I Dig Sports
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Golden State Warriors general manager Bob Myers remains confident the organization can retain Klay Thompson and Kevin Durant this summer.
"We value those guys at the highest level," Myers said Friday. "I wouldn't be a very good GM if I didn't understand how valuable they are to our own team. It sometimes gets lost. But I think when Kevin plays in the NBA Finals, we've gone 9-1. So I don't know what else matters. And Klay -- they're both fantastic. Those are guys that you do everything you can to keep within your organization."
The topic of Thompson's and Durant's pending free agency has hovered over everything the Warriors have done this season, but it took on even more significance this week after Durant suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon in Game 5 of the Finals and Thompson suffered a torn left ACL in Game 6. The Warriors lost that game and the series to the Toronto Raptors.
Myers said the injuries would not affect Golden State's pursuit of either player.
"All I'll say is that those guys are highly important to us," Myers said. "And deserving of being rewarded in the right manner. ... It's hard to find high-quality people, and both of them are that. And so you just -- try to keep those guys within these walls the best you can."
Durant has a player option for next season that he has been expected to opt out of, at least prior to his injury. Thompson will be an unrestricted free agent. The widespread belief within the Warriors organization all year is that Thompson would re-sign this summer, while Durant's status remains more of a mystery.
It is against league policy for the Warriors to publicly say they would offer both Thompson and Durant maximum extensions, but that has been the belief internally -- and throughout the league -- all along. If Thompson and Durant want to stay with the Warriors long term, the money will be there for them to do so, even in the wake of both players suffering serious injuries.
"The injury throws everything for a loop," Warriors coach Steve Kerr said of Durant's situation. "So I have no idea what Kevin's going to do. I know that we all want him back. We think this is a great situation for him and vice versa. So hopefully we get him back and keep this thing going with the understanding that he's a free agent and we want what's best for him and he's free to make any choice he wants.
"So hopefully he's back and we will all give him any advice, any counsel, he needs. And ultimately he's going to make his own decision."
Britain's Dan Evans has won his seventh straight grass-court match after recovering from 4-1 down in the third set to beat Mikael Ymer in Nottingham.
Evans, who has risen to 70th in the world after a year's ban from the sport for taking cocaine, prevailed 6-2 2-6 7-5 against the 20-year-old Swede.
Evans, 29, will play Germany's Dominick Koepfer in the last eight of the second-tier Challenger event.
His run means he is the highest-ranked British man based only on 2019 results.
"I didn't do much to put myself in a bad position," Evans said.
"He played pretty well. I've played a lot of matches but I'm not playing my best tennis out there, so I'm fighting pretty hard.
"Against these young guys, it's tough for them to get over the line. I'm not sure they all believe they can beat me, so it was a matter of just hanging in there. But I got over the line, so that's good."
Evans beat Serbia's former top-15 player Viktor Troicki in the Surbiton final on Sunday, and will take his place in the main draw when Wimbledon begins on 1 July.
After a rain-affected week of action, play was briefly possible on the outside courts at the Nature Valley Open at the same venue.
Germany's Tatjana Maria beat Australia's Ajla Tomljanovic to make the semi-finals. She will play Donna Vekic after the Croatian second seed beat France's Kristina Mladenovic in a match that finished indoors.
Sapporo highlights: champions depart, day of never ending upsets
Make no mistake it was a day to remember.
Men’s Singles
…………In the opening round China’s Sun Wen beat the host nation’s Tomokazu Harimoto, the no.4 seed (11-8, 11-5, 11-7, 11-8), before accounting for Korea Republic’s Lee Sangsu, the no.9 seed (11-3, 8-11, 11-8, 11-8, 11-7).
…………Chinese Taipei’s 17 year old Lin Yun-Ju, the no.16 seed, caused a major second round upset; he beat China’s Lin Gaoyuan, the no.2 seed (9-11, 9-11, 21-19, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9).
…………Kazuhiro Yoshimura caused an opening round surprise by beating Japanese national team colleague, Koki Niwa, the no.10 seed (11-4, 1-11, 11-9, 13-11, 5-11, 15-13) but was then abruptly stopped in his tracks by China’s Fan Zhendong, the top seed (11-2, 11-7, 11-6, 13-11).
…………The most experienced player on duty, Chinese Taipei’s 38 year old Chuang Chih-Yuan overcame Korea Republic’s Lim Jonghoon, the no.13 seed (7-11, 9-11, 11-8, 11-8, 7-11, 11-5, 11-7) but then lost to China’s Xu Xin, the no.3 seed (11-6, 11-7, 17-15, 11-4).
…………Germany’s Ruwen Filus used his defensive skills to good effect to beat Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting, the no.14 seed (9-11, 9-11, 11-6, 11-5, 11-7, 11-9) but was then overpowered by Brazil’s Hugo Calderano, the no.7 seed (5-11, 11-5, 9-11, 11-7, 9-11, 11-5, 11-3).
…………China’s Ma Long, the reigning Olympic and World champion, booked his third round place but he was tested; he needed the full seven games to beat Korea Republic’s Jeoung Youngsik, the no.15 seed (11-9, 7-11, 11-9, 9-11, 9-11, 12-10, 11-5).
Women’s Singles
…………Japan’s Mima Ito, the defending champion, experienced an opening round defeat; the no.7 seed, she was beaten by China’s Gu Yuting (7-11, 11-7, 11-8, 11-9, 12-14, 12-10).
…………Winner in 2011 and 2014, Singapore’s Feng Tianwei, the no.12 seed, departed in round one; she was beaten by China’s He Zhuojia (13-11, 11-5, 11-1, 9-11, 10-12, 11-8) but then lost to the in-form Gu Yuting (11-5, 7-11, 5-11, 11-5, 11-3, 11-9).
…………The host nation’s Hitomi Sato, the no.14 seed, caused a second round shock of seismic proportions; she beat China’s Ding Ning, the top seed and reigning Olympic champion (12-10, 6-11, 3-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-9).
…………Japan’s Miyu Nagasaki caused a major first round surprise; she beat China’s Zhu Yuling, the no.5 seed (11-6, 5-11, 11-9, 11-7, 11-9), before in the next round losing to colleague, Miu Hirano, the no.9 seed (8-11, 11-5, 11-5, 12-10, 11-9).
…………China’s Sun Yingsha kept her hopes alive of repeating her 2017 title win; she beat Korea Republic’s Suh Hyowon (11-2, 11-5, 11-5, 11-5), followed by success in opposition to Japan’s Kasumi Ishikawa, the no.6 seed (11-8, 11-6, 11-5, 11-6).
…………Lui Fei, also from China, emerged a surprise quarter-finalist; she accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Cheng I-Ching, the no.8 seed (13-11, 8-11, 11-8, 11-5, 11-7) prior to overcoming Japan’s Sakura Mori (11-13, 9-11, 11-6, 11-6, 12-10, 7-11, 13-11).
…………China’s Chen Meng, the no.2 seed, followed by colleagues next in the order, Wang Manyu and Liu Shiwen duly reserved last eight places.
Men’s Doubles
…………Puerto Rico’s Brian Afanador and Daniel Gonzalez caused a major opening round upset, they overcame Hong Kong’s Lam Siu Hang and Wong Chun Ting, the no.2 seeds (11-7, 8-11, 4-11, 11-4, 11-8). However, there was to be no further progress, in the next round they were beaten by Germany’s Benedikt Duda and Qiu Dang (8-11, 12-10, 11-6, 11-8).
…………At the quarter-final stage China’s Fan Zhendong and Xu Xin, the no.6 seeds and 2017 world champions, beat Chinese Taipei’s Liao Cheng-Ting and Lin Yun-Ju (11-4, 11-4, 11-4).
Women’s Doubles
…………Japanese teenagers Miyuu Kihara and Miyu Nagasaki continued to impress; the no.8 seeds, they accounted for Hong Kong’s Lee Ho Ching and Ng Wing Nam, the no.3 seeds (11-5, 11-6, 2-11, 11-6) to reserve their semi-final place.
…………Chinese pairs imposed authority, at the quarter-final stage Sun Yingsha and Wang Manyu, the top seeds, beat Korea Republic’s Choi Hyojoo and Kim Jiho (11-8, 11-6, 11-8); Chen Meng and Liu Shiwen, the no.5 seeds, ousted Hong Kong’s Doo Hoi Kem and Minnie Soo Wai Yam, the no.2 seeds (11-6, 11-7, 11-9).
Mixed Doubles
…………Notable Chinese pairs emerged successful at the quarter-final stage. Fan Zhendong and Ding Ning beat Korea Republic’s Cho Daeseong and Shin Yubin (11-5, 11-7, 11-5); Xu Xin and Zhu Yuling, the no.5 seeds, overcame Hong Kong’s Wong Chun Ting and Doo Hoi Kem, the no.2 seeds (9-11, 11-5, 11-6, 11-9).
…………Japan’s Tomokazu Harimoto and Hina Hayata beat Korea Republic’s Lee Sangsu and Jeon Jihee, the top seeds, to book their penultimate round place.
Surprise defeat for top seed but door for progress open
After accounting for Yemen’s Ebrahim Gubran (11-6, 11-4, 13-11), Manush Utpalbai Shah was beaten by Japan’s Kazyua Sugimoto (6-11, 7-11, 11-8, 12-10, 11-4); earlier in the day Kazyua Sugimoto had accounted for Chinese Taipei’s Yen Kuan-Lin (11-6, 11-7, 11-7). The contests between Manush Utpalbai Shah and Yen Kuan-Lin in addition to Kazyua Sugimoto versus Ebrahim Gubran will decide the final order.
Problems for Manush Utpalbhai Shah, for the other leading names there were no such trials and tribulations. Frenchmen Lilian Bardet and Dorian Zheng both ended the day unbeaten as did the host nation’s Zeng Beixun and Quan Kaiyuan. Likewise, it was two matches played, two wins recorded for Japan’s Takeru Kashiwa and Hiroto Shinozuka, as it was from Raegan Alburquerque, like Manush Utpalbhai Shah from India.
Similarly, in the first stage of the junior girls’ singles event, the leading names enjoyed success. Japan’s Sakura Yokoi alongside China’s Chen Yi and Wu Yangchen completed their group phase matches without defeat; with one match remaining, also from Japan, Kaho Akae and Miwa Harimoto ended the day unbeaten, a feat also achieved by India’s Swastika Ghosh and Prapti Sen.
In a similar vein, the host nation’s Yuan Yuan, the no.8 seed, duly secured top place in her group.
Successes as expected but there were two names to note. Korea Republic’s Jeoung Haeun ended the day unbeaten, notably accounting for Singapore’s Zhou Jingyi, the no.9 seed (11-8, 15-17, 11-9, 11-6). Likewise, China’s Yang Yiyun overcame Hong Kong’s Chelsea Chan Shiu Lam, the no.10 seed (11-6, 11-3, 14-12), to end the day without defeat.
Meanwhile in the initial phase of the cadet boys’ singles, there was a surprise defeat for Yemen’s Ebrahim Gubran, the no.2 seed (11-8, 11-6, 6-11, 13-11) but no such problems for the remaining principal names. Japan’s Hayate Suzuki, Sweden’s Alve Skoevold and India’s Divyansh Srivatava ended the day without a loss against their names.
One upset amongst the top four names in the cadet boys’ singles competition; none in the counterpart cadet girls’ singles event. China’s Chen Yi, Japan’s Kaho Akae, Egypt’s Hana Goda and Chinese Taipei’s Tsai Yun-En ended the day unbeaten.
Play in Taicang concludes on Sunday 16th June.
Positive starts for boys’ team champions, problems for girls
Notably Vincent Picard, the top seed, ended the day as the one player to be assured of first place in the initial group stage of proceedings; he accounted for both England’s Sajad Ali (11-6, 11-1, 11-5) and Morocco’s Adam Abouhind (11-1, 11-3, 11-0) to complete his initial phase matches.
Meanwhile for Filip Delincak, the no.2 seed and Adam Klajber, the no.3 seed, as for the next on the list, Abdelbasset Chaichi, each has one match yet to play. First place in the group beckons, none, like Vincent Picard, having been troubled in their initial contests.
Noteworthy performances but the two most noteworthy were those achieved by Saudi Arabia’s Mahdi Al-Huleal and the Czech Republic’s Dan Janovsky. Both ended the day unbeaten, both beat Algerian seeded opposition. Mahdi Al-Huleal accounted for Azzedine Lazazi, the no.6 seed (11-6, 14-16, 13-11, 11-6); Dan Janovsky overcame Meziane Belabbas, the no.10 seed (11-6, 11-7, 11-8).
Few difficulties for the junior boys’ team gold medallists, for Slovakia’s Ema Labosova and Montenegro’s Ivona Petric life was very different. Ema Labosova, the no.2 seed, was beaten by Claire Picard of France (4-11, 11-9, 11-9, 12-10); Ivona Petric, the no.4 seed, lost to Morocco’s Ines Outolla (11-5, 8-11, 6-11, 13-11, 11-9). Success for Ines Outolla but in her next match it was defeat; she was beaten by Slovakia’s Eliska Stullerova (14-12, 12-10, 11-7) who ended the day the only unbeaten player in the group.
Problems for Ema Labosova and Ivona Petric, for the other leading names in the junior girls’ singles event it was a day without defeat. Egypt’s Hend Fathy completed her group phase matches unbeaten, one match still to play, India’s Manushree Patil, the no.3 seed, enjoyed trouble free day.
Meanwhile, in the cadet boys’ singles event, Nigeria’s Taiwo Mati, the top seed, concluded his group stage matches unbeaten; with one match still to play, the next in line are all very much on course for top place. Slovakia’s Jakub Goldir, Saudi Arabia’s Khalid Alshareif and the Czech Republic’s Matyas Lebeda ended the day unbeaten.
Matches still to be concluded; in the cadet girls’ singles competition, the group stage was completed. First places were secured by Algeria’s Melissa Belache, Morocco’s Innes Outolla and Slovakia’s Laura Vinczeova.
Similarly, the first stage of the mini-cadet boys’ singles event was concluded. Slovakia’s Kristian Uherik and Hungary’s Balazs Lei secured first positions in their respective groups, as did Sweden’s Isak Edwardsson and Kevin Brunzell.
Play in Agadir concludes on Sunday 16th June.
Yet to make the next step, a chance for Gu Yuting
Both were wins contrary to status, presently on the women’s world rankings, Gu Yuting is listed at no.40, He Zhuojia at no.18, Mima Ito at no.7; furthermore, He Zhuojia was the runner up at the Seamaster 2018 ITTF World Tour Grand Finals, Mima Ito is seen as the major challenger to China.
Impressive wins but was the most impressive factor was the discipline that Gu Yuting exerted?
Fast attacking play has always been a factor in her play but that is also a key element in the technique of Mima Ito, especially from the backhand, the side of the racket where she uses the short pimpled rubber, the ball travelling at a very low trajectory. Somewhat differently with the longer pimpled rubber on the backhand, adapting to the blocking style of He Zhoujia demanded playing with a great deal of control.
Gu Yuting adapted, high quality but when is she going to make the breakthrough?
In 2009 when saw her for the first time on international duty at the World Junior Championships in Cartagena de Indias, the 14 year old impressed. She reached the girls’ singles final losing to colleague Wu Yang, the following year in Singapore she won the women’s singles event at the first ever Youth Olympic Games, before in 2013 in Rabat being crowned World junior champion.
The following year in Shanghai and in 2015 in La Roche sur Yon, Wang Manyu was crowned World junior champion; in 2017, she reached the final again losing narrowly to Sun Yingsha who last year struck gold at the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games. The successors of Gu Yuting both competed earlier this year in the Liebherr 2019 World Championships; Gu Yuting was not on the list.
On the second day of action in Sapporo can Gu Yuting state her case? At the quarter-final stage of the women’s singles event she faces colleague Chen Meng, a player with whom joined forces at the 2009 World Junior Championships.
Also could there be an omen for Gu Yuting as well as for Chen Meng? The first time Gu Yuting reached an ITTF World Tour women’s singles final was in 2013 in the Japanese city of Yokohama; she was beaten by the host nation’s Ai Fukuhara. Impressively, Ai Fukuhara progressed to win the title.
From dashed rugby dreams to Paralympic hopes - how Walsh reinvented himself
Like many other youngsters, Harrison Walsh visualised playing rugby for Wales.
But after an horrific injury ended his promising career aged 18, Walsh has his eyes set on representing Great Britain at the Paralympics in Tokyo next year.
Prop Walsh was considered one of the finest prospects of his generation as he prepared to play for Wales Under-20s in 2015 and was just about to start training with the Ospreys first-team squad.
But a career-ending knee injury in January 2015 saw his aspirations vanish. Four years on, Walsh has bounced back from adversity and just set a world shot putt record in his first major international competition.
Career cruelly cut short
In January 2015 ,Walsh's life changed after coming on as a late replacement for Swansea in a Championship match they were easily winning after a team-mate had been red-carded.
"I had just come off the bench in a nothing game and in the last play jarred my knee and it completely collapsed under me," said Walsh.
"Unfortunately, I dislocated my knee, pretty much tore everything you can tear in it and tore my nerve which left me with no ability to move my foot.
"I knew it was something bad because I could not move my foot and my knee was facing the wrong way.
"There was no gas and air so the best way I can describe the pain is jumping into the coldest water you have ever done.
"You get a sharp breath and you can hyper ventilate. It was so odd and an all-over body experience. That was my last game so I did not walk off the field, I was carried off."
For the record, the official diagnosis was a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL), posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) and lateral collateral ligament (LCL).
He also tore his bicep femoris (hamstring), popliteus, the lateral head of the gastrocnemius and the common peroneal nerve (nerve that controls how you move your foot). Amongst others.
Assessing the damage
"Essentially, I now have no feeling in my right foot, especially on the top where I have no movement in it," said Walsh.
"It is one of the worst knee injuries you can have. Every time I see a physio they are squeamish when I tell them the extent of the damage."
Before undergoing five-hour surgery, Walsh was given the news no promising rugby player wants to hear. Especially aged 18.
"A week after the injury, my surgeon told me I was not going to play rugby again, probably not going to run again and might struggle to walk," said Walsh.
"I was with my Mum, it was pretty emotional and not the nicest day. Playing rugby for Wales was the be all and end all.
"You grow up wanting to wear that red jersey and some of the proudest things I have are my age-grade caps and shirts."
So instead of emulating some of his peers like Adam Beard and Dillon Lewis in playing for Wales, Walsh found himself battling to redefine himself.
"I was in a bit of a hole," said Walsh.
"I went from this big strong Welsh rugby player to this guy who could not move his foot or get out of bed.
"I lost close to 20kg and I was not myself for probably a year. Your sport becomes your identity. I was a rugby player so what am I going to be if I am not one?
"Seeing my team-mates playing, I was just wondering why I was here and why can't I do this? It was hard for me to watch a couple of years ago."
Walsh also admits he struggled to cope with lifestyle changes.
"I have learned how to walk again," said Walsh.
"The biggest thing for me is the way I walk and it's only in the last eight months I am comfortable whether I was wearing a brace or not.
"The first year you think people are watching you and you feel so self-conscious.
"It's funny, one of the things that got me more than anything and what I would get upset about is that I can't wear flip flops.
"I probably shed more tears over that than anything. Flip flops are all rugby players ever wear! It makes me laugh now because I have got my head around it."
Battling back
Walsh admits the physical aspect was easier as he tried to prove the experts wrong by returning to rugby in a two-year battle dominated by extensive physiotherapy.
"I had a brilliant surgeon and Ospreys physios helped me so much," he said.
"I was so lucky to be in that system and I am here walking because of them and I was rehabbing for a couple of years.
"At first it was talking about just learning to walk again and that's all you are going to get.
"Then we were looking at maybe running and even playing again but that didn't happen because of the extent of the injury so I had to officially to retire at 20.
"The physical stuff was fine because I could focus on what I could do. I could still lift weights. I threw myself into it with the same energy I did when I played rugby."
Once any final hope of playing again vanished, Walsh needed a focus.
"I had to do something, if it was going to be water colour painting or colouring, I was going to be the best at that," said Walsh.
"It took that to get me out of bed. Once I saw that improvement with my knee or how I looked it made me feel a whole lot better."
Change in direction
Walsh's journey to a different sport started when he was coaching Ospreys under-16s. A fellow coach and a sport and health manager with the local authority, suggested he try out Para Athletics.
That meeting with Disability Sport Wales changed Walsh's life.
"My old coach asked if I had ever considered myself disabled?" said Walsh.
"I said no. I never said the word disabled to myself but I realised I had an impairment which stopped me doing things.
"I met with Anthony Hughes (DSW national performance manager) and he said they thought I could qualify for this sport and category (Para-athletics).
"I loved it because I was terrible at it. I am less terrible now and I now love the beginner mentality which I struggled with early on.
"I have only ever thrown with my impairment so don't know what it was like able bodied.
"I am rubbish now compared to where I will hopefully be in 10 years time but I have the raw power and experience of how to be professional."
Record breaker
That potential was demonstrated when Walsh has set a new F44 world shot put record of 15.73m at the Para-athletics Grand Prix in Grosseto, Italy.
"I would not believe it people when they told me," said Walsh.
"It was my first major competition so I just wanted to go there and perform.
"I was very happy but there is a lot more to come."
The World Para Athletics Championships in Dubai in November and the Tokyo Paralympics next year are on the agenda.
It is only the discus currently on the timetable for those events with the shot putt not scheduled.
Walsh is being guided by Josh Clark and former world champion Nathan Stephens as he hopes to emulate the success of previous Paralympic gold medallists like Aled Sion Davies.
"I would love to go Tokyo to just compete and look at future Games where hopefully I will be more competitive," said Walsh.
"I am in great hands and you just look at the people they have brought through. There is nowhere like this system anywhere in the world."
Walsh says he has embraced what life has dealt him.
"I am a much better person for it and don't regret what happened," said Walsh.
"You can't help what is going to happen and you have a different outlook on things.
"I have to step back and look at the progress I have made and appreciate the people who have helped me.
"In rugby, everybody wants to play for Wales and the Lions. In athletics, I now have the chance to represent Great Britain in the coming years and maybe Wales at the Commonwealth Games in 2022.
"It is not what I dreamed of growing up but I now have now goosebumps thinking of it."
PARIS – Formula E has revealed the tentative schedule for season six of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship, featuring new venues in the centre of Seoul and London as part of the longest and most comprehensive calendar to date.
The 2019/20 calendar was ratified following the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting in Paris, comprising of 14 races in 12 cities and covering four continents. The busiest season yet of electric racing will get underway with a doubleheader in Ad Diriyah in November, stopping off in the iconic city of Seoul for the first time in May and once again coming to a close in the English capital, using a unique indoor/outdoor track at ExCeL London in July.
Also new to the series in 2019/20 will be the arrival of factory teams fielded by
Mercedes-Benz and Porsche – taking the number of cars to 24 and completing a full grid for the opening rounds in Ad Diriyah on Nov. 22-23.
The ABB FIA Formula E Championship moves from the Middle East and travels onwards to Santiago, Mexico City and Hong Kong, before returning to Rome for the first of the voestalpine European races. The racing picks up again in Paris, with a short stop-over in Seoul soon after, followed by Berlin to round out the European leg. Monaco misses out for a season – rotating on a bi-annual basis as in previous years.
Formula E then crosses the pond to the Big Apple for the penultimate event of the season in New York City, with London re-joining the calendar for the title-decider over the course of two days at ExCeL London on July 25-26, 2020.
In addition to issuing the 2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship calendar, alterations have also been made to the sporting regulations, which are set to be introduced for season six.
New for next season, drivers will have an additional 10kW of power available when using Attack Mode, rising from 225kW to 235kW. Also, drivers won’t be able to activate Attack Mode under Full Course Yellow, or when the safety car is deployed – meaning the drivers will have to go off the racing line to activate Attack Mode under normal race conditions and retain the risk of losing positions.
Furthermore, to enhance the effects of energy management, during safety car periods and under FCY, a fixed quantity of energy – equal to 1kWh per minute for the duration of the caution period – will be subtracted from the total energy remaining in each car.
This measure means that drivers will no longer be able to save energy by driving at lower speeds under caution or behind the safety car, leading to more varied strategies and close racing to the finish line that fans have grown accustomed to seeing in Formula E. Also introduced for next season, the countdown clock will stop if the race is temporarily suspended – remaining at the discretion of the FIA Race Director – with the aim to complete the full amount of time.
The FIA has also released more details on the extended cycle of the Gen2 car, through to the end of season eight. The extension of an additional season was agreed together with manufacturers, taking into account stability of the rules and cost control. However, further updates to car performance and regulation changes can be made during this cycle, including increase of power, improvements to the battery and an evolution of the design and bodywork.
More points will also be on offer in season six, with an additional point handed out to the fastest driver in the qualifying group stages. The driver who secures Julius Baer pole position still picks up three points – as well as one point being awarded to the driver who sets the fastest lap finishing in the top-10 of the final classification.
“Next season promises to be the most exciting and eagerly-anticipated in the short history of the ABB FIA Formula E Championship,” said Alberto Longo, co-founder and deputy CEO of Formula E. “More races and new faces, with the incredible new additions of Seoul and London, as well as the inclusion of Mercedes-Benz and Porsche. Looking at the list of cities and capitals backing Formula E and the electric movement, it’s the longest and most comprehensive calendar to date. Alongside the tweaks made to the sporting regulations, the racing has the potential to be even more intense and unpredictable than ever. We have three rounds remaining this season and a title fight that’s wide open, but I already can’t wait to get started again in Ad Diriyah in November.”
2019/20 ABB FIA Formula E Championship Schedule
City – Country – Date(s)
Ad Diriyah – Saudi Arabia – Nov. 22-23, 2019
TBA – TBA – Dec. 14, 2019
Santiago – Chile – Jan. 18, 2020
Mexico City – Mexico – Feb. 15, 2020
Hong Kong – China – March 1, 2020
TBA – China – March 21, 2020
Rome – Italy – April 4, 2020
Paris – France – April 18, 2020
Seoul – South Korea – May 3, 2020
Berlin – Germany – May 30, 2020
New York City – United States – June 20, 2020
London – England – July 25-26, 2020
KNOXVILLE, Iowa – The Speedway Motors EMi Raffle Sprint Car, benefiting the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum, will be unveiled on June 29.
The reveal will take place during Cars & Coffee at Speedway Motors, located at 340 Victory Lane, Lincoln, Neb., from 8 a.m. to Noon.
The car will feature an EMi chassis and be powered by a Speedway Motors Racing Engines 410 engine.
The car is the 13th to be raffled off by the non-profit National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum. The bi-annual program includes donations from sprint car builders and manufacturers across the country. This sprint car will feature the famous Speedway Motors 4X and be shown at several racing events over the next 18 months, and will be given away Friday, Dec. 18, 2020.
“Our raffle car program was started back in 1995, and has been an essential component in maintaining the National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum ever since,” says National Sprint Car Hall of Fame & Museum Executive Director, Bob Baker. “We want to sincerely thank Speedway Motors/EMi, and all the sponsors who make it possible to do this. And, of course, most of all, we thank all of those who make donations and buy raffle tickets in an attempt to win a brand new sprint car.”
Additional prizes will also be awarded, including the runner-up award, a Kincrome Chest and Trolley Combo donated by Kincrome.
Raffle tickets can be purchased for $20, or six for $100 starting with the Speedway Motors event June 29. For more information on the Speedway Motors EMi Raffle Sprint Car, visit www.SprintCarRaffle.net.
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