Women sport news

British sailors concluded the Miami World Cup regatta with a gold for the women's match racing trio of Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor, with podium spots also going to some of GBR's developing stars. Richard Langdon/Skandia Team GBR

HAMPSHIRE’S Emma Bonney claimed her first women’s snooker title for more than three years with a cue bought on the internet two days previously.

Loughborough Lightning were brought down to earth by table topping Surrey Storm in Guildford last weekend (28 January).

Olympian Emily Cook (Belmont, MA) geared up for the Feb. 2-4 VISA Freestyle International with another FIS Freestyle World Cup top-ten aerials finish. Tom Kelly/U.S. Ski Team

Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) came within .03 of a three-race sweep in St. Moritz to finish second in Sunday's super combined behind defending Audi FIS Alpine World Cup overall champion Maria Hoefl-Riesch of Germany. (Giancarlo Cattaneo/fotoswiss.com)

Europe’s best short track speed skaters took the ice this weekend in Made Boleslaw, Czech Republic for the 2012 ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championship.

On a hot and sunny afternoon in Rosario, Great Britain women’s hockey team got their Champions Trophy campaign underway with a 3-0 victory over Japan putting them at the top of Pool A. Earlier on in the afternoon the Netherlands won their first game against China 3-1 and Argentina drew with New Zealand.

Victoria Azarenka has become the new Australian Women's Open champion defeating Maria Shaparova in straight sets 63 60 in 1 hour 22 minutes. The first time Azarenka has been in a Grand Slam Final and she nails the big prize along with the coveted World Number 1 slot.

KOSICE (EuroLeague Women/FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament) - There was a very important development for the Czech Republic women's national team on Wednesday night.

Brazilian beach volleyball legend Jackie Silva will put her experience to good use as she was named coach of the Brazilian women’s youth and junior teams last Friday. photo FIVB

It’s not often you get to drop to the ground on Rod Laver Arena and shed tears of joy. It’s one of those once in a lifetime opportunities. By James Hunter-Smith

Svetlana Kuznetsova and Vera Zvonareva became the first all-Russian team to win a Grand Slam doubles title on Friday evening, surviving a tense final game to defeat the all-Italian pairing of Sara Errani and Roberta Vinci in the final of the Australian Open, 57 64 63.

The Russian pair of Kuznetsova and Zvonareva defeated the Italian pair of Errani and Vinci, to win the doubles title at the Rod Laver Arena today. The powerful team from Russia didn't have it all their own way being stretched to a three set match by the Italians. Tomorrow Maria Sharapova and Victoria Azarenka battle it out in the ladies singles final, one will become the new World Number 1.

Tatiana Volosozhar/Maxim Trankov led a podium sweep for the Russian pairs and won their first European title in a convincing fashion. Vera Bazarova/Yuri Larionov claimed the silver and Ksenia Stolbova/Fedor Klimov took the bronze

Lucy Macgregor, Annie Lush and Kate Macgregor earned a hard-fought berth in the semi-finals of the Women's Match Racing event at the Miami World Cup on Thursday (26 January), and avenged their World Championship final loss to USA's Anna Tunnicliffe in the process. photo Richard Langdon/Skandia Team GBR

Great Britain’s women have finished in second spot at the Cordoba Four Nations Tournament , Argentina, losing 3-2 to Korea in the final. Earlier on New Zealand lost their match to Argentina losing 3-2 in extra time in the play-off for third and fourth place. GB had earlier beaten the world champions 2-0 and Korea (whom GB beat 3-1) had trounced a lack lustre Argentina 5-1 22 /01/12 (source England Hockey.)

Victoria Azarenka defeated Kim Clijsters in three sets to enter her first Grand Slam Final. Azarenka's best Slam had been a semifinal at Wimbledon last year, where she fell to Petra Kvitova. Maria Sharapova defeated Petra Kvitova also in three sets.

The 2012 ISU European Figure Skating Championships officially opened in Sheffield, Great Britain, on Wednesday with the Pairs Short Program and the Short Dance.

After the first One-Day International of the Rose Bowl Series was abandoned on Wednesday with just 22 overs bowled due to the rain, the Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars have now turned their attention to the second match of the series, to be played at Blacktown International Sportspark tomorrow.

The Miami World Cup regatta reached its halfway stage on Wednesday (25 January) with Britain's sailors poised in seven podium positions after the three days of racing.

Maria Sharapova is on top form going into the semi finals of the Australian Open. She defeated Sara Errani in straight sets and now sets up a Wimbledon rematch against second seed Petra Kvitova who upset Ekaterina Makarova earlier in the day 62 63.

The Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars and New Zealand White Ferns joined the Governor-General, Her Excellency Ms Quentin Bryce AC CVO, at Admiralty House on Thursday in a celebration of women's cricket.

The world's best netballers will descend on New Zealand's Bay of Plenty in six weeks, when Tauranga hosts the official pre-season tournament for the 2012 ANZ Championship.

Their women’s team downed Maldives 4-0. Meanwhile, the Kazakhstan women’s team claimed their first victory over their Indian counterparts.

Kim Clijsters the true powerhouse of women's tennis entered the semi finals after a superb two set defeat of the current world number 1 Caroline Wozniacki. Having never beaten a world number 1 at a Grand Slam event Clijsters was delighted. Azarenka also made it through.

With just under two weeks until the RBS 6 Nations kicks off England Women are aiming high and setting their sights on a record breaking seventh consecutive championship crown.