Women sport news

BRITISH weightlifters Helen Jewell and Natasha Perdue are in Kasan, Russia, preparing to lift in the European Championships later this week.

After three regattas in the ISAF Sailing World Cup series the world's best sailors are leading the way in the Overall Standings.

Richmond Ladies were yesterday (April 10th) crowned RFUW Premiership champions for the second successive season.

The cream of the country's 50-plus golfers will head for York Golf Club next week when the English senior women's championship which takes place from April 19-22.

A new 14 round season opened for Gail at Snetterton over the weekend of 8th/9th April. In a new format the Jaguar saloons have been combined with XJ-S's, including the big V12's, which would undoubtedly mean the generally heavier saloons would struggle to qualify near the front, or so everyone thought.

21 teams from 16 Members participated in the 12th ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships. For the second year running, Team Finland 1 and Team Finland 2 took gold and silver respectively with Team USA 1 grabbing the bronze.

Maya Moore and Liz Cambage were two of the youngest players at the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women. Herve Bellenger/Castoria/FIBA

The FA WSL starts today with two big derby games, Chelsea v Arsenal and Lincoln v Doncaster, and Lincoln duo Sue Smith and Sophie Bradley are looking to get a winning start. Report by David Brenchley.

NatWest CricketForce 2011 saw a record breaking 1,914 cricket clubs take part in this tenth anniversary year. Thousands of volunteers alongside a few famous faces gave up their time over the weekend to help out at their local club.

Team USA's Maya Moore and Liz Cambage of Australia made headlines as star performers at the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic.

South African Sailing (SAS) has become the third International Sailing Federation Member National Authority to receive ISAF Recognized Training status for their National Training Programme (NTP).

The 28-year-old from Queensland stamped her authority on the final with an 11-1, 11-3, 11-7 win to take out her 17th title on the WISPA tour and her second in a fortnight. photo WISPA

18-year-old First Windows Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic defender Sulu Tone-Fitzpatrick is the second nominee for the ANZ Championship's 2011 Best Young Player Award.

Mission Queensland Firebirds captain Lauren Nourse sustained a tear to her Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in Sunday's clash against the Haier Pulse and will not return for the remainder of the season.

Ten women golfers, led by Yvonne Sutcliffe of Warwickshire, have become the first players to qualify for the 2011 Volvo EWGA Grand Medal Final.

After four long seasons, and an exasperating 60 minutes in Perth, the LG Mystics have finally scored their first victory on Australian soil, battling from behind to defeat the Fever, 56-54.

In a classic game of two halves, the rampant NSW Swifts repelled a desperate comeback by the First Windows Waikato/Bay of Plenty Magic to win 53-46 in Tauranga tonight.

In a thrilling finish, a pack of six women that had the lead for more than half of the run leg were all in with a chance heading into the final lap. photo ITU/triathlon.org

The new WTA rankings were released on April 11. Victoria Azarenka was the only change in the ranking, as she rose to a new career-high of No.5 on the new rankings.

Ann-Marie Heatherson talks WSR through Bristol Academy's key players for the FA WSL season. Report by David Brenchley

Hampshire’s Elaine and Charlotte Barrow, from Brokenhurst Manor, added their names to the distinguished list of winners of the Mothers and Daughters, the 27-holes strokeplay foursomes at Royal Mid Surrey.

With both the FIVB Beach Volleyball Swatch World Tour and the FIVB Swatch World Championships fast approaching, 2011 is expected to be another banner year for the sport. photo FIVB

Playing for her Caguas team, De la Cruz posted four aces among her 22 points in the 25-18, 25-23, 18-25, 25-23 victory over Mayaguez last Wednesday.

Pipeline suffered an early setback with an injury to attacker Asha Makuto in the first set and they proved unable to prevent a repeat of last year's final loss. photo FIVB

"Overall I'm very proud of the way they fought," Australian coach Steve Glasson said. "It's a great learning curve for all of our players, and these series are all about development, so I'm sure they will benefit immensely from it.

In the women's event, St Johns Park's Katrina Wright is hoping to become just the second Australian to claim the crown, but pre-tournament favouritism will be bestowed on two-time defending champion Jo Edwards.