Sports International Magazine issue15

The Pro Sports Magazine May 2015

EX

Canada Women’s Soccer Team CLUSIV – Host team World Cup 2015

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The United States Women’s National Team, Karen Darke, Team USA – the Solheim Cup, Corinne Evans - surfer Exclusive interviews with the World Cup Coaches

Rallye Aicha des Gazelles, Team Matrix, SIM Outstanding Athelete.

Recipes, Top tips and more...

Photo: Papaya Photography

May 2015 1

2 May 2015

SPORTS

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International WELCOME This is a landmark issue as we

sport - from photographers

as the theme for the issue.

match reports and fans that

start to focus on major events

The Women’s World Cup will be taking place in Canada and

it will be the most watched and have more support and

coverage than ever before and so we thought it fitting for that

to

volunteers

who

archive

doing incredible things and

living their dreams. I consider

SPORTS

have supported teams since forever. These people believe in women’s sport and want

to promote it at any given

it an incredible privilege to be able to showcase and tell the

stories, to meet some of the athletes and the ‘supporting cast’. Thank you.

International

opportunity and without them so little would have been

Thank you for reading this and

achieved or will be achieved.

every issue, for telling others

and schedules for the World

Equally to all the parents the

journey. It is exciting and with

interviews, photos and stories

early mornings and weekends

to be our starting point. In this issue you will find stats, stories Cup

along

with

exclusive

world over, whose countless

jammed into one issue.

given to taking kids around

Football aside, I am constantly

dreams,

amazed and encouraged by the incredible people I meet around the world giving their time

to

support

women’s

TM

the country to follow their thank

you.

It

is

because of these people that

women’s sport is where it is today and because thousands of women the world over are

and for your supporting the each issue I write I always wonder what lies in store for

the next as I am constantly surprised!

So read, enjoy and share the stories in this issue!

All the very best.

Myak-Paul Homberger - Editor

May 2015 Issue

No 015 May 2015 3

Papaya P h o t o g r a p h y

S P O R T S ● S P E C I A L I S T E V E N T S ● C O R P O R AT E E V E N T S

www.papayaphotography.co.uk

4 May 2015

SPORTS

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International Contents

SPORTS

Rallye Aicha des Gazelles 8

Karen Darke 14

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Corinne Evans 20 The Barnes Sisters - Keeping it in the family

26

International

Matrix Cycling 32 YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix 36 Team USA - The Solheim Cup

56

The United States Womens National Team

62

FIFA Womens World Cup Guide 70 The Beauty of the Game: FIFA Women’s World Cup

76

Betting in Womens Sport 80 Interviews with World Cup Coaches 88 Sports International Magazine’s Outstanding Athlete

90

Canada Womens Soccer Team 96 Recipe - The Good for you Apple & Almond Crumble

106

Thankyou’s 111 Contact 112

May 2015 Issue

No 015 May 2015 5

Contributors Myak-Paul Homberger

Steffan Wyman

Aside from

Starting out in

being a huge

Women’s cycling

Catherine Spencer

sports nut and champion of

team management in 2004,

Catherine Spencer is a former

qualifications including being

goal to work in the sport full

so brings a vast experience

training coach, two martial

and he became more involved

in sport. She recognised the

his instructor level in Urban

wanted and he began to work

that could benefit greatly

practitioner and sociologist

2008. Previously working in

women, their determination,

his previous management

communication, hard work,

a level of professionalism and

Catherine set about sourcing

runs.

and coaches from sport and

In 2010 he took a step back

could communicate their

women’s sport, has numerous

it was never Steffan’s initial

England Rugby Captain and

a BAWLA qualified weight

time. However as time passed

of sport and being a woman

arts black belts alongside

it was clear that’s what he

potential for organisations

Krav Maga. He is also an NLP

full time in the sport from

from the stories of inspiring

with an HND in RAB.

financial services, he’s used

belief, focus, trust, leadership,

Photography is his main

experience to try to bring in

team work and sacrifice.

organization to the teams he

Inspiring Women speakers

passion and he has been

published internationally.

Myak has worked with men’s

and women’s national teams, as well as with premiership

teams and individual players.

from professional teams to

work on a project with Matrix Fitness to try to develop the UK racing scene and

create a new stable team,

giving domestic riders the opportunity they needed.

After 5 years, the time

has come for the Matrix

Fitness team to return to

the professional peloton and in 2015 they are lining up

against the worlds biggest

teams in the worlds biggest races.

6 May 2015

business who she believed

stories and lessons effectively.

Richard Stoodley

Benedicte Clarkson

Kirsty Hill

‘Rapid’ Rich

Benedicte

editor and

Stoodley

Clarkson is

Kirsty is a web copywriter

appeared on the cycling

a French woman who has

whose passion for surfing

get fit”. Within just a few

the last 28 years. Three years

contributor to the Surfing

an obsession and long rides

Jamila to compete in the

covering 200 miles in just one

She occasionally writes

Rapid’s competitive streak

Rallye both from a general

Racing with some success.

personal point of view, having

sales, promotion and sheer

what some have described is

obtaining financial support to

She is also a trustee of the

Prix one of the biggest events

a member based charity,

year.

money for small children’s

scene late in 2012 “just to

enjoyed living in London for

weeks this hobby turned into

ago she teamed with friend

became the norm with him

Rallye Aicha des Gazelles.

day. Even aged at over 50

for publications about the

saw him Hill Climbing and

perspective and from a

His skills of organisation,

participated three times in

enthusiasm were key in

the hardest rally in the world.

make the YESSS Tickhill Grand

British Moroccan Society,

on the UK in just its second

organising events and raising

knows no bounds. A

Sumo, and the Slideshow

magazine, she also writes

a blog on her own surfing

adventures. Despite currently being landlocked, Kirsty

refuses to let geography

stand in the way of a sport and lifestyle that she is so passionate about.

charities in Morocco, including schools for young children and women.

UK coordinator www.rallyeaichadesgazelles. com

May 2015 7

Rallye Aicha des Gazelles - Women-Only Off Road Rally

By Benedicte Clarkson The Rallye Aicha des Gazelles Morocco is the biggest womenonly off road motor competition in the world, taking place every

year at the end of March in the Moroccan desert. For the last 25 years, women of about 23 different nationalities, all walks of life,

all ages (the oldest competitor is 71 and has participated 16 times) compete in 4x4s, quads, buggies and moto cross. GPS or phones

are not allowed, the Gazelles (as the competitors are known) navigate the old fashioned way, with black and white maps from

the 60s, a compass, a ruler and a plotter. The winning team is the team which has done the least amount of kilometers.Â

This is not a ballad in the desert. The Gazelles’ endurance, determination and solidarity is tested every day. The terrain is

usually difficult, made of rocky desert, dunes, ravines, tough

vegetation, dried out river beds and mountains. To keep their heading as closely as possible, the gazelles must constantly make decisions. It’s a team effort: the navigator looks both at her

compass and in the distance to keep the heading, the driver looks 8 May 2015

Photos courtesy Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

straight ahead of the car to avoid or take slowly big rocks, ditches, soft sand where it is so easy to sink the car.

A typical day : The rallye follows the same pattern every year with small variations but basically, while at the bivouac or camp, the competitors are

woken up by “the Boss” Dominique Serra (a French entrepreneur

who created the concept 25 years ago in response to the traditionally male-dominated world of motorsports) at 4am, we stumble up,

briefly wash our faces and apply heavy suncream, the driver walks

to the car park to pick up her car while the navigator either packs up the tent or simply tidy it and prepares her navigation bag.

At 4.15am, you’ll find the driver breathing a sigh of relief that the

car is starting, that the tyres are not flat and that the oil level is fine.

She will then drive the car either towards the tents if they have to

pack up because it’s marathon time or they’re simply changing bivouac or towards the departure line that they are given.

At 5am, it’s briefing time and it’s also the time all the navigators are given the latitude and longitude of the first point of the day and

have to plot it on the map as well as having breakfast. Between 6 and 6.45am, they’re off.

May 2015 9

Every day they are given a certain amount of

checkpoints (about 7) to find over a distance averaging 190kms per day if the team goes straight from point to point.. A checkpoint is

a red flag more or less hidden in the desert. If everything goes well, the gazelles can be back at

camp by 6.30 pm, in time for a shower, a drink at the bar and an excellent dinner from 8pm. From time to time, things do not go so well and they might have to find the camp in the dark. Some might end up sleeping outside the camp.Â

To ensure the safety of all the competitors, all

the vehicles are fitted with a tracking device linked to satellite. The organisers know at all

times where the gazelles are (even if sometimes the gazelles themselves do not know where they are!).

The competition : In 2015, there were several categories: the

expert category (all in 4x4s), the general 4x4/

truck category, the quads/bike/buggies category and the SUV category. They are given different parcours and checkpoints.

“... the two most dangerous factors are fatigue and poor communication.�

10 May 2015

With a typical 10- to 14-hour day starting at 6 a.m., and with a last checkpoint closing at 7:30 p.m., the

two most dangerous factors are fatigue and poor communication. Teammates have to learn how to

communicate in a way that’s constructive. The only

way they can do well is to support and respect each other. They want to be a strong teammate, to have a

great attitude, and look for solutions. The “rockstar” is the navigator. If a mistake is going to be made,

it is usually the navigator making it. The driver can of course break a car but that is unusual. So the teammates must have resilience and must be able to have a good laugh.

Photos courtesy Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

May 2015 11

The charity Coeur de Gazelles: The Rallye Aïcha des Gazelles is acknowledged for its non-profit organization, Heart of Gazelles. The

charity offers medical aid, support to orphanages and

schools,

sustainable

development

for

villages, and job development for women in the

region. The rally is the only global motorsport event with ISO 14001 Certification, with strict environmental and citizen-friendly directives.

During the rallye, a caravan of voluntary doctors, dentists, nurses visit the villages around the Rallye.

The winners: Winner of the general category in 2014, British Jeanette James came 2nd in the expert category

in 2015. A Moroccan team was the winner of the general category in 2015: team 221 Karima Laaroussi-Mouhyi

and

Florence

Deramond.

Anglo-Moroccan team 219 (the Smiley gazelles) came 23rd out of 120.

12 May 2015

Photos courtesy Rallye Aicha des Gazelles

May 2015 13

Karen Darke Inspiring Women Speaker

By Catherine Spencer Inspiring Women’s tag line is “Inspire, Believe,

Achieve” and Karen Darke (Inspiring Women Speaker) is perhaps more closely aligned to all three words than most. She is one of the

most inspirational people I have ever come

across; she has huge belief in her own abilities and has achieved some quite remarkable feats.

14 May 2015

Karen was a keen runner and mountaineer before

becoming paralysed in a rock-climbing accident

aged 21 and has since pursued alternative ways to access the outdoors – canoeing, sit-skiing

and hand-cycling. She has hand-cycled in various

corners of the world, including Central Asia and

the Himalaya, the Karakoram and the length of the Japanese archipelago.

Karen has co-organised Sea kayaking expeditions

along the coastlines of British Columbia and

Alaska, skied across the Greenland icecap, climbed the kilometre-high vertical rock-face of

El Capitan and kayaked through the fjords of

Patagonia. More recently Karen has cycled the Tibetan Plateau otherwise known as ‘The Roof of

the World’. Prior to her Tibetan challenge Karen

also competed in the London 2012 Paralympics coming away with a Silver Medal for British

May 2015 15

Photos courtesy Karen Darke

Photos courtesy Karen Darke

16 May 2015

Cycling. The mental and physical challenges that Karen has had to

endure have been immense but this wonder woman continues to prove that even the biggest challenges and seemingly impossible tasks can be overcome.

In September of last year Karen embarked on yet another challenge that initially seemed impossible to her, competing

in the Mallorca Iron Man. This would involve swimming 2.4 miles, handbiking 112 miles and using a racing wheelchair to run the 26.2 mile marathon. Whilst the distances in Iron Man are highly

challenging for all, the fact that Karen could only use the power of her arms in all three disciplines means that completion would be

a phenomenal achievement. A film has been made to document

this challenge, the premiere of which is being screened at the Sheffield Adventure Film festival in March as part of their Women

in Adventure programme. The film is aptly named ‘Impossible’ and will I am sure inspire us all and instil in us the belief that nothing is really impossible, everything is possible.

(http://www.shaff.co.uk/whats-on/films-a-to-z-list-2015/impossible/ ).

Photos courtesy Karen Darke

May 2015 17

Many would rest here but not Karen. Her next big focus is Rio and the 2016 Olympics where she

Photos courtesy Karen Darke

will hope to compete as part of the Great British Cycling team; once more entering the ‘pressure

cooker’ of British team racing as Karen describes it. Like London 2012, Rio 2016 will be an entirely

different adventure to cycling the ‘Roof of the World’ with friends or traversing the length of Greenland or climbing the El Capitan but the

mental toughness and determination that Karen has used in the past to turn impossible to possible

will surely spur her on in Rio. As Karen reflected in Tibet: “... cycling up the last ‘double-dipper’

passes (two in one with a drop down between them), especially the final stretch to 5250m and a massive view of the Himalaya and Nepal, the

scenery tugged out our emotion. I felt to be

riding into the future, a future full of excitement and beauty to match the mountains around us.

I knew why I’d had to wait twenty years for the

journey. Twenty years ago it wouldn’t have had the same impact”

all about finding belief, confidence, motivation and commitment. There are no limits.”

Following her Rio 2016 challenge Karen will, I am sure, continue to live life seeing the possibility

in everything. Her life, since her accident in 21, is not centred on what she now can’t do but is focussed entirely on her ability and what she can

do. Karen makes the impossible possible. She Inspires those that

know her and those that don’t, she encourages Belief in others

I felt to be riding into the future, a future full of excitement and beauty to match the mountains around us.

and she has and will continue to Achieve greatness.

In Karen’s own words: “What is life if it isn’t an

adventure? I’m constantly amazed by what can

be achieved if we set our heart and mind to it. It’s

18 May 2015

‘Inspire, Believe, Achieve’ Speaker Agency, Leadership & Teamwork development Consultancy.

Do you need a keynote speaker Do you have a need to recruit more females in to your industry

Are you looking to develop leadership or teamwork skills within your workforce Would your company benefit from increasing the number of or developing existing or potential female leaders

We can help using our resource of Inspiring female speakers and Inspiring and expert associates. www.inspiringwomen.co.uk catherine@inspiringwomen.co.uk

May 2015 19

Corinne Evans

Photo Credit: Matthew Hawkey

By Kirsty Hill Spending her early years in a landlocked city

hasn’t stopped Corinne Evans from pursuing her dream of being a professional surfer. After

moving to Cornwall at the age of 13, Corinne knew she wanted to work in the surf industry and took a course based on surf media and

business, which also incorporated surfing. She took lessons with the local grom (young surfer) 20 May 2015

“It was amazing... just the best feeling. I will never forget it.”

surfer Photo Credit: Beach Spirit

club and recalls the moment when she caught her first proper wave: “It was amazing... just the best feeling. I will never forget it.”

When she was 18, Corinne began modelling,

travelling and surfing even more. Realising that

she could combine modelling and surfing to make a living from doing what she loves, she Photo Credit: Corinne’s Surf Tour

contacted FOX about doing competitions, surf trips and getting coverage. In 2013, Corinne

joined surf brand Animal as a team rider and describes getting sponsored by the company as being the best thing that has happened in her surf career so far.

“Considering that I grew up in a city, it took me

a while to get into surfing and the fact that I’m paid to surf and model is pretty crazy!”

May 2015 21

Corinne is proof that you are never too old or live too far from the beach to take up surfing and

encourages women of all ages and backgrounds

to give it a go. Her annual surf tour and festival were created with this in mind.

“I wanted to give women a taste of the surfer

girl lifestyle in a fun, friendly environment that isn’t intimidating. When I learnt to surf, there

was only one female coach around who I was

naturally drawn to. There was me and one other girl in our group, the rest were boys and they told us girls that we would never be any good, which was really off putting.”

The events attract girls, older women, those who

live in cities, new surfers and anyone who wants to take their surfing to the next level. They are

for women who want to get fit, tick something

off the bucket list, make new friends and above all, have fun!

“Last year, a 60-year old lady came along who

had decided to try lots of different things surfing being one of them. Seeing how much fun

these women have and the friendships they form through the events is fantastic.”

There has never been a better time for women to get into surfing. The number of female surfers is

on the increase and Corinne believes that social media has contributed to this.

“Thanks to Instagram for example, people can see what the pro girls are up to - their lifestyle is so appealing and very empowering. Mainstream media sees surfing as a cool way to promote their products which opens further opportunities for those who live inland.”

22 May 2015 Photo Credit: Matthew Hawkey

May 2015 23

Photos Credit: Beach Spirit

“... surfing can be hard and disheartening if you are not standing up straight away but when it does fall into place, it’s the best feeling in the world!”

24 May 2015

“There are more and more girls competing the level is off the scale. Up and coming female

surfers are really pushing themselves and the

prize money for competitions has increased - it will only get better.”

And with two wave parks opening in the UK this year, surfing will become even more accessible,

especially for those who don’t live near a beach.

For anyone wanting to learn to surf, Corinne has the following advice:

“Get some lessons. You will learn how to popup properly and gain essential knowledge about

the sea and ocean safety. Surf as often as you

can and keep up your fitness levels. Above all,

have fun and stick at it - surfing can be hard and

disheartening if you are not standing up straight

away but when it does fall into place, it’s the Photo Credit: Corinne’s Surf Tour

best feeling in the world!”

If you’ve been inspired by Corinne to try surfing, join her surf tour taking place in Cornwall, Devon and Wales. For more information, including dates and booking, visit Corinne’s Surf Tour.

If you can’t make it to one of Corinne’s events,

you can find your nearest surf school and book a surf lesson at The Surfing Sumo the UK’s no.1 place to learn to surf. The site has tips to you get

started and beach guides for the best place to try it out. And with reviews for the surf schools, it’s easy to find one that suits your ability.

May 2015 25

26 May 2015

The Barnes Sisters Keeping it in the family Interview and article by Myak Homberger Most families would be pleased to have one daughter represent their country in a sport, so when two sisters represent their country in the same sport though in different disciplines, then it makes

for a very interesting and unique story. “Dad always wanted us to do something sporty rather than sit on the road,” Alice said,

explaining how it all started for them - although they have ended up in similar but different places.

Hannah is a road racer racing for UHC pro-cycling. This sees her

compete in races that vary in terrain, last around three hours and cover 120-130 km. But this is a team race and a team sport where strategy and the support of your teammates is crucial.

Alice is a mountain biker with a very different discipline to contend

with. A mass start of individual riders sees them race a course of 4-7 laps with each lap being roughly 5-6km and lasting around 1.15-1.45 hours; this is a flat-out race over terrain.

Cycling is in their blood for sure - both Hannah and Alice have

been on bikes from an early age. As Hannah commented, “...my Photos: Papaya Photography

first memory was probably on a bike.” They both have very good

and fond memories of their first racing club every Wednesday

May 2015 27

Photos: Papaya Photography

28 May 2015

night with Team Keyne. Very quickly it becomes obvious that the

glue and the momentum is family and in particular their parents. I spent the day with Hannah and Alice doing a location photo shoot

as well as the interview and just listening to them talk about their lives and upbringing and where they are at now, it was so clear that the support and love was/is crucial.

So often family and supportive parents are overlooked but the

Barnes sisters both together and individually are very aware and grateful for what their parents have done for them. They spoke of the long journeys to get to events only to turn around and drive

back straight afterwards without complaint. The significant amount of money spent on kit for them, the overnight stays, weekends

given up and then straight back to work on Monday with no time for themselves. As Hannah said, “...they have been so supportive, we couldn’t do it without them�. Although now that both girls are away competing and no longer need their parents to ferry them around and pay for everything they both agree that their parents

Photos: Papaya Photography

May 2015 29

Photos: Papaya Photography

30 May 2015

aren’t sure what to do with all this spare time. As Alice said, “...

they have so much time for themselves now they are bored!” and both sisters laugh.

There is genuine affection for their parents as they talk. They may

not need lifts but Hannah and Alice keep in contact every day thanks to technology, chatting on the phone if possible. Likewise

both Hannah and Alice keep in contact with each other as they travel the world competing. “We chat loads,”

“...we have always been close but I think it’s a good thing that we don’t race against each other.”

says Alice. However the interesting thing when I

ask about sisterly rivalry is that they both agree it’s good that they do different things. As Alice explained, “...we have always been close but I think it’s a good thing that we don’t race against

each other.” So in the same way that there is a bond and appreciation of their parents you feel they have the same appreciation of each other.

They are close, they are sisters, they are athletes, but they are also friends.

Quiet, unassuming and very humble: Alice and Hannah are a pair

of sisters who have their feet firmly on the ground - well, on pedals - and will continue to grow in stature and success because of it.

It’s the sacrifice of parents around the world like this that enable girls around the world to pursue their dreams and to be enabled

to achieve greatness. So to Mr and Mrs Barnes and all the parents

around the world, thank you for being our unsung hero’s this issue!

May 2015 31

Photo credit: Bart Raeymaekers

32 May 2015

Matrix Cycling The rubber hits the road, season start Article by Stefan Wyman

With all of the preparation done and no opportunity to jump into a DeLorean and travel back in time and change things, you have to be confident you’ve done all you can to be competitive in races.

May 2015 33

We know it’s a big step up, but without confidence the hard work has been done, it’s going to be an

uphill struggle. Racing with doubts leads to poor performance.

Our first few races were a case of dipping our

toes in the water. We had no real expectations but we certainly had high hopes. You can’t go

into professional races happy to just participate,

you have to have some kind of goal, but we didn’t enter the races with a firm result in mind

and just hoped our riders would be capable of having an impact on the race.

They certainly did, and early season races saw Christina Siggaard take the first team win of

the season, plus an excellent podium finish in

the Dwaars door Vlaanderen. Molly Weaver 34 May 2015

Racing with doubts leads to poor performance.

seamlessly made the step to professional level with her most significant early season result coming in the French classic race in Cholet, with

8th place against some of the worlds leading

These events are the real step up. Long, fast, tough and relentless racing against only leading riders.

riders and teams.

But the big test was still to come. We gained

entry to two of the worlds biggest races, the Tour of Flanders and the Fleche Wallonee. Both

are ranked as World Cup events run alongside the men’s equivalent event. These events are

the real step up. Long, fast, tough and relentless racing against only leading riders. They leave

any weakness exposed; no place to hide. Tour of Flanders is one of the most iconic events in the world, and it was also going to be the team

debut for Laura Trott. A star of London 2012 where she took double gold for Team GB, Laura Photos credit: Bart Raeymaekers

May 2015 35

Photo credit: Bart Raeymaekers

36 May 2015

opted for the toughest start of all, making the

jump from post track season training to the biggest of all events.

It’s not only the results that come under the

microscope, but the media attention at these

events is huge. Spectator numbers are a massive jump from most events, so everything you do,

and how you do it, gets noticed. That attention even moves through to sponsors and we hosted

two of our major sponsors that weekend with

It’s exhausting, exhilarating and inspiring.

Yellow Jersey and Trek Bicycles joining the

team in the Belgian sunshine to see how their investment is doing.

We performed well, a steady start, calm and

stress free, followed by a crash for Mel Lowther, then the rapid approach to the seemingly

endless run of hills, cobbles, cobbled hills, more

hills. It’s exhausting, exhilarating and inspiring.

Our little team is part of the top of the sport.

Molly was our top performer in the finish with

37th. Our goal was top 30, but we did well and

were proud of the ride in general. To see Molly getting such a good and significant result was a great moment, but seeing her want to have

got more out of the event was even better one.

Our riders aren’t satisfied to be riders, they want to be winners:

“As the peloton wound it’s way to the bottom May 2015 37

of the Oude Kwaremont, I wasn’t in as good a

So when you’ve touched the top, what do you

at the front of the race where the attacking was

we are there next year. Stability has always been

position as I would have liked. Instead of being

kicking off once again, I had let myself slip back

to the middle of the group. This meant I spent the whole climb fighting to make up places; not an easy task by this point as my legs had decided they’d had enough. With my hands raw and blistered, shredded legs, and about as

much positivity repeated in my head as I could manage, I slipped into a second group as we

finished climbing and began the lead up to the Patterberg. I put my head down and tried to bridge back to the group, but as I flicked my

arm for the next rider to come through, I saw that everyone behind me had a teammate up the road.”

Photo credit: Bart Raeymaekers

38 May 2015

need to do next? Well we need to firstly ensure

a major goal for our team. We want to continue

to grow, and continue to have bigger impacts on events. But to do that we first need to secure

our future and at this point of the year, one eye is defiantly already on 2016. It’s a big year being

the Olympic year and hopefully our riders can be there winning medals and inspiring another generation of stars.

We’ve managed to put ourselves in the biggest events and on the biggest stage. Now we

have to hope the doors to board rooms open

and interest from those in control of marketing budgets is diverted towards us. Women’s cycling

is a rapidly growing sport that still provides a

Women’s cycling is a rapidly growing sport that still provides a hugely cost effective marketing tool for business around the world.

hugely cost effective marketing tool for business around the world. I really hope we can continue

to provide the opportunity for our riders to grow and success under our banner for the coming years.

What else do you do once you’ve touched the top? Well you use the inspiration and motivation

to keep moving up the result sheet. Bite size targets, week on week, will help our challenge for the top of the sport become a reality. Lot of

trainings, lots of learning, and lots of near misses

will all be key ingredients if we want more big steps over the coming months and years.

May 2015 39

40 May 2015

“It is not how big you are, it’s how big you play.”

- Author unknown

SPORTS

TM

International

May 2015 41

Sports International Magazine's Netball World Cup 2015 in numbers: The 14th edition of the Netball World Cup (formerly World Netball Championships) will be held on 7-16 August 2015 in Sydney.

Netball World Cup 2015 new format 2015 sees a new competition format which will see the top-ranked teams play each other more than once, offering fans the opportunity to see teams such as New Zealand, England, Australia and Jamaica go head-to-head in blockbuster matches before the final stages of the competition.

7.14%

Other teams

28.57%

28.57%

% Australia has won WC

71.43%

% New Zealand has won WC

% Trinadad & Tobago has won WC

71.43%

92.86%

Other teams

Other teams

Data anomaly due to Trinidad & Tobago being joint winners with Australia and New Zealand in 1979 in Port of Spain, Trinidad.

Data:NWC2015

Average of 9 hours sunshine per day

32% chance of rain

18C/64F

Sydney enjoys a temperate climate with a mild winter, and has more than 340 sunny days a year.

August is the last month of winter technically.

SOURCE: Bureau of Meteorology

Only 4 teams have competed in every World cup, how have they faired?

4 2 1 2

4

Australia

England

42 May 2015

Highest position

6

1 3

Jamaica

New Zealand

Lowest position

South Africa is the only nation other than Australia and New Zealand to have played in a World Cup final. Finals were introduced in 1991 in Sydney, Australia and South Africa’s appearance in that final against Australia remains the only time any other nation has been part of the 6 previous Netball World Cup finals.

7-16

AUG

2015 nwc2015.com.au/TICKETS

May 2015 43

YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix

44 May 2015

Photo Credit: Huw Williams

Article by Richard Stoodley At 6.30 am on 20th September 2015, the

residents of the beautiful village of Tickhill, South Yorkshire will still be sleeping soundly as

embark on their their own specific task of they day.

the lorries, transporters and equipment start to

Race day has come and within less than 3 hours

of contractors and volunteers each ready to

arena, lined with 900 barriers, advertising flags

arrive at their destination along with hundreds

the roads are converted into an amazing Racing

May 2015 45

Photo Credit: John Ennis

46 May 2015

...The Race itself offers the public free admission to watch 8 Races over the day ranging from Youth Under 12 Boys and Girls right up to the professional ‘Elite’ Men’s and Women’s Races which boast the UK’s biggest Prize Fund.

May 2015 47

and hoardings, speakers systems, 2 huge 13m2

then hard, hard graft and boundless enthusiasm.

Food vendors ready to feed the 5000 spectators

The Race itself offers the public free admission

action paced Cycle Racing as the YESSS Tickhill

Youth Under 12 Boys and Girls right up to the

LED video screens, a Cycle Kitchen of Street who are due to witness a fantastic day of exciting,

to watch 8 Races over the day ranging from

Grand Prix moves into its third year.

professional ‘Elite’ Men’s and Women’s Races

It’s funny, because by 9.00 pm at night the village

which boast the UK’s biggest Prize Fund.

will be morphed back into its original sleepy

The organisation of the actual Races is one

a street brush, and the noise of the celebrations

under British Cycling rules, with a back up

public house from the day’s talented winning

Judges,

happened.

on staff, litter pickers, helpers etc, but running

But it is this level of dedication and organisation

Prix requires dedication to get the event

state and other than a few folk finishing off with

thing, attracting about 500 Riders, and running

still ringing out from the Scarborough Arms

team numbering about 100 of Marshals,

teams, you wouldn’t even know anything had

Commentators, Car Park attendants, Signing

that has made the Tickhill Grand Prix what it is,

which is quite simply an overnight success story, one of the best Cycling Criterium Races in the UK, that has come from nothing but a simple idea,

48 May 2015

Scrutineers,

Medics,

Commissars,

an event such as the YESSS Tickhill Grand infrastructure in place.

As spectators, you see what is in front of you,

but have you ever considered, who turns on the

Photo Credit: Huw Williams

Photo Credit: Huw Williams

May 2015 49

50 May 2015 Photo Credit: John Ennis

Photo Credit: Richard Stoodley

lights at the temporary traffic lights which works

every resident in the village directly effected

A roads ? Who draws out the diagram of exactly

opportunity to voice their concerns ?

in conjunction with a major diversion of the main where the 900 + metal pedestrian barriers will

by putting on the Race and giving them

be placed ? Who contacts the Care companies

Well those are just a tiny fraction of the

will still be able to get her Meals on Wheels ?

ongoing since the day after the last event

to ensure that the bedridden lady at No 39

thousands of different jobs that have been

Who decided on the colours of the ribbon for

finished in August last year.

the Winners bouquet ? Who charges the 45 radios to ensure great communication ? Who do you originally speak and apply to at the Police and the Council to organise a Temporary Road

Traffic Order? How many Ty-Wraps do you need to secure almost 1000 metres of advertising

bannering from about 75 different companies ?

And has anyone ever considered that someone had the job of calling door to door to each and

So why does an event need to be so diligent ?

Race organiser ‘Rapid Rich’ Stoodley explained; “ When you decide to put on an event like the

YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix, you soon realise the costs are going to be huge and to cover these you need to fund them by offering the

event as a vehicle that companies want to use to promote themselves, you have to give them

May 2015 51

52 May 2015 Photo Credit: John Ennis

something with value, exposure and prestige, and that is when it becomes serious.”

“Everything needs to look right, sound right, read right and be right. A sponsor may be giving you tens of thousands or just a few hundred pounds but each equally need their adverts to be right, each

wants to revel in the atmosphere of the day which is only achieved

if both the Spectators and the Riders are enjoying themselves, so it it crucial that every element is planned and controlled from the

900 + Barriers to the freshness on the Cream in the VIP’s scones,

from the Pantone colour of the YESSS ELECTRICAL logo to the toilet signs, from the fair pricing and quality of the coffee to the

1000th second photo finish timing ..... ALL and EVERY task is as important as the next.”

It is hard to believe that on the 20th September this will only be the 3rd time the Tickhill Grand Prix has run, such is the slickness of

the operation, but equally as impressive is its standing as a British Cycling event.

“Everything needs to look right, sound right, read right and be right.

It was the recognition and belief that Women’s Cycling needed to be given equal status that put Tickhill firmly on the map. The organisers

gave the Women Racers what they wanted and

included equal prize money, and overnight, on its inaugural running of inclusion of Women’s Races

it was hailed as the biggest and best Women’s Crit Race in the UK.

No bad for the first one you have put on, and even better when

you find out the organiser doesn’t really have a clue about Cycling

and only climbed on board the saddle himself aged 53 in October 2012 !

We will be previewing the YESSS TICHILL GRAND PRIX in more detail in out JULY /AUGUST (?) issue, but be sure to open your

diary to visit this beautiful historic village on 20th September, and as you enjoy a Paella or Pizza in the Cycle Kitchen or are supping

a pint of their own Grand Prix Ale whilst flicking through the comprehensive and informative full colour programme, just bear a thought .... how did this all come together !

May 2015 53

YESSS Tickhill Grand Prix EVENT DETAILS WHERE: Tickhill, Nr Doncaster, South Yorkshire DN11 9PY WHEN: Sunday 20th September 2015 - Racing starts at 11.30 am WEBSITE: www.tickhillgp.com VIDEO: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsnPFj5slSc Twitter: @T_VeloGrandPrix

RACES: Youth B Mixed - Under 12 Boys / Girls YOUTH B BOYS - Under 14 Boys only YOUTH A / B GIRLS - Under 16 / Under 14 Girls only YOUTH A BOYS - Under 16 Boys only WOMEN Cat. 3 & 4 - Women Only MEN Cat. 3 & 4 - Men Only WOMEN ELITE , 1 , 2 - Top Teams & professional Women MEN ELITE, 1, 2 - Top Teams & professional Men. 54 May 2015

Photo Credit: Huw Williams

May 2015 55

US IV E

EX CL

Photos courtesy Ladies European Tour

Team USA

– the Solheim Cup and what it means

By Myak Homberger Solheim Cup is an extraordinary moment in the

We have written about the Solheim Cup from

sport come together to represent Team Europe

learnt more about the Team USA players to

Golfing calendar where athletes in this individual or Team USA every two years. This year the Cup returns to Europe and will be played at the St Leon-Rot Golf Club in Germany.

56 May 2015

many angles over time but as of yet we haven’t

understand what it’s like to be on the team and to play in a Solheim Cup. Speaking with

four previous Team USA players we wanted

to understand what it is like to be part of the Solheim Cup event.

The one thing that all of the players instantly said was that it was about the honour of representing your country and that the format of a team event

is something they loved. As Brittany Linicome said, “...there is nothing better”. Playing for your

country is not something that normally happens in Golf and it is very obvious in listening to the

players how much this means to them. “It’s a dream come true and a huge honour,” said

Gerina Pillar of being selected to play for Team USA. Or as Lizette Salas put it, “...everyone wants to on the team.”

The stand out thing for me in everything that they all said was the emotion of it, starting with the selection. From the time selections are being

decided players start to talk on the course and

at events - as Brittany Lang described it, “...

you want to be on it (the team) but you need to

focus on the golf tournaments you are in (prior to selection).” This seems to be a very nerve racking time for all of those in contention and

when you finally get told you are in it’s all just too much for some. As Gerina Pillar explained,

“I broke down in tears, the pressure. It still gives

me chill bumps, Meg saying ‘you’re going to Colorado with us’.” And then she stopped for a

moment and added “I still get teary-eyed about it, it’s the best feeling in golf”.

It seems that a lot of it has to do with validation of the player, in part that they are good enough

to make the team, but more importantly I think, that it validates what they are doing and all the hours and sacrifice they have put in over

the years. As Lizette Salas said, “...finding out alongside my dad is a special moment, knowing

Photos courtesy Ladies European Tour

May 2015 57

Photos courtesy Ladies European Tour

58 May 2015

all your work has paid off, I started to cry”. This is

If you look at the photos you will see the stands

as it seems from what they say that it somehow

that is pressure enough. If you then you then

an incredibly powerful moment for these players, connects them and that it’s an experience.

For others the impact is more on the course once you are there and

the fans are supporting

you and the moment you have always waited for

is finally here. As Lizette

Salas explained, “I was crying before I got to the

first tee, I didn’t know

and crowd watching as the first tee shot is taken, add the fact you are representing your country,

the event status, the validation it gives players, there is no wonder they feel like this.

“...you get very little sleep and you run on adrenaline”

why, such an indescribable

If this is what it is like beforehand and at the start of the competition, how on earth do they

keep it together? Brittany Linicome summed it up when she described how “it’s

special

because

feeling”. Or as Brittany Linicome described

you are helping each other, encouraging each

the 1st tee no matter how many times you have

gets them through, along with professionalism

it “...you feel like you are going to be sick on done it”.

other”. They are in this as a team and that’s what that kicks in and they focus on playing to their

Photos courtesy Ladies European Tour

May 2015 59

strengths, all powered by the knowledge that

they are playing for their country as a team and that this is an opportunity not to be missed. It

still doesn’t take away from the intensity of the

competition though, and I think Brittany Lang

covers it well when she said “...it’s exhausting, you get very little sleep and you run on adrenaline knowing that the next week you can sleep”.

What I really enjoyed was the openness of the golfers talking, they answered my questions so

honestly without pretending to be cool about it and that in itself shows what the Solheim Cup

means to them and brings out in people. It may not be for the faint hearted but for those who

have done it and for those who are on the edges it is a life changing experience.

Photos courtesy Ladies European Tour

60 May 2015

May 2015 61

Football:

The United States Women’s National Team

By Myak Homberger They say ‘it’s tough at the top’ but wow, the USWNT (United States Women’s National Team)

have had a tough time with an almost endless list of issues and challenges on and off the field with

players, media and even fans not liking the kit

that Nike have made specifically for the World Cup. It’s like they can’t catch a break.

62 May 2015

May 2015 63

Photo credit: Papaya Photography

64 May 2015

May 2015 65

Until recently they were ranked number one in the world (Germany are currently number one).

World Cup winners in 1991 and 1999, the team

has a unique stat in that they have participated

in every Olympics, winning a medal in each; winning in 1996, 2000; being Runners-up 2004

and then winning in 2008 and 2012. The sheer weight of expectation, pressure and demand has been significantly more than for other countries.

As far as experience goes they have it in spadefuls: defender Christie Rampone will be attending

her fifth World Cup, Shannon Boxx and Abby Wambach will be playing in their fourth World Cups, while Carli Lloyd, Hope Solo and Heather O’Reilly enter their third. They will be leading a

group of eight into their first World Cup: Ashlyn Harris, Alyssa Naeher, Whitney Engen, Julie

Johnston, Meghan Klingenberg, Morgan Brian, Sydney Leroux and Christen Press.

Given this and the expectation of lifting the cup

again we thought it would be good to spend

time getting to know the team behind the news and hype, to see what lies behind the stories.

Photo credit: Myroslava Terlycky

The first thing I would say is that we found that there were no airs and graces from any of the

players or the staff, no diva’s and no corporate

lines given to us. We considered it a privilege to have been invited to a closed training session to

watch the team train, spend time chatting with the players and then to interview the players after their game against England. Of course

there were things we were asked not to film etc., but nothing more than you would expect from

any national team. For me this is a huge plus and shows their openness to talk and allow us to see them as they are.

Talking with the players it was clear that they love

playing for their country and as Nicole Barnhart 66 May 2015

“I don’t take it for granted, each caps is amazing.”

Photo credit: Myroslava Terlycky

Photo credit: Myroslava Terlycky

May 2015 67

put it, “I don’t take it for granted, each caps is amazing.” They want to play for USWNT and for sure the World Cup is a huge draw for them. Both

Ali Krieger and Carli Lloyd said almost the same

words when talking to them about the World

Cup: “...it’s the journey, the journey to the World Cup.” For them so much has gone before but there is so much to come, for the players each of

their journeys and training are their stories and listening to them you can sense their desire and focus.

Anticipation is high amongst the players as they

head into the World Cup and as they look to focus on the World Cup, be a team and what it means to win. In our conversation with her

after the England game, Alex Morgan said that

the team was “focused on being selfless” and this was the key to their winning ways. This is great to hear for a number of reasons, most

importantly for the sake of Abby Wambach, their ‘go to’ lynchpin in a tough situation. The 2012 FIFA World Player of the Year, holder of the

world record for international goals for both female and male soccer players with 178 goals

is a colossus on the field. She has ‘thrown the team on her back’ and willed it to victory when that looked almost impossible, as Mia Hamm put it. With more focus on team the pressure is off her to pull the team through and do what she

does best and also to give room to other team mates to flourish. This focus can be the glue that

Photo credit: Myroslava Terlycky

pulls them together and can show the world that they are back on top and how things can be done. This is a team with desire and destiny.

There are wrinkles that they are working on and

hopefully they will have straightened by the

World Cup, I hope so for their sake because they have accomplished much both as a team and as individuals and they have a lot more potential and a lot more to give. If you look at the team on 68 May 2015

“...it’s the journey, the journey to the World Cup.”

paper, there are a number of players who would

be on anyone’s list of a world 11 team. There

are great players and good people that make up the team and I look forward to seeing that

connection and the burning desire that I saw in

players as we spoke as well as that determination

and pride of representing the USA to bring this team to new found glory.

May 2015 69

6 JUNE – 5 JULY

EDMONTON VANCOUVER

WINNIPEG

70 May 2015

Canada has hosted one edition of the Summer Olympics (Montreal 1976) and two Winter Olympics (Calgary 1988 and Vancouver 2010).

The Canadian women’s team has participated in five out of six editions of the FIFA Women’s World Cup™, their best ranking being fourth in 2003.

One year before the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2015™, Canada will also play host to the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup 2014.

Canada will be the first country to host this tournament twice after staging the first edition in 2002 when they finished as runners-up. Toronto is the only FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup stadium that will not host the senior event in 2015.

The Canadian Soccer Association celebrated its centenary in 2012.

Christine Sinclair scored ten goals in one edition of the FIFA U-19 Women’s World Championship in 2002, the tournament that is now called the FIFA U-20 Women’s World Cup. Former FIFA referee Sonia Denoncourt from Canada has refereed the second highest number of matches in the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ with a total of nine.

The number of teams participating in the FIFA Women’s World Cup™ will increase from 16 to 24 in 2015. In 1991 and 1995, there were just 12.

In Mexico in 2010, Canada won the CONCACAF Women’s Championship for the second time.

Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist, inventor, engineer and innovator who is credited with inventing the first practical telephone.

MONCTON

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), known around the world as The Mounties, is a federal police force for Canada.

Even though the RCMP is a modern policing body, the scarlet tunic and the black horse remain an important part of the force’s traditions and form part of Canada’s national identity, as seen in the popular Musical Ride ceremony.

Inuksuit are stone landmarks or cairns built primarily by the Inuit in the Arctic region of Canada. They vary greatly in shape, colour, size and how they are constructed and each one has some form of meaning. They have also been used in the past by Inuit in the Arctic region to divert caribou to a wider part of a river or lake for hunting purposes. The word inukshuk means “in the likeness of a human”. Inuit Heritage Trust

MONTREAL

OTTAWA

Totem poles are monumental sculptures carved from large trees, mostly Western Red Cedar, by indigenous peoples of the Pacific coast of North America. The word totem means “kinship group”.

Tidal Bores are natural phenomena caused here by the surging Bay of Fundy tides which are the highest in the world. The higher waters in the bay cause the water in the placid Petitcodiac River to roll back upstream in one wave. Tidal bore activity occurs twice daily and waves range in height from 3cm to 60cm.

Trees have a commercial, environmental and aesthetic importance to Canadians. Maples sustain the maple sugar industry, help to beautify the landscape and contribute valuable wood products. The maple tree was officially recognised as Canada’s arboreal emblem in 1996.

On 15 February, 1965, the red maple leaf flag was inaugurated as the national flag of Canada making it one of the most prominent Canadian symbols.

Live Your Goals is FIFA’s long-term commitment to support women’s football worldwide and encourage more young women and girls to participate in the sport.

@FIFAWWC

May 2015 71

facebook.com/fifawomensworldcup © FIFA 2014 Editorial deadline: March 2014 Images © Getty Images

MATCH SCHEDULE

FIFA WOMEN’S WORLD CUP CANADA 2015™

BC Place Stadium * EDT -3

* EDT -2

NGA v.

USA

30 15:00

CAN v.

NZL

SUI v.

CMR

02 19:00

14 16:00

32 18:00

NZL v.

NED

CHN v.

NED

AUS v.

SWE

07 18:30

19 19:00

27 15:00

29 16:00

USA v.

AUS

USA v.

SWE

THA v.

GER

ECU v.

JPN

08 15:00 SWE v.

NGA

03 16:00 GER v.

CIV

20 16:00 AUS v.

NGA

15 16:00 GER v.

NOR

26 18:30 CHN v.

NZL

35 16:00 MEX v.

FRA

04 13.00

16 19:00

34 19:00

NOR v.

THA

CIV v.

THA

KOR v.

ESP

09 19:00

21 16:00

36 16:00

BRA v.

KOR

BRA v.

ESP

ENG v.

COL

10 16:00

22 19:00

25 19:30

ESP v.

CRC

KOR v.

CRC

NED v.

CAN

11 14:00

23 14:00

28 17:00

FRA v.

ENG

FRA v.

COL

CIV v.

NOR

12 17:00

24 17:00

33 20:00

COL v.

MEX

ENG v.

MEX

CRC v.

BRA

Montreal

Olympic Stadium * EDT

Moncton

Moncton Stadium * EDT +1

Friday

Thursday June 18

Wednesday June 17

Tuesday June 16

Monday June 15

Sunday June 14

Saturday June 13

31 17:00

SUI v.

ECU

13 19:00

* EDT -1

* EDT

Friday June 12 18 16:00

CMR v.

ECU

CAN v.

CHN

Winnipeg Stadium

Lansdowne Stadium

Thursday June 11

06 16:00

01 16:00

Winnipeg

Ottawa

Wednesday June 10

Tuesday June 9

JPN v.

CMR

Rest day

Commonwealth Stadium

17 19:00

JPN v.

SUI

Rest day

Edmonton

05 19:00

Rest days

Vancouver

Monday June 8

Sunday June 7

Saturday June 6

Group Matches

* Note: Local kick-off times are listed. Eastern Daylight Ti

Group A

Group B

Group C

Group D

Group

Canada (CAN)

Germany (GER)

Japan (JPN)

USA (USA)

Brazil (BR

72 PRMay 2015 China (CHN)

Côte d’Ivoire (CIV)

Switzerland (SUI)

Australia (AUS)

Korea Re

New Zealand (NZL)

Norway (NOR)

Cameroon (CMR)

Sweden (SWE)

Spain (ES

Netherlands (NED)

Thailand (THA)

Ecuador (ECU)

Nigeria (NGA)

Costa Ric

Sunday July 5

Saturday July 4

Friday July 3

Thursday July 2

3/4 Place and Final Wednesday July 1

Tuesday June 30

Monday June 29

Sunday June 28

Semi Finals Saturday June 27

Friday June 26

Thursday June 25

Wednesday June 24

Tuesday June 23

Monday June 22

Sunday June 21

Saturday June 20

44 16:30

42 19:00

48 16:30

52 16:00

1st A v.

3rd C/D/E

1st C v.

3rd A/B/F

W43 v.

W44

W49 v.

W50

47 14:00

50 17:00

51 14:00

1st D v.

3rd B/E/F

W41 v.

W42

W47 v.

W48

L49 v.

L50

39 16:00

43 17:00

1st B v.

3rd A/C/D

2nd B v.

2nd F

45 19:30 W37 v.

W38

Rest days

38 18:00

2nd A v.

2nd C

Rest days

37 17:30

Rest days

40 16:00

46 16:00

49 19:00

1st F v.

2nd E

W39 v.

W40

W45 v.

W46

Subject to Change. W = Winner, L = Loser

June 19

Quarter Finals

Round of 16

41 14:00 1st E v.

2nd D

imes (EDT) is Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) -4 hours.

RA)

France (FRA)

epublic (KOR)

England (ENG)

SP)

Colombia (COL)

ca (CRC)

Mexico (MEX)

May 2015 73

Š FIFA

Group F

09.12.2014

pE

24 FINALISTS AFC

CAF JAPAN

NIGERIA

AUSTRALIA

CAMEROON

CHINA PR

CÔTE D’IVOIRE

2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup winners Qualified on 18 May 2014

2014 African Championship winners Qualified on 22 October 2014

2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup runners up Qualified on 18 May 2014

2014 African Championship runners up Qualified on 22 October 2014

2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup third place Qualified on 19 May 2014

KOREA REPUBLIC

2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup fourth place Qualified on 19 May 2014

2014 African Championship third place Qualified on 25 October 2014

OFC NEW ZEALAND

THAILAND

2014 OFC Women’s Nations Cup winners Qualified on 29 October 2014

2014 AFC Women’s Asian Cup fifth place Qualified on 21 May 2014

CONCACAF CANADA

FIFA Women’s World Cup Canada 2015™ Qualified as hosts of the final competition

USA

2014 CONCACAF Championship winners Qualified on 24 October 2014

COSTA RICA

2014 CONCACAF Championship runners up Qualified on 24 October 2014

MEXICO

2014 CONCACAF Championship third place Qualified on 26 October 2014

CONMEBOL

GERMANY

2013-14 UEFA Group 1 winners Qualified on 13 September 2014

SPAIN

2013-14 UEFA Group 2 winners Qualified on 13 September 2014

SWITZERLAND

2013-14 UEFA Group 3 winners Qualified on 16 June 2014

SWEDEN

2013-14 UEFA Group 4 winners Qualified on 17 September 2014

NORWAY

2013-14 UEFA Group 5 winners Qualified on 13 September 2014

BRAZIL

ENGLAND

COLOMBIA

FRANCE

ECUADOR

NETHERLANDS

2014 Copa América Femenina winners Qualified on 26 September 2014 2014 Copa América Femenina runners up Qualified on 28 September 2014 CONCACAF-CONMEBOL playoff winners Qualified on 2 December 2014

74 May 2015

UEFA

2013-14 UEFA Group 6 winners Qualified on 21 August 2014 2013-14 UEFA Group 7 winners Qualified on 13 September 2014 2014 UEFA Playoff winners Qualified on 27 November 2014

GROUP A

GROUP B

A1 CANADA

B1

EDMONTON · EDMONTON · MONTRÉAL

OTTAWA · OTTAWA · WINNIPEG

A2

B2

EDMONTON · EDMONTON · WINNIPEG

OTTAWA · OTTAWA · MONCTON

A3

B3

EDMONTON · EDMONTON · WINNIPEG

OTTAWA · OTTAWA · MONCTON

A4

B4

EDMONTON · EDMONTON · MONTRÉAL

OTTAWA · OTTAWA · WINNIPEG

GROUP C

GROUP D

C1

D1

VANCOUVER · VANCOUVER · WINNIPEG

WINNIPEG · WINNIPEG · VANCOUVER

C2

D2

VANCOUVER · VANCOUVER · EDMONTON

WINNIPEG · WINNIPEG · EDMONTON

C3

D3

VANCOUVER · VANCOUVER · EDMONTON

WINNIPEG · WINNIPEG · EDMONTON

C4

D4

VANCOUVER · VANCOUVER · WINNIPEG

WINNIPEG · WINNIPEG · VANCOUVER

GROUP E

GROUP F

E1

F1

MONTRÉAL · MONTRÉAL · MONCTON

MONCTON · MONCTON · OTTAWA

E2

F2

MONTRÉAL · MONTRÉAL · OTTAWA

MONCTON · MONCTON · MONTRÉAL

E3

F3

MONTRÉAL · MONTRÉAL · OTTAWA

MONCTON · MONCTON · MONTRÉAL

E4

F4

MONTRÉAL · MONTRÉAL · MONCTON

MONCTON · MONCTON · OTTAWA

May 2015 75

The beauty of the GAME

FIFA Women’s World Cup 76 May 2015

Photo Credit: Papaya Photography

Photo Credit: Papaya Photography

By Myak Homberger Football is so often referred to as the ‘beautiful game’ and if you read through all the stats, information and history of the Women’s World Cup it is so easy to see why the FIFA Women’s

World Cup is a beautiful thing indeed. It is impossible not to get excited by every aspect of it!

For those converted, come along and enjoy the

ride and for those who don’t know much about Football let me try and convert you.

has

developed

alongside

have participated in all six previous World Cup tournaments. These teams are Brazil, Germany, Japan, Nigeria, Norway, Sweden and the USA.

What is also great to see is the growth of the

game with the number of participants in the World Cup qualifiers going from 45 teams in 1991 to 128 in 2015. This shows the appetite

for the game around the world and the desire for countries to compete for the pinnacle in

Things have changed over the years as the competition

teams competing this time, only seven teams

the

women’s game around the world. For starters

there was no specifically designed football until

the 1999 World Cup - isn’t that amazing? As well as this, regulation time for matches at the first

FIFA Women’s World Cup in 1991 was 80 minutes but changed in 1995 to 90 minutes. Of the 24

Football.

It’s so exciting to see so many countries

participating as you read through the list of countries that took part in the qualifiers for

this World Cup. Credit as well to FIFA for the mammoth task it must have been to organise

the qualification matches for this World Cup.

In 1991 there were a 110 matches around the May 2015 77

world and this has now risen to 398 for this

edition! Played in 79 countries and 179 cities

with a total of 1,643 goals scored, the FIFA team have delivered something truly remarkable for this edition.

The 2011 World Cup saw new records in broadcasting

and

audience

participation

around the world as a total of 5,931 hours were

broadcast across 181 territories reaching an inhome audience of a staggering 248.5 million

people who watched games. This number jumps hugely if you add people who watched some of a game to 407.8 million, incredible figures for

women’s sport! It’s no surprise that the highest viewed game was the final, JPN v USA where 62.8 million sat glued to their seats.

To measure the record for all-time attendance you would need to go back to the World Cup

USA 1999, when a total of 1,194,221 fans

flocked to the stadiums, an average of more than 37,300 per game. The 1999 World Cup also set an attendance record for a single match,

when a total of 90,185 spectators watched the USA beat China PR in the final at the Rose Bowl in Los Angeles.

So can the 2015 World Cup beat these figures?

Well, it certainly seems it from all the media talk

and excitement as well as the ticket sales at

the time of writing this. It seems that we are on course for some records to tumble.

Most telling as to how the women’s game has improved is that the goal average has dropped from over three goals for the first six tournaments

(with a record of 3.84 in 1999) to 2.69 in the last edition, which reflects the steady development and increasing professionalism of the women’s game.

78 May 2015

Photo Credit: Papaya Photography

So it will all boil down to the 24 teams competing in 6 pools and a total of 52 matches across 6

host cities to see who will raise the World Cup

in Canada. These are exciting times for women’s

football globally, especially given the current

level of issues around mens football at the moment. By contrast, the female footballers are renewing the beauty of the game for many.

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Lay the long <Y-Strip> with 0% tension to the top of the thigh. Run the tails with 0% stretch around the swelling.

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2. Lay the two tails of the <Y-Strip> with 0% stretch around the point of pain.

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Using the centre technique, apply 50% stretch over the point of pain and anchor both ends.

May 2015 79

DISCLAIMER The instructions we provide here are on our website are for illustrative purposes only. They are not meant to replace professional medical advice. If you are suffering from a medical problem you should immediately contact your physician. Muscular and skeletal problems are often indicative of serious health issues and you should seek treatment from your doctor or therapist. Cancer paitents should not use SPORTTAPE and do not use on the abdomen if pregnant. Warranties and remedies are limited to replacement cost.

Betting in Women’s Sport

By Myak Homberger Betting is a huge industry around the world -

offering any bets. This is further compounded

results to the truly ridiculous including how

links on betting sites - the information is so

where you can bet from the obvious sport related

many times a politician will say certain words in a speech or the name of a celebrity’s unborn baby.

Huge amounts of money are handled around the world in betting shops and thanks to the internet, and all the many online bookmakers.

With the Women’s Football World Cup just

when reading through the various articles and

out of date, including having old league names still displayed. When I spoke with the Director

of Media relations for one of the largest bookmakers he said that they don’t update any of the website information anymore and do blogs if necessary, a very haphazard approach.

about to come to life in Canada I decided to do

It’s a sad situation when it’s easier to get odds

around the world. I contacted bookmakers’

the potential of an alien existence than it is for

some research into gambling in women’s sport press departments as part of our online research

to understand more about it. The one thing that everyone agrees on is that Football is the most

popular women’s sport to bet on by a long way

- and the World Cup is the biggest and most bet on of all the women’s sports worldwide.

This is fantastic news until you look at it in more detail. At the time of writing this article there

on who the next ‘sexiest woman on earth’ is or

many women’s sporting events. The 6 Nations,

heralded as ‘the greatest championship’ and the

largest international competition outside of the

Rugby World Cup, saw only one company offer

odds on the matches despite the mens version that runs in tandem having every regional bookmaker offering odds, not only on the game but on who will score etc.

were only 4% of all betting companies offering

I am not seeking to comment on the morality of

rising to 9% for any women’s sport. What is

highlighting that within the worldwide betting

any odds on the World Cup with the figure only strange is if you look at the companies that do offer betting on women’s sport only 14% of them

offer betting on the World Cup, supposedly the largest women’s competition in the world?

This seems to make no sense, but what further

adds to the picture is that although you can get odds for U19 internationals, getting odds at club level for all the major leagues in the world

is impossible: there is not a single company 80 May 2015

betting or encouraging people to bet, but merely community women’s sport is hardly on the radar and where it is, it is scant to say the least. Could there be a world where a large bookmaker backs

a sport or tournament and encourages people to bet? Maybe. If they did, imagine the revenue that they could bring into that sport? It would change the face of any sport.

th

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May 2015 81

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“If you don’t love what you do, you won’t do it with much conviction or passion..”

- Mia Hamm

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May 2015 83

84 May 2015

May 2015 85

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Interviews with the World Cup Coaches

By Myak Homberger There is always so much focus on the teams and the players as

World Cups come and go but so often little is mentioned about the coach unless there is an inspired decision or sadly a bizarre one that leads to a loss.

In the lead up to the World Cup I have been very fortunate to spend time with a number of the coaches during the Cyprus Cup

and chat about all sorts from formations, to highs and lows and training regimes. But just to give you some stats first.

The first World Cup saw five female coaches lead their national teams, this figure has risen slightly to seven in the latest tournament.

Of these women only Silvia Neid of Germany (who we interviewed last issue) will be making her third appearance. Pia Sundhage of

Sweden will be making her second appearance with the balance of the female coaches all making their first appearance, what a cauldron to enter!

Streets ahead of all the other male coaches is Even Pellerud of

Norway who will lead his side to his 5th World Cup, a remarkable feat for any coach. With thirteen of the male coaches making their debuts this will be a very interesting World Cup from a coaching point of view.

Each coach I spoke to has had very different things to contend

with as they approach the World Cup. The Matildas, along with

the Football Ferns have the biggest geographical challenges as well as getting game time. As Matilda’s coach Alen Stajcic said to

me,”...the balancing act for us is geography and getting games 86 May 2015

Photos Papaya Photography

May 2015 87

Photos Papaya Photography

and protecting the players from injury with too many games”.

With youth on their side and a squad of 30 to choose from as well as a lot of games and quality periods of time together leading to the World Cup, Alen is confident that they are a team to be

reckoned with. “It’s a tough group but we are growing with each game we play. We are definitely in the mix to lift the Cup, there is

a group of nine or so who could possibly win and we are in it, so that’s good.”

For Korea and coach Yoon Dukyeo it’s been all about getting the

right combinations of players, holding training camps and keeping

with a clearly defined plan that has been laid out. Dukyeo explained his training regime and said of the World cup plans, “...preparation is going well, but we must keep with the plans.”

Hosts Canada may have the home advantage but that can also be a home pressure and coach John Herdman is all to aware of these pitfalls and so has ensured that this issue was addressed head-

on early in the program. As he explained, “I needed to put them 88 May 2015

Photos Papaya Photography

in situations they were uncomfortable with, so playing big teams at home and losing in front of 25,000, has taught everyone a lot

but also dealt with the pressure”. However, Herdman feels that it’s about training for every eventuality on the field and preparing

the team mentally. It’s about empowering them on the pitch, in

the cauldron of the World Cup to change and be flexible but not rattled.

Leonardo Cuéllar will be leading the Mexican national team on this his third outing to a World Cup. Having spent 15 years building a

national women’s development program, Cuéllar is in an enviable

position with too many players to choose from and a couple of key players who are about to come off the sick bench. He sees that consistency is key for them and that there is still room for

improvement - and hopes that the two training camps and four friendlies between now and the World Cup will provide that.

Cuéllar said of his team to me, “...we are in a difficult group but we have everything to gain and nothing to loose. We are eager to

have a good World Cup for our country”. This is a great view to have as well as a good position to be in with less than two months till kick off.

So for me it has been interesting to chat with all these coaches and

hear what they have to say and observe their varying focus - and that is what makes this sport such a great one to watch and be

involved in. Culture, training, previous match experience and even the number of times the country has attended the World Cup all have a huge influence on their build-up to the event. It is this fact

that makes these 24 coaches, both male and female, so remarkable - but also adds such a burden and pressure with a record audience

around the world predicted watching every decision they make

and questioning every bit of training and planning they made leading to this point.

All the coaches have two things in common: a passion for women’s

football and a desire to lift the World Cup. And as Alen Stajcic

said, “that’s the great thing about this World Cup - there are a few teams in the mix that can do it this time and that can only be good

for the game”. He is right, what better advertisement can there be than there being no definite winner ahead of the World Cup with all the favourites having been beaten at some point recently, wonderful!

May 2015 89

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O U T S TA N D I N G

AT H L E T E Portia “Bhashin” Modise

By Myak Homberger Portia Modise is a remarkable player by any measure - the first African player to reach the elusive 100-goal barrier in international football and only 14th player ever to score a milestone 100 goals for her country. If you read the list of the other women who have achieved this it’s a who’s who of women’s football heros. She is indeed in rare company.

Portia is also one of only two African footballers, alongside Perpetua Nkwocha, to be nominated for the Women’s FIFA World Player of the Year (2005). Her 100 goals in 117 games puts her third in terms of her goals-per-game ratio of players who have netted over 100 goals for their country: her 0.85 goals/game only puts her behind the retired duo of Julie Fleeting and Elisabetta Vignotto, who have an impressive 0.97 goal/game average. The amazing thing is, she is still going strong and some would say stronger than before!

Watching her pace and command of the ball, an ever present danger for the goalkeeper, she is

90 May 2015

definitely a player to watch - which, considering she walked away from international football in 2008 is something. What makes the story even better is that she was ‘re-discovered’ by current coach Vera Pauw playing for a men’s regional team! Her ascent has been swift and she hasn’t looked back since 2014.

Talking with her, she is very modest about what she has achieved and very, very humble. She makes it clear from the start “...this is for (sic) the contribution of my team mates because I wasn’t going to do it on my own so it was team work,” she says of her achievement. This only serves to endear her to the team more and make her a more likeable person. She knows what she has achieved and is as pleased as anyone to be in such rare company - but for Portia it’s about the team and this keeps her grounded. If you didn’t know her achievements and you met her you would never know - she isn’t going to talk about them and she doesn’t wear them on her sleeve as some can.

Having said that, she is equally blasé about scoring goals. “If the opportunity comes to take

May 2015 91 Photos Papaya Photography

Photos Papaya Photography

92 May 2015

May 2015 93

A fun and wonderful person to have met.

it I do,” she says of opportunities and scoring goals. But she goes on to explain that she isn’t chasing goals and if it means setting up a goal for a team mate then of course, because for her it’s not about scoring goals, it’s about a desire to win.

When I ask her what is she going to set her sights on next, she doesn’t hesitate and says, “... for the love of God to score another 100!” She laughs and then says “150, this is my goal, to get to 150 goals scored for South Africa”. Under the laughter and smiles there is a determination that I think will see her get those goals.

I look forward with interest to seeing how Portia’s next phase unfolds because she has all the ingredients to be a record breaking footballer who is humble, grounded and talks of team first.

IA PORT SE MODI

Congratulations to ...

Portia Modise

our outstanding sportswoman! We’re proud supporters of women’s sport around the world!

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SUPPORTING THE FUTURE OF

WOMEN’S FOOTBALL The Live Your Goals campaign is part of FIFA’s long-term commitment to support women’s football worldwide and encourage more young women and girls to participate in the sport.

May 2015 95 #LiveYourGoals

@FIFAWWC

/fifawomensworldcup

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Canada Women’s Soccer Team Host team World Cup 2015

By Myak Homberger Every footballer wants to play for their country and as Sophie Schmidt said, “it’s a footballers dream to play a World Cup in your own country. It’s a rarity, it adds pride

behind the jersey.” It’s this very sentiment that Sophie shared with me when I spent time with her and team mates Kadeisha Buchanan, Erin McLeod as well as Coach

John Herdman that made you instantly warm to the team, the country and all they have planned for this amazing event.

FIFA and Canada have done an incredible job of promoting and creating such a welcoming environment for this event with what is projected to be the largest audience ever and it seems that the approach is the same across the board.

Excellence in what they are doing, but at the same time a desire and ability to revel

in the moment and enjoy it. There isn’t a sense of intensity and stress, but a relaxed one that is focused on delivery and a good event for all. As coach John said, “55,000 Canadian fans in Edmonton will be fantastic!”

Everyone is excited and wants to have a good World Cup, but for it to be enjoyed 96 May 2015

Photo credit: Papaya Photography

May 2015 97

by all, yes, the Canadians are focused on winning, of course they

are. But it is this balance between excellence, wanting to win the

Cup and enjoying the moment that they seem to have, no matter who you speak to or what is put out in the media. It’s the same message and that is quite a feat.

People speak about ‘home advantage’ and how crowds have pushed some teams further than they would normally have gone

- and this is something the team are aware of and rather than it

“...when you get to a tournament, anything happens and we want to be ready for any situation” being the elephant in the room, they have embraced it in a very interesting way. First, from coach John’s point of view, he knew

from the get-go that this would be an issue that would need addressing and so as he says, he “put them in situations they were

uncomfortable with”, getting big teams to play them at home and beat them.

This may seem an odd way to go about things but it has provided him and the team with huge learning that they can put into

practise during the tournament now. Losing at home, losing in general and losing in front of friends and family and learning how

to deal with that have all been worked through, so that they can now focus on what they need to do and play the football they are

all comfortable with. They have turned these games into a huge

amount of learning. For the team it’s all about preparation, various

scenarios and what to do. As John said, “...when you get to a

tournament, anything happens and we want to be ready for any situation”. This doesn’t mean the team isn’t aware of the pressure

either - as goalkeeper Erin McLeod explained, “...the momentum

of the country behind you is great, but with that comes pressure and we are aware of that”.

98 May 2015

Photo credit: Papaya Photography

May 2015 99

100 May 2015

“...the momentum of the country behind you is great, but with that comes pressure and we are aware of that”.

Photo credit: Papaya Photography

May 2015 101

Photo credit: Papaya Photography

John is wanting to have a team that walks onto

every eventuality and they are feeling that things

for anything that happens, as well as having dealt

our mindset is great, we are heading in the right

the pitch for the first game completely prepared with the obvious challenges. He doesn’t want to be dealing with things on the pitch in a World Cup as a surprise. He doesn’t want the team to

focus on surprises, he wants them to focus on football and winning. Winning is something that is increasingly a part of their make up: straight

wins since December last year and only losing

are in a good place. As Sophie explained, “... direction and we will peak at the World Cup.”

(This to a cheer from her team mates!) It’s about a connection between the various units and the

small details and there is a quiet confidence in what they are doing that you can sense when talking with them.

in the final to England in the Cyprus Cup in

As Kadeisha Buchanan explained, the home

positioned.

looking to use positively. “Fans support will be

Talking with the team, it’s very obvious the

tough and you need a little pick-me-up, we are

March by 0-1, has set them up to be perfectly

approach has been well instilled. They are better

for the losses, they are better for the knowledge and tools they have been given to deal with 102 May 2015

crowd is something new and something they are huge, in those games where it goes quiet and

looking for the fans to provide that”. They are

looking to embrace the support rather than

looking at it as a pressure to perform and this is

why it is genius what John did, getting the tough games at home in the build up to this.

Having said all of that there is tangible excitement from all of them at the prospect of playing in a

World Cup, but more so that they are playing at

home in front of family and friends. For so many of them their loved ones have previously been unable to travel and see them play so to do so in a World Cup on home soil, perfect.

The team spirit and the vibe I get from them is best summed up by Erin when she says “we are

a team that plays a lot with our heart”. This is a group of focused, prepared and connected

footballers who are going to welcome and revel

in everything that being a host nation brings but importantly with eyes wide open, having dealt with a lot of the challenges they may face and still come out smiling the other side.

This is a team that is going to use the fans’

support and the pull on the heart strings of the friends and family watching in the stand to make Canada proud of them as well as the World Cup

family, whilst playing the best football they can and enjoying living their dreams.

Editors note: from staff to coaches to players the team was so welcoming and a pleasure to be around, a really nice vibe and great to spend time with, all so smiley!

“Fans support will be huge, in those games where it goes quiet and tough and you need a little pick-me-up, we are looking for the fans to provide that”.

May 2015 103

© FIFA, FIFA’s Official Licensed Product Logos, and the Emblems, Mascots, Posters and Trophies of the FIFA World Cup™ tournaments are copyrights and/or trademarks of FIFA.

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Apple

&Crumble Almond

Recipes and Tips sponsored by

The haricot bread company 106 May 2015

Photo: Zac Peatling

Hand-crafted Artisan Bread

Recipes and Tips Ingredients 40g sultanas Juice of one orange 3oz/85g cold butter 3oz/85g golden granulated sugar 3oz/85g plain white flour 2oz/60g oats 1oz/30g selfraising or plain brown flour 1oz/30g flaked almonds 4 crisp eating apples

Photo: Zac Peatling

(Braeburn or Coxes are very good) Method • Preheat the oven to 180C/350F • Squeeze the juice out of the orange.

• Place the sultanas in a small bowl. Add the orange juice, stir to mix, then leave to soak while preparing the rest of the crumble.

• Lightly grease the base of an ovenproof dish.

• Put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Slice the butter into the dry ingredients, then rub it in with your fingertips until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

• Peel and slice the apples, then arrange them in a layer in the dish.

• Spoon the sultanas and orange juice evenly over the apples.

• Lightly and evenly sprinkle the crumble over the top of the apples.

• Scatter the almonds over the crumble.

• Bake for 30-40 minutes until the top is golden and the apples cooked.

May 2015 107

Hints Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s no need to cook or blanch the apples beforehand - the oven cooking time is sufficient.

Add more almonds or apples (or crumble!) as youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like - the ratio of crumble to apple can easily be changed depending what you prefer.

Leaving the sultanas to soak for longer makes them even more plump and delicious.

Good-for-you ingredients Apples Apples are full of goodness and nutrients.

Apples contain pectin, a form of soluble fibre which helps lower cholesterol and keep blood sugar levels stable. Pectin cleanses the intestines, binding with waste products and eliminating them from the body. (Apples are traditionally known as the bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s broom!) It also aids the growth of beneficial bacteria in the gut. Pectin helps to eliminate toxins and heavy metals from the body; it also helps to eliminate excess fluids.

Apples are good for skin problems, arthritis, rheumatism and gout; it is a traditional aid for joint problems. Grated apple can stop

108 May 2015

diarrhoea. Apples contain high levels of quercetin that helps protect against damage and a build up in the arteries from cholesterol; it may also help protect the lungs from pollution.The malic acid in apples cleanses the liver, relieves indigestion and breaks down fats.

It also plays a role in the production of energy.

Apples contain Vitamin C, are easily digestible and hydrating (they are about 85% water).

Almonds Almonds are a rich source of vitamin E, protecting against heart disease. Almonds are a good source of calcium (one of the richest non-animal sources), essential for healthy bones and teeth. Almonds can help lower cholesterol levels and reduce the risk of heart disease; they contain fibre and minerals such as zinc and magnesium.

By Isa du Toit Sources and further reading: Wonderfoods: Natalie Savona, The Complete Superfoods Cookbook: Michael van Straten, Healing Foods: Miriam Polunin

“A good hockey player plays where the puck is. A great hockey player plays where the puck is going to be.”

- Wayne Gretzky

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110 May 2015

Thank you’s I would like to thank the following people in particular for making this issue possible: the whole Canadian Football team and support staff for the openness and friendliness, Jannine and Portia, you girls rock! To all the coaches who gave me their time and insights at such an important time in their schedules.

Thanks to the USWNT media manager, you know who you are and you are a true gent, and to the team for allowing us their time. Richard and the Tickhill GP team, such a great bunch of people and as passionate about women’s sport as any. Thanks to the legend that is Huw for all his imagery and cycling knowledge. Stef and the Matrix crew, showing us what a year in the life of a cycling team is like and taking the time to fit it in!

To Alice and Hannah for their patience in allowing me to drag them around parks and back streets to get all the photos and interviewing we wanted and for showing me an amazing deli! The Surfing Sumo guys and their love of all things surfing, Karen and Catherine for sharing such a story and for all you are doing.

Lastly and by no means least, FIFA, FIFAWWC, Netball World Cup Sydney and our amazing supporters SpurUK, Biltongman, Advanced Mouthwear, Yellow Jersey, Ibiza 10’s - it is because of you and all the access and support you give that this is possible, thank you.

The views and opinions expressed by the writers in this magazine are their own and not necessarily those of Sports International Magazine. © Copyright 2015 Sports International Magazine. All Rights Reserved May 2015 111

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Ireland’s most capped female player - EXCLUSIVE Interview

Lerato Malekutu, Kate Jones, Megan Fletcher

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Posy Musgrove, Dragons 7s , Matildas, Jordan Taylor...

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April 2013

Kate Walsh

Nikki McSweeney

Interview England and Chelsea Goalkeeper

The Pro Sports Magazine

International

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The Pro Sports Magazine

The Pro Sports Magazine

The Pro Sports Magazine

The Pro Sports Magazine

The Pro Sports Magazine

October 2013

December 2013

February 2014

April 2014

June 2014

party 1Anniversary photos

1 Issue

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Anniversary

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The South African Hockey Team a calling - not a job...

Australian Womens Cricket Team

Nikki Symmons

Amanda Davies

Kelly Holmes

German Women of the Modern Pentathlon

Easkey Britton, Claire Bennett, Jane Claxton, Laura Davies CBE,

Beverly Goebel, Lydia Hall, Sindy Huyer, Sarah Outen, Buchanan Next Gen – BMX team

Bill Predmore; Seattle Reign FC, Chloe Wilcox, Maggie Alphonsi, Shona Thomson, Jess Fishlock, Sophie Radcliffe

Bianca Walkden; Lara Prior-Palmer, Sally Conway, Marcelle Manson, Anna Turney, Lydia Hall, Méabh De Búrca

2014 FASWL Review Transfers, Women’s Surfing Roots...

SIM Unsung Hero, The Cyprus Cup, Canadian Rugby 5’s

Exclusive Interviews

Exclusive Interviews

Irish Rugby 7s, The Ashes, Isha Johansen, The Solheim Cup...

Exclusive Interviews & Articles

Ibiza Rugby 10s, What’s the real problem with doping?, SA Netball...

Sports nutrtion, top tips and more...

Sports nutrtion, top tips and more...

October 2013 1

The Pro Sports Magazine August 2014

SIM Unsung Hero, Dragons 7’s, Womens Football, Cricket: Twenty20 Sports explained, top tips and more...

Sports nutrition, top tips and more...

Sports nutrition, top tips and more...

December 2013 1

Photo Papaya Photography

Exclusive Interviews & Articles

Exclusive Interviews & Articles

Photo Papaya Photography

The Pro Sports Magazine

November 2014

January 2015

Photo: Papaya Photography

Photo Papaya Photography

Photo Papaya Photography

The Pro Sports Magazine

June 2014 1

April 2014 1

February 2014 1

The Pro Sports Magazine

The Pro Sports Magazine

March 2015

May 2015

EX

Canada Women’s Soccer Team CLUSIV

New Zealand Rugby 7’s

Sophie Christensen

Matrix Fitness Pro Cycling Team 2015

Sunshine Ladies Tour, Extreme Sailing, Sophie Radcliffe, Ashleigh Simon, Dame Sarah Storey

Ladies European Tour, Alex Scott, Charlotte Edwards, Carla Hohepa, Liz McTernan, Man City Womens Football

Molly Rhone, Oakland Raiderettes , Jenny Duncalf, Extreme Sailing, Springboks on the Rise,

Exclusive Interviews & Articles

Exclusive Interviews & Articles

November 2014 1

Exclusive interviews with the World Cup Coaches

Exclusive Interviews & Articles

SIM Unsung Hero, The Captains Pick , Outstanding Athelete

Recipe, top tips and more...

August 2014 1

Rallye Aicha des Gazelles, Team Matrix,

SIM Outstanding Athelete. Unsung Hero.

SIM Unsung Hero, GN4LW, Outstanding Athelete

Recipe, top tips and more...

January 2015 1

Recipes, Top tips and more...

Top tips and more...

March 2015 1

Photo: Papaya Photography Photo: Papaya Photography

www.sportsinternationalmagazine.com

112 May 2015

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The United States Women’s National Team, Karen Darke, Team USA – the Solheim Cup, Corinne Evans - surfer

Late Princess Lalla Aicha, Invicta Fighting Championships, Thailand Women’s Cricket Team, Shannon Knapp,

Exclusive Interviews & Articles

SIM Unsung Hero, 2014 FAWSL, 5 Surprising Food Facts!

SIM Unsung Hero, Brazil Rugby, Australian Rugby 7’s Recipe, top tips and more...

– Host team World Cup 2015

Alexis DeJoria – Drag racer

Photo: Papaya Photography

May 2015 1