Women sport news

BRITISH BASKETBALL'S success, spearheaded by NBA superstar Luol Deng has been recognised with the announcement today that five companies have signed up to be associated with the team as they aim for London 2012.

Cori Schumacher (Cardiff, CA), 31, won the Roxy Jam Cardiff featuring the Linda Benson World Longboard Pro and ASP North America Women’s Longboarding titles over defending event champion Jen Smith (Pacific Beach, CA), 22, Chelsea Williams (Coolangatta, AUS), 23, and Summer Romero (San Diego, CA), 26, in two-to-four foot surf today at Cardiff Reef.

OTTAWA - Synchro Canada is pleased to announce the hiring of Kasia Kulesza and Mariette Chen as National Team assistant coaches.

In beautiful Portimao, Portugal the Formula Windsurfing World Championships have concluded after the closely contested seven day event. In the end, only one point separated first and second place in the Formula women representing ten nations.

OLYMPIC sailor Krystal Weir used a meet and greet session with the public at her home club yesterday, to formally announce Sail Melbourne in December would be the start of her 2012 London Games campaign.

Celebrating its 20th Birthday next year, Europe’s ultimate and longest established winter festival leaves adolescence well behind, as The BRITS prepares to hit, jib and tweak its twenties in style. Returning to the premiere freestyle resort of Laax, Switzerland from the 28th March – 4th April 2009

With only 16 days remaining until Phase 1 of ticket sales to the 2010 Olympic Winter Games begins on October 3 — one of the biggest milestones and public engagement activities prior to the Games — the Board of Directors for the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) held its fifth meeting of 2008.

The days are growing shorter, and soon they will turn white. In January, they will be filled with confetti, streamers and candles as The Burton European Open (BEO) Snowboarding Championships, the fourth event of the Burton Global Open Series 08/09, will celebrate its birthday in LAAX, Switzerland from January 9-16, 2009. photo Christian Stadler

Olympic revenge is in the air, and Rhythmic fans planning on being at Benidorn’s Sport Palace (ESP) on October 4 – 5, 2008 are going to witness it firsthand. The Spanish are enraptured by this discipline, which just might make these finals a sold-out affair!

The 18-year-old is riding the fame of the Olympic all-around gymnastics championship she won in Beijing last month. She is on a 37-city gymnastics tour with all-around silver medalist Shawn Johnson.

VietNamNet Bridge – Gymnast Do Thi Ngan Thuong on September 11 said goodbye to her career to focus on studies.

Great Britain continues to provide a good stock of future stars for European Athletics with 19-year-old middle distance runner Stephanie Twell taking the honours as this year's pre-eminent emerging talent on the continent.

On the eve of this event, she gave an interview to Trend News correspondent.

England Netball has announced the Senior England Long Squad for the 2008/09 season. Eighteen players have been selected to work closely with National coach Sue Hawkins, in the run up to playing at the 2010 Commonwealth Games and the 2011 World Netball Championships in Singapore.

The hard work and commitment given by England Netball’s volunteers was recognised at a glittering awards ceremony at the weekend. Over 250 guests were invited to the organisation’s Fourth Annual Goalden Globe Awards at the Heritage Motor Centre in Warwickshire, where people who have worked tirelessly to develop and promote netball were nominated for awards.

Omsk, Russia, September 20, 2008 – On Day 4 of the 2009 World Grand Prix qualifier in Omsk, Russia, Netherlands booked the second European ticket to the 2009 FIVB World Grand Prix by beating Germany in straight sets. photo FIVB

To the delight of the Praia da Enseada crowd, four Brazilian women’s teams were featured here Friday afternoon with the Beach Volleyball tandems of Agatha Bednarczuk/Shaylyn Bede and Vivian Cunha/Larissa Franca advancing to the gold medal match after posting elimination and semi-final wins at the US$350,000 KIA Open presented by Banco do Brazil. photo FIVB

After great success at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, the U.S. Olympic Beach Volleyball teams have been keeping busy, both on and off the sand with appearances and tournaments for all four squads. photo FIVB

Dinara Safina crushed Nadia Petrova to reach her seventh Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles final of the year. In an all-Russian final she will play Svetlana Kuznetsova, who beat Katarina Srebotnik

England made a fine start to their European Championship qualifiers as they overcame Greece by four goals in their opening match in Estonia. photo FA

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (Wednesday, September 17, 2008) – Melanie Bartels (HAW), 26, has won the 2008 Billabong Girls Pro Rio, defeating fellow finalist Sofia Mulanovich (PER), 25, in rifling four foot (1.5 metre) barrels at Barra da Tijuca in Rio de Janeiro today. photo ASP Morris Covered Images

Day 1 of the Roxy Jam Cardiff featuring the Linda Benson World Longboard Pro kicked off in peaky three-to-four foot (1 metre) conditions at Cardiff Reef today. The first two rounds of competition narrowed the field of 80 competitors down to 48 and saw big scores from Cardiff native Cori Schumacher (Cardiff, CA), 31. Jayme Gee (San Clemente, CA), 35, and Rachel Spear (North Shore, HI), 26, also gave top performances today, convincingly winning each of their Round 1 and Round 2 heats.

The Butterfly Effect was in La Rochelle last week-end during it's famous boat trade show. Eight women riders started from the beach of the water sports village with their boards to paddle down to the harbour where they were exposed to the most beautiful boats of the tradeshow.

A crew of America's best riders will highlight the athlete roster for U.S. Snowboarding in 2009. The all star group includes X Games gold medalist Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO) Olympic Gold medalist Hannah Teter (Belmont, VT), Olympic silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis (Stratton Mountain, VT) Olympian Elena Hight (South Lake Tahoe, CA).

Fans of Liz Halliday have the opportunity to own one of the dual sportswoman’s race suits, signed by the California-born racing driver and equestrian.

Beijing, China - After 12 days of competition, the Closing Ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games on 17 September 2008 officially ended a period of record-breaking competition and events.