Sport & Fitness Middle East - Lewis Hamilton

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Issue 2

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Sport has never looked so good!

T

HE international sport scene is just warming up and the global financial crunch has started to make things more interesting. A couple of months ago Formula 1 technical wizard Ross Brawn was close to losing his job, along with whole of the Honda team, after the Japanese manufacturer pulled the plug. With uncertainty over the future of the team the F1 pundits couldn’t have predicted what happened next in Melborne at the Australian Grand Prix or the following week in Malaysia.

In recent years the team with the largest cheque book has normally been found at the front of the grid. Now it appears to be heading back to the days where the sport was more about skill and nerve, which leads me on to our exclusive feature with Lewis Hamilton who somehow managed to drive an uncompetitive McLaren onto the podium. Mind you, if the lead singer of the Pussy Cat Dolls, Nicole Scherzinger, was up for a hot date if I made it to the podium, Jensen Button wouldn’t have stood a chance! If only Hamilton used this line at the subsequent Stewards Enquiry in Melbourne, he might have kept the points!

One date that looms large on the horizon is May 2nd, as Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao, recognised as the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world at the moment, takes on Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton. It’s rare to find two boxers of this calibre at their peak and there will certainly be fireworks in Vegas that night.

Our Features Editor Richard Bevan pulled out another corker as he tracked down Hatton at his gym in Hatton’s hometown Manchester. I was tempted to let the Manchester City Football fan Hatton know that Richard is a season ticket-holder at Old Trafford, but he wouldn’t have made much of a sparring partner! The article reveals the man behind the gloves and how he’s been busy transforming himself from the old Ricky Hatton of old who just “steamed in there” fists flying into the new-style thinking Hitman, throwing combinations and jabbing, as he prepares himself for what could be one of the hardest nights of his life.

A boxer’s abdominal muscles are one of the most important weapons in his armoury, helping to create punching power as well as soaking up the punishment and aiding core stability. With this in mind the guys at Fitness First have put together a gym programme to help you achieve knockout abs.

Staying on an adrenaline theme, we managed to track down and talk to the most successful action sportsman of all time. With 14 X Games gold medals to his name, BMX legend Dave Mirra isn’t an easy guy to pin down – he’s usually suspended upside down on his bike, 20ft above ground!

On the other hand, Sir Steve Redgrave managed to collect five consecutive Olympic gold medals while sitting down, but as the most successful Olympian and oarsman of all time tells us, maintaining a 24-year career at the very top of international rowing was no stroll in the park!

We hope you have as much fun reading Sport&Fitness magazine as we’ve all had creating it.

Alex Gallemore Editor

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AIR COOLED TRAINING

Š 2008 adidas AG. adidas, the 3-Bars logo and the 3-Stripes mark are registered trademarks of the adidas Group.

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Lewis Hamilton talks exclusively to Richard Bevan about his meteoric rise to stardom ahead of the 2009 season when he will be defending his F1 Drivers’ World Championship crown.

LEADER OF THE PACK

O

NCE in every generation, sometimes less often than that, a new character comes along and lights up the sporting horizon like a beacon. Someone with that certain something – that little bit of magic…the X factor. It’s not just the outrageous talent, the style or the charisma – it’s the full package which makes that person become a magnet for their sport, attracting hordes of new fans that otherwise may never have shown an interest.

Muhammad Ali did it for boxing; George Best did it for football; Tiger Woods did it for it for golf. Now Lewis Hamilton is doing it for F1.

Not that he sees it that way. He may be the youngest World Champion – and the first of black origin – in the history of motor racing, but Hamilton, who was recently awarded an MBE by H.M. The Queen of England, is also one of the most level-headed 24-year-olds you’re ever likely to meet.

“I don’t see myself as a figurehead or a hero,” he said when I caught up with him before the 2009 season-opening Australian Grand Prix. “To me a hero is someone who has achieved something against adversity. I’m incredibly proud to be a sportsman who people want to follow. That for me is really exciting, but at the end of the day I have my dream job and I’m very fortunate. Of course it makes me very proud. I’m incredibly passionate about Formula 1 and I hope I’ll open the sport up to those who hadn’t really considered it before.”

Lewis Carl Hamilton – named after the famous American sprinter and no less speedy around the track – has been a phenomenon since entering top level motor racing just two years ago. He’s had every accolade in the book heaped upon his young shoulders during that time, but in his case, it’s wholly deserved.

The Englishman’s record throughout his entire career in motorsport reads like the stuff of fairytale, littered throughout with ‘youngest this’ and ‘fastest that’. When he was handed a McLaren drive alongside defending double World Champion Fernando Alonso in 2007 most people had no idea who he was.

It seemed like an act of lunacy on the part of team boss Ron Dennis to give him the job. But as we were to find out, it was merely the next step in a ‘Grand Plan’ that had been in motion for the best part of 15 years and they were all in on it – Hamilton, his father Anthony, Ron Dennis, McLaren, all of them! They knew something that we didn’t.

Hamilton didn’t represent a gamble at all. He had been preparing for that moment for years and he wasted no time in proving his mentors right. He took a podium in his first race before going on to lead the pack for most of the season (the youngest driver ever to do so), coming agonisingly close to winning the World Drivers’ Championship before losing out to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in the final race of the season. He made up for it in style last year, becoming F1’s the youngest-ever World Champion in the most dramatic of circumstances as he passed Timo Glock on the4

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Published in the UAE by: Prographix,

Cover story

Events & Previews

16

21

Bahrain GP We look ahead to the F1 showcase which will see Ferrari’s Felipe Massa attempt to win a third consecutive title around the Bahrain circuit with the lightning quick Brawn GP cars sure to have their say.

34

Cricket With the Aussies and the Pakistanis descending upon Dubai and Abu Dhabi for a series of One Day Internationals and a Twenty20 match, the UAE is set for a feast of cricket in the coming weeks.

36

Qatar Superbikes The second round of the World Superbike series, staged at the Losail International Circuit, saw the Ducati V-Twins take on the raw power of the Yamahas.

PO BOX 24677, Dubai, UAE

Lewis Hamilton Our exclusive interview with the F1 World Champion, who has shown already this season that he has the talent and mentality to overcome whatever hurdles are put in his way.

Features 40

Ricky Hatton We chat to the undisputed Light Welter Weight Champion ahead of his ‘winner takes all’ clash with pound-for-pound champ Manny Pacquiao.

66

Sir Steve Redgrave The greatest Olympian of all time talks about his incredible career and how he’s come to terms with life after rowing.

73

Las Vegas Travel Feature Richard Bevan visits the famous U.S. city and finds there’s plenty to keep the adventure tourist busy besides bright lights and casinos.

76

Dave Mirra The world’s No. 1 action sportsman and legendary King of the BMX talks about life on the bike and his recent move into rally driving.

Sport & Fitness Middle East Partners

Gareth Pearce +971 4 358 0344

Alex Gallemore +44 1625 535081

Nutrition Training Tips Equipment Style News / Calendar Events Adventure Features

KNOCK-OUT ABS BOXING used to be considered the domain of the male athlete, too tough and aggressive for females – how times have changed!

Now both guys and girls see the benefits of using boxing-style training and Fitness First clubs around the region offer boxing-style classes and individual workouts for members.

One of the key focuses of boxing training is strong abdominal muscles – to both take a punch and to help transfer power from the feet to the hands.

This month’s workout is a boxing-inspired workout for the abdominal muscles. It is a circuit based programme that will target the abs and leave you feeling the burn!

Perform the workout twice per week for three weeks.

Instead of doing a prescribed amount of reps you are going to focus on a set time for each exercise.

Do all the exercises in a row without a break then rest for two minutes before repeating the circuit one more time.

WEEK 1 – 30 sec per exercise WEEK 2 – 45 sec per exercise WEEK 3 – 60 sec per exercise

Count how many reps you do per exercise and try and do more in the next circuit to keep the body adapting, the following week the time per exercise will increase, making it more challenging.

WORKOUT SUMMARY SWISS BALL ROLL OUT ABDOMINAL LEG LOWERING SEATED OBLIQUE TWISTS MEDICINE BALL CRUNCH

Brought to you by

www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page 47

FITNESS GUIDE 46

Hard hitting ab techniques The abs are one of the most important muscles in a boxer’s armory. They help to generate punching power, absorb the punishment and provide good core stability. Our fitness section sees us give the lowdown on how to develop knockout abs.

Nutrition

Regulars

52

12

Sports News A concise look at recent sporting events from around the globe.

14

Sports Calendar A look ahead at what’s happening each month on the international and local sports scene.

58

Gear Whether it’s looking great in the gym or on the street, do it in style.

Check out the latest fashions.

54

Seven tips to lose fat Excess body fat is something we are constantly battling against in the gym.

Stick to these seven tips and watch those unwanted pounds fall off.

Smoothies that add balance An active gym user tends to focus on protein and carb levels but mineral levels are equally as important to restore the immune system. Our smoothie recipes not only taste great but also help replenish your mineral levels.

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Date: April 23–25

Class 1 World Powerboat Championship: Qatar Marine Festival Grand Prix TOP level International Powerboating comes to Doha in the form of the Qatar Marine Festival Grand Prix in April.

After two days of practice and a boat parade, the race proper, which represents the opening Grand Prix of the 2009 Class 1 World Powerboating season, gets underway on Saturday April 25th. The 42-foot boats, which are powered by twin 900hp jet engines, will hurtle around The Corniche at speeds of up to 160mph.

This spectacular event always attracts thousands of spectators so get there early to bag a prime viewing spot!

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Date: March 5–April 5

Cirque du Soleil SFME were lucky enough to be invited to one of Cirque du Soleil’s resident shows, Mystère At Treasure Island, during our recent trip to Las Vegas, which was a spectacular assault on the senses.

Imagine our joy when we were invited to talk to the people behind their latest touring show, Alegria, based in Dubai.

SFME’s Gareth Pearce caught up with Supervisor of Performance Medicine Tracy Choptain to find out what it takes to be a part of the esteemed company.

www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page9

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Nutrition Training Tips Equipment Style News / Calendar Events Adventure Features

SFME: What type of fitness training will a typical performer engage in on a weekly basis?

TC: A typical week has performers preparing for up to 10 shows in six days, with one rest day. They participate in a variety of cross training activities outside of their act and show demands.

Conditioning activities include pilates, conventional cardio training (running, elliptical, swimming, biking) as well as specific injury prevention and conditioning programmes. We use a diversified approach to conditioning including core conditioning with swiss balls and foam rollers, as well as yoga and flexibility sessions – mostly activities you can carry out with your PT or athletics therapist in your local Fitness First!

possible in personal and act training, due to the large number of variables outside of our control.

SFME: What are the most common injuries you see on the road?

TC: The type of injuries can vary but there are always some constants that we see dependant on the type of act the artist is involved with. For example, our powertrack artists who perform with trampolines have a higher frequency of ankle and Achilles issues.

SFME: What lessons can the ‘person on the street’ apply in their workouts from the training regime that the performers undergo?

TC: I honestly believe that the message of good sleep, good hydration, and quality refuelling pre-and post-training sessions is still one of the most important messages to provide anyone taking the step towards a healthier, more active lifestyle.

Slow and steady wins the race. Artists at Cirque du Soleil have worked many long hours and years towards their goal of becoming an artist with this company. It did not happen overnight. Just like anyone attempting to incorporate more physical activity into their lifestyle, you need to be patient and consistent.

SFME: How does travelling affect the fitness regime and do you have different regimes for different parts of the world?

TC: Travelling into new cities that we may not be familiar with poses a number of challenges: jet lag, changes in altitude, humidity, and relative heat throughout the day all influence an artist’s ability to maintain their routines and fitness levels.

Ultimately, we try to establish and maintain as much routine as

SFME: How do the demands of Cirque compare with other high performance sports?

TC: A recent study that has been published in several places concluded that our injury rates are comparable to those of USA university varsity athletes (NCAA); being similar to women’s and men’s basketball and less than that of women’s gymnastics, women or men’s ice hockey, men’s soccer and men’s American football.

Tickets for any Cirque du Soleil show worldwide can be booked by visiting www.cirquedusoleil.com.

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NEWS

WALES AND WALLABIES TRIUMPH IN DUBAI

The teams took advantage of Fitness First’s comprehensive facilities to stay in shape during the Dubai Rugby World Cup Sevens.

THE Dubai Rugby World Cup Sevens produced one of the most thrilling spectacles of rugby ever witnessed in the Emirate as Wales and Australia won the coveted title of World Champions for the men and women respectively.

Wales overcame the odds, beating the likes of Samoa and New Zealand en-route to the final before triumphing 19-12 against a more fancied Argentina side, to lift the coveted Melrose Cup. Try scorer Aled Thomas felt that the uncharacteristic support of the English fans after their own team had been knocked out at the quarter-final stage helped cheer Wales to an historic triumph that sees them follow England (1991), Fiji (1997), New Zealand (2001) and Fiji (2005) as winners of Sevens rugby’s greatest prize.

“It probably helped that England got knocked out and (their fans) jumped on our bandwagon but we’ll take that,” said Thomas. “We are champions.”

The Aussie ladies made history as the first ever Women’s Rugby World Cup Sevens champions, defeating New Zealand 15-10 in extra time with Shirley Matcham scoring the decisive try.

“I have been sitting on the bench for about three games, got my shot in the semi and the girls had so much belief in me and I just knew when I got that ball I wanted to do it for them,” she said after lifting the trophy. “You dream of this.”

Scotland won the Plate Final for the men, with England triumphing for the women while Zimbabwe claimed the men’s Bowl and China took the women’s Bowl.

MARC COMA TRIUMPHS IN ABU DHABI

SPAIN’S Marc Coma clinched his third victory in four years in the opening round of the FIM Cross-Country World Championship after choosing to start the final stage of the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in fourth place.

Riding a factory KTM 690 R, the two-time winner of the Dakar Rally took advantage of a new FIM regulation, which permits the leading driver in the overall classification to choose his starting position on the final day.

With a sandstorm causing poor visibility he chose to follow the tracks of the riders in front of him and the decision proved a masterstroke as he raced home as the overall winner.

The Spaniard finished 5m 42s ahead of France’s Cyril Despres, with Norway’s Pal-Anders Ullesvalseter securing the final podium place with the fastest time on the final selective section. “It’s a great feeling to take a second win of the season and to keep up that winning run,” said Coma. “It means a lot to me and I want to keep working hard

and improving. Today was very difficult.”

In the car category Frenchman Guerlain Chicherit and Swedish co-driver Tina Thörner romped to a comfortable victory in their BMW X3 CC. Chicherit won every stage in the car category and reached the finish at the ADIMSC in Abu Dhabi with a winning margin of 2h 23m 45s over the Yayha Al Helai and Khalid Al Kendi of the UAE in their Nissan Patrol. “Last week I was taking part in a World Cup competition in extreme skiing and this week I am winning a World Cup rally in the Middle East – all in the space of 10 days. From one extreme to the other,” said Chicherit. “It is a great feeling to win this rally. This result is for my team.”

Abdullah Al Herais and Haleem Bin Zayed finished third overall in another Nissan Patrol and Ali Al Shawi and Ahmad Malik were fourth, giving the host nation three of the top four positions in the overall car classification.

Marc Coma, Mohammed bin Sulayem (right) and Ahmed Ali Sayegh (left) (ADTA)

QATAR IN WORLD CUP BID

QATAR has lodged a bid to host the 2022 FIFA World Cup Finals. The Qatar Football Association delegation led by His Excellency Sheikh Mohammed bin Hamad Al Thani hope to make the country the first in the Middle East to hold football’s showcase event.

Sheikh Mohammed said: “We believe it is time to bring the World Cup to the Middle East for the very first time. A World Cup in Qatar in 2022 would be the first global sports event to be hosted in the region. What could be more fitting than it being the world’s favourite game that achieves this truly historic status?”

FITNESS FIRST GROWING RAPIDLY

FITNESS First is continuing to grow at a rapid rate. Despite the tough economic climate, Fitness First, the world’s biggest gym network, shows no signs of slowing down with the latest clubs to be opened in the Middle East being the ‘Platinum’ facility in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and a club in Doha, Qatar.

Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both fresh territories for Fitness First, taking the total number of countries in operation in the Middle East to six.

The prestigious ‘Platinum’ club in Riyadh can be located in the Localiser Mall, while the facility in Doha is in the City Centre Mall.

OMANI SAILS INTO RECORD BOOKS OMANI national Mohsin Al Busaidi made history as the first Arab to sail non-stop around the world. Mohsin formed part of the Omani Sail Team who sailed into Muscat on March 25th, on Dame Ellen MacArthur’s former B&Q trimaran Musandam, completing their epic journey in 76 days 1 hour, 12 minutes and 42 seconds.

Mohsin’s feat was made even more remarkable by the fact that until a year ago he had never sailed out of site of land. The other four crew members were Frenchmen Loick Gallon and Thierry Du Vorsent Duprey and Brits Charles Darbyshire and Nick Houchin.

The round the world journey, which covered 24,287 nautical miles, was part of the Oman Ministry of Tourism’s bid to reignite the Sultanate’s maritime heritage and it certainly captured the imagination of the its people with Mohsin becoming something of a national hero.

“I am so happy, so proud for my country, it has been the most amazing experience of my life,” said Mohsin. “Although the voyage has only taken 76 days, I have loved sailing and the sea for a long time. This round the world journey has been the key focus for the newly formed Oman Sail project and we wanted to show quickly what could be achieved to inspire others. We’ll continue the voyage of our ancestors who sailed the seas and we’ll build boats and masts, so our children continue the journey after us.” www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page13

April

April 10-12

Qatar MotoGP

As previewed in our last issue, the Qatar MotoGP at the Losail International Circuit promises to be among the hottest tickets around in April as Doha welcomes race fans from around the globe. Last year saw the race take place at night under the floodlights for the first time as Casey Stoner sent out a strong message to Valentino Rossi in the quest for the rider’s championship by blasting past the Italian to victory. But Rossi doesn’t often stay down for long and as the new season gets underway in Qatar he’ll be looking to strike back under the lights.

April 9-12

The Masters, Augusta National Having made his long-awaited comeback from knee injury at the World Golf Championships events in March Tiger Woods showed he was back on his game by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational later that month. By the time The Masters gets underway at Augusta National in April he will be full steam ahead in his quest for a 15th Major. Trevor Immelman was the victor in last year’s event but Woods will be the favourite again this time around.

best of the rest April 10 Amman Dead Sea Ultra Marathon, Jordan (athletics) One of the most gruelling marathons in the world.

Competitors start at 900 metres above sea level in the high elevations of Amman and make their way 52 kilometres down to 400 metres below sea in baking hot temperatures.

April 1 World Cup Qualifiers (football)

April 7-8 Champions League (football) Quarter-Finals (second legs 14-15)

April 24 – 2 May ODI Pakistan v Australia Dubai Cricket Council Ground No 1, Dubai

Apr 18 (athletics) IAAF World Tour event, Dakar

April 27 - 3 May ODI Pakistan v Australia Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

April 19 Bahrain Grand Prix (F1) April 9 UEFA Cup Quarterfinals (football), (second legs April 16) April 17-18 (aero gp) Red Bull Air Race World Series: Abu Dhabi

April 5 World Superbikes, Valencia, Spain (motorcycles)

April 18 EDF Energy Cup Final, Twickenham, UK (rugby union)

April 22 – 1 May ODI Pakistan v Australia Dubai Cricket Council Ground No 1, Dubai (cricket) April 23-25 Qatar Class I Powerboat Championship Race, The Corniche, Doha (powerboating)

April 28 – 29 Champions League Semi-Final First Legs

May

best of the rest May 24 -June 7

French Open Roland Garros Paris

After losing out to Rafael Nadal for the third time in four Grand Slams, former World No. 1 Roger Federer will be itching to regain some ground on the Spanish top seed. But there could scarcely be a more daunting event at which to do it than the French Open. Nadal hasn’t lost a match at Roland Garros for four years and the undisputed King of Clay will once again be the man to beat in May.

May 1 4th ODI Pakistan v Australia Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi (cricket)

May 8 IAAF Super Grand Prix: Qatar Athletic Super Grand Prix 2009, Doha, Qatar (athletics)

May 3 5th ODI Pakistan v Australia Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

May 16 Guinness Premiership Final, Twickenham, UK (rugby union) May 5-6 Champions League Semi-Final Second Legs (football)

May 20 UEFA Cup Final, Istanbul, Turkey (football)

May 7 Twenty20 Pakistan v Australia Dubai Cricket Council Ground No 1, Dubai (cricket)

May 7-9

May 24 Monaco Grand Prix (F1)

Jordan Rally

Middle East Rally Championship Last year saw the Jordan Rally mark the first time an Arab country has hosted an event in the World Rally Championship. The course was revamped for the occasion to provide a series of challenging routes both above and below sea level with stages in and around the Jordan Valley and the Rumman forests. The cream of the world’s rally driving talent will once again return to the same course to contest the 2009 Middle East Rally Championship in May.

May 27 Champions League Final, Rome May 7-10 The Players Championship, Sawgrass, Florida, USA (golf)

May 30 FA Cup final, Wembley Stadium UK (football)

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Lewis Hamilton talks exclusively to Richard Bevan about his meteoric rise to stardom ahead of the 2009 season when he will be defending his F1 Drivers’ World Championship crown.

LEADER OF THE PACK

O

NCE in every generation, sometimes less often than that, a new character comes along and lights up the sporting horizon like a beacon. Someone with that certain something – that little bit of magic…the X factor. It’s not just the outrageous talent, the style or the charisma – it’s the full package which makes that person become a magnet for their sport, attracting hordes of new fans that otherwise may never have shown an interest.

Muhammad Ali did it for boxing; George Best did it for football; Tiger Woods did it for it for golf. Now Lewis Hamilton is doing it for F1.

Not that he sees it that way. He may be the youngest World Champion – and the first of black origin – in the history of motor racing, but Hamilton, who was recently awarded an MBE by H.M. The Queen of England, is also one of the most level-headed 24-year-olds you’re ever likely to meet.

“I don’t see myself as a figurehead or a hero,” he said when I caught up with him before the 2009 season-opening Australian Grand Prix. “To me a hero is someone who has achieved something against adversity. I’m incredibly proud to be a sportsman who people want to follow. That for me is really exciting, but at the end of the day I have my dream job and I’m very fortunate. Of course it makes me very proud. I’m incredibly passionate about Formula 1 and I hope I’ll open the sport up to those who hadn’t really considered it before.”

Lewis Carl Hamilton – named after the famous American sprinter and no less speedy around the track – has been a phenomenon since entering top level motor racing just two years ago. He’s had every accolade in the book heaped upon his young shoulders during that time, but in his case, it’s wholly deserved.

The Englishman’s record throughout his entire career in motorsport reads like the stuff of fairytale, littered throughout with ‘youngest this’ and ‘fastest that’. When he was handed a McLaren drive alongside defending double World Champion Fernando Alonso in 2007 most people had no idea who he was.

It seemed like an act of lunacy on the part of team boss Ron Dennis to give him the job. But as we were to find out, it was merely the next step in a ‘Grand Plan’ that had been in motion for the best part of 15 years and they were all in on it – Hamilton, his father Anthony, Ron Dennis, McLaren, all of them! They knew something that we didn’t.

Hamilton didn’t represent a gamble at all. He had been preparing for that moment for years and he wasted no time in proving his mentors right. He took a podium in his first race before going on to lead the pack for most of the season (the youngest driver ever to do so), coming agonisingly close to winning the World Drivers’ Championship before losing out to Ferrari’s Kimi Raikkonen in the final race of the season. He made up for it in style last year, becoming F1’s the youngest-ever World Champion in the most dramatic of circumstances as he passed Timo Glock on the4

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Opposite: Lewis Hamilton works out in preparation for the 2009 F1 season. Below: Hamilton’s father and manager Anthony gives some advice ahead of the 2007 Brazilian Grand Prix. Right: Hamilton has all the trappings of a World Champion F1 driver, including a pop star girlfriend in the shape of Nicole Scherzinger of the Pussy Cat Dolls.

“I started to watch Formula 1 when I was a young kid and McLaren was the team I followed.

I was really young and was just attracted by the colours of their car. In addition, I was a huge fan of Ayrton Senna, who was their driver at the time. He always has, and will always be, one of my heroes. All this meant it was the team that made me think, ‘I want to drive that car one day.’”

last bend of the final lap at the Brazilian Grand Prix to move into a Championship-winning fifth place. Anyone who witnessed those crazy final moments in Brazil will know that it was heartstopping stuff of the highest order. There was the rain coming down and causing all sorts of problems, Hamilton falling out of contention, Massa’s Ferrari team in the pits prematurely celebrating their driver’s world title and then, finally, at the last gasp, the McLaren driver edging past Glock to clinch it.

It was difficult enough just watching it, so the mind boggles as to how a young driver in Hamilton’s position, with the memory of what had happened the year before still emblazoned on his mind, managed to stay calm enough to finish the job off.

“I don’t think I kept my cool as much as everyone thinks – my heart was about to explode, just like yours!” he laughs. “Going through the last few corners I had a problem with my tyres, they were beginning to grain, and there was nothing I could do about it – I was just trying to keep my car on the track. My heart was in my mouth. Fortunately, there was the opportunity to get back in front of Glock and I did what I had to do. We came, we saw and we did what we needed to do!

“I didn’t know what had happened initially, I was shouting – ‘Do I have it? Do I have it?’ As I

came into turn one they told me I had it – I was ecstatic.”

That the ‘Grand Plan’ of turning Hamilton into a World Champion reached its successful conclusion around Interlagos, home circuit of his lifelong idol Aryton Senna made his extraordinary accomplishment even more significant. It was Brazilian legend Senna’s swashbuckling driving that first lit the fires of desire in the young Hamilton all those years before as a child growing up on a tough Stevenage council estate, and they continued to fuel his meteoric rise through the ranks as he strived to emulate his hero.

“I started to watch Formula 1 when I was a young kid and McLaren was the team I followed,” he says. “I was really young and was just attracted by the colours of their car. In addition, I was a huge fan of Ayrton, who was their driver at the time. He always has, and always will be one of my heroes. All this meant it was the team that made me think, ‘I want to drive that car one day. One day I want to be in his seat.’ Senna was the man for me. It was everything about him, especially the way he drove and especially him as a person.

“One of the most unforgettable moments of last year for me was when his sister, Viviane, paid a surprise visit to London and the Autosport Awards in December 2007 to present 4

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Nutrition Training Tips Equipment Style News / Calendar Events Adventure Features

“I don’t need any more motivation than what I have inside me, but what better place to finish the season and have a Championship showdown than the home circuit of Ayrton!

It was extraordinarily special to me.” me with a trophy. It was a phenomenal surprise and I’ve never been so choked. If I win another Championship this year or any other, it’ll be special and I don’t need any more motivation than what I have inside me, but what better place to finish the season and have a Championship showdown than the home circuit of Ayrton! It was extraordinarily special to me.”

The start of Hamilton’s journey to follow his hero to McLaren and the top of F1 can be traced back to a family holiday in Ibiza, at the tender age of three.

“We visited a kart track and it was the highlight of the trip for me,” he recalls. “It was a tiny track with electric karts for kids, like a crazy golf version of a normal kart track I guess! I can remember the day like it was yesterday. I remember enjoying being in the kart – I thought I was Ayrton, who was already a hero of mine even then.

“But we didn’t give it a second thought after that for years. After that I got involved

with my father in remote control car racing.

When I was seven my father took me to a local kart track as a treat following a successful year of remote control car racing.

I had a fantastic time and it felt natural right away. I knew from that moment that this was what I wanted to do.”

From then on there was no turning back. Supported and encouraged by his father, Anthony, every step of the way, he entered Cadet Class karting and proved an instant success, winning a string of races before claiming the first of two British Championships just two years later, at the age of 10.

It was following this achievement that Hamilton, already full of the calm confidence in his own ability that has become his trademark, approached Ron Dennis, introduced himself and informed him that one day he hoped to drive for McLaren. Dennis obviously saw something he liked, both in his racing and in the cocksure manner of the

youngster, because less than three years later he signed him up to McLaren’s ‘Young Driver Programme’. Within two years Hamilton became, at the age of 15, the youngest-ever Formula A karting World Champion.

It was a sign of things to come and Dennis continued to prime his young protégé throughout successful championship-winning seasons in Formula Renault, Formula Three and GP2 before he finally got his chance in F1 alongside Alonso in 2007.

“Next to my father, Ron Dennis, McLaren and Mercedes-Benz have been integral in my career,” says Hamilton. “The support I receive from them is immense and I’ll always be grateful for that. Ron did take a chance on me over 10 years ago, but everyone in the relationship, whether that is Ron, me, Martin (Whitmarsh, new McLaren boss), my father, Norbert Haug (Mercedes-Benz motorsport boss), have all worked very hard to get me to the position I am now in.

“I can remember the Autosport awards 4

www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page21

SFME: How much emphasis is there on fitness in F1 and what are the key elements that need to be worked on to help you during a race?

LW: As a racing driver, you have many different demands that are put on your body and my training programme is designed to minimise these to allow me to perform to the best possible level.

These demands range from the cockpit environment, which is tight, cramped and very, very hot to getting over jet-lag. For example, at the Malaysian Grand Prix the temperature in the car is over 50°C and that is before you take into account the layers of fireproofs and overalls I have on. In this heat, you have to make sure you don’t get dehydrated as this can see a drop in concentration and performance levels. We take measures to avoid this, such as carefully monitoring fluid intake to make sure my body gets used to taking in greater amounts of fluid to replace what is lost through sweating in the heat of the cockpit. We also spend time acclimatising to the local time and environmental conditions. When we arrive in a country I will work out as soon as possible with my trainer, Adam, to start this process immediately. There does tend to be the perception that Formula 1

drivers don’t need to be as fit as any other athlete. I can understand why the perception that you don’t need to be that fit to drive a car might exist but the reality is that Formula 1 drivers are as fit as most Olympic athletes and often our event lasts for much longer. If you take the 100 metres as an example – that is 10 seconds of speed, agility and mental focus and the athletes train appropriately for those requirements. We’re under the same pressures for up to two hours and need to maintain the same consistency of performance of the body and mind throughout, and as a result Formula 1 drivers train appropriately. On top of the general demands, we also have to deal with factors such as G force under braking and accelerating. You might have up to 18 different corners, left and right, on each lap and we have to repeat this over 50–70 laps. The resulting stress placed on your body is huge, particularly your neck during a race, as it is not a muscle that tends to be developed in general training. I don’t really have a typical workout, as my trainer keeps it really fresh to keep me motivated. However, pre-season I work out for four– six hours a day, six days a week. We do mountain biking, running, snow shoeing, gym work – a wide range of activities.

Lewis Hamilton trains using Technogym equipment. Technogym is one of the world’s leading Wellness and Fitness companies with 13 branches in Europe, U.S., Middle East, Asia, Australia and South America. The company’s aim is to promote wellness and a better lifestyle through regular physical activity, healthy diet and a positive mental approach.

“The support I receive from every member of my family is huge. I couldn’t have reached where I am today without them, and I need their continued support around me to keep aiming for my goals.

I’m in the fortunate position where I get on incredibly well with all my family, they’re a source of inspiration and they help to ensure that I relax and switch off when I have the chance.”

when I first met Ron. I can recall standing in front of him. I was so nervous but confident at the same time. I said, ‘Hello, I’m Lewis Hamilton. One day I’d like to be a racing driver and I’d like to race for McLaren . . .’ Rather than just dismissing me, Ron sat down and talked to me for a long time, and even then gave me some great advice. I got him to sign my autograph book and I still have it at home!

“I can also remember very clearly September 2006 when I went to Ron’s house with my father for a meeting. We didn’t know what to expect and when we got there Ron and Martin told me I would be racing for Vodafone McLaren Mercedes in 2007. We were numb with shock and it took a while for the reality to sink in!”

While his extraordinary talent has been a key factor in his rocket-like rise to the top Hamilton knows none of it would have been possible without Anthony’s unwavering dedication to the cause. Lewis moved in with his father, who had divorced from his mother, Carman, when he was a small child, after his karting career began taking off. Anthony quit his job as an IT Manager and became a contractor, sometimes working three jobs at the same time in order to provide his son with everything he needed

to be competitive on the track. He was always at Hamilton’s side, taking him to and from races, making arrangements, working on the karts, giving advice or a dressing down when required, and eventually becoming his manager when things started getting serious. Anthony is getting his rewards now as Hamilton’s remarkable career goes into hyper-drive, but his son will never forget the debt of gratitude he owes dad.

“Without my father’s dedication to my motor racing, I wouldn’t be where I am today,” he says. “Without a doubt, my stronger, more competitive side comes from and is driven by him. He has been relentless in allowing me every opportunity to chase and achieve my dreams. He is incredibly hard-working, honest, loyal and has a never-say-die attitude. He’s my biggest supporter, and a fantastic father, without whom I may not have even discovered I had any talent for racing!

“He’s a big reason – really the absolute reason – that I’ve been able to develop myself as a racing driver, and, probably more importantly, as a human being.”

Hamilton is big on family and he’s quick to point out the role that all of those closest to

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him, both on his mother and his father’s side, have played in his success.

“The support I receive from every member of my family is huge,” he adds. “I couldn’t have reached where I am today without them, and I need their continued support around me to keep aiming for my goals. I’m in the fortunate position where I get on incredibly well with all my family, they’re a source of inspiration and they help to ensure that I relax and switch off when I have the chance.”

Perhaps the biggest inspiration comes from his younger brother Nic, who has cerebral palsy, but is unwavering in his enthusiasm for life and his joy at Hamilton’s success. He’s the first one Hamilton rushes to hug when he jumps off the podium after winning a race and is the person, more than anyone, who has shown him how to deal with setbacks.

“Nic is my biggest motivator and the person who will always put a smile on my face,” he says. “I can remember when he was born, as I’m seven years older than him, and I would just go and sit next to him and watch him. Nic never complains and always puts 100% into to trying anything, even if he knows it’s too much for him. He always has a smile on his face. That 4

www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page23

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“I love the Bahrain circuit, it’s one of the ones I really look forward too, like Monaco and Spa. It’s not so much the track itself, it’s the facilities; the way the place is organised; the people. It’s just such a great trip. It’s one of the few places you go to without stress or hassle and you just feel so relaxed there.”

has taught me a lot about life. I know he can’t do things as well as me, but he always tries and makes me work pretty hard to make sure I beat him. I’m competitive at everything, particularly with Nic! When I think of what he achieves every day, it soon brings me back round if I’m having a bad day, or whatever. He’s always been my No.1 fan and, without a doubt, I’m his.”

Hamilton’s family will again provide him with the support network he needs as he bids for a second successive Drivers’ World Championship this year but he and McLaren will have their work cut out. A whole host of new regulations regarding the cars have been introduced and winter testing didn’t go well for the UK-based team. They’ve struggled to adapt to restrictions on aerodynamic packages with ‘insufficient downforce’ cited as the key factor in the MP4-24 car’s poor performance.

Yet Hamilton showed what an outstanding talent he is by overcoming the odds, battling back from 18th place on the grid to finish third in the 2009 season-opening Australian Grand Prix after a sensational drive in Melbourne, only to have the points stripped from him after a controversial stewards enquiry revealed ‘misinformation’ from his McLaren team regarding an overtaking manoeuvre made by Jarno Trulli when the safety car was out at the end of the race. He then displayed the mental strength that is evident in all great champions by bouncing back from a weekend he described as “the worst of my career” to finish in the points in seventh place from 12th on the grid at the rain-shortened Malaysian Grand Prix.

Despite the ban on testing during the season, McLaren will undoubtedly make the necessary improvements to the car during race weekends and by the time Hamilton arrives in the Middle East for the sixth Bahrain Grand Prix, he will surely be competitive. He’s had mixed fortunes around the Sakhir circuit.

He got his first front row start there in his rookie season and finished in second place but then crashed into Fernando Alonso last year, finishing 13th. He’s intent on rectifying that error on his return to the Middle East this year.

“I love the Bahrain circuit, it’s one I really look forward too, like Monaco and Spa,” he says. “It’s not so much the track itself, it’s the facilities; the way the place is organised; the people. It’s just such a great trip – one of the few places you go to without stress or hassle

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Above: Lewis Hamilton leaving the pit lane following his crash with Fernando Alonso at last year’s Bahrain Grand Prix.

Left: After being crowned Formula 1 World Champion in Brazil, Hamilton celebrates with brother Nic (left), father Anthony (middle), stepmother Linda (second right) and girlfriend Nicole (far right) in the McLaren garage. and you just feel so relaxed there.

“I haven’t had the results I’ve wanted in the race so far, but to be honest, I don’t look back on the negatives, I’m only focused on looking forward. I have some great memories of the circuit, winning the F3 Grand Prix there in 2004 was a key point in my career and obviously coming second in 2007 was pretty special, too.

To win the race would be fantastic. The team has a very strong connection to Bahrain, it’s our third home race alongside Britain and Germany, so I’ll be doing my best to make it happen this year.”

With the season finale taking place in Abu Dhabi, Middle East race fans will have two opportunities to see Hamilton and his F1 rivals at close quarters in 2009. It’s an arrangement the World Champion is more than happy with.

“I always really enjoy going to the Middle East to race,” he says. “Everyone there is always really interested in the Grand Prix.

They’re really nice people and the organisation at the tracks is always phenomenal.”

It’s going to be a tough ask, with the new regulations throwing something of a curve ball into the mix, but if anyone has the spirit and drive to pull off another world title, Hamilton has. “It would be amazing to clinch a second world title,” he says. “I’ve been very fortunate in my life to win one Formula 1 Drivers’ World Championship and I’ll continue to work very hard to win another, whether it’s this year or not. I don’t know, but I’ll do my best.”

Win or lose this season, Hamilton’s record up to this point speaks for itself and his presence looks set to light up F1 for years to come.

He has all the capabilities of an international superstar and like Ali, Best and Woods, he’ll ultimately be remembered as someone who transcends his sport and enters the worldwide consciousness. Sounds premature? Mention it in 10 years’ time. ■

www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page25

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN After a confusing few weeks of rule changing and unchanging, Iain Richardson looks ahead to the sixth instalment of the Bahrain Grand Prix.

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H

OPEFULLY by the time the Bahrain Grand Prix gets underway on April 26th, marking the fourth outing of the season, the drivers will have their heads around the rule changes which have swept through F1 this season and in some cases, swept right back out again!

The cars have been subject to a host of modifications and restrictions: such as the move back to slick tyres for the first time in 10 years, a reduction in aerodynamic packages and the employment of a new Kinetic Energy Recovery System (KERS), which stores energy normally lost during braking and coverts it to power. There was uproar among the other teams when ‘phoenix from the ashes’ outfit Brawn GP, along with Williams and Toyota, were found to have interpreted new diffuser regulations ‘more creatively’ than the rest. The result was that the Brawn boys – formerly Honda – started the season with lightening quick cars and completed their fairytale comeback from the brink of extinction when Jenson Button and Rubens Barrichello scored a sensational one, two in the curtain-raising Australian Grand Prix.

Button then extended his lead at the top of the Drivers’ Chamionship with a second win on the bounce in Malaysia.

Other changes include a ban on testing during the season and a new rule allowing pitting when the safety car is out. But by the far the biggest change came when the FIA announced less than two weeks before the start of the season that from now on the World Drivers’ 4

www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page 27

Nutrition Training Tips Equipment Style News / Calendar Events Adventure Features

Top: Last year’s winner Felipe Massa practices ahead of the 2008 Bahrain Grand Prix.

Above left: Lewis Hamilton trains near his Geneva home.

Above right: F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, whose controversial plans for a new ‘most wins’ system for deciding the Drivers’ World Champion grabbed the headlines prior to the start of the 2009 season.

Champion would be decided by the driver with the most wins regardless of consistency throughout the year. As you would expect, the decision was met by widespread outrage from almost every team in the sport and, lo and behold, with just days to go before the seasonopener in Melbourne, they decided to delay the change until 2010!

“The new scoring system has been deferred until 2010, but I’m sure this will be reviewed throughout the course of the season as any new rule changes have to have teams approval before we proceed,” said a spokesperson for the FIA. “We’re slightly surprised that the teams have taken this long to come forward as we were under the impression that they were happy with the rule changes.”

Whether the change will ultimately come into place is another matter altogether as the teams

are, at the moment, anything but convinced.

Current World Champion Lewis Hamilton said: “It’s a shame what’s happening to F1. It’s hard to believe these recent decisions will improve things for the trackside spectators and TV viewers, who should always be our priority.

“For the first time in recent years we have the teams, drivers, sponsors and fans all working together for the good of our sport – now we just need the governing bodies to listen to us and help us.

“F1 is the pinnacle of motorsport and that’s what we all love about it; we should all be working together to maintain that.”

His former McLaren teammate Fernando Alonso was equally disparaging: “I don’t understand this need to constantly change the rules in this sport. I think these decisions only confuse fans even more,” However F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone insists the change will come into place next year.

“It will be supported by the FIA and it will be in the regulations, so when the people enter the championship, that’s what the regulation will be,” he said.

Considering the past two seasons have seen two of the most exciting world title races for years take place as Kimi Raikkonen then Hamilton clinched dramatic last gasp triumphs in

2007 and 2008, the old adage “if it’s not broken, don’t fix it” springs to mind. The question of whether consistency or the ability to win more times makes for a better driver is one that could be debated for months but for the time being it’s ‘as they were’ as far as the big change is concerned. There are still be plenty of new rules to digest and modifications to the cars for the drivers to get used to and some have already been to the Bahrain International Circuit earlier this year testing the new KERS system. Ferrari, Toyota and BMW Sauber headed to the desert circuit during the pre-season, giving the fans an early glimpse of what to expect when the sixth Bahrain Grand Prix gets underway.

So who will be the ones to watch out for when the F1 boys roll into town?

As already mentioned, Brawn GP have proved the surprise package of the season so far with Button and Barrichello starting at P1 and P2 on the grid in Melbourne and finishing in the same positions. Button again took pole in Malaysia and was awarded another victory when the race was halted after 32 laps due to torrential rain. The former Honda team were only saved by a last minute buyout by former Ferrari Technical Director Ross Brawn and despite having little time to prepare for the season, they have managed to produce perhaps the most 4 www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page 29

competitive car on the circuit.

“That the car has run so reliably ‘out of the box’ is a tribute to the strong team that we have at our factory in Brackley and they have done a great job during a very difficult period,” said Brawn.

Brawn’s wonderful start to the season was, however, soured somewhat with the announcement that around 270 of those same employees would be made redundant as the team restructured itself to cope with new budget restrictions.

The McLaren team certainly didn’t have a good time in pre-season testing, struggling to get to grips with their new MP4-24 car’s reduced rear aerodynamics. The UK-based team fell significantly short of the times set by rivals Ferrari, BMW Sauber, Renault, Toyota and Brawn in Barcelona before showing a slight improvement in Jerez, where Heikki Kovalainen performed better than his teammate Hamilton, who was still somewhat off the pace.

Most of the new regulations like the proposed ‘most wins’ rule, have been implemented with the aim of encouraging more overtaking and McLaren’s sluggish start led to claims that they had failed to integrate the new requirements suitably. With testing no longer allowed to continue outside race weekends after the

season begins, the team faced a race against time to be competitive before the Australian GP got underway on March 29. But despite Kovalainen’s early retirement from the race, Hamilton once again proved his class by coming back from a starting position of 18th on the grid to finish in third place. He was subsequently stripped of the points after being accused of giving “misinformation” at a stewards’ enquiry into an overtaking manoeuvre made by Jarno Trulli when the safety car was deployed during the closing laps. But the incident, while being a blow to Hamilton and McLaren’s reputation, didn’t change the fact that it was still a superb drive in an uncompetitive car. Hamilton again produced a fine performance the follwoing week in Malaysia, coming from 12th on the grid to finish in seventh in the rain-shortened race.

You can never write McLaren off. Despite the problems with the car, you can expect a race-onrace improvement and they will almost certainly be competitive when the Bahrain GP gets underway.

Felipe Massa won his second successive Bahrain GP last year and he will be a tough man to beat again in 2009. The Brazilian will still be smarting by the manner in which he lost the World Championship on his home turf last year, when Hamilton clinched it by passing Timo Glock

to move into fifth place on the final bend as the unwitting Ferrari team were in the throes of premature celebration. Raikkonen had to play second fiddle to Massa in the Ferrari team last year as his form deserted him in the second half of the season. But the Finnish Ice Man was the star of the show when he won the world title in 2007 and he will be looking to reassert his authority this year, so expect a determined drive from him.

Neither Ferrari driver finished the race in Melbourne and they struggled for pace again in Malaysia but the Massa-Raikkonen pairing is the strongest in F1 and they will surely be in the mix in Bahrain.

Also sure to be in the thick of the action will be Spaniard Alonso, who became the event’s first repeat winner with victories in 2005 and 2006 as he also stormed to successive World Championships with Renault. The French team were driving with less power than their main rivals last season but were allowed special dispensation to upgrade their engine for 2009, which means Alonso, who still finished the season in third place, should be back to his brilliant best if his team get the car right. British former F1 driver and current commentator Martin Brundle believes the 27-year-old, who finished fifth in Melbourne and 11th in Malaysia,

Top: Lewis Hamilton in action during preseason testing in Barcelona.

Middle: Nick Heidfeld and teammate Robert Kubica unveil the 2009 BMW Sauber car in Spain. Bottom left: Fernando Alonso and Nelson Piquet reveal their 2009 car in Portugal. Bottom right: Jenson Button gets an early taste of his lightning-quick Brawn GP car in Barcelona.

is the most complete driver on the circuit.

“Whether Alonso has got a car capable of winning the world championship I don’t know, but he seems confident that he has,” said Brundle. “If he’s right then he has all the other ingredients needed to win third world title.

“I don’t see many weaknesses in Alonso when he is behind the wheel – he has the full deck of cards.”

Kazuki Nakajima of the Williams team set the fastest lap time during final testing in Jerez and he along with partner Nico Rosberg will be fairly confident of improving upon the long-established team’s eighth-place finish in last year’s

Constructors’ Championship with a car that looks among the quickest out there.

“We have put over 8,000 km on the FW31 (car) in the last two months and, while there are always areas that require attention, reliability has been good,” said Williams technical director Sam Michael.

Robert Kubica was one of the stars of last season, finishing fourth in the Driver’s Championship after claiming his maiden win at the Canadian GP along with six other podium finishes. Kubica was unfortunate to be hit by Sebastian Vettel when he was heading for a podium finish in Melbourne and he along with ever-consistent teammate Nick Heidfeld, who took second in Malaysia, will be among the challengers in Bahrain.

Rising star Vettel scored his first victory in his rookie season last year with a stunning drive in the rain at Monza, earning himself a promotion from Torro Rossa to Red Bull’s senior Red Bull Racing team alongside Mark Webber for 2009.

The young German showed his inexperience with that needless crash at the end of the Australian

Grand Prix, which also earned him a 10-place grid penalty for the next race in Malaysia. But Vettel is undoubtedly a special talent and you can expect big things from him in 2009.

The Toyotas of Jarno Trulli and Timo Glock were super-quick in testing. Glock took fourth place in Melbourne and third in Malasyia while Trulli was reinstated in third place after the “overtaking incident” in Australia had initially seen him demoted to 12th. Trulli had another strong drive in Malaysia to finish fourth. Along with the Williams and Brawn GP teams, Toyota’s superior diffuser and better interpretation of aerodynamic regulations could prove crucial this season.

The huge run-off areas around the Bahrain circuit make it one of the safest on the schedule but that in itself means the drivers are much more likely to try risky overtaking manoeuvres so race goers and television spectators will undoubtedly see some exhilarating action when the action gets underway. The previous five years have witnessed some thoroughly captivating racing and the 2009 Bahrain Grand Prix looks certain to deliver once again. ■

www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page 31

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FORMULA 1

CAR CHANGES DIFFUSER The diffuser has been moved further back with its leading edge now level with instead of ahead of the rearwheel axle line. This is to reduce turbulent “dirty air” and hence aid overtaking. The new diffuser regulations have caused a storm of controversy with Brawn GP, Williams and Toyota all interpreting them ‘more creatively’ the other teams, who of course, aren’t happy!

REAR WING The rear wing is taller and narrower, increasing 150mm in height and decreasing 250mm in width, again to reduce “dirty air” and to allow cars to get closer to one another when overtaking.

ENGINES Drivers are limited to eight engines per season with teams allowed an additional four for testing. If this allocation is used up each additional engine will incur a 10-place grid penalty (or a move to the back of the grid if made after qualifying). Revs have been cut from 19,000 rpm to 18,000 rpm to boost reliability.

TYRES One of the biggest changes to occur in 2009 is the move back to slick tyres after 10 seasons on grooves. This is part of the moves to increase emphasis on mechanical rather than aerodynamic grip and drivers have already reported better feel and handling, with grip increasing by around 20 percent. Bridgestone select two dry compounds – a soft and hard – from their four-compound range for each race, with drivers required to use both.

Standard wet-weather tyres will now be known as ‘intermediates’ while extreme wet-weather tyres will be called ‘wets’.

AERODYNAMICS Along with the change in tyres, the reduction in aerodynamic packages is the biggest change for 2009. A more simple, cleaner body shape means the cars look similar to those used throughout the 1990s. The reduction of additional items like barge boards, winglets, turning vanes and chimneys places the emphasis on driver and mechanics for performance rather than airflow. Overtaking should also increase due to reduced “dirty air”.

KERS This season teams have the option of using a KERS (Kinetic Energy Recovery System) to boost their car’s performance. Kinetic energy usually lost during the braking process is stored using a mechanical flywheel or electrical battery and then made available to the driver in set amounts per lap using a ‘boost button.’ The downside is that the system adds a significant amount of weight to the car so the teams will have to take this into consideration when deciding whether to use it.

FRONT WING Front wing has been lowered from 75mm to 150mm and widened from 1400mm to 1800mm, matching the width of the car. Drivers can adjust the front elements twice per lap, altering the wing angle over a six degree range, allowing them to increase front-end grip or get close up to the car in front through a corner ahead of an overtaking maneuver.

ADDITIONAL CHANGES: ● Wind tunnel testing is limited to 40 hours per week allowing less time to iron out any problems with aerodynamic packages. ● Track testing prohibited outside race weekends once the season begins. ● The pit lane will now be open when the safety car is out, meaning drivers can refuel without penalty.

However they will be given a minimum ‘back to pit’ time and penalised for arriving sooner than this. ● After qualifying the expected starting weights of all cars will be published to allow spectators to gauge how much fuel each driver has on board. www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page 33

By: Todd Staszko

Australia v Pakistan Five One Day Internationals & Single Twenty20 Match

World-class cricket comes to the UAE

T

HE UAE is set to host one of the most fascinating cricket spectacles in recent years with the coming together of Australia and Pakistan for five One Day Internationals and a single Twenty20 match.

Dubai Cricket Council Ground 1 at Dubai Sports City will host the first two ODIs on April 22 and 24 before the series moves to the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi for the last three matches on April 27, May 1 and 3. The Twenty20 match will take place on May 7 back in Dubai.

The first ODI also marks the opening of the cricket stadium at Dubai Sports City and the facility’s team are relishing the prospect of hosting the showcase matches.

“We are delighted to welcome the Australian and Pakistan cricket teams to Dubai Sports City,” said Maqbul Dudhia, General Manager, Sports Business at Dubai Sports City, “We are eager to host this series and will provide all the necessary support.”

Dilawar Mani, the Chief Executive of the Abu Dhabi Cricket Council, said: “It will be an honour to stage this Series at the Zayed Cricket Stadium and we welcome sharing the Series with Dubai (Sports City). We comply with all the ICC regulations and the inspectors seemed happy with what they saw when they visited. When Dubai comes online as a venue I see it as a positive because we will work together under the umbrella of the UAE Cricket Federation and it will increase our potential to hold major ICC events like a Champions Trophy in the future.”

How the Australians are shaping up: With the legendary old guard of Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath, Matthew Hayden and Justin Langer hanging up their boots recently it signalled the end of an era for Australian cricket.

However, now arises the opportunity for a new breed of youngsters to step up to the plate and that’s exactly what the likes of Michael Clarke and Michael Hussey are ready to do and it’s something Chairman of Cricket Australia Andrew Hilditch is looking forward to. “This is an extremely challenging, but in the same

breath very exciting, period in Australian cricket,” said Hilditch. “We have gone through immense change in the last couple of years with many of the true legends of Australian cricket leaving the game. We are also enduring an unprecedented run of injuries to many of our contracted players.

That being said, with all this has come great opportunity as the side rebuilds.

“This rebuilding process has already seen some outstanding progress being made by some of our best young players, including pace bowlers Mitchell Johnson and Peter Siddle and wicketkeeper Brad Haddin who have made excellent contributions to Australian cricket during the initial phase of the rebuilding process.”

Hilditch singled out 20-year-old batsman Phillip Hughes as the man to fill the sizable shoes left

by Matthew Hayden, who scored 8,625 Test runs and 6,133 ODI runs in a sensational career.

“It is one of the most exciting things I have had the pleasure of doing since being a selector in naming Phillip Hughes in a touring squad. Phillip has been given the fairly daunting task of filling the shoes of one of Australia’s greatest batsmen in Matthew Hayden. Phillip is a young man who has had an outstanding debut in first-class cricket for New South Wales.”

Hughes backed up his Chairman’s faith with a stunning performance in the second of a threeTest series in South Africa recently as his two innings of 115 and 160 helped Australia to a 175-run victory. In doing so Hughes became the youngest player to score two centuries in a Test match. With hot prospects like Hughes, Clarke and Hussey gaining experience all the time they are learning their trade from one of the best – Test Captain Ricky Ponting. Ponting has more than 10,000 runs in both Test and ODI having been a part of the furniture in the Australian team since making his debut in both formats in 1995.

How the Pakistanis are shaping up: Younis Khan is the man in form for the Pakistani team. The 31-year-old was appointed Captain of both the Test and the ODI national sides in January and has taken to the task in a superb

manner. In the first Test of the recent home series with Sri Lanka, Khan was bowled out for 313 in the first innings – 24 runs short of Hanif Mohammad’s record of 337 for Pakistan.

He didn’t get to bat in the second Test as play was abandoned due to the attacks on the Sri Lankan team. No doubt he will be chomping at the bit at the prospect of taking on the Australian bowling attack in the UAE. Another batsman looking to litter the UAE skyline is Shahid Afridi. In 2007 during a ODI with India in Abu Dhabi, Afridi made 32 runs off one over from Malinga Bandara – the second most expensive over in ODI history. Afridi has plenty of pedigree as he is only the third all-rounder in ODI history to achieve the combination of 200 wickets and 5,000 runs – the others being South Africa’s Jacques Kallis and Sri Lanka’s Sanath Jayasuriya.

Former Indian cricket legend turned commentator Ravi Shastri coined the nickname “Boom Boom Afridi” due to his aggressive bighitting run-scoring approach.

One bowler looking to make an impression on the Australian batting line-up is Umar Gul. Statistically stronger in ODI than in Tests (83 wickets in 2,550 deliveries in ODI to 46 in 4,032 in Tests), Gul had a good ODI Series against Sri Lanka in January, despite Pakistan going down 2-1.

Gul took 10 wickets in the three matches and was Pakistan’s top wicket-taker in what was a disappointing series on the whole – something the Pakistanis will be looking to rectify against the Aussies.

Even with the Australians in the grip of a transitional period, their performances in the Test series against South Africa will boost their confidence and Pakistan will have to be at their very best if they are to overcome their illustrious opponents.

The Pakistanis have the individuals to match anyone on their day, but the collective strength of the Australians make them the favourites for the ODI Series. In the Twenty20 match – anything goes!

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ABOVE: The England cricket team take a training session at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi prior to their Test matches against India in December last year.

LEFT: Australian pace bowler Mitchell Johnson and wicket keeper Brad Haddin combine to take the wicket of South African Captain Graeme Smith in their recent Test series.

BELOW: Pakistan Captain Younis Khan only has eyes for the ball as he takes on the South Africans in a ODI match in 2007.

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American Ben Spies has quickly formed a strong partnership with his new Yamaha R1 and his pit team with the umbrella does not look too bad – so why the long face?

By: Alex Gallemore

SHARAPOVA The Superbike season gets BITES BACK the green light and it’s going to be a nailbiter

The top team riders line up for a press conference headed by the President of the Qatar Motor & Motorcycle Federation, Nasser Khalifa Al Attiyah (Centre).

IF you’re a possessed petrolhead who’s partial to two wheels over four, the first couple of Superbike races show which teams have wintered well and where the world ranking battles will be fought. Having spoken to British Superbike rider Chris Walker during testing, he was raving about the new Yamaha R1 – how it’s got a huge amount of grunt and could easily challenge the great cornering speeds of the Aprilia and Ducati V-twins.

Ducati are always the team to beat and with my newly acquired knowledge of the fierce R1, I couldn’t wait for the season-opener in Australia and, more importantly, the SBK Qatar on the fast Losail International Race Circuit.

Picture: QMMF

T

HE season-opener at Phillip Island in Australia saw Nori Haga get off to a flying start by winning the first race on his on his Ducati. My hot tip, the blisteringly fast Yamaha R1, was the shock underperformer, as Ben Spies was left languishing in 16th position. As the riders lined up on the grid for the second race I was already preparing myself for another Ducati clean sweep but to my amazement the Italian team didn’t have things all their own way Down Under. American rookie, Spies, surprised us all as he quickly got to grips with the circuit and powered the Yamaha to victory ahead of Haga to stand tall on the podium.

The two podium placings showed that the 2009 season is set to be a monumental manufacturers’ battle between the Italians and the Japanese and it’s the differences of approach that these two great bike-producing nations favour that makes the contest so fascinating.

The Italian V-twin engines of Ducati and Aprilia have more low-down torque, which gives the riders greater drive out of the corners as the power is delivered much quicker. The Japanese bikes produced

by Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha have a conventional in line four cylinder engine.

These produce more power but this is delivered higher up in the rev range. So the Japanese teams have to carry more corner entry speed and brake later to prevent the Italian bikes from pulling away in the tight sections on the track.

The V-twins will struggle on the fast sections when the Japanese bikes reach their optimum power, so it’s on the long fast straights that the four cylinder bikes claw back the advantage. It’s common to see

a Japanese bike out-brake a Ducati when overtaking but in doing so they lose corner speed and the Italian bikes can quickly regain the advantage through their superior exit speed.

By understanding the bikes’ different characteristics, you can appreciate the races more and see how the riders utilise their various advantages to attack at specific points on the track.

The second round of the series at 4

Ben Spies (centre) takes the maximum points from Haga (left) and Biaggi (right) after race one. He might as well have stayed have stayed there as he powered to victory in the second race.

Picture: QMMF www.sportnfitnessme.com l Page37

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the speedy Losail International Circuit in Doha was always going be the perfect showcase for the Yamaha and another fine performance from Spies in taking a second consecutive first place proved the point. But the quickness of Naga’s Ducati and Max Biaggi’s Aprilia, to take second and third place respectively, showed they were up on power in comparison to previous years.

The long straight at Losail demonstrated Yamaha’s superior power and speed over the other manufacturers during qualifying as Spies took pole. But Haga and Biaggi’s experience and the V-twin power gave their bikes a fighting chance in the tighter

Picture: QMMF

sections of the circuit. The great thing about Superbikes and motorsport in general is there’s always a number of positional battles taking place around the circuit. As Spies, Haga and Biaggi jostled at the front the dog fights were forming for the rest of the points.

With Neukirchner crashing out in the first race on his Suzuki, the Hondas were left alone to joust with the remaining Ducatis along with Spies’ team-mate Tom Sykes on the Yamaha R1.

The legendary Troy Corsa, riding the new BMW S1000RR, earned two top-10 finishes at Losail but it took all his skill and experience to get the bike into the points. It was good

Top left: Nori Haga pushing hard on the Xerox Ducati.

Top right: Ben Spies flowing on the Yamaha R1 and on his way to a double victory in Qatar.

Right: The legendary Maxi Biaggi lines up on the grid as he prepares to battle it out with Spies and Haga.

to see a new manufacturer line up up on the grid and despite the bike being off the pace BMW has the resources and racing pedigree to turn things around. Especially with the experience and feedback of Corsa.

One team that looks to be struggling is Kawazaki. Having pulled out of the MotoGP season their 2009 Superbikes were also a long way down both starting grids in Qatar.

Spies also took the second race to make it a double at Losail from Haga followed by Biaggi in third. But Haga got his own back with a double of his own in Valencia and the scene is set for what looks to be a fiercely contested season. ■

Losail Bike Experience

Alex Gallemore rides the Losail International Circuit and feels just like a professional rider

I

F, like me, you’re not much of an armchair sportsman, you can experience the rush of Superbikes yourself at the Losail International Circuit, who offer the opportunity to ride the circuit under professional instruction.

Obviously you’ll require a motorbike license and even though you can sign up for the Losail Bike Experience with no track knowledge it would be useful to have quality road miles under your belt before you go.

It had been a while since I’d been on a circuit of this quality. In perfect dry conditions I couldn’t wait to get going. Bikes can be hired for those, like myself, who might struggle with the excess baggage charge of taking a 600cc track bike to Qatar.

All you need are your leathers, helmet, gloves boots, back protector and license.

The hire bikes are quality Yamaha R6s and with a professional mechanic on hand you can easily get your bike set up to your liking.

The experience is split into two groups.

The first is geared up for first timers and the second for the more advanced riders who have progressed from the novice

group with more track knowledge. Even the best riders have to earn their stripes by progressing through the first level.

After the initial safety briefing and first class room lesson from the highly qualified instructors, you’re let loose on the track.

With fresh warm tyres, my confidence was high but once you’ve trailed the instructor on the racing line for a couple of ‘slow’ guided laps you soon realise how good the pro riders really are. As the first day of lessons and track time drew to a close my confidence had grown sky high and I couldn’t wait for Day Two. Arriving at the circuit the following day the adrenaline was flowing and the dry track and perfect surface was even more appealing. With the MotoGP teams having arrived overnight to test their bikes prior to the season opener you start to feel a bit special as you ride onto the circuit for the first time, passing Valentino Rossi and Casey Stoner’s 2009 bikes as the team mechanics start pulling back the covers.

As you begin to push a bit harder on the Yamaha R6 mistakes creep in and as you drift off the racing line gravel traps wait to

gather you in. This might be daunting for those with no track experience but Losail has to be one of the safest circuits in the world. The gravel traps seem to go on for ever and they quickly and safely reduce your speed without a crash barrier coming into sight. During the two days, there were a number of riders who ran off the circuit, but they were quickly back on the track and enjoying the rest of the sessions.

With the three instructors on the circuit at the same time they are quick to move in front and show you where you are going wrong. After the session they brief you in the classroom, explain where you might be going wrong and once they believe you’ve progressed they will start to introduce new techniques to advance your riding.

As the final day draws to a close you’re tired but longing for more track time. As the final chequered flag is waved you can reflect on what has happened over the last 48 hours with your new track friends and appreciate how much you’ve improved.

Keep an eye on the Losail website listed below for their up-coming Losail Bike Experience days. ■

Top: The riders and instructors line up for a group a shot at the end of the second day of action during the Losiail Bike Experience.

Left: Not many people get this close a Valentino Rossi’s actual Yamaha race bike. I did ask if I could have a go but the Italian mechanics just looked at me and laughed.

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Exclusive

Hitman Hatton’s World decider with The Pacman Richard Bevan talks exclusively to the undisputed Light Welterweight Champion of the World, Ricky Hatton, ahead of his Las Vegas showdown with Manny Pacquiao to decide the title of pound-forpound world champion as The Hitman reveals his desire to bring his next big fight to Dubai.

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I

NTODUCING Ricky ‘The Hitman’ Hatton: one of boxing’s aggressive, hard-hitting and fearsome fighters in the ring and yet one of the nicest, most modest and down-to-earth superstars you’re ever likely to meet out of it. The undisputed Light Welterweight World Champion, who grew up on the mean streets of Hattersley in Manchester, England, is one of the biggest draws in boxing having won over an army of fans all around the world, not just for his fearless and exhilarating ‘all action’ style in the ring, but because he has remained steadfastly unaffected by his enormous success.

A professional record of 45 wins – 32 by knockout – and just one loss, some seven world titles at two different weight divisions and a list of defeated opponents that includes the likes of Kostya Tszyu and Jose Luis Castillo would be enough to inflate most fighters’ egos to epic proportions, but not Hatton. Friends of the 30-year-old will tell you that he’s the same old Ricky he ever was – modest, unpretentious and instantly likeable…with a mischievous sense of humour.

I caught up with him as he was taking a break from the preparation for his May 2nd ‘winner-takes-all’ clash with Manny Pacquiao – rated the No.1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world – and found the above description to be right on the money.

Ricky’s night off was a decidedly unfashionable but very Hatton-like night out at the darts, watching World No.1 Phil ‘The Power’ Taylor in action at the MEN Arena in Manchester.

I made the point that darts was also the theme when Philppino legend and fellow ‘man of the people’ Pacquiao visited the UK on the pre-fight publicity trail earlier this year. Forget the glitz and glamour that accompany the promotional stunts for most big fights, Hatton, of course, decided on a visit to his local pub, the New Inn, for a game of “arras” (arrows – as darts is often called).

“He came over for a press conference so I took him to the New Inn and treated him to a game of darts,” Ricky explains with a smile.

“It was a good bit of publicity for the fight – he’s a big fan of darts.

I got half the job done by beating him, so now I just need to do the other half in the ring!

“Manny’s regarded as a god in his country and I’ve also got a great following in the UK. You see so many people who are high profile who are so full of themselves that the idea of the two of us just having a good old game of darts in the pub was a nice change, and I think it generated good publicity for the fight.

“That’s why I believe I’ve got such as good a following as I have.

In this world of modern day society, where everyone wants to be a celebrity and everybody wants to be famous, to have someone who’s achieved what I have and still remain the way I am, I guess is why people have become fans – not just because of the way I fight.

“Some people who are high profile, you can’t get anywhere near them, you can’t speak to them. I have a lot of friends who are footballers and you have to go through so many channels before you get a chance to say five words to them! I think people find me a bit refreshing.” With both fighters sharing the same non-abrasive demeanour outside the ring there have been none of the usual badmouthed slanging matches that often surround major title fights, ahead of the Las Vegas battle but despite the good-natured build- 4

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up, when the gloves are on, the eagerly anticipated bout will be anything but a “tickling contest,” as Hatton would say.

“Me and Manny are very similar. we’re quiet people outside the ring – no airs and graces. we’re not flash, we don’t slag anyone off or bad-mouth people,” he says. “But we’re probably the two most aggressive fighters in the world when the bell goes.

“You don’t have to get into all that rubbish of slagging off your opponents to be a hard man in the ring. Anybody can say a few nasty words to sound tough but our fighting says everything we need to say.”

Hatton, who has never been defeated at 10 stone, has added a new dimension to his game since suffering the only loss of his career at the hands of Floyd Mayweather Jr on a controversial night in Vegas in December 2007.

The Mancunian feels he was unfairly treated by the referee that night when he was wrongly judged to have punched the back of Mayweather’s head costing him a crucial point deduction, which he says caused him to lose his cool. But whatever the reasons behind his defeat, Hatton, previously seen primarily as an aggressive ‘brawler’, has added a cannier, more technical aspect to his

style and repertoire since ditching long-time trainer Billy Graham and teaming up with – of all people – Mayweather’s father, Floyd Sr. His last fight with New Yorker Paulie Mallignaggi, a renowned jab-merchant, was a master-class in controlled, considered yet still powerful boxing as Ricky beat his opponent at his own game – on the outside – en-route to an 11th-round knockout.

“It was very hard to bounce back (after the Mayweather defeat),” says Hatton. “I fought Juan Lazcano and it wasn’t a great performance. I forgot the technical side of my game – my jabbing, my boxing ability, my combination punches.

“I was just trying to bulldoze too many people so I decided to change my training camp. I think Father Time had caught up with Billy (Graham) a little bit and he was slowing down due to his injuries and everything.

“Because Billy was slowing down I think I started to slow down a little bit and it showed in my performances. But the new training camp has put me back at the top of my game.

“Nobody gave me a chance the night I took the title from Kostya Tszyu in 2005 and I proved them wrong but I truly believe that the Ricky Hatton of today is a much better

fighter than the Ricky Hatton who took the title from Tszyu – I feel that strongly. In my last fight it was clear to see that I was using my jab a lot more, had better head movement, faster hands, but still had the same explosiveness and aggressiveness.”

Pacquiao, rightly considered the poundfor-pound world champion, having won world titles at four different weight divisions, gave further evidence of his class when he moved up to welterweight and comfortably defeated the legendary Oscar De La Hoya in eight rounds, which proved to be the Golden Boy’s last fight, subsequently announcing his retirement earlier this month.

The brilliant southpaw, Pacquiao, is heroworshipped in his homeland and his trainer Freddie Roach, who has a history of rocky relationships with Mayweather Sr, recently stoked the fires ahead of the fight by claiming that Hatton’s marauding style would leave him exposed to Pacquiao’s lightening-quick counter punching. Hatton, typically, holds no 4 Below: Ricky Hatton (right) challenges Manny Pacquiao (left) to a game of darts in his local pub, the New Inn in Hyde, Manchester.

Previous page: Hatton roars in celebration after knocking out Jose Luis Castillo in the fourth round at Las Vegas in June 2007.

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SFME: What is your training schedule in Las Vegas?

RH: We head to Vegas on the 29th of March and then have a few days to get over the jetlag. Then we’ll be doing a lot of the same training we do in Manchester but obviously we’ll start sparring with southpaw sparring partners, running up Mount Charleston, training at altitude, which will stand me in good stead. Then just the usual hard grind – pad work, sparring, southpaw sparring, mirror image sparring, free weights.

SFME: What do you eat and drink in between the weigh-in and the fight to get your weight up?

RH: I get a lot of fluids in because you usually have to cut back for a few hours before the weigh in so you need to replace those. Then I have lots of protein shakes, a lot of carbs, protein and starchy foods. A lot of it is water though. Come the fight night, I’ll put on about 14lbs.

SFME: You’re a renowned Manchester City fan, do you think that now they have the investment from Abu Dhabi they will become a dominant force in football?

RH: I’d like to think so, but there’s no sign of it yet and I mean that with the greatest respect because it does take time no matter how much money you’ve got. But it’s very exciting times and they’ve bought some good players. At the minute it’s like the same old City – there’s bits of brilliance and then all of sudden it’s like a completely different team so they need to get that consistency in their game. At the moment we’re mid-table but no matter how much money we’ve got, to entice the great players we’ve got to move our way up the table. I don’t think some of the best players in the world will want to play mid table football so it’s important that we find that bit of consistency then the big players will follow.

But they’re doing a good job so far, showing signs of improvement but only slight ones because we’ve not got the consistency yet.

SFME: Will Liam and Noel Gallagher from Oasis carry your belts into the ring again against Manny Pacquiao?

RH: I haven’t spoken to them recently but I’ll give them a ring and see if they’re coming.

Every time they do want to come to the fight it would be an honour to have those two carry my belts. I was a fan of Oasis before they were my friends, so any time they want to come they can carry them in as far as I’m concerned.

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“I’ve not been to Dubai yet but I believe it’s the place to be – really exciting, plenty going on and it’s the obvious place to hold a fight. The number of Brits now flocking to Dubai on holiday and to live means I’m sure I’d get a lot of support and it would be great to hold a fight there. Should I beat Pacquaio (right) then I’d like to think that I’ll be boxing’s biggest attraction – so maybe it would nice to hold the first fight after that in Dubai!”

ill-feeling towards Roach for the trainer’s oversimplistic analysis of his style, but is quietly confident that witnessing the results of his continuing work with Mayweather Sr will shock him into a rethink.

“I don’t blame Freddie Roach for thinking that I’m just going to walk in, because that’s what I’ve done in the majority of fights until recently working under Floyd,” he says diplomatically. “Also I think that Freddie – despite being a wonderful coach – is a little bit blinkered about Manny’s performance against Oscar De La Hoya.

“I think Oscar De La Hoya made a mess up of the weight. He only got in the ring on the night at 147lbs (the welterweight weigh-in limit, but considerably below the weight most fighters actually enter the ring at). When you think that I’m going to be getting in the ring at 154lbs, it’s a massive difference. So I think that performance flattered Manny a bit.

“Any win is a great win against Oscar De La Hoya but I think Freddie’s making that judgement off that last performance. He’s also expecting me to be like the Ricky Hatton of old and just steam in there – and that’s what will shock them. When he sees me coming in throwing combinations, jabbing and moving my head out of trouble as well as my natural aggressiveness, it’ll take him by surprise.

“Ultimately, I think my strength, size and power will be the big factor in the fight. But it’s not just that. You can’t just beat someone like Manny Pacquaio with size, power and strength. You’ve got to have everything else

as well and right now I think I’ve got more attributes and a more varied approach.”

Hatton, who will train for the fight by running up and down Nevada’s Mount Charleston, admits he has never felt in better shape heading into a fight.

“I’m ahead of schedule already and I’ve got to be careful that I don’t overcook it at the minute. Right from the outset I was in good form – my weight was right down, my fitness was up. It couldn’t be going better. To say I’m confident would be an understatement.”

If he gets the job done in Vegas it will be the pinnacle of a remarkable career that has seen him achieve everything he ever dreamed about growing up as young boy in Hattersley – and much more besides. But he has no intention of hanging up his gloves just yet.

“I have to pinch myself at what I’ve achieved all the time,” says Hatton, who will open his own Hatton Health & Fitness Centre in his home town of Hyde on May 12th.

“As a youngster it’s your goal to become the world champion and I was very fortunate to do it in two different weight divisions, top the bill in Vegas, fight at Madison Square Garden, Atlantic City, the City of Manchester Stadium... but I’m not finished yet! I still think the best nights are yet to come!

“You can’t go any higher than becoming the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world by being the best champion out of all the weight divisions. But Manuel Marquez, who’s No.2 in the pound-for-pound rankings said he’d like to move up to junior welterweight. Now that

would be something – beating the No.1 and then the No.2” But there’s one fighter out there who Ricky still feels he has unfinished business with and it will be to him that Hatton will surely turn should he defeat Pacquiao.

“I’d be lying if I didn’t think that before I retire I could have another crack at Floyd Mayweather,” he says, “because I thought I was hard done to in the fight by the referee.

I’m also a much better fighter than I was then so I’d like to have another go and see if I can make the outcome a bit different.”

If he does prove himself the No.1 boxer in the world, Hatton reveals that he’d like to add another boxing destination to his list of international venues by staging his next fight in Dubai.

“I’d love to do that,” says Ricky. “I’ve not been to Dubai yet but I believe it’s the place to be – really exciting, plenty going on and it’s the obvious place to hold a fight. The amount of Brits now flocking to Dubai on holiday and to live means I’m sure I’d get a lot of support and it would be great to hold a fight there.

“Should I beat Pacquaio then I’d like to think that I’ll be boxing’s biggest attraction so maybe it would nice to hold the first fight after that in Dubai!”

You heard it here first people, The Hitman in Dubai, so do yourselves a favour and make it happen by cheering him to victory on May 2nd. ■ The Ricky Hatton v Manny Pacquaio fight at Las Vegas will be shown live on Sky Box Office on May 2, 2009.

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KNOCK-OUT ABS BOXING used to be considered the domain of the male athlete, too tough and aggressive for females – how times have changed!

Now both guys and girls see the benefits of using boxing-style training and Fitness First clubs around the region offer boxing-style classes and individual workouts for members.

One of the key focuses of boxing training is strong abdominal muscles – to both take a punch and to help transfer power from the feet to the hands.

This month’s workout is a boxing-inspired workout for the abdominal muscles. It is a circuit based programme that will target the abs and leave you feeling the burn!

Perform the workout twice per week for three weeks.

Instead of doing a prescribed amount of reps you are going to focus on a set time for each exercise.

Do all the exercises in a row without a break then rest for two minutes before repeating the circuit one more time.

WEEK 1 – 30 sec per exercise WEEK 2 – 45 sec per exercise WEEK 3 – 60 sec per exercise

Count how many reps you do per exercise and try and do more in the next circuit to keep the body adapting, the following week the time per exercise will increase, making it more challenging.

WORKOUT SUMMARY SWISS BALL ROLL OUT ABDOMINAL LEG LOWERING SEATED OBLIQUE TWISTS MEDICINE BALL CRUNCH

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SWISS BALL ROLL OUT This exercise increases the core strength of your abdominal muscles as well as increasing the muscle mass through contracting.

Abdominals as Stabilisers Some trainers utilise the forward Swiss Ball Roll as both an exercise and an assessment tool to determine the “stabilisation threshold.”

However, transversus abdominus activation as a method of increasing intra-abdominal pressure and core stability has been under much debate lately. Research indicates that to maximise intra-abdominal pressure, you should breathe deeply (approximately 75% of maximum) into your belly and hold that breath, if possible, throughout the repetition.

I recommend that you neither push your belly out nor draw your navel in during this exercise. Your core should remain “tight,” maintaining neutral spinal curvature throughout.

Safety The forward abdominal roll is safe for most individuals. Don’t perform this exercise if severe shoulder problems exist or you’ve experienced a recent abdominal herniation.

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Training Progressions Beginners should start on their knees with a medium base of support (knees positioned hip-width apart.) When this becomes easy, you can progress to using your toes as the balance point with the legs fully extended. Advanced trainees should use a narrow base of support (with the feet together) and can elevate the feet onto a step to alter the loading.

IMPOSSIBLE IS NOTHING

ing position and repeat. Perform this exercise with both legs.

ABDOMINAL LEG LOWERING This exercise uses controlled movement of the leg(s) to increase the demand on the lower abdominal muscles.

Single-leg lowering with a straight leg The same exercise as above, except the leg that is moving will be kept straight instead of being bent. This creates an increased demand on the lower abdominals.

Keep your lower abdominals tight and your back flat throughout the exercise. There are four variations (see below), all of which involve moving one or both legs while keeping your abdominals tight. If you stop feeling tightness in your abdominal muscles or feel any pain in your lower back, stop the exercise.

If your lower back starts to arch while you lower your leg, stop lowering your leg and raise it back up. Arching in the lower back is a sign that the lower abdominal muscles are not strong enough to perform the exercise at that position. The lower your leg gets to the ground, the higher the demand becomes on the abdominal muscles.

There are four basic difficulty levels of this exercise: Single-leg lowering with a bent leg During this exercise, one leg is kept on the ground and the other leg is kept in a bent position throughout the exercise. The leg that moves should start with the thigh perpendicular to the ground. Lower the leg until the foot almost touches the floor. Raise the leg back to the start-

Double-leg lowering with bent legs This is a more difficult variation where both legs will move at the same time and follow the same technique as the first variation of this exercise. When one leg is on the ground, the lower back is more stabilised. With both legs off the ground, the lower abdominals must do the work that the leg on the ground was previously doing. This further increases the demand on the abdominal muscles.

Double-leg lowering with straight legs This is the same as the third variation, except the legs are straight instead of bent. This is by far the most difficult variation. If your lower abdominals are not strong enough, this exercise can cause back pain. Start off with smaller movements; as your muscles get stronger, your legs will get closer to the floor.

Each of these exercises can be performed for 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps each.

Ankle weights can be added to any of the variations to make them more difficult.

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SEATED OBLIQUE TWISTS Development of the upper, lower and oblique abdominal muscles.

Step 1 Starting Position: Sit on a mat/floor with your knees bent, feet together, heels on the floor while holding a medicine ball in your lap, close to your body. Start with a light ball (2 lb) and increase the weight of the ball as your fitness level improves. Sit upright with your chest raised towards the ceiling and back erect so that your torso is perpendicular to the floor. Stiffen your torso by contracting your core and abdominal muscles (“bracing�).

Step 2 Rotation: Without leaning backwards, exhale

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and slowly rotate your torso and the ball to one side, keeping the ball close to your body and aligned with the middle of your torso.

The ball should not drop towards the floor.

Pause briefly at the end range of motion, inhale and then gently exhale while rotating completely to the opposite side. Repeat the movement back and forth.

Step 3 Exercise Progression 1: As your conditioning improves, you can modify your starting position by leaning back halfway to the floor while keeping your knees bent and heels on the floor. With each rotation bring the

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elbow close to, but not to rest on, the floor.

Keep your core and abdominal muscles stiff to prevent any arching in your low back during the exercise. This exercise variation increases the demands placed upon your abdominal muscles.

Step 4 Exercise Progression 2: As your conditioning levels continue to improve, you can modify your starting position once again by leaning back halfway to the floor and lifting your legs off the ground. Keep your knees bent and feet together during the exercise. Repeat elbow rotation as detailed in Step 3.

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Smoothie does it

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Being active can take its toll on the body. We tend to focus on protein and carbs for pre and post workout drinks but it’s easy to neglect mineral levels lost through exercise. A good multi vitamin along with a recovery schedule well help restore the body’s natural immune system. Fatigue and viruses can undo months of hard work in the gym, so keeping your immune system topped up is the key to maintaining a fit and active physique. One of the best ways to absorb natural vitamins are drinking smoothies. There are hundreds of recipes out there to help achieve your recommended five a day. Below are just a couple of ideas but it’s more fun to make up your own.

Kiwi Fruit, Grape & Watercress Smoothie recipe Each portion supplies 2 of your recommended 5-a-day Ingredients: 2 Kiwi Fruit, peeled and quartered 85g/3.5oz Watercress 150g/5oz Green Grapes 180ml/6fl.oz Natural Yoghurt 2 Large Ice Cubes, cracked Honey to taste (approx 2-4 tsp)

Banana Berry Smoothie Recipe Each portion supplies 1 of your recommended 5-a-day Ingredients: 1 Large Banana, cut into pieces 75g/3oz Berries 180ml/6fl.oz. Orange Juice 180ml/6fl.oz Natural Yoghurt ½ tsp Vanilla Extract 4 large Ice Cubes, cracked

Banana Chocolate Smoothie Recipe Each portion supplies 0.5 of your recommended 5-a-day Ingredients: 240ml/8fl.oz Natural Yoghurt 2 tsp Peanut Butter (natural) 2 tsp Chocolate Syrup 1 Banana 2-4 Ice Cubes, cracked

Apple Avocado Smoothie Recipe Each portion supplies 2 of your recommended 5-a-day Ingredients: 2 Apples, cored and cubed 240ml/8fl.oz Apple Juice 1 Avocado, stoned and cubed 1 tsp Fresh Lime Juice 4 Ice Cubes, cracked

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7even fat loss tips

Typically the body makes all the cholesterol it needs, so people don’t need to consume it. Saturated fatty acids are the main culprit in raising blood cholesterol, which increases your risk of heart disease. Trans fats also raise blood cholesterol. The typical man consumes on average about 337 milligrams of cholesterol a day; the average woman, 217 milligrams.

Some of the excess dietary cholesterol is removed from the body through the liver. Still, the American Heart Association recommends that men should limit their average daily cholesterol intake to less than 300 milligrams. If you have heart disease, limit your daily intake to less than 200 milligrams.

Everyone should remember that by keeping their dietary intake of saturated and trans fats low, they can significantly lower their dietary cholesterol intake.

Foods high in saturated fat generally contain substantial amounts of dietary cholesterol.

1. Eat Five-Six Small Meals Per Day

The traditional three meals a day simply won’t do it for burning fat. Every time you eat, your metabolism kicks in to start burning what you’ve eaten and you begin to break it down instantly, taking everything it has to offer, from energy to nutritional content.

When eating only three meals a day, your metabolism has time between meals to slow down. This is not very efficient for burning fat. Your goal here is to keep your metabolism going and burning as much fat as possible.

This is done by spacing your food out to five or six smaller meals a day, or by eating approximately every 2½-3 hours. This is not to say eat like a horse five times a day, it means simply, to have your three meals, but to eat something small and extra in between.

The advantage of this is twofold. First, it keeps your metabolism going, and second it will allow you to be less hungry during your next meal, in turn causing you to desire less food. Often it’s not practical to prepare yourself a meal in the mid-morning or in between your regular meals. Using protein bars can solve this problem. Make sure that the one you choose, however, is low in carbohydrates and high in protein.

2. Eating Before Bed

Eating before bed is not a wise decision.

While you are sleeping, your metabolism slows down. It is for this reason and this reason only that you do not want to eat within three hours before going to bed.

The food that you eat will possibly be stored as fat because your body will not be able to burn it off completely. Think about it, you are going eight or more hours without giving your body anything to keep it going anyway. Avoid it whenever you can and you won’t regret it!

3. Drink Water

The importance of drinking water is often overlooked. Your body is 70 percent water, and so it should be treated that way. Give it what it needs. Water is essential when dieting or losing weight. It helps you properly utilise all of the nutrients that you take in through food, which is essential when dieting. You need every nutrient that you take in, otherwise what’s the sense of eating?

Water will help you transport the nutrients efficiently into your cells and determine how your cells use them. You need them to keep your health and to keep putting on quality muscle.

At the same time, it will help you efficiently eliminate waste while flushing all toxins out of your body to make you even healthier. It will also help make your skin more elastic, so that while you’re putting on quality mass, you can avoid getting stretch marks.

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4. High Protein

Keeping your metabolism going and burning fat efficiently while retaining as much muscle as possible is dependent on taking in a high amount of protein. Your body will burn carbohydrates first, because this is your main energy source.

Once it runs out of carbohydrates, it will begin to use your fat as fuel.

You don’t want your body dipping into your hard-earned muscle to use as energy. It is for this reason that it is of prime importance that you eat as much protein as possible while losing weight.

It will improve your complexion. Also, water cushions joints. This is important because while losing body fat, you will also lose some of the fat cushion that helps protect your joints. Drinking plenty of water will help you avoid injury.

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Protein.

It’s like going to the gym twice as often.

Being toned. Getting in shape. Losing weight. Goals that drive you to the gym and make you work hard when you’re there. But much of that sweat and effort will go to waste if you don’t feed your body with the nutrients it needs to get toned, fit and in shape. Trust nature to have the perfect answer. Protein. The finest nutrient for naturally toning and repairing our muscles.

This is where Promax Diet comes in. It’s packed with 37g whey protein, for developing your muscle tone and making your hard work in the gym more effective.

Best of all whey protein makes you feel fuller for longer, helping to avoid those cravings that ruin your diet. A couple of servings a day as a shake or in a fruit smoothie will make a noticeable difference to your gym programme.

Available from

www.maximuscle.ae

5. Lower Your Carbs

Without lowering your carbohydrates, your fat loss will be minimal at best. Lowering your carbohydrates will keep your body burning mostly fat all the time. Since your body burns carbohydrates first, then fat, it will have no carbohydrates to burn and begin burning fat immediately.

The trick with carbohydrates is that you want to consume most of your day’s carbs with breakfast. When eating breakfast, you want a combination of protein AND carbohydrates to give your body a jump-start for the day. Also, this will supply you with enough energy to get through the day.

6. Cardio

Cardiovascular exercise is perhaps one of the most important elements to losing weight. Your diet could be the best in the world, but it will never reach it’s fullest potential without cardio.

For best results, you will want to do your cardio at least four times a week for at least 20 minutes at a time to start with. Each week, you could maybe increase your cardio time by five minutes until you get yourself up near 45 minutes a session.

The best time to do your cardio session is when you first wake up in the morning, before you eat anything. The reason for this is because when you wake up, your glycogen stores are low, so your body will begin to burn fat quicker than if it had to burn all of your carbohydrates up and then start working on your fat.

However, it gets more complicated than this. While doing your cardio, you want to reach a target heart rate of 65% (most efficient fat burning zone) of your maximum heart rate. To determine this, subtract your age from 220 and multiply it by 0.65.

This is how many beats per minute that you want your heart pumping out while you exercise for the whole session. This is not as complicated as it sounds. Here is an example. If you are 16 years old, then you would subtract 16 from 220.

The difference is 204. Now multiply this number by 0.65. The answer would come to 132.6, rounded off to 133. This is the ideal number of beats per minute that you want when doing your cardio. That means you want your heart to be beating 133 beats every minute during your exercise session.

This is the ideal fat burning zone while you do your cardio.

You can measure it by stopping every now and then for 10 seconds only, taking your pulse and counting how many beats there are during those 10 seconds (use a stop watch). Then continue your cardio. Eventually you will be able to tell where you’re at as far as beats per minute go.

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7. Take A Multivitamin

When dieting, taking a multivitamin will keep you strong and healthy.

Since you are changing your eating habits in one way or another while dieting, you want to make sure you are getting in a good amount of your essential vitamins and minerals.

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Rehab

Competition HoMedics Shiatsu Plus Massager with Heat Win a Garmin Zumo 550 Known trusted theof Zumo Enjoy a and massage in by themany, comfort your550 is an integral part of any self-respecting rider’s on-bike kit.the Garmin’s popular motorcycle and scooter satellite navigation companown home with HoMedics Shiatsu ion continues to be the benchmark for both serious and leisure bikers alike. massaging cushion.

Now incorporating a soothingby heat setting easethe stiffness Designed bikers, for to bikers, Zumo 550 has a rugged, glove-friendly design which and tension, it features a state-of-the-art features left handed controls and an oversized touchscreen complete with sunlight readmoving dual massage mechanism, to give able display. a deep-kneading Shiatsu massage. Its Crucially the Zumo 550 is waterproof to IPX7 and is also UV light and fuel splash resisrollingmaking massage travels up andriding downconditions the tant, it ideal for tough and typical British Weather. If you fancy back, and there’s a special Spot550 Shiatsu going further a-field, the Zumo comes complete with pre-loaded European City Navimassage, which hits uncomfortable gator NT mapping andthat a whole host of Points of Interest – including hotels, restaurants, petrol stations acheattractions. spot-on. With six programmes for and the full, lower or upper back; a choice of Garmin’s Automotive Product Manager Colin Lee said: “Thanks to the Zumo’s Bluetooth compatibility, three vibration speeds, plus an adjustable you can make and receive calls, or even use your supported mobile phone to call ahead and reserve your width setting for your rolling massage. hotel room from our points of interest.

And with the programmable touch pad control youturn-by-turn can customise your own “It’s clear directions show you the best routes available – perfect for use on the go, no matmassage.

Bliss! ter what the environment.�

The Zumo 550 benefits from a high sensitivity GPS receiver, meaning that whether you are in forest or by tall buildings, you will always have the coverage you need to navigate accurately. There is also an SD card slot allowing you to expand your mapping or add additional features such as Language Guides, Topographic cartography or the Good Pub Guide.

Even the most dedicated rider sometimes wishes to travel by other means, so the Zumo comes with an automotive mount with integrated speaker and also has a rechargeable Lithium ion battery (up to 5 hour use) which is handy for navigating by foot or route planning in the comfort of your armchair.

Key Features: t $ZDMPQT 4BGFUZ $BNFSB JOGPSNBUJPO t '. 5SBGmD SFDFJWFS GPS SFHVMBS USBGmD VQEBUFT t 4FDVSF (BSNJO MPDL UP EFUFS UIFGU t ;VNP DPOOFDU o POMJOF GBDJMJUZ UIBU BMMPXT ZPV UP EPXOMPBE ZPVS SJEFT BOE KPVSOFZ EFUBJMT IUUQ DPOOFDU HBSNJO DPN [VNP t 1FSTPOBMJTF ZPVS ;VNP XJUI DVTUPN DBQT BOE TQMBTI TDSFFO QIPUPT

Question What was the name of the TV celebrity that partnered Ewan McGregor on the epic bike adventure ‘The Long Way Down.’?

The adventure feature in the last issue might help.

Email your answer direct to: alexg@sportingpublications.com

Equipment

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Gym wear has never looked as cool as this.

Forumla 1 World Champion Lewis Hamilton can certainly arrive in style regardless of the occasion. Sporting the latest Hugo Boss active clothing while leaning on the hood of his $200,000 Mercedes SL65 AMG

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PIT LANE FASHION

PUMA Ferrari Military Cap

PUMA Ferrari Line PUMA’s Ferrari line takes styling inspiration from the 1966 movie “Grand Prix”.

Highlighting the thrill of racing, the collection is inspired by the glamour and romance of motorsport lifestyle. Classic motorsport details are reworked and updated into the collection by adding lifestyle elements to the performance inspired collection. Motorsport collars are reinterpreted creating sexy and unique necklines. Asymmetric detailing, strong color blocking, automotive styling and quilted base characterize the emotions and technique involved with motorsport lifestyle.

The graphics are inspired by famous designer Saul Bass’ graphic and exciting credit sequence.

PUMA Ferrari Lightweight Jacket

PUMA Ferrari Polo

PUMA Furio L V shoes

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PUMA RBR Logo Tee PUMA RBR Statement Jacket PUMA Furio V MID SF shoes

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PUMA Street Cruiser Mid Ducati shoes: Mix up your routine and grab hold of the Street Cruiser Mid Ducati!

Details like the lace cover to protect laces from flying around is ideal for dashing from studio to cafĂŠ to club. The shoe boasts an overall clean look and edgy details like the deco stitch. The combination of soft canvas and leather material mix guarantee superior fit and feel. Get ready to grab your motorbike and hit the streets!

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PUMA Ferrari Lightweight Jacket: The Ferrari Lightweight Jacket combines performance elements and classic details to offer newness. This design driven jacket has elaticated sleeve hem and cuffs, velcro cuff adjusters and glossy high density printed Ferrari wording on the back.

Its feminine slim fit combines form and function to result in high style for the fans!

PUMA Ferrari Fashion Top: The Ferrari Fashion Top combines form, function and fashion to provide high style for the all racing fans. Its wide scoop neck, pleat detailing across the chest and pearlescent print offers newness and modernized vintage elements. This highly desirable top is sure to bring off-track glamour and style to the races!

PUMA Ferrari Handbag: Ladies, start your engines and grab this highly desirable Ferrari Handbag for off-track glamour and style! Tonal padded Ferrari wording on the front emits speed and determination. Its sturdy double handles and spacious main compartment make it easy to split your time on and off the track.

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FOR HER: PUMA Originals Track Jacket PUMA Originals Shorts PUMA GV Love Wn’s PUMA Originals Grip Bag

FOR HIM: PUMA Originals Sublimed Track Jacket PUMA Originals Tee PUMA Easy Rider III shoes

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PUMA FL Hooded Sweat +BDLFU %SFTT PUMA Alexandria Wn’s

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GOLD-DRIVEN Sir Steve Redgrave, MBE, Britain’s greatest Olympian who won Gold Medals at five consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 2000, nine World Championships Golds and three Golds at the 1986 Commonwealth Games, talks to Mike Gallemore about the motivation that made him one of the world’s greatest and most consistent athletes.

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4

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Picture: tdwsport.com

Sir Steve Redgrave and David Beckham at the press conference to promote the 2012 Olympics. “With having the Olympic Games I realised I needed a bigger agency and IMG are a great company to work with.”

“It never occurred to me at the time that I was making sacrifices in following my career in rowing.

I was 13 years of age and just thought that rowing was better than working for a living. It was a good way of avoiding normal life. ”

I

Sir Steve Redgrave and the Great Britain team celebrate victory in the coxless four at the Sydney Olympics, which gave Steve his record fifth successive Gold Medal.

SUPPOSE I can look back on my rowing career and say that the secret of my success is motivation. I’ve been competing all my rowing life for Great Britain and I simply became Gold Driven.

I can’t say that when I first started I had my sights set on great things – my career just sort of evolved. As I improved and began to show I had an aptitude for rowing I thought I might be able to get to three Olympics – Moscow in 1980, Los Angeles in 1984 and, hopefully, the one I thought I might be able to win a gold medal at – Seoul in 1988.

For me, it was always the Olympics that proved the peak of success. The World Championships were big but the Olympics were my goal.

Rowing was very much an amateur sport in both attitude and design and the sort of people who were involved in rowing were totally committed to the sport. It’s a sport where the participants tend to be well educated. It’s very much a university-orientated sport. Major towns and cities have universities and more often than not they also have rivers running through them.

So the tradition of rowing in Great Britain came largely from the universities.

But I didn’t go to university and the comprehensive school I went to didn’t have rowing as part of their curriculum. But it did have an English teacher who had the boundless enthusiasm to get a school boat club up and running. It proved how successful a mentor he became when out of the 12 pupils who rowed, three of them represented Great Britain in the 1988 Olympic Games.

He asked if I was interested in rowing. I thought ‘well, going out on the river instead of attending class – I couldn’t think of anything better.’ I got on with the sport straight away and quite quickly I decided to find out how far I could

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take it. Everyone likes to do things they’re good at and tend to avoid the things they’re bad at. I wasn’t that good at class – so it worked.

It never occurred to me at the time that I was making sacrifices in following my career in rowing. I was 13 years of age and just thought that rowing was better than working for a living.

It was a good way of avoiding normal life.

It was tough going to a certain degree but it would have been tougher for me to have had to commute into London every day, sitting on a train or in the car in a traffic jam. That would have been much more of a sacrifice.

I’ve lived what I would call a normal existence from my early teens when I started rowing seriously. By the time I was a 15-year-old and rowing almost daily I had settled into a regular daily routine. A rower’s diet tends to be around 6,000-7,000 calories a day but I was burning it off.

Nowadays, I don’t eat anything like as much as I used to but, there again, I don’t get anything like that sort of exercise. Now I struggle to keep my weight down.

My first international medal came when I won Silver in the Double Sculls at the World Junior Championships in 1980. In 1992 I had to learn to live with ulcerative colitis and in 1997 diabetes struck, just three years before the Sydney Olympics.

My grandfather had diabetes in his 70s so it was in the family line, although I never really expected to come down with it at the age of 35.

I was completely devastated and thought that would be my rowing career over. It certainly made things a lot harder. I used to pride myself on my consistency, not only in my performance but also in my training. But the diabetes meant I wasn’t as consistent in my day-by-day training.

It wasn’t a new challenge but it was a major obstacle I had to cope with. I went along to a 4

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JOSH LEWSEY Wasps, England & British and Irish Lions

Josh Lewsey. From school rugby to champion of the world.

A 100% believer in the power of performance nutrition to make him faster, stronger and more muscular because he knows training alone won’t get you there. Which is what makes an essential part of your New Year bid to be stronger, fitter and more defined. Simply drink one Cyclone shake at breakfast and another straight after each workout – we’re confident that you’ll look and feel stronger after just 7 days. All the muscle building know-how that Maximuscle has poured into Cyclone means there’s no easier way to get better results from your training. Cyclone has what your body needs to get stronger, fitter and more defined. Start benefiting from some Seriously Fit Food at

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consultant at the local hospital fully expecting him to tell me that my rowing career was over.

Luckily, he took a different view. He was a young forward-thinking chap who said he couldn’t think of any good reason why I couldn’t continue to compete at the highest level.

At that stage he didn’t know how to go about it but his attitude was, ‘I don’t see why you can’t be at the Olympics in Sydney in three years’ time.’ The motivation for me was to follow the path. It wasn’t easy. I had to change my regime. I almost went back to the diet I had when I was younger. I had to learn how to perform well on a diabetic’s diet.

He said, ‘you’ve got to learn how to cope with a different diet and I’ve got to find a way of making it work for you.’ Through trial and error my consultant and I soon realised that for me to complete the necessary workload I needed to be on my old diet of 6,000 to 7,000 calories a day and adjusted my insulin accordingly. With his guidance I was able to continue my training for the Sydney Olympics.

The Diabetes UK organisation wanted to publicise my story but I said there was no story to tell until I’d achieved something.

The World Championships in 1998, the year after I had been diagnosed with diabetes, was big for me. My motivation after hearing I’d got diabetes was to win Gold at the 1998 World Rowing Championships – and with the help of James Cracknell, Tim Foster and Matthew Pinsent I achieved it. It was my sixth successive World Gold.

I can look back on it all now and appreciate how lucky I’ve been to stumble across a sport that I could do well in and I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time.

When I retired from competitive rowing my East German coach, who also coached his national squad, was insistent that I did a winddown programme. Where I had been doing two to four training sessions a day in a normal regime, he was asking me to do one every

other day. There was no scientific basis behind it but it seemed to make sense and it worked.

When you’ve lived your whole life driven by motivation of something like the Olympics or the World Championships it leaves a big gap when you stop competing.

That’s why I did the London Marathon in 2001. It gave me a focus and something to aim for. In 2006 I completed my third London Marathon.

When you’ve been Gold driven virtually throughout your whole life you need those sort of targets to be able to keep going.

My charity work has been very similar. I set myself a target within my own charitable trust of raising £5 million in five years and achieved it. The fund is now carrying on within Comic Relief and Sport Relief.

I’ve always been involved in charity. I’m quite socialist-minded in that way. If there’s an opportunity to help others then I’m happy to do that.

But I come from a sport where there is no prize money and no internal or external money surrounding the sport as such. So I have to work for a living as well. However, I don’t have time on my hands – there are not enough hours in the day to do everything I want to do.

I like being active. When I was rowing almost every day was pretty much the same. When I retired I didn’t have the motivation to do anything. For the last two years I’ve been trying to get into doing some activity every other day – maybe only 45 minutes to an hour a day. I play a bit of squash and tennis and racquet ball with a friend and in summer I play golf.

In my sporting life I’d never considered golf as an activity but it does help to keep my weight down, particularly as I have to walk a good few miles more than everyone else – looking for my ball. I started playing golf around the time of the 1986 World Rowing Championships in Nottingham. A group of friends came up to the event and on

the Friday there was a rest day – so they all played golf. That was the start of my interest in golf, which has taken me to many different places around the world where I’ve met a lot of fascinating people. I’m a reasonably bighitter but although the ball goes quite a long way it rarely travels in the direction it’s meant to go.

Last November I played in the Riffa Views Invitational in Bahrain at the invitation of IMG. It was great fun and I got to play with one of my heroes, Colin Montgomerie. I’d also been invited by IMG to play in the All Star Cup at Celtic Manor Resort, a sort of Ryder Cupstyle event between ‘celebrities’ from Europe and the USA. That was a wonderful event.

I made the move to IMG about 18 months ago. With having the Olympic Games here in 2012 I realised I needed a bigger agency to work with. They’re a great company to work with and it’s an opportunity to make myself a little bit more secure for my retirement.

My clothing company FiveG, which we set it up about seven years ago, is doing well.

We’ve re-branded it as our own Fairtrade Cotton Brand and Debenhams now sell it in their stores.

I enjoyed my sporting life. I couldn’t have wished for a better way to end my competitive rowing career than to receive a knighthood from Her Majesty The Queen in 2001, having already had the honour of receiving an MBE and then a CBE. I’m extremely privileged to be a member of the small group of sportsmen who have received knighthoods – it’s a truly humbling experience.

Winning the Sports Personality of the Year Award in 2000 and the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award in 2001 was amazing but my knighthood is my most treasured possession. I’m enjoying my life right now.

I don’t have any goals to aim for at the moment, which is fine by me. My only target is to stop setting myself new targets! ■

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Recharge and well-being are invited. Rejuvenate yourself at one of our four themed Armonia Spa treatment rooms, each perfectly designed to help you unwind, offering a wide variety of facial and body treatments as well as self tanning massages which can be enjoyed outdoor in the spa’s Balinese huts. To pamper you even more, steam and sauna facilities and other refreshments are also provided to make sure you leave Armonia feeling totally revived. Because you don’t just stay here. You belong.

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2008 Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc All rights reserved. Sheraton is the registered trademark of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc, or its affiliates.

By Richard Bevan

BEYOND THE LIGHTS IT may be known as Sin City, but Las Vegas has much more to offer the intrepid adventure tourist than just bright lights and endless casinos.

The famous U.S. city is one of the most popular tourist destinations for residents of the Middle East and with a wealth of activities to keep thrill seekers and adventurers alike entertained it’s easy to enjoy an unforgettable holiday here without ever setting foot in a casino. In fact, the famous desert city has more outdoor action within a 200-mile radius than any other major town in the country.

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N

o trip to Vegas would be complete without a trip to the Grand Canyon.

Ok, so technically it’s not in Vegas but nonetheless, if you’re in the area, you have to go, end of story.

Heli USA are one of the most established operators when it comes to exploring the canyon in style, namely by helicopter!

They invited us as their guests on their Overnight Getaway tour (it’s a tough job but someone’s got to do it) and after first fearing the trip may be somewhat ‘gimmicky’ we ended up with an experience that will live long in the memory.

The tour begins at Heli USA’s convenient Las Vegas Executive Air Terminal, on Tropicana, which is just east of The Strip, where after watching a briefing film, you take off on the 45-minute flight to the Canyon.

Just getting a unique view of The Strip itself is fascinating enough and you can see for miles around and right across the Las Vegas Valley. During the trip you also take in such sights as Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Fortification Hill and Boulder Basin while listening on headphones to a mixture of the pilot’s helpful commentary and an atmospheric dose of classical music, which actually does add to the drama of the occasion!

You then descend 1,500 ft into the Canyon itself, which is even

more breathtaking than it looks in pictures and on television.

Everywhere you look there is vivid swathe of ever-changing colour with dramatic rock formations framing the vast river-carved rim.

From the rim of the Canyon you fly to Heli USA’s ‘Grand Canyon West Ranch’ for a taste of the good ole’ Wild West.

your accommodation of choice – either an Indian Tipi or a log cabin, complete with authentic cowboy bathtub and log fire. Once freshened up you can choose between a range of activities including horse-back riding, a cattle drive, gold panning and the slightly less authentic mountain biking!

You can also choose to watch

do and if you don’t fancy the West Ranch, Heli USA also combine the Canyon experience with a range of other activities. You can raft down the Colorado River through the spectacular Black Canyon and gain a unique perspective of the imposing Hoover Dam or opt for a ground adventure in the shape of a narrated SUV tour.

t 5IFSF BSF OP GFXFS UIBO /BUJPOBM 1BSLT XJUIJO SFBDI PG -BT 7FHBT t (SBOE $BOZPO /BUJPOBM 1BSL JT POF PG UIF XPSME T QSFNJFS OBUVSBM attractions with around five million visitors every year. t -BLF .FBE JT UIF SFTFSWPJS DSFBUFE CFIJOE UIF )PPWFS %BN OBNFE BGUFS Elwood Mead, who oversaw the construction of the dam. The dam itself was named after Herbert Hoover, 31st President of the USA. The ranch was the brainchild of the company’s English owner, Nigel Turner, who purchased the 106,000-acre site and restored it to its former glory in 2002.

Despite his English roots, Turner has done a stellar job in creating an authentic experience. The West Ranch is a sight to behold, located out in the middle of nowhere on the West Rim of the Canyon in the shadow of the majestic Spirit Mountain. The original ‘Diamond Bar Ranch’ was established as a cattle ranch back in the late 1800s

by Wellington Starkey, but the site was inhabited by Native Americans for thousands of years before that and the on site ‘ranch hands’ are full of stories that transport you effortlessly back in time.

On arrival you ‘check in’ before being taken by horse and cart to

the experts put on a display of traditional cowboy pursuits such as cattle roping.

Then it’s off to the Ranch House for a hearty Old West feed and a drink at the Western Bar. Following your evening meal it’s time to relax under stars around a camp fire as Cowboy Casey entertains you with his bottomless memory bank of songs both old and new.

After a good nights sleep in perhaps the most spectacular location you’re ever likely to ‘camp out’ in, and another sizeable feed the following morning, the wagon and horses take you back to the helicopter for your return flight to Vegas.

If you want to escape the manmade neon jungle of Vegas for a while this is definitely the trip to

A

way from the canyon there are a whole host of activities to be enjoyed in and around Las Vegas Valley. Taking a hike up Mount Charleston is another must.

The trek will take you far away from the noise and bustle of The Strip to the solitude of the mountain, where you can climb up the steep pine covered tracks and gaze down from 12,000 feet at a view that stretches for miles around. Death Valley, Sierra Nevada and a host of other landmarks are all clearly visible from the spectacular vantage point. Perhaps the most surprising thing about Mount Charleston is that during the winter months and right the way through until March, it is a popular destination for skiers and snowboarders, who flock to

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the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort.

The Red Rock Canyon is another natural playground within easy striking distance. The most popular way to explore Red Rock is by bike and you’ll find plenty of hire shops nearby, but if you prefer something more extreme you can opt for a hummer tour, which is a lot of fun. The steep rises, sheer walls and ridges of Red Rock also make it a popular destination for climbers.

For an off-road adventure you can head for the Valley of Fire and take a buggy ride among the dramatic rock formations, which jut out of the desert landscape.

Kayaking down the snaking Lake Mead is another popular activity as is an exploration of the Ancient Valley deep in the Mojave Desert.

However you choose to spend your time, with six national parks, 13 state parks, two national recreation areas and acres of national forest within a four-hour radius, there’s certainly plenty to keep you busy beyond the lights of Vegas. ■

Dinner in the Sky

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hrill seekers can even get their kicks during dinner in Vegas.

Dinner in the Sky takes a table of 22 people 160 feet above The Strip, suspended from a crane! Once you get over the initial nerves it’s a great experience and the food and champagne are of a surprisingly high standard! www.dinnerintheskylv.com

WHEN THE SUN GOES DOWN: PLANET HOLLYWOOD

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o you’ve come to Vegas, you’ve got your itinerary of outdoor pursuits to keep you occupied during the day but what about evening entertainment?

Just as the Grand Canyon has to be experienced for its pure, breathtaking natural impact, the famous Las Vegas Strip has to be sampled to get the full flavour of this intoxicating and contrasting part of the world. For a comprehensive attack on the senses there surely aren’t many places that can beat Planet Hollywood. Everything about The Strip is ‘larger than life’ and this place is among the largest and liveliest of the lot.

From the moment you walk into the 12,800 square foot lobby, with its black granite floors and myriad of crystal chandeliers, you know you’ve entered another world. The hotel even has its own shopping mall attached to it with a full range of designer outlets, restaurants and bars!

The choice of rooms at Planet Hollywood is staggering – there are 2,500 of them and every one has either two queen sized beds or one king size. We went for one of the trendy new Hollywood Hip Rooms, which combined a film set appearance with designer furniture and luxury touches like a state-of-the art 42-inch plasma television.

Our room also featured a spectacular view of The Strip and the famous dancing Bellagio fountains. Other room choices range from standard resort rooms right up to huge extravagant suites for the high rollers.

Most of the stars of screen and sport have been through the doors of Planet Hollywood at one time or another and the rooms are full of interesting memorabilia and history.

The world-famous Theatre for the Performing Arts holds a host of music concerts and stage shows and the hotel is the venue of choice for the annual Miss USA pageant.

It is also currently hosting Peep Show, starring ex-Spice Girl Mel B as well as the famous off-Broadway show Tina n’ Tony’s Wedding and The Hoop Hall Experience, which is a 17,000 square foot interactive journey through the history of basketball. Sports fans can watch practically any game in the Playing Field Lounge, while golfers can arrange a round at one the many local courses through the dedicated ‘golf desk’. There’s also a fully equipped gym and two huge pools overlooking to keep you active when you’re not out exploring. And when you have been

out in the wilderness, the hotel’s Spa offers every possible treatment you need to get over the aches and pains.

When feeding time comes, you are spoilt for choice at Planet Hollywood – there are some 28 restaurants in total.

We only tried few of them but if the rest are of similar quality you won’t go far wrong. KOI serves ‘Japanese food with California accents’, which basically means tasty Japanese cuisine without the more extreme elements.

The food, a mixture of inventive sushi, sashimi and exotic hot dishes, is delicious and on the whole, very healthy, while the chic setting is very ‘Hollywood A-List’. When in America, you have to have a good steak (unless you’re a vegetarian of course) and the Strip House is the place to do it. Having made its name in New York, where it won a string of awards, the Strip House opened its doors in Vegas last September and has already made a big splash with its trendy vibe and perfectly cooked prime cuts. For a more causal dining experience we tried the Spice Market Buffet. I usually run a mile from anything with ‘buffet’ in the title but the food at this one was actually a very decent standard and the choice was superb with dishes from Mexico, Italy, Asia, the Middle East and America. In the Miracle Mile shopping mall you’ll find the uber-cool Hawaiian Tropic Zone. David Burke (the award winning chef, not our advertising director!) has put together a mouth watering varied menu of steaks, burgers, fish, chicken etc, while fashion designer Nicole Miller has kitted out the gorgeous models that double as “table concierges” in smokin’ hot bikinis to add to the glitz and glamour of the place. You’ll also find Blondies Sports Bar & Grill in the Miracle Mile where you can watch just about any game while indulging in some classic American bar snacks.

With so much to explore both on The Strip and beyond, it’s a wonder anyone has time to gamble in Vegas!

Heli USA tours can booked at: www.heliusa.com Planet Hollywood, KOI or the Strip House can be reached at: www.planethollywoodresort.com Hawaiian Tropic Zone: www.hawaiiantropiczone.com Blondies: www.blondieslasvegas.com

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The Miracle Man Iain Richardson talks exclusively with King of the BMX Dave Mirra about an amazing career that has seen him rule his sport for the best part of 17 years, having at one time been told he’d never ride a bike again.

Picture: Justin Kosman

Nutrition Training Tips Equipment Style News / Calendar Events Adventure Features

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AVE Mirra can do things on a BMX bike that make your eyes pop out of your skull. Terms like ‘Indian Air’, ‘Nic nac’ and ‘Kiss of Death’ may sound like elements of a strange occult ritual to the ordinary man on the street, but in the world of BMX they describe gravity-defying tricks that require a huge amount of skill – not to mention balance, timing, bravery and a fair old sprinkling of insanity. Mirra has mastered them all and many more besides to become the most famous and successful rider of all time.

He’s stayed at the very top of his sport for 17 years while countless others have come and gone. He’s won more medals and more gold medals in action sport’s showcase event, the X Games, than anyone else, making him the greatest adrenaline sportsman in history.

He’s influenced a generation of kids to follow him into his sport and has played a key role in it gaining worldwide recognition from mainstream sport with a version of BMX taking place at last year’s Beijing Olympics for the first time. He’s got video games, fashion ranges, countless sponsorship deals and now, his own bike company, Mirraco. In America, he was recently named one of the top 10 most recognisable figures in sport – up there with the likes of Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan.

He’s even recently taken up rally driving just to “try something different” and has proved a rip-roaring success at that as well!

But perhaps the most startling fact about Mirra’s rise to the top of the action sports world is the fact that at one time he was told that he’d never ride again – when he was hit by a drunk driver in 1993. But Mirra doesn’t do ‘never’. You don’t come to invent and master some of the most outrageously difficult and nerve-jangling tricks imaginable by being put off by a challenge and he used the same blinkered dedication and focus to fight his way back to the top, going on to not only rule BMX but to transcend the sport as a true counterculture legend.

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SFME: You’ve won more medals and more gold medals than anyone else in X Games history – how does it feel to have not only conquered the world of BMX but also action sports in general?

DM: Yeah, I’ve won 14 gold medals and 23 medals in total. It feels great that my career wasn’t short-lived. I’ve been around for a long time and have competed for 16 full seasons. To have that accomplishment is great – I’m pretty psyched that I wasn’t just a ‘one-hit wonder’ and I’ve maintained a position close to the top for all those years. That’s probably what means the most to me.

SFME: How have you managed to drive yourself to keep reaching such a high level after having already achieved so much in the sport?

DM: I would say just for the love of it. People can say that you sell out, or you do things just for the money or whatever, but in our sport to be as intense as a lot if us are it has to be for the love of it. If people say you’ve sold out it really bums you out because you’ve put your heart and soul into it. It’s such a precise sport – it’s not like you can say, ‘well I’m really good at skiing so I’m going to do BMX this year.’ It’s so fine tuned that you really need to ride every day, all day long. I’ve been riding every day of the off-season just pushing and pushing and I feel better than ever. It’s the best feeling to go home at the end of the day and know that you learnt something Picture: Bart Dejong

new, tried a new trick, went big and pulled it off.

There’s always a new stepping stone.

SFME: Some of our readers may not be familiar with all the different disciplines – what are the main ones that you compete with when you’re at X Games etc?

DM: I started out competing in Vurt and Park.

Vurt is the big half-pipe ramp and Park is the smaller, street-style course. I focus mainly on Park nowadays and they also added Real Street, which is like actual street obstacles that you would find downtown in a city. There’s also Big Air which is really big ramps that allow you to pull off amazing jumps – that one’s only about three years old but it’s really good fun.

SFME:What’s the hardest or craziest trick you’ve pulled off?

DM: The craziest trick I have done is probably a no-hand 360° back flip. I don’t think it’s necessarily the hardest trick I’ve ever done because tricks are so dated when they work their way through years of riding. Everything’s hard at one time and then you overcome it and move onto something else that seems like the hardest thing again, but the next day, it’s easy. But the 360° no-hand back flip is the craziest trick. It’s super-fun to do and it’s probably the one I’m most proud of.

SFME: How do you come up with new moves that nobody has tried before?

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Left and Middle: Dave Mirra performs the death-defying BMX tricks for which he has become famous.

Below: Taking to the air in his new career as a pro rally driver!

DM: It’s just one of those things where the more you ride, you do certain things that can easily turn into something that you didn’t know you were going to do.

A lot of things happen by accident, which is pretty cool. It’s also cool that everybody has their own look.

SFME: Some of your tricks look pretty terrifying. How do you get the courage to try something new for the first time and has it got easier as your career has progressed?

DM: I think it’s always been case of working my way up to tricks. You never think ‘I’m fearless, I’m just going to let it rip!’ As long as you work your way up and you take the right steps that make sense, you can make a great calculated guess that you’re going to be successful. That’s what really makes it for me.

SFME: What are your earliest memories of BMX riding and when did you realise that you had a special talent for it?

DM: Well I read all of the magazines when I was a kid and started riding. Then I got sponsored when I was 13 and they gave me a free bike so I just kept going at it and going at and before I knew it I was making money out of BMX. Once I got a paycheque I guess that was when I knew I was kinda good at it. I turned pro when I was 17.

I beat Matt Hoffman, who was the guy that was winning for years and years. In three and a half years he didn’t lose a contest and I came along

in my rookie year and beat him twice in a row, so that was huge. I was really psyched about that.

Now I’m just trying to stay relevant in the sport with all these young guys coming through who are just incredible.

SFME: You mentioned that you got a sponsorship when you were 13, that must have felt quite cool?

DM: Just to get a free bike in the mail when I was 13 was mind blowing.

SFME: You were hit by a drunk driver in 1993 and were told that you may never ride again.

How hard was it to go from your position as the rising star of the BMX circuit to thinking it could be all over and what did you go through to get back to where you wanted to be?

DM: I think having some time off the bike made me realise how much I loved it and missed it.

When I got back on the bike I thought, ‘you know what, this is my life, it’s what I’ve done my whole life and it’s pretty much all I know – I’m going to take my chances.’ But I didn’t necessarily feel that low at the time because although I was in the top 3 in the world, there really wasn’t any money at that point. I was walking away from something I loved but there wasn’t any income from it so who knew what the future might hold?

SFME: You were first rider to really show the way in how to turn the sport into a lucrative career with your endorsements, video

games, etc. You’ve now set up your own bike company, Mirraco – what made you decide to do that and what are your long-term goals?

DM: I think it was the next step for me. I’d been riding for other people and promoting them for a long time and I felt that I could either keep doing that until the end of my career or I could start my own company and give something back to the sport that way. So I created Mirraco with my partner Jim Ford to put something out there for kids to buy that represents everything I’m about as a rider.

SFME: You mentioned giving something back to the sport – I know you offer scholarships to young riders coming through the ranks – how important is it for you develop young talent?

DM: Very important. It’s great to have the opportunity to be able to do that. I think that’s what’s great about being successful in any sport – you get opportunities to give back and do something worthwhile to help others.

SFME:Do you feel like a role model or ambassador for the sport?

DM: Absolutely. I think role model is a good way to put it. I hope that I’ve set examples that people will be able to follow for years.

SFME:You’ve recently started rally driving how did that come about?

DM: The rally thing came about in October 4

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