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Sports 18 F1’s successful return leaves US wanting more AUSTIN
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resilient Park racks up Vare Trophy, lPGa money title
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eWIS Hamilton claimed the victory and Red Bull clinched the constructors title but the biggest winner at the U.S. Grand Prix was Formula One with commercial supremo Bernie ecclestone immediately calling for more races in America. "The future of F1 in the USA? I think we'll finish with three races here within the next three years," a beaming ecclestone told reporters. "The race was fantastic wasn't it? Really was a super race. "If you tried to plan this, to have the (title) race finish in Brazil, you couldn't have done a better job. "everybody is very happy here. The governor's happy, they're all happy. You feel good when you've done something that works." On a busy sporting Sunday with a full slate of National Football League action and NASCAR crowning their champion in Florida, the U.S. Grand Prix held its own, delivering gripping drama as Formula One made a rousing return to America following a five-year absence. Circuit of the Americas, the United States's only purpose-built F1 track carved spectacularly out of the south Texas scrublands at a cost of $400 million, provided a magnificent stage as McLaren's Hamilton out-raced championship contenders Sebastian Vettel and Fernando Alonso for the win. A capacity crowd of almost 120,000 flooded into Formula One's newest venue on a sun-splashed day to
cap off weekend of partying that had attracted jet-setters and A-listers along with the political and business elite to the quirky Texas capital. Among those spotted roaming the paddock were Mexico president Felipe Calderon, Texas governor Rick Perry, movie mogul George Lucas, celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay and director Ron Howard, who is about to release a Formula One-themed movie. Conspicuously absent was Austin's most famous sportsman, disgraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, who kept a low profile with world's media at his doorstep. Although all conceded there was much work to be done before the series can claim a firm foothold in the U.S., many hailed Sunday's race as the start of a new era for Formula One in a mar-
ket it is determined to conquer. "I think they have done a great job here. The track is fantastic." Red Bull team principal Christian Horner said. "I think we saw a great race today and the enthusiasm from the fans and the public and the town has been tremendous. It looks like Formula One has been a big hit here in Texas. "We just have to make sure we continue to put on a good show. You can see the enthusiasm there is for Formula One it would be great at some point to have another race in the States, which is obviously under discussion." Formula One teams up and down the Austin paddock could not hide their delight at being back in the U.S., while ecclestone found a new-found enthusiasm for a market he had once dismissed. It seems almost certain that more U.S. races will find their way onto the calendar. Plans to put a race in New Jersey next year were postponed when local organisers said they could not be ready in time but ecclestone remained confident that the event will find a place on the 2014 schedule while tossing out Los Angeles as another serious possibility. "It's been a great weekend, the fans have been amazing this weekend," said Hamilton, who also won the last F1 race staged in the United States in 2007. "The warm welcome we've had has been fantastic and I think this is probably one of the best, if not the best grand prix we've had all year. "especially for me and my team, this is so special."
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ajax appoint Van der Sar as marketing director
ROTTERDAM AgENCIES
Former goalkeeper edwin van der Sar has joined the board of Ajax Amsterdam as marketing director, the Dutch club said on Monday. In a statement the club said Van der Sar, who began his playing career with Ajax and ended it after six years at Manchester United, had joined the board along with Michael Kinsbergen who will be managing director. "Van der Sar had a fantastic career and also has natural leadership and therefore the potential to be our managing director in the future," Ajax CeO Hans Weijers said in the statement. "Kinsbergen will lead the board and organisation in the coming years and also guide Van der Sar in his further development." Van der Sar retired in 2011 after a glittering career that brought two Champions League and eight domestic titles.
Stenson clinches S Africa Open to seal Dubai spot ‘Southampton's leaky JOHANNESBERG AgENCIES
SIME AgENCIES
South Korean Inbee Park might have failed to clinch a victory at the season-ending CMe Group Titleholders 2012, but she managed to rack up the 2012 Vare Trophy thanks to low scoring and top position in officials money list. Park was more than thrilled after winning the accolade at the end of the CMe Group Titleholders 2012, but she failed to win the Rolex Player of the Year. American Stacy Lewis, with the help most top-10 finishes and four victories in the season, managed to secure the top spot in the Rolex Player of the Year award list. Lewis could have beaten Park both in the low scoring and money list too, but posting a total score of 288 in Florida pushed her way from the title. On the other hand, Park did much better against rivals, as she fired an overall 282 to take a share of the 11th position on the leaderboard. Although a victory seemed difficult right from the first round on Thursday as she posted a 70, Park’s performance remained almost stable in all four rounds. Speaking to the LPGA (Ladies Professional Golf Association) Tour at the end of the final round on Sunday, Park said that she knew that she would be able to win the Vare Trophy, as she was in a much better position than Lewis. “I mean, it means a lot. We had a tight race until the last tournament and the last round. I had to put a lot of pressure on myself this week and it was really hard,” said the 24-year-old golfer who is set to enter into the next season with a renewed passion.
Henrik Stenson fired a one-under-par final round of 71 to win the 102nd South African Open on Sunday, helping him to qualify for the lucrative DP World Tour Championship in Dubai. The Swede finished three strokes ahead of South Africa's George Coetzee at the Serengeti Golf and Wildlife estate to claim his seventh european Tour title. Stenson started the day on 16-underpar after three impressive sub-70 rounds at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course and held a three-shot lead over Coetzee. He endured a nervy start and a double-bogey at the par-three ninth hole which rounded off a disappointing outward nine of 38. Stenson regained his composure however, and made three birdies without a blemish on the way home to post a winning score of 271. "I hit a couple of loose ones out there,
and obviously the one on nine was a bit like that. I left the club behind a little bit...wrapped it and hooked it into the hazard which wasn't a great time to do that," Stenson told reporters. "Sometimes you need a poor one to wake you up and make you more determined so that you're committed on the next one. I was in the driver's seat for most of the week, so it was good the way it turned out. It's nice to seal the deal and it wouldn't have been nice not to." Coetzee, who still awaits his maiden european Tour victory, eagled the parfive third hole to send out a warning shot to his playing-partner Stenson. Two successive bogeys followed, but he pushed the former Ryder Cup player all the way, and the pair were level walking down the 15th hole. A bogey there ended his challenge as Stenson birdied the 16th and 17th to close out the event, forcing the home hero to settle for a sole-second placed finish. Martin Kaymer's tournament im-
proved after a slow start and he carded six birdies en route to a final round of 67 to finish 13-under-par. South African Thomas Aiken matched Kaymer's score of 67 and finished in a share of third place with the German. Charl Schwartzel finished two further strokes adrift as a 67 saw the former Masters champion claim fifth place. Stenson became only the second foreign player to lift the South African Open trophy since 2001 and his winner's cheque for 158,500 euros ($201,400) secured his place in the Race to Dubai final next week. "It was great that I came down here," Stenson told www.europeantour.com. "One of the bigger reasons was I was 59th in The Race to Dubai standings and I needed a good week." His performance also ended a threeand-a-half year victory-drought for the 36 year-old after his last win came at Sawgrass in May 2009.
defence improving’ LONDON AgENCIES
The Saints beat hosts Queen's Park Rangers - the only club below them in england's top flight - 3-1 at the weekend, and although they failed to keep a clean sheet, the much-needed win prompted a volley of optimism from under-fire Adkins. "I think we have a good shape about ourselves from a defensive point of view," Adkins said. "Maya (Yoshida) and José (Fonte) are forming a partnership together and it takes a period of time for everybody." Signed from the Dutch league in the offseason, Yoshida has looked unsteady at the heart of Southampton's defence, and his confidence appears to taken a knock judging by a ponderous performance for Japan against Oman in a World Cup qualifier last week.
Afridi says no to BBL after getting PCB clearance ADELAIDE AgENCIES
Shahid Afridi, the Pakistan allrounder, has said he will not play for Sydney Thunder despite being given permission by the PCB to take part in Australia's Big Bash League. Afridi said he wanted to play in Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 tournament instead and that clashes with Australia's Twenty20 competition. "I have ended my contract in the Big Bash League, because I want to play in the national event to improve my form and justify my selection in the team," Afridi said. The Pakistan board had earlier granted Saeed Ajmal, Umar Akmal and Afridi permission to play a few games at this season's Big Bash, on the request of Cricket Australia. Ajmal and Akmal will miss the last round of Pakistan's domestic Twenty20 tournament and will return in time for the conditioning camp in Lahore ahead of the India tour.
The PCB had earlier denied the players permission to play this BBL, to ensure their participation in the local tournament. Akmal is signed with Sydney Sixers and Ajmal with Adelaide Strikers for the season, while Afridi was set to play for Sydney Thunder, having transferred from Melbourne Renegades. "We have reconsidered our decision, on the request of Cricket Australia, as the players had already signed their contract," a PCB spokesman told eSPNcricinfo. "They will now leave at the tail end of [Pakistan's] T20 tournament, which runs from December 2 to 10, and will return when our conditioning camp starts." As per the arrangement, the players will leave for the BBL at the end of the group stages of Pakistan's T20 competition; these end on December 7, and the camp for which they must return begins on December 12. The BBL begins on December 7, and each of the three concerned franchises have one game scheduled between the 7th and 12th.
Tuesday, 20 November, 2012