Women sport news

The FIVB has confirmed the Preliminary Round (pool round robin) for the men’s and women’s Olympic Games Beach Volleyball Tournaments after the Drawing of Lots took place on Saturday evening in Gstaad, Switzerland.

The H-Town Cyclones beat The West Michigan Mayhem 39-10 to win the 2008 World Championships of Women's Football. The first time ever the South has won the crown. Congratulations to the Cyclones who put on a simply dazzling show.

Dinara Safina followed her semifinal upset of Jelena Jankovic with a 64 62 victory over Flavia Pennetta in the title match, taking home her second Sony Ericsson WTA Tour singles title of the year.

The WTA Tour comes live from The Rogers Cup Montreal and The Nordea Light Open in Stockholm so stay tuned. Main draw begins Monday 28th July

The British Snow Tour made its final stop of the dryslopes series over the weekend, 19th & 20th July at Norfolk Ski Club for the Trespass British Snowboard & Skiercross Championships and Big Air Jam

Kelly Southerton showed great form achieving a PB in the long jump 6m79 to win the competition ahead of America's Funmi Jimoh. Britain's Lisa Dombriskey won the 1500m beating off the likes of Donahue and Samaria. Gigi Johnson of America claimed the 100m Hurdles title infront of Britain's Phylis Agbo. photo Andrew Beckett

Malaysian Nicol David clinched the women's title, respectively, in the major Tour squash event at the Curve Complex in Kuala Lumpur. photo WISPA

Jelena Jankovic needed to win the title to ascend to No.1 for the first time but Dinara Safina had different plans for her in the semifinals. Meanwhile, Flavia Pennetta made her biggest career final

Helen Alfredsson defeated Angela Park and Na Yeon choi to win the Evian Masters in a three hole sudden death playoff.

After 14 rounds and three unforgettable finals matches, the inaugural ANZ Championship Grand Final is upon us. photo Micheal Bradley

THE HAGUE, NETHERLANDS, JULY 21—All hoping to become part of the next generation of international beach volleyball stars. photo FIVB

China advanced two women's teams to the 1to1 energy Grand Slam semifinals, marking the second straight Grand Slam event that has happened. In Moscow earlier this month, the two Chinese teams had to play each other in the semifinals, but both teams ended up medaling. photo FIVB

The final of the women's $53,500 WISPA World Tour Gold event will feature the top two seeds, with local heroine Nicol David now just one win away from her fourth title in a row.

Russia's Dinara Safina will try to stop Serbia's Jelena Jankovic in her quest for the world No.1 ranking, after both of them moved through to the Tier II East West Bank Classic semifinals on Friday.

Kelly Smith knows what it takes to get to the very top of the game - and now, with the help England midfielder Frank Lampard, she is giving children tips to learn how to improve their skills. photo FA

Sweden’s Helen Alfredsson shot a course record nine-under-par 63 on day two of the Evian Masters in France to lie in second place going into the weekend.

And what if the winner of the 1st Evian Masters was to win the 15th tournament… Wouldn’t that be the perfect scenario for a tournament that has always favoured the players and their loyalty? And if even if Helen Alfredsson is not holding the trophy on Sunday, she will once again have left her mark on the Evian Masters.

Story of the elimination was Yoli De Brendt (Fanatic, North), who was on biblically good form. The Venezuelan underdog slayed Nina Tjernberg (F2, North), heavy weight freestyler Daida Moreno (North), and Junko Nagoshi (Simmer, Dakine) to claim her place in the final against Sarah-Quita Offringa (Starboard, NeilPryde). photo PWA Carter

With eye’s firmly set on Offringa (Starboard, NeilPryde), who sat in waiting after winning the single elimination the previous day, Daida Moreno (North) mounted a sustained attack from the depths of the elimination ladder to within touching distance of the young Aruban. photo PWA Carter

Sarah-Quita Offringa fights her way to the top of the second single elimination, then fend off attacks Daida Moreno in the double to cement her position at the top of the podium. photo PWA Carter

The Women in the Winner’s Circle Foundation today announced the winners of its Leadership Award, the Mildred Marcum Pioneer Award, the USAC Kara Hendrick Spirit Award, and the Opportunity Award. The honorees were recognized at the Foundation’s 6th annual Women in the Winner’s Circle luncheon held at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

Sally McLellan ran a race that could be described as 99% perfect in the 100m hurdles, but as is often the case in world class sprinting events, the smallest imperfection can be the difference between victory and second place.

Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) is still star struck from her experience as an ESPY nominee for Best Female Athlete. And even though she was there for the taping on July 16, she said Sunday's airing of the show was just as funny.

Gretchen Bleiler (Aspen, CO) took home the Best Female Action Sports Athlete award at the 2008 ESPY Awards this month. Bleiler, who dominated halfpipes everywhere during the 2008 season, was on hand in Los Angeles to accept her award.

Jenny Barringer has been named USA Track & Field's Athlete of the Week after setting an American Record in the women's 3,000m steeplechase Sunday at the KBC Night of Athletics in Heusden, Germany.

Eight women's teams, including the top six-seeded tandems, earned a bye in the first round of the single elimination bracket in the US$600,000 1to1 energy Grand Slam after winning their pools in round robin play. The Swiss team of Simone Kuhn and Lea Schwer pulled off an upset on Thursday morning to win their upset-laden pool and move ahead to the second round of play.