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Welcome ITTF Challenge Plus
This year has seen a big new introduction to the ITTF Challenge Series format with the arrival of ITTF Challenge Plus events.
With the ITTF Challenge Series being split into two tiers in 2019, six ITTF Challenge Plus events were greenlit offering more exposure to players looking to make an impact on the global scene, valuable world ranking points and increased prize money.
So far two ITTF Challenge Plus events have been completed – at the 2019 Portugal Open in Lisbon it was China’s Liang Jingkun and Japan’s Hina Hayata who emerged as men’s singles and women’s singles champions respectively. Hayata was just as imperious one month later, earning another gold medal finish at the 2019 Oman Open in Muscat while the men’s singles draw saw up-and-coming Chinese Taipei star Lin Yun-Ju take home his first singles title on the international stage.
Following his success in Muscat, Lin has gone on to establish himself as one of this year’s standout names – read more about his amazing journey here.
History made and the busy month of May
At the 2019 ITTF Challenge Spanish Open in March there was a proud moment for Danish table tennis as Zhai Yujia became the first player from Denmark to win an international singles title in 15 years!
However, it was the month of May that stood out on the ITTF Challenge Series calendar with four exciting events taking place across two continents.
England’s Paul Drinkhall returned to title winning ways for the first time in five years with a successful outing in Serbia, one week later in Slovenia there was an incredible story surrounding Croatia’s Wei Shihao who experienced a wonderful campaign, starting out in qualification before going on to win his first men’s singles crown.
There were also first-time champions in Croatia and Thailand with Sweden’s Anton Källberg, Japan’s Miyyu Kihara and Ruwen Filus adding their names to the history books.
What’s coming next?
Seven stops have been completed on this year’s ITTF Challenge Series calendar, but there’s still plenty more action to come starting with this week’s 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Pyongyang Open.
In a couple of weeks’ time Lagos welcomes the world to the 2019 ITTF Challenge Plus Nigeria Open with Asuncion, Paraguay and Markham, Canada playing host to the two remaining upper tier events of 2019 in September and December respectively.
Four ITTF Challenge Series events are still on the horizon: first up the action heads to Wladyslawowo for the 2019 ITTF Challenge Polish Open from 18-20 October with the 2019 ITTF Challenge Belarus Open in Minsk and 2019 ITTF Challenge Morocco Open in Agadir running in conjunction with one another one week later. It’s then Batam’s turn to take to the spotlight for the 2019 ITTF Challenge Indonesia Open in mid-November.
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THOMASVILLE, N.C. – Pocono Organics will join Jacob Companies as primary sponors on the No. 51 Rick Ware Racing Ford of B.J. McLeod this weekend at Pocono Raceway.
Pocono Organics, one of the largest public-facing regenerative organic farms in North America, is located on a 90-acre parcel of land in Long Pond, Pa. Pocono Organics has partnered with Rodale Institute, the global leaders in Regenerative Organic Agriculture practices and research, to manage the farm and further expand this mission and message.
“We are very fortunate to be able to partner with Ashley Walsh, founder of Pocono Organics, and bring awareness about Pocono Organics on our Jacob Companies No. 51 this weekend at Pocono,” commented Don Perry, owner of Jacob Companies. “Pocono Organics is leading the way with how natural foods will be grown in the future. It is reassuring to know that their foods will be grown in a way that will help later generations have safe and healthy foods.”
“RWR takes a great amount of pride in participating with different companies by helping promote them on the NASCAR stage,” said team owner Rick Ware. “After reading up and learning more about Pocono Organics, I am especially proud to have them on our car this weekend. As a professional sports team, we all are very particular about what we eat and want to make sure that we are taking care of our bodies as much as possible. Pocono Organics is showing us the future, right now, on how foods can be grown naturally and be a healthier alternative.”
Fraternal Order Of Eagles Backs Knoxville Nationals
KNOXVILLE, Iowa – The Fraternal Order of Eagles, an international non-profit organization, will be the sponsor of Aug. 8 qualifying night during the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store.
This will mark the first time Fraternal Order of Eagles has promoted itself via grassroots, dirt track racing.
The Fraternal Order of Eagles is dedicated to raising money for charities across the country through social events like the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store. One hundred percent of the $10 million raised annually by Eagles goes directly to individuals and communities who are in need.
“Iowa and racing are two things at the heart of the Fraternal Order of Eagles and its members, so we’re tremendously excited to be a part of this year’s Knoxville Nationals,” said Fraternal Order of Eagles Grand Worthy President Ron Malz. “Iowa is home to our F.O.E. Diabetes Research Center, where we donated $25 million to fund groundbreaking medical research with the potential to change hundreds of millions of lives. It’s also home to one of our Ekso GT suits, which are being donated throughout the country to help paralyzed veterans and citizens learn to walk again.”
In 2008, the Fraternal Order of Eagles founded the Fraternal Order of Eagles Diabetes Research Center at the University of Iowa, just 100 miles northeast of Knoxville Raceway. The state-of-the-art facility has more than 100 doctors dedicated to finding new ways to combat diabetes. Fraternal Order of Eagles also partnered with Ekso Bionics to fund the donation of Ekso GT rehabilitation suits to medical facilities throughout the United States, including one at Younker Rehabilitation Center in Des Moines, Iowa.
“We’re proud to have the Fraternal Order of Eagles, an organization dedicated to improving the lives of others, join us at Knoxville Raceway for the greatest week of dirt track racing,” said Kendra Jacobs, Director of Marketing at Knoxville Raceway. “The NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store brings together the greatest race car drivers and race fans anywhere and we’re confident that the F.O.E will feel the support of our great dirt track racing community.”
The Fraternal Order of Eagles Qualifying Night at the NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store will take the green flag with hot laps at 7:15 p.m. CT, on Aug. 8. Defending Knoxville Nationals champion Brad Sweet will be competing that night in a bid to earn his second consecutive title and $150,000 prize.
The 16 highest point earners following Wednesday’s BRANDT Professional Agriculture Qualifying Night and Thursday’s Fraternal Order of Eagles Qualifying Night will make up the top-eight starting rows in Saturday’s NOS Energy Drink Knoxville Nationals presented by Casey’s General Store finale.
DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. – The International Motor Sports Association (IMSA) has confirmed that the annual WeatherTech Night of Champions will take place Sunday night, Oct. 13.
The Chateau Élan Resort & Winery in Braselton, Ga., will once again host the event for the fourth consecutive year. The winners will be honored for their achievements in the IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship less than 24 hours after the season concludes at the Motul Petit Le Mans at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The resort will also host the IMSA Michelin Pilot Challenge Awards – as it has since 2014 – on the evening of Friday, Oct. 11. That will take place just a few hours after the season closes with the FOX Factory 120 at Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta.
The WeatherTech Night of Champions recognizes team, driver and manufacturer champions in all four IMSA WeatherTech SportsCar Championship classes – Daytona Prototype international (DPi), LMP2, GT Le Mans (GTLM) and GT Daytona (GTD). Honoring the champions of the IMSA Michelin Endurance Cup and WeatherTech Sprint Cup will also take place.
“The WeatherTech Night of Champions is annually one of the most important dates on our calendar,” said IMSA CEO Ed Bennett. “We had a great deal of positive feedback last year by holding the event on Sunday, and we are looking forward to another special event this October. This year’s championships appear to be going down to the last lap. This event will allow everyone the chance to see that raw emotion from the champions that have put so much time and effort into their title.”
Chateau Élan is minutes away from Michelin Raceway Road Atlanta, the site of the 10-hour Motul Petit Le Mans that will close out both the 2019 WeatherTech Championship and Michelin Endurance Cup season. The weekend also will include season finales for the Michelin Pilot Challenge, IMSA Prototype Challenge and Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge USA by Yokohama.
SPEED SPORT has been covering auto racing for 85 years, and over that time, tens of thousands of stories from all forms of motorsports have been told in its pages, as well as online.
Tony Kanaan scored his first Indy car victory 20 years ago this week, during the CART U.S. 500 at Michigan Int’l Speedway. We look back at that 1999 race in this week’s edition of Torn From The Headlines.
BROOKLYN, Mich. – Tony Kanaan took his first Indy car victory in a thrilling finish to the U.S. 500 presented by Toyota on July 25 at Michigan Int’l Speedway.
Kanaan edged out Juan Pablo Montoya by .032 seconds after a wild last lap saw Max Papis run out of fuel going down the backstretch and Kanaan barely survive Montoya’s final-gasp charge.
The Brazilian only led seven of the 250 laps, but he was out in front for the most important one, if only by a nose at the finish line.
“It’s mine, we finally did it!” exclaimed Kanaan. “Mom, I did it! I didn’t crash this time. Finally!”
The war of attrition was slowed just three times by caution, but only 11 drivers ultimately reached the checkered flag. However, the final 67 laps went uninterrupted and featured a mix of strategy that led to the exciting finish.
Papis led the field back to green for the final restart of the day and was the dominant driver for much of the final stint, keeping his Bobby Rahal-owned No. 7 out in front for 38 consecutive laps before ducking down pit road for his final round of service with 30 to go.
Thanks to an alternate strategy, Kanaan had been able to run nearly seven laps longer than the rest of his rivals, elevating him up to second behind Papis when the cycle worked itself out.
Inside of 25 to go, Kanaan began to close up on Papis’s rear wing in the race for the lead, but Papis pulled away as Kanaan tried to move in and left the Forsythe driver to deal with Chip Ganassi Racing teammates Montoya and Jimmy Vasser.
Drafting together, Vasser and Montoya were able to pass Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti and Paul Tracy, and were closing in on Kanaan when Vasser had to pit for additional fuel due to a problem with his fuel rig discovered following his final pit stop.
That left Montoya alone in trying to chase Kanaan, but that battle for second ended up being the battle for the victory when Papis’ car began to sputter and slow coming off turn two on the final lap.
It was a moment that nearly left Kanaan in disbelief as he came back around to the checkered flag.
“I knew my luck had to turn around eventually, and it finally did in this one,” said a jubilant Kanaan in victory lane. “I lost my radio at lap number 10, so it was a long day to begin with, because we went a lap down. The car started to improve, though, and the track got better. The team did a great job and we never gave up.”
Montoya got a run on Kanaan coming to the start/finish line and ducked to the inside like an angry hornet, but came up just inches short of stealing the victory for team owner Chip Ganassi.
“When everything got so close at the end, I thought I had a chance,” Montoya lamented. “I was catching him really quickly. Every time we’d come into the pits, I’d be top three … and when we’d leave I’d be ninth or 10th. … I think Dario and Michael were the hardest to get by, but our car was strong all day.
“It just wasn’t our day here today.”
Tracy nipped Andretti for the final podium spot, with Franchitti completing the top five finishers.
Papis limped to the finish line, but finished a heartbreaking seventh after leading 143 of the 250 laps.
“On the last stop, our dash had gone out, so we didn’t know where the fuel meter was,” noted Forsythe team manager Tim Cindric. “We made a calculation based on what the tank said, ran it lean towards the end, but obviously fell one lap short. We went down on the fuel (number), but we didn’t think it would be that tight … or we would have gone down more. You just hate to lose one like that.”
Drivers who failed to finish included Team Penske teammates Alex Barron and Al Unser Jr., as well as Scott Pruett, Bryan Herta, Greg Moore, Gil de Ferran and Helio Castroneves.
The finish:
Tony Kanaan, Juan Pablo Montoya, Paul Tracy, Michael Andretti, Dario Franchitti, Adrian Fernandez, Max Papis, Christian Fittipaldi, Jimmy Vasser, Patrick Carpentier, Dennis Vitolo, Richie Hearn, Al Unser Jr., Scott Pruett, Gualter Salles, P.J. Jones, Cristiano da Matta, Alex Barron, Roberto Moreno, Bryan Herta, Michel Jordain Jr., Mauricio Gugelmin, Greg Moore, Gil de Ferran, Helio Castroneves, Robby Gordon.
BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Buffalo Sabres forward Evan Rodrigues has been awarded a one-year, $2 million contract following an arbitration hearing.
The independent arbitrator's ruling was announced by the Sabres on Thursday, two days after the hearing. The value of the contract represents a $1.35 million bump in pay over what Rodrigues made last season.
Rodrigues was a restricted free agent who set career highs with nine goals, 29 points and 74 games played in his fourth season with Buffalo. Overall, Rodrigues has 21 goals and 62 points in 154 NHL career games.
Rodrigues was an undrafted free agent before signing with Buffalo in April 2015 after completing his college career at Boston University, where he was a teammate of current Sabres captain Jack Eichel.
Kupcho (66) rounding into form after sluggish start to rookie campaign
Jennifer Kupcho continues to find her footing as a pro along the slopes on the mountain course at the Evian Championship.
With a 5-under-par 66, she moved two shots behind the leader, Paula Creamer, in Thursday’s first round.
After Kupcho’s victory in the inaugural Augusta National Women’s Amateur in the spring, expectations soared when she turned pro and joined the LPGA last month. After a sluggish start, the rookie appears to be getting comfortable.
“Honestly, coming off that win, there was a lot of pressure for me to perform, because I was in the spotlight and everyone was excited to see me,” said Kupcho, who also was an NCAA individual champ while at Wake Forest. “I think after a couple missed cuts earlier I was just like, 'Relax, you just need to go play and prove who you really are.’”
Kupcho settled in at the Marathon Classic two weeks ago, tying for fifth. It was a welcomed performance after coming off back-to-back missed cuts. The finish got her into next week’s AIG Women’s British Open. Four of her first eight starts as a rookie will have been major championships. How is she approaching that?
“I've always been told it's just another golf tournament,” Kupcho said. “Just got to come out and play. Obviously, a lot of people know Brooks Koepka's way of doing it. I just come out and pretend it's another golf tournament so I don't overreact.”
There was some question over whether Inbee Park achieved a career Grand Slam in women’s golf when she won the Women’s British Open in 2015.
With the Evian Championship the LPGA’s fifth major, did she have to win it as a major to have the slam?
Park won Evian in 2012, the year before it became a major.
The LPGA contended winning four majors constituted a Grand Slam and winning all five a Super Slam.
Purists argued that a Grand Slam required a sweep of all the majors.
Park put herself in position Thursday to make sure everyone remembers her record as some sort of slam. She moved into early contention to win Evian again. Her 6-under-par 65 left her one shot behind the leader, Paula Creamer.
Whether it’s a Grand Slam or Super Slam or no slam, one thing’s clear: Park cherishes her memories of Evian.
“Winning the golf tournament in 2012 really got me started doing really, really well in my golfing career,” Park said. “It's a special tournament for me, in my heart, and I think maybe the positive attitude is just helping out.
“This is where all the history began for me, so it’s a special place.”
After winning Evian in 2012, Park went on a historic tear. She won the first three majors of 2013. Overall, she’s seeking to win her eighth major championship, which would move her into a tie with Betsy Rawls for sixth most in LPGA history.
Akshay Bhatia will make his first professional start as a minor.
The Safeway Open announced Thursday that Bhatia has accepted a sponsor's invitation to play in the third event of the PGA Tour's 2019-20 campaign.
The 17-year-old has been up front about his intentions to skip college and head directly to the pro ranks, and he'll make the jump in Napa, California, on Sept. 26.
“I’m very excited to make the Safeway Open my first event as a professional on the PGA Tour. This is what I have been working toward for a long time,” he said in a statement. “I am very thankful that Safeway and the tournament committee have given me this exciting opportunity”.
The news comes one day after Bhatia became the youngest player ever named to a U.S. Walker Cup team.
Although Safeway will be his professional debut, Bhatia made his PGA Tour debut earlier this year at the Valspar, where he missed the cut following rounds of 74-72.
The tournament, hosted by Johnny Miller, has also extended a sponsor's invite to former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo.
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