26 sport Ash Hover takes a look at this month’s sporting champ and chump Despite a rocky start, Stuart Lancaster cannot be praised enough this week as his Three Lions side ended New Zealand’s 20 match unbeaten run. Sports writers everywhere were forced to rethink their pre-written obituaries for the England coach after his side thumped the All Blacks 38-21 last Saturday, and although Lancaster hasn’t enjoyed the best of starts since guiding the team to four wins from five games as interim boss during the Six Nations, a win like this will do wonders for the spirits in the dressing room. Although still a while away, Lancaster would surely love to see out his contract, which expires in 2016, and enjoy a 2015 World Cup hosted right here, at home. For now, English rugby fans across the country are just happy to see Chris Ashton’s swallow dive back on the field. The defeats to Australia and South Africa can’t be completely written off, but inflicting the All Blacks’ heaviest-ever Test defeat by a northern hemisphere side makes Lancaster this week’s sporting winner.
WINNER
LOSER After three miserable years, where not a single point was scored, it looks as though HRT are set to lose their F1 drive for the 2013 season. A number of drivers, including Aryton Senna’s nephew, Bruno, all failed in scoring points for the Constructors Championship outfit whose highest ever result in F1 comes in at an uninspiring 14th place. At the 2012 Chinese Grand Prix, HRT set the undesirable record of having the most starts (39) without scoring a single point. I know people say it’s the taking part that counts, but somehow HRT never really thrust their way into the sport. The team owners put the it up for sale last week, but the deadline was missed, meaning they could become the latest F1 dropout, leaving just 22 cars on the grid for 2013. HRT now look to be following in the footsteps of the likes of Honda and Super Aguri, who were the last team to be forced to drop out of the sport in 2008.
Thursday 6 December 2012 | The Rock
Looking ahead - next year’s tennis Marcin Bryszak
The 2012 tennis season was a well balanced year, with variety in the shape of four different Grand Slam winners. Andy Murray finally joined the club, triumphing at the US Open. There was the solid comeback of Juan Martin Del Potro, who may be a Grand Slam contender again in 2013. But Rafael Nadal’s injury and absence since Wimbledon has provided something of an early anticlimax to the season. Rest assured, though, Nadal will be coming back, and possibly stronger than ever before. His aim - to make a return at the 2013 Australian Open. With Nadal there, we can breathe a sigh of relief and think about the upcoming year. In 2013 we will be seeing more of ‘The Spanish Bull’, but less of ‘The Swiss Maestro’ Roger Federer, who has decided to skip the 2013 Miami Masters. A sensible move, considering that Fed has a wife, and two little daughters, who travel with him around the world. There is also his age - Federer is 31 - which, in tennis terms, is old. He will be preserving himself and
practising more than last year to once again challenge for the biggest titles on the circuit. For Andy Murray, it will be yet more opportunities for success, and hopefully less opportunities to get frustrated with himself - often demonstrated vividly with moans, shouts and bruised knuckles, banging against the strings of his racket. No. This is new and improved Murray. This is Ivan Lendl’s Murray - a mentally stronger, more mature, piece of athletic magnificence. With the right attitude, and the right people by his side, there are not many players who can stop him from winning another one of these ‘Majors’. But, there is always Novak Djokovic with his Mr Fantastic-like flexible body. His agility gives the man a great ability to turn defence into attack from any position on the court with just one shot. There is also his mental strength, which if anything, is even more impressive than his athletic abilities. Yes, he did lose more matches last season than in his magnificent year of 2011, but ‘Mr Consistent’ still managed to cap off the year with a brilliant win at the ATP World Tour finals and clinch the year-end number one spot. I expect Djokovic to do even greater things in 2013. Completing a Career Slam with a
win at the French Open would be the greatest of them all. Other highlights of the year will include Juan Martin Del Potro continuing his strong comeback from a wrist injury, after an impressive 2012 season, where he won four titles and an Olympic bronze medal. He can bully other players with a massive serve and groundstrokes. This gives him a shot of winning the biggest of titles. The usual suspects who will trouble the top players are the relentless ‘rottweiler’, David Ferrer, ‘the giant’ that is Tomas Berdych, and ‘Muhammad Ali’ - Jo-Wilfired
Tsonga. Each on their best days can cause an upset. 2013 shall be a year of comebacks, where the intense rivalry will be renewed to give us some of the most wonderful emotions and entertainment. More 2013 comebacks: - After many players’ complaints about the quality of the blue clay, the red clay will be making a comeback at the Masters 1000 tournament in Madrid. - Where is Robin Soderling? He may never again play professionally after suffering from glandular fever since the summer of 2011.
Rafael Nadal has had a season tainted by knee injuries YANCARADEC
Bournemouth gets its first marathon Ben Fisher
Sport BU hope to be involved with the first ever Bournemouth Marathon, which will take place in October next year. Talks between Sport BU and organisers GSi events - who run the Edinburgh marathon - are at an initial stage. “We are trying to work a relationship with them and we’re hoping something more formal will come out. “There’s a reputation at stake with the University and they [GSi events] want us to assist, but in what capacity, that’s what we need to discuss,” said Barry Squires, Sport BU’s Head of Development. The 26 mile event will take place for the first time in the area, and will incorporate the Sandbanks peninsula and Bournemouth
gardens as well as both the Bournemouth and Boscombe piers into its route. Participants will be able to run up and down the piers in a unique twist to the international event. Squires said: “Obviously we’ve got students who are keen to volunteer and the community is there. We are now speaking to them about participation, whether it’s water stations or dealing with bag drops. “As a university that’s something we can offer. We have a responsibility to help. It will help student learning, students on events and tourism courses.” A half marathon, 10k, 5k, junior races and a unique UV Speed Light race through Bournemouth Gardens make up the Marathon Festival. The weekend-long event aims to raise money for MacMillan Cancer Support. The Sport BU chief added his excitement to which the event will impact upon local people. “It will only get bigger over time.
Looking at the Great South Run and how big that is, you can begin to understand how good it will be for the local community.” Squires did highlight one challenge which such a major event would provoke. “We need to look at our operations over that period, it’s the busiest time of the year for Sport BU, considering the new freshers influx at that time. “I’ve met with the main conference and events manager at the University, Nicole Wharf, and she’s been very supportive.” Squires is optimistic about the event, and the potential for Sport BU to be involved before highlighting that people have already signed up in numbers to the event. “Events like this will always need manpower, and we have that in students. “The marathon, which could attract some of the biggest names in athletics, will be a real coup for both the town and its university. “From a University prospective,
they’re always trying to broaden their reach, and it puts Bournemouth on the map. Some people in England don’t even know where Bournemouth is. “I think there will be a lot of pride for the people of Bournemouth,” Squires added. “Hopefully the marathon will kick-off more interest in the athletics and running clubs. We have a running club and the more members we can bring to that, fantastic. “The marathon will spike interest in running and we need to be able to supply the demand, which will occur. We don’t want runners to drop off, we want them to be part of an athletics clubs or taking part in a ‘Park Run’ – a national brand – which sees a route through the university.” The Sport BU chief also insisted that anyone thinking about taking part in the event, at whatever distance, must ensure they train. “They need to be able to know they are confident running that distance,” Squires said.