upsets.

Master of upsets

Big upset but if one player above all others in 2019 was the master of causing big upsets it was 22 year old Zhang Kai; in September at the ITTF Challenge Plus Paraguay Open in the country’s capital city of Asuncion, he beat Japan’s Koki Niwa in the first round, at the time listed at no.11 on the men’s world rankings.

Good form in Asuncion, it was the same from Masataka Morizono, he progressed to win the men’s singles event overcoming Austria’s Robert Gardos in the final, the player who at the recent CCB 2020 ITTF Europe Top 12 tournament in Montreux finished in the bronze medal position. Thus the Austrian has undoubtedly secured a place in the Liebherr 2020 Men’s World Cup to be staged later in the year in the German city of Düsseldorf in October.

Reflects mental strength

Also, look at the score-lines closely, against both Zhang Kai and Masataka Morizono, he won the close games, those decided by the minimal two point margin; that sums up Alberto Miño, mentally he is one of the strongest players on the international scene.

I wonder if there was a detailed record of his career results, how many times he was won games determined by the minimal margin; I strongly suspect the wins outweigh the losses.

Claim to fame

Crowned South American men’s singles champion in the three most recent editions starting in 2015, does he have another claim to fame? It is through that route he qualifies for the continental cup competitions.

At the 2015 ITTF Latin America Cup in the Cuban capital city of Havana, the days before the Pan America Cup, at the quarter-final stage, Alberto Miño recorded a straight games win against a very promising Brazilian teenager.

Is that the last time Hugo Calderano lost to a player from Pan America, for sure the last time in straight games!

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Qualifiers progress in numbers, surprise names shoulder hopes

Published in Table Tennis

Friday, 14 February 2020 18:56

Yarsolav Zhmudenko and Yevhen Pryshchepa excelled in the men’s singles event for Ukraine; Feng Yi-Hsin kept the hopes of Chinese Taipei alive, as did Andreas Levenko for Austria and Mihai Bobocica with respect to Italy.

Very much pride of place went to Mihai Bobocica, he recovered from a three games to one deficit to record a shock seven games win against Chinese Taipei’s Chen Chien-An, the no.6 seed (8-11, 11-13, 6-11, 11-8, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9).

Equally impressive, Andreas Levenko, after accounting for Nigeria’s Olajide Omotayo, the no.22 seed, beat Brazil’s Vitor Ishiy, the no.10 seed, (12-10, 11-6, 5-11, 11-3, 12-10).

Now Andreas Levenko shoulders the hopes of his nation; in the second round, colleague, Robert Gardos, the no.2 seed, experienced a surprise defeat at the hands of Germany’s Qiu Dang, the no.20 seed (3-11, 11-5, 6-11, 12-10, 9-11, 13-11, 12-10).

Similar situation

It is the same situation for Feng Yi-Hsin, as a result of the unexpected exit experienced by Chen Chien-An. He very much took a liking to players with same surname; in the opening round he beat Brazil’s Thiago Monteiro, the no.15 seed (11-8, 11-3, 9-11, 11-8, 11-7), one round later he ousted the host nation’s João Monteiro, the no.23 seed (15-13, 11-7, 11-3, 11-5).

Disappointment for Portugal but there was more than compensation; in the second round João Geraldo, the no.32 seed, beat Japan’s Shunsuke Togami (11-7, 10-12, 11-7, 11-6, 11-7) the first round winner in opposition to Slovakia’s Wang Yang, the no.4 seed (11-9, 11-8, 9-11, 10-12, 10-12, 11-8, 11-6).

Likewise, it was defeat in round two for Masataka Morizono, the no.5 seed and also from Japan. He was beaten by Ecuador’s Alberto Miño, the no.18 seed (11-5, 4-11, 11-8, 11-6, 5-11, 11-9).

Otherwise, the leading names reserved third round places; Egypt’s Omar Assar, the top seed, duly progressed, as did Frenchman, Emmanuel Lebesson, the no.3 seed, Japan’s Yukiya Uda, the no.7 seed and to the delight of the host nation, Tiago Apolonia, the no.8 seed.

Opposite scenario

Problems for João Monteiro, for his wife, Daniela Monteiro Dodean and Thailand’s Nanthana Komwong, in the women’s singles, it was the opposite scenario.

Both required to qualify, Daniela Monteiro Dodean booked her third round place by overcoming Portugal’s Leila Oliveira, the no.32 seed (10-12, 11-9, 12-14, 11-6, 12-10, 11-5). Nanthana Komwong ousted Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu, the no.5 seed (14-12, 11-9, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 8-11, 11-5).

A surprise win for Nanthana Komwong but it was not the day’s biggest upset in the women’s singles event; that privilege belonged to India’s Sreeja Akula. In the opening round she accounted for Puerto Rico’s Adriana Diaz, the no.3 seed and recent winner at the Universal 2020 ITTF Pan America Cup. Sreeja Akula succeeded in seven games (3-11, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8). Alas for Sreeja Akula, the euphoria was short-lived; in the second round she was beaten by Italy’s Debora Vivarelli, the no.22 seed (3-11, 9-11, 11-6, 12-10, 11-9, 10-12, 11-8).

Other than for Luxembourg’s Ni Xialian, the no.8 seed who was disqualified in the second round following a disputed point when facing India’s Manika Batra, the no.17 seed; the leading names advanced to the third round. Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, Hitomi Sato, Miyu Kato and Saki Shibata all progressed as did Thailand’s Suthasini Sawettabut.

Double trouble

Troubles for notable names, in the men’s doubles it was problem times for worthy pairs. Most notably Shunsuke Togami and Yukiya Uda, the top seeds, suffered defeat at the hands of Korea Republic’s Baej Kwangil and Park Chan-Hyeok (12-10, 11-7, 11-9).

Similarly, the combination of Senegal’s Ibrahima Diaw and Thailand’s Padasak Tanviriyavechakul, the no. 8 seeds and winners last November in Indonesia, departed in round one; a situation that applied to Brazil’s Vitor Ishiy and Thiago Monteiro, the no.3 seeds, alongside Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko and Kirill Skachkov, the no.7 seeds.

Meanwhile, Romania’s Alexandru Cazacu and Argentina’s Horacio Cifuentes, the no.5 seeds, were forced to withdraw from proceedings leaving just three seeded pairs through to the quarter-finals. Hungary’s Nandor Ecseki and the Czech Republic’s Tomas Polansky, the no.2 seeds, duly advanced; an outcome that applied to the partnership of Serbia’s Aleksandar Karakasevic and Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej.

Importantly from a host nation perspective, there was a quarter-final place for Diogo Carvalho and João Geraldo, the no.6 seeds and winners last year in Serbia.

Total opposite

Upsets in the opening round of the men’s doubles, in the women’s doubles it was totally the opposite. All eight seeds booked quarter-final places.

Imposingly, the top seeded pairs both recorded emphatic wins. Chinese Taipei’s Chen Szu-Yu and Cheng Hsien-Tzu beat Romania’s Adina Diaconu and Andreea Dragoman (11-6, 12-10, 11-6); Japan’s Honoka Hashimoto and Hitomi Sato overcame the combination of Argentina’s Ana Codina and Finland’s Finland’s Anna Kirichenko (11-6, 11-5, 11-3).

Likewise in the opening round of the mixed doubles, the top two pairs enjoyed success but there were surprises. Slovakia’s Lubomir Pistej and Barbora Balazova, the top seeds, after standing on the precipice of defeat in the fourth game, eventually accounted for Belgium’s Laurens Devos and Lisa Lung (11-6, 12-14, 6-11, 15-13, 11-5). Less dramatically, the French combination of Tristan Flore and Laura Gasnier overcame Samuel Kaluzny and Tatiana Kukulkova, like Lubomir Pistej and Barbora Balazova from Slovakia (11-1, 11-2, 11-6).

Progress for European pairs, alas for Latin American partnerships they provided the surprise exits. Puerto Rico suffered, Brian Afanador and Adriana Diaz, the no.4 seeds and winners last year in Paraguay, lost to Thailand’s Padasak Tanviriyavechul and Suthasini Sawettabut (6-11, 11-9, 11-8, 11-9); Daniel Gonzalez and Melanie Diaz, the no.8 seeds, experienced the same fate when facing Switzerland’s Lionel Weber and Rachel Moret (11-5, 11-6, 14-12).

Titles decided

The quarter-finalists decided, in both the under 21 men’s singles and under 21 women’s singles events, the winners are known.

In the former, Russia’s Vladimir Sidorenko beat Japan’s Shunsuke Togami (8-11, 13-11, 11-9, 3-11, 12-10) to secure the top prize; in the latter, Maki Shiomi, like Shunsuke Togami from Japan, secured the verdict at the expense of Daria Trigolos of Belarus (11-4, 11-3, 10-12, 11-3).

On Saturday 15th February, the mixed doubles winners will be known. In addition the men’s doubles and women’s doubles finalists will be decided as will the men’s singles and women’s singles semi-finalists.

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Pro14: Munster earn thumping win over Southern Kings in Cork

Published in Rugby

Friday, 14 February 2020 13:40

Munster moved top of Conference B in the Pro14 by earning a 10-try 68-3 win over struggling Southern Kings in Cork.

Number eight Arno Botha's two tries helped Munster bank a bonus point by half-time as Calvin Nash and Jack O'Donoghue also touched down.

Botha completed his hat-trick in the second half as Shane Daly [two], Neil Cronin, debutant John Hodnett and Dan Goggin continued the try-fest.

Demetri Catrakilis' first-half penalty was Kings' only score.

Munster's victory moves them a point ahead of Edinburgh in Conference B although the Scottish club have the chance to go back top on Saturday against Scarlets, who could also lead the table if they earn a bonus-point win.

Outclassed Kings remain bottom of the conference with just a solitary win from their 11 fixtures.

The Kings did not help their cause at Irish Independent Park by having two players in the sin-bin, one in each half, but the South African side had no answer to Munster's pace and power.

Munster opened the scoring after eight minutes with a try from number eight Botha as he surged off the back of a penalty scrum to score under the posts following the sin-binning of Southern Kings full-back Andell Loubser.

Catrakilis' penalty was only a brief respite for Kings as Goggin's switch move helped set up Nash's try before back-row duo Botha and O'Donoghue - the latter after picking up a favourable bounce of the ball from JJ Hanrahan's chip over the defence - added further tries prior to half-time.

The second half was even more one-sided as youngster Hodnett's score, as he brushed off some weak tackling, started a rush of tries.

After lively scrum-half Cronin notched the sixth try, wing Daly poached two scores, either side of Goggin's touchdown before Botha completed his hat-trick four minutes from time.

JJ Hanrahan had a 100% conversion rate from Munster's opening six tries before being replaced by Ben Healy, who added a further six points in extras in the closing 34 minutes.

Munster: Haley; Nash, Farrell, Goggin, Daly; Hanrahan, N Cronin; J Cronin, N Scannell, Ryan; Wycherley, Holland (capt); O'Donoghue, Hodnett, Botha.

Replacements: O'Byrne, Loughman, Knox, Coombes, Cloete, McCarthy, Healy, R Scannell.

Kings: Loubser, Hollis, Sithole, Cronje, Ludik, Catrakilis, Ungerer, Ferreira, du Toit, de Klerk, Sexton, Astle, Badiyana, de Wee, Lerm.

Replacements: Van Rooyen, Vos, Prinsloo, Fortuin, Bholi, Dapula, Allderman, Winnaar.

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Ruan Ackermann: Gloucester forward having flashbacks after South Africa gunpoint robbery

Published in Rugby

Friday, 14 February 2020 10:27

Gloucester forward Ruan Ackermann says he is having "flashbacks" after being robbed at gunpoint in his native South Africa last month.

The 24-year-old, son of the club's head coach Johan, was in Pretoria during the Premiership's Six Nations break.

"I see a hand coming into my car and my brother's being held with a gun against his head and, as I turn, a gun is against my head," Ackermann said.

He told BBC Points West: "From there everything just goes into shock mode."

Ackermann and his brother had belongings stolen but said it would not stop him returning to South Africa.

He will make his first Gloucester appearance since the incident in their Premiership match against Exeter on Friday.

"All you're hoping is he doesn't pull the trigger - whatever he asks for you give him. It could've gone so much worse," said Ackermann, who has scored 11 tries in 58 appearances since moving to Gloucester with his father from Super Rugby's Lions.

"Sleeping, you get a lot of flashbacks - the night of the incident - you can't sleep and then the longer it goes on the more stuff comes to your head.

"What happened, what could have happened and how quickly your life can be taken away from you."

From next season Ackermann will be eligible to play for England and, while he still harbours hopes of representing the Springboks, he is open to the possibility of wearing the shirt of his adopted home.

"You always have thoughts of playing for your home country - where your heart is, where you grew up and where your culture is but, in this modern day, you just need to follow where you think, as a career, will be best."

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Glasgow Warriors 56-24 Zebre: Comfortable bonus-point Pro14 win for hosts

Published in Rugby

Friday, 14 February 2020 13:24

Glasgow Warriors registered eight tries to secure a resounding bonus-point win against Zebre in Pro14 Conference A.

Two scores from George Horne and one from Matt Fagerson helped Warriors to a 21-17 half-time lead.

Mesu Dolokoto, twice, DTH van der Merwe and Tom Gordon crossed after the break and a penalty try was also awarded to Dave Rennie's side, who are fourth.

Daniele Rimpelli, Marcello Violi and Pierre Bruno went over for sixth-placed Zebre.

Peter Horne successfully kicked five conversions and his replacement Ruaridh Jackson knocked over two more while Michelangelo Biondelli and Violi kicked nine points between them for the visitors.

George Horne was one of five players released from Six Nations duty with Scotland named in Rennie's squad and he and fit again Fagerson helped the home side build up a 14-point lead by the 10th minute, Peter Horne converting both tries.

But Zebre fought back through Rimpelli and Violi's tries, which sandwiched a Biondelli penalty, and Biondelli and Violi kicked a conversion each.

George Horne reasserted control for Warriors following a line-out drive before his older brother knocked over another two points.

Debutant Dolokoto was on as a temporary replacement for George Turner when he got the first of his tries and Van der Merwe added his name to the list of scorers, Peter Horne converting both.

Zebre had Junior Laloifi sin-binned for a high tackle on George Horne near the line and a penalty try was awarded by Irish referee Joy Neville before Tom Gordon's score and Jackson's first conversion extended Glasgow's advantage even further.

Bruno replied for the Italian side, Violi converting, but Fiji hooker Dolokoto was back on for his second try and Jackson added another two points.

'We responded well after half-time' - reaction

Glasgow Warriors head coach Dave Rennie: "We got five points, so that's good. I found I was really frustrated throughout the game, mainly because we started well then decided we couldn't kick into that breeze and lost control of the game for 25 minutes.

"I thought we responded well after half-time, kicked better and were clinical when we got opportunities. We lacked a little bit of intensity when we needed it and let in a couple of soft ones so a bit to work on. We'll have to be better next week against Dragons."

Line-ups

Glasgow Warriors: Bryce, Seymour, Grigg, McDowall, van der Merwe, P Horne, G Horne; Seiuli, Turner, Kebble, Harley, Nakarawa, Wilson, Gordon, M Fagerson.

Replacements: Steyn for van der Merwe (69), Jackson for P Horne (69), Dobie for G Horne (56), Allan for Seiuli (67), Dolokoto for Turner (46), Nicol for Kebble (63), Swinson for Harley (59), Fusaro for M Fagerson (59).

Zebre: Laloifi, Balekana, Elliott, Boni, Bruno, Biondelli, Renton; Rimpelli, Ceciliani, Bello, Nagle, Kearney, Mbanda, Tauyavuca, Giammarioli.

Replacements: Violi for Biondelli (32), Brugnara for Rimpelli (56), Fabiani for Ceciliani (56), Tarus for Bello (56), Biagi for Nagle (53), Krumov for Kearney (67), Tuivaiti for Tauyavuca (48). Not Used: Lucchin. Sin Bin: Laloifi (55).

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Hogg scores as Premiership leaders Exeter beat Gloucester

Published in Rugby

Friday, 14 February 2020 14:00

Premiership leaders Exeter recorded their fifth win in six league games as the Chiefs won at Gloucester.

Exeter led 7-3 at half-time thanks to Jacques Vermeulen's converted try, and Gareth Steenson then kicked four penalties to extend their advantage.

The Chiefs were firmly in control once returning Scotland full-back Stuart Hogg ran in a counter-attacking try.

Gloucester hit back through Jake Polledri and Louis Rees-Zammit but were unable to salvage a losing bonus point.

Heavy rain and a swirling wind made for difficult conditions, with both sides making handling errors, although Exeter impressed with a battling and clinical second-half performance at Kingsholm.

Gloucester dominated possession after flanker Vermeulen powered over from close range in the 10th minute, yet the Cherry and Whites were unable to make the most of their opportunities to score - with Billy Twelvetrees' penalty all they had to show for their efforts at half-time.

Exeter, with the wind behind them after the break, began to exert their dominance and Steenson added 12 points with the boot in the space of 12 minutes as Gloucester paid the price for ill-discipline at the breakdown.

Hogg, back with Exeter after captaining Scotland in their first two games in the Six Nations, started the move for his side's second try - picking up the ball in his own 22 before feeding Sam Simmonds and receiving a return offload from the number eight, then accelerating down the left flank and crossing.

The hosts eventually found gaps in the Chiefs defence in the final 10 minutes as Italy forward Polledri burrowed over and winger Rees-Zammit was adjudged to have touched down in the right-hand corner following a consultation with the television match official.

Gloucester remain a place and a point above fifth-placed Bristol Bears having suffered back-to-back defeats, while Exeter move five points clear at the top ahead of second-placed Northampton's home game against the Bears on Sunday (15:00 GMT).

Gloucester director of rugby Johan Ackermann told BBC Radio Gloucestershire:

"The stats will show we had a lot of possession and territory.

"We have probably won a lot of things like carries and line-breaks, but without the ball we gave away a lot of silly penalties which them the opportunity to build the score and take the game out of our hands.

"We didn't capitalise on the opportunities we had close to their goal line.

"It was not a lack of heart, commitment and effort - it was poor decision-making, our contact skills and discipline which took the game too far for us."

Gloucester: Banahan; Rees-Zammit, Harris, Twelvetrees, Marshall; Cipriani, Simpson; Rapava-Ruskin, Marais, Balmain, Grobler, Mostert (capt), Ackermann, Ludlow, Morgan.

Replacements: Gleave, Hohneck, Knight, Slater, Clarke, Polledri, Braley, Atkinson.

Exeter: Hogg; O'Flaherty, Whitten, S Hill, Woodburn; Steenson (capt), White; Moon, Taione, Williams, Kirsten, J Hill, Ewers, Vermeulen, Simmonds.

Replacements: Poole, Keast, Pieretto, S Skinner, Kvesic, Maunder, H Skinner, Dollman.

Referee: Craig Maxwell-Keys.

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Changes By Penske Meant To Brighten Indy’s Shine

Published in Racing

Friday, 14 February 2020 14:41

INDIANAPOLIS – More money for the Indianapolis 500 purse, more time for the Last Row Shootout on Bump Day and major facility upgrades to Indianapolis Motor Speedway were announced by Roger Penske Friday in Indianapolis.

It serves as further proof that Penske is making major changes to the IMS, IndyCar and the Indianapolis 500 since taking over as owner on Jan. 6.

The announcements were made to signify 100 days until race day at the Indianapolis 500 on May 24.

The Indianapolis Motor Speedway has long been known as the Cathedral of Speed and an immortal shrine to auto racing. Penske is taking a gem and polishing it to increase its luster in the world of sports.

According to Penske, it was 3 degrees Friday morning in Indianapolis. He was walking the property looking at placement for a series of new video and information boards that will give the spectators more information at the fabled facility.

From a competitive standpoint, the extra $2 million the purse and expanding the Last Row Shootout to 75 minutes are welcome changes to the Indianapolis 500.

Previous versions of the Shootout featured one attempt per car. Fan feedback indicated they wanted even more drama as drivers try to seize one of the three final spots in the field.

The event purse for the 104th Indianapolis 500 will be the largest in the history of the event. The purse will grow by $2 million to more than $15 million.

“Our purse will go up $2 million to $15 million,” Penske said. “It will be the largest purse paid here. The winner will get at least $2 million, then you have the other winnings you might get for pole position, leading laps that can add to that. I think last year Simon Pagenaud got almost $2.6 million. We think that’s important. We’re investing in the track but also trying to provide additional monies to the teams that are successful here.”

Of the additional $2 million that has been added to the purse, Penske said $125,000 of the purse will go directly to the Winner’s Circle. That is a program that financially rewards full-time distribution.

Last year, Penske advocated guaranteed starting positions for full-time entries in the NTT IndyCar Series. Now that he is the owner of IMS and IndyCar, Penske has listened to the fans who prefer to keep Bump Day as part of the Indianapolis 500.

“I quickly realized that listening to the fans, looking at the information that flowed to my desk, the fans here, the history here, is having a Bump Day,” Penske said. “I think that will take place at this year’s Indy 500.

“They’re going to add an additional 15 minutes, there will be 75 minutes. You’ll be able to have more than one attempt. I think that’s going to make it really exciting based on obviously the entry level. We’re seeing some real interest.

“I think Jay Frye (IndyCar president) would say we saw almost 27 drivers taking a chance to go around the track at COTA here last week. Obviously, there’s some excitement.”

Mark Miles is the president and CEO of Penske Entertainment, after holding a similar position with Hulman & Co. since 2012.

“I personally believe that time trials for the Indianapolis 500 race is one of the most dramatic, exciting weekends in sport, any sport anywhere,” said Penske Entertainment CEO Mark Miles. “I’m delighted there have been a few changes planned which I think will build on a really great year last year to make it even more so.

“We expect bumping will continue. We’ll see. I would be surprised if we don’t have something like 36 cars trying to make their way into the field of 33.

“Last year you will recall on Sunday we introduced the Last Row Shootout. We gave each car still trying to get in one attempt. This year on Sunday those cars still trying to get in to fill the last role will have 75 minutes. They’ll be guaranteed one attempt, and they will have the opportunity to continue to try to get on the board and get into the race until time runs out after 75 minutes. We expect that’s going to be very dramatic.

“It’s also going to be faster, we think, if the simulators are predictive, as we think they are. With the about 40 more horsepower for qualifying, I think we might see the times inch up a little bit more and get above where we were last year, which I know the fans like.”

Additionally, NBC is increasing its commitment to five hours of coverage on qualification weekend.

“This will all be seen by a lot more people because NBC and NBCSN are going to do nine hours over the two days,” Miles said. “NBC on broadcast will go from three hours to five. They’ll be broadcasting on both days. Last year it was one of the two days.”

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