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week ending november 14, 2013 | www.caribbeantimesinternational.com
Over 70 riders confirmed for Guyana’s “Ride for Life” By Rajiv Bisnauth
O
ver 70 local and overseas cyclists will compete in Guyana’s seventh annual five-stage cycling event under the theme “Ride for Life”, an initiative of the ministries of sport and health and the National AIDS Programme Secretariat. Chief organiser, Hassan Mohamed said Tuesday, that 72 cyclists from Guyana, along with two Columbians and a Barbadian have confirmed their participation in the gruelling 226 miles, four-day event. The three foreign riders, Columbians Jaime Ramirez, who is the de-
Guyana's “Ride for Life” five-stage cycle race has attracted yet another large group of local and foreign riders
fending champion, along with fellow countryman Antonio Jose Alacon Gonzalez and Darren Matthews will represent Team Coco. The trio will be joined by local based riders Christopher Holder, Raynauth Jeffrey, Michael Anthony and Junior Niles as Team Coco’s representatives. Mohamed said that while riders from Suriname and the French Guiana have indicated an interest in this year’s race, they are yet to confirm participation. He also revealed that all the logistical arrangements are already in place for the event. The opening stage on Thursday will start
from Corriverton to New Amsterdam (46.6 miles) from 07:30 hours; stage two will be on the same day from Rosignol to Georgetown (60.4 miles) from 14:00 hours. Stage three will take place on Friday from Wales to Parika (35 miles) from 09:00 hours, while the penultimate stage will be contested from 07:30 hours the following day from Supenaam to Suddie, covering a distance of 62 miles. The fifth and final stage will commence in Linden at 08:30 hours and finish on Homestretch Avenue, Georgetown on Sunday, covering a distance of 62 miles.
Jamaica wants to host a FIFA Youth WC J amaica’s chief football organiser, Captain Horace Burrell, says he will be spearheading the charge for his country to host a FIFA Youth World Cup in the near future. Burrell, president of the Jamaica Football Federation, made the promise following reports of a successful hosting of the just ended Concacaf Under-17 Women's Championship in Jamaica. "I will certainly be
putting in a bid to host a junior World Cup, male or female," declared Burrell after the final of the Concacaf U-17 Women's Championship at the Montego Bay Sports Complex over the weekend. “…and I will be challenging all stakeholders in government and private sector to partner with the JFF on this”. Burrell has outlined potential benefits of hosting a World Cup at any level, saying revenue in-
flows, exposure for brand Jamaica and the lasting legacy would catapult football and the country to a new plateau. "Certainly one of the legacies would be the stadia that would have to be built, or developed where they already exist, and this would certainly aid the development of the overall game here," he told Jamaican media. "I think we as a Federation and a country have done a good job in gaining the experience
in organising successful international tournaments, which I believe has positioned us to bid for bigger events”. Only TT has hosted FIFA World Cups, having brought the Under-17 Women's and Men's tournaments to the twin-island republic. Mexico won the U-17 tournament by beating Canada 4-2 on penalties at the Montego Bay Sports Complex while in the match to decide third place, the USA swamped
Jamaica’s chief football organiser, Captain Horace Burrell (Jamaica Gleaner file photo)
hosts Jamaica 8-0. Both Mexico and Canada have qualified to the FIFA U-17
Women's World Cup to be hosted by Costa Rica next March. (Jamaica Observer)
Coach Logie confident Canada will qualify for ICC T20 World Cup ond and third cross-over fixtures. The victors of these matches will then progress into the ICC World Cup T20. “The challenge out there now, is with the amount of matches you have got to play, and that is why I believe in fitness both mentally and physically,” Logie indicated, adding that “the team has come together very well in re-
By Ravendra Madholall
A
s Canada gets ready to face arch-rivals U.S.A. in the qualifier tournament, which bowls off this Friday in Dubai, Coach Gus Logie is highly confident that his Canadian team would qualify for next year’s International Cricket Council (ICC) T20 World Cup in Bangladesh. Logie, a former Trinidad and Tobago, and West Indies batsman believes that once his cricketers play to their full potential, getting into the mega event will be easy. Canada began their trip to Dubai with four warm-up matches in Sri Lanka, where they won two games. “The physical and mental aspects [are] always important and we have been preparing very hard and diligently for the qualifiers, and that has given me the confidence Canada will make it through to Bangladesh next year,” Logie said. Canada has been placed in Group ‘A’
Coach Gus Logie
alongside Ireland, Namibia, Uganda, Italy, Hong Kong, UAE and the U.S.A. When the qualifying stage begins Friday, 16 sides will split into two groups of eight, a total of 72 matches will be played over 15 days and the sides that top the two groups at the conclusion of the group stage will automatically qualify for Bangladesh. Six places available are also up for grabs in
the ICC World Twenty20 next year while the sides that finish second and third in each of the two groups will play crossover matches with the two winners also progressing to the global event. The teams that finish fourth and fifth in each of the two groups will play cross-over matches, with the winners of these two matches playing the losers of the sec-
cent months, and we also believe that we have assembled a strong group of Canadian cricketers that will be very competitive in the World Cup T20 qualifiers.” The Canadian players are also looking to make use of the tournament in Dubai as part of their preparations for the upcoming 50-over qualifier tournament to be held in New Zealand
early next year. “Obviously it is a different format, but I just want the guys to focus on this T20 tournament first; of course that will be another big tournament in New Zealand, but in Dubai at least the selectors will have a look at the players, so we can have them prepared for the 50-over version as well,” the coach explained.