Dome2Dome now on cycling's world map

In a big boost for South Africa cycling the PowerAde Dome2Dome Cycling Spectacular has become the first commercially owned single day cycle race in South Africa to attain sanctioning from world cycling's governing body, the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI).

The men's elite race now forms part of the UCI Africa Tour and it has elevated the status of the event immensely with more foreign participation and an international race referee being flown in to take care of proceedings on the day.

The men's race will also offer more prize money with almost R50 000 now on offer to meet the UCI's prize fund requirements.

The elite event takes place on 16 September and forms part of a weekend sports festival and Sports Expo at Northgate's Coca Cola Dome.

Until now the only single day road race in South Africa in which riders could earn UCI points has been the National Championships. The only other road event that carried UCI sanctioning was the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay Giro del Capo stage race.

"This is really going to benefit South African cycling in a significant way," said former national team manager Tony Harding.

"It's very difficult to qualify our riders to ride at the World Championships and Olympic Games because they have to travel all over the world to earn enough UCI points.

"The Dome2Dome has taken the first step in this regard and hopefully the other major South African single day races will follow suit. This will open an avenue for riders to earn points on home soil and will ultimately go a long way in strengthening the country on the international cycling scene, which will show in our performances," he said.

Harding is involved very closely with the Dome2Dome and has been tasked to oversee the elite event to make sure it adheres to all the necessary UCI regulations. He will also work closely with the international race referee.

The elite race at the Dome has been shortened to 105km, which is the main distance presented for recreational riders on the day as well. The 174km route which they rode last year was simply too difficult to manage logistically and the organisers have decided to let it run on the main route
of the day.

The total bonanza which comprises the massive Powerade Dome2Dome offers a cycling overdose. Whether you're a road cyclist or a mountain-biker there's a race for you at the Dome2Dome.

Alongside the two road distances of 105km and 48km, there are no less than three mountain bike races over 15km, 30km, and 60km as well as some other interesting two-wheeled events which will be revealed in the next couple of months.

World Cup places up for grabs at Telkom Women’s Classic

As the Ladies African Tour winds down this week the focus for the South African players will be a place on the 2008 Women’s World Cup of Golf team.

Ashleigh Simon and Lee-Anne Pace are the frontrunners in this hotly contested chase. But a big performance in this week’s tour-ending Telkom Women’s Classic at Benoni Lakes Golf Club from either Stacy Bregman, Laurette Maritz or Kelli Shean could catapult them into serious contention.

Selection for the team is based largely on the players’ performances on the Ladies African Tour and their standing on international Order of Merits on the Ladies European Tour and LPGA Tour.

Amateurs such as Simon compete for a place on the team via a points standing on the Ladies African Tour.

Simon leads the way on the points standings, lying second on 187.50, a point-and-a-half shy of Denmark’s Julie Tvede.

Bregman is next best in fourth on 166.67 points. Pace follows closely behind in fifth on 163 points, with Shean sixth on 151 points. Maritz is far off the pace in this category, placed 13^th on 92 points.

But the professionals will be focused on the money list. Pace has the edge here and is second on the money list with earnings of R56 104. She’s followed closely by Bregman on R53 938. Maritz is seventh with R33 012.

After capturing her second Acer Women’s SA Open title last week, Simon looks certain to claim her place in the Women’s world Cup of Golf team.

But her partner in 2008 is still debatable and will depend largely on this week’s event.

The Telkom Women’s Classic is the last of four events on the Ladies African Tour with a purse of R220 000.

Maritz, who is aiming to make the Women’s World Cup of Golf team for the fourth time, is the defending champion after winning last year at Zwartkop Country Club.

The veteran birdied her final two holes for a two-stroke victory over Sweden’s Antonella Cvitan, while South African Mandy Adamson and Spaniard Carmen Alonso shared third.

Tvede, who has finished second twice on the Tour at the Pam Golding Ladies International and the WPGA Masters, will be looking to win both the money list and the points standings when she tees it up on the par-72 East Rand layout.

A1GP Correction

On February 27, 2007, I wrote on this blog about a story I had heard from the Team USA at the A1Gp held in Durban. Since then, I received the letter below from Peter Burroughes from Team A1 South Africa......

"I have been asked to provide you with information that we hope will assure you that there was no safety breach at the A1GP in Durban concerning Team USA's Jonathan Summerton.

The Motorsport South Africa-appointed clerk of the course, George Portman (qualified as an 'A' grade COC by MSA, which met the FIA's requirement on the day), confirmed with me that Summerton was able to climb out of his car and exit the track via a gap in the safety wall, where he was immediately attended to by medical staff. Subsequently, he was taken to the track
hospital for further treatment.

This can clearly be seen on the video of the race, which shows a Netcare ambulance on the scene.

To my knowledge, no complaint has been received from A1 Team USA concerning the treatment (or supposed lack of treatment) received by Summerton and there was no reference to any safety breach on either Summerton's or A1 Team USA's website.

The red flag was shown in error as a result of a miscommunication."

He goes on to say that I should have contacted him and not tried the A1gp staff in the UK. Seems as if a can of worms has been opened here, or should that be a "Pandora's Box"? I am getting information from both sides of the saga now and I am digesting it before I do anything more.

It seems that there is indeed an investigation around the USA accident and communication issues that the marshals on the day were experiencing. There are also stories that the USA crash period has been taken out of the streaming video which is available on the A1gp website.

There are a few agendas at work here and I am not sure who is right and who is wrong. I will keep looking into the issue though.

This has made me very curious.

I am also asking questions about Adrian Zaugg, the 'South African' driver for Team South Africa. More to follow......

Blogging from the Cricket World World

The BBC have a blog from the Cricket World Cup in Carribean. Seems that tickets are not as cheap as they said they would be.

Check it out here....

Latest odds from William Hill can be found here....

The official site is here....

Don't forget to have some fun while you watch the cricket too.....

New Big Cycle Race in South Africa

South Africa will be the focus of the cycling world when it stages the first ever African Premier Professional Cycle Road Race – The Tour of South Africa, later this year and will join the ranks of other great national tours such as Le Tour de France and The Tour of Britain. The eight day event will start on 27 January 2008 and will consist of a peloton of 120 elite professional riders - 20 teams with six riders each, contesting a seven stage race through the dramatic yet scenic landscapes of South Africa.

An official announcement and ceremony will be made on Thursday, 8 March at the British High Commissioner’s Residence during a two hour reception and photo session.

The race will form part of the elite professional UCI African calendar in 2008 and will attract leading cycling teams from across the world as warm and sunny start to the cycle racing season. There is no qualification with teams invited to take part. Among those participating who have already confirmed their presence will include teams from the UK, Germany, Japan, China, USA and South Africa. The route is yet to be finalised, but proposed options could include stages in the Western Cape, Eastern Cape, Gauteng and Kwazulu-Natal.

The Tour of South Africa organisers, Sweetspot Group Limited and South African commercial partner Navitute (Pty) Ltd, are working with a number of partners including, Cycling South Africa, South African Tourism, and the South African International Marketing Council to finalise the route and to maximise the impact of the race on the country’s economy. A foundation will be established to ensure surplus income is re-invested into community projects across the country.

Hugh Roberts, Chief Executive of Sweetspot said:

“The Tour of South Africa will become a landmark event in the professional cycling calendar. Its uniqueness comes from the fact that it will be Africa's premier cycle race encouraging the best teams and riders to take part on the African continent. With its sports orientated culture we believe it is an obvious location for an elite cycling race.”

The race will follow a similar model to other leading cycle races, such as the Tour of Britain and Le Tour de France. There is no single title sponsor, instead funding comes from a combination of both the public and private sector, with a host of commercial opportunities available to businesses wishing to target the South African market and international tourism markets.

Morne added:

“The race will provide South Africa with an opportunity to showcase many areas of our country to the rest of the world. It will also benefit local economies directly. In addition, it will be used to promote cycling and health related activities to the people of South Africa.”

Netball has no idea

In August last year, there was chaos in Netball South Africa. The coach left and two members of the executive left as well.

Yesterday I spoke with Nini Mthetwa, the president of Netball South Africa. The issue was the scrapping of the quota system in Netball in South Africa. I started the interview in a positive mood as I thought that, at last, the great country that we live in was being sorted out. No longer would players of colour be degraged to a "quota" player. THey would know that if they are in the national side then they would be the best player in that position in the country. Celebrations were in order.

My first question was if Netball South Africa were confident that thier development was done. The first answer I got was suprising. Instead of celebrating that there was no need for putting poor players in because of thier skin colour, the president of Netball South Africa said that the quota system had NOT been scrapped. Huh? But the press release.....

No, she said, that is only in certain places, and she went on to explain. I will try and tell you what I understood from what she said, but the three people I work with in the Afternoon Sport Show on SAfm had no idea, so what follows is the best I can do....

Netaball South Africa have a South African championships. At these champs, the best players from around the country compete to be national champions. Up to now, Netball SA has demanded that a quota system be implimented in choosing these teams. So, for example, Gauteng North had select thier squads to ensure that there was correct representaion of colour. This, in netball, is a ratio of 5:7. Five white players and seven black player OR seven white players and five black players. Either is fine as long as the rartio is correct.

That has been scrapped. The regions and teams are to now send thier best players, irrespective of colour, to the national championships. You with me so far?

From these ladies, the national squad will be selected, a group of 30 or so girls to represent the country in competition. World Champs, tests, friendlies, etc. Again, there will be no quota system here. The best girls will be selected for the squad.

But here comes the confusion.

According to Nini Mthethwa, that is where the dropping of the quota system ends. When it comes to choosing the final team, the team that takes to the court, the 5:7 ratio will again be applied. Five white and seven black OR five black and seven white......

Is it just me or are you as confused?

Why would Netball South Africa do something like this? Nini says its because the Governement says they have to.

Surely there is a point when a sport must tell the government to get stuffed? Cricket did it, there was a little bit of an uproar but it seems as if they have gotten away with it. I thnk it's high time netball did the same thing.

WARNE SAYS KIWIS, SRI LANKA MAIN THREATS

Shane Warne Friday rated New Zealand and Sri Lanka as Australia's biggest threats at this month's World Cup but gave recently-crowned world number one South Africa no chance of claiming the title.

Warne said he expected Australia to overcome their recent slump of five straight one-day international losses to win a third consecutive World Cup in the Caribbean.

"I think New Zealand and Sri Lanka are two of the danger sides," the world's leading Test cricket wicket-taker said.

"I just like the way they play. I reckon they're a chance with the small grounds and the way the wickets will play. I'm sure they'll be a very good chance," he said.

"But I don't have any doubts whatsoever about the Australian side. They'll be fine," said Warne, speaking in Adelaide.

"They've still been making 350, so if they keep making those sort of scores I'm sure they'll be okay.

"If they can sort a few little issues out and get their team right -- the one they want in terms of selections -- get their bowling right in the middle periods and in the end I'm sure they'll be fine."

Warne predicted the West Indies will rise to the occasion, while rubbishing the chances of the Proteas.

"The West Indies always seem to do well in these sorts of tournaments and the ICC Champions Trophy, so they're a bit of an outside hope. It's their home country too, so they'll play better there.

"But I don't think South Africa are a chance.

"They don't have much flair. They're very regimented. I know they're rated the number one side in the world at the moment, but I don't think they're the best side in the world."

Warne retired in January having taken a world record 708 wickets in 145 Test matches.

Sports Finance

I ran a story here a couple of days ago about how the Sports Trust is giving money away to different sporting codes that dearly need the money. Well done to them, I say, and long may it continue. The Sports Trust raises money from people like you and me. People who love sport, events and the faces around the sport. Golf days, quiz evenings and talks all go together to create a very succesful fund raising opperation.

Then there is the Lotto, who also do great things for the cinderalla sports. Some people aren't happy that money from the Lotto goes to sport, but sport does good things, sometimes. Cricket to get children off the streets in Cape Town, lifesaving to help people from not dieing comes to mind.

Weekly, on my radio show, I hear some of these smaller sports asking, no, begging for sponsorship. They keep telling me that the big money goes to the big sports. Who are these big sports? Soccer, sure, cricket, of course and then the big one, RUGBY! The traditional game played by white Afrikaans people who are racist, that according to some people in the South African Government. But that's for another day and another time.

If these three sports are sucking all of the sponsorship money from around the country, where is it going?

Today on the Supersport Zone, Dan Retief writes that the Lions and the Western Province are in financial trouble. He also mentions Boland which is a laughing stock in the world of rugby, by no fault of thier own. If these Unions are in tourble then where is the money that keeps being thrown at rugby?

Cricket seems well off. Players are off in the Carribean now playing a world cup and the team is made up of the right amount of "players of colour".

Football should have the biggest winfall. 2010 is only a few years away, new stadia are being built and houses are being rented out as we speak, but is it as well as we think it is? The answer is NO. Some players can barely make ends meet every month and most teams, even in the PSL, the top league in the richest league in Africa, are saying that they can't get sponsors. WHY??

Someone, sort this out.....

If the big three are getting ALL of the sponsor money, what is going to happen to the smaller sports in South Africa?

World Cup Cricket makes it's Rules

Format and regulations of the cricket World Cup starting in the West Indies on March 13.

1st round. The ninth edition of the World Cup will be contested by 16 teams, the most ever. In the first round they are divided into four groups of four teams and play each other once. The top two from each group qualify for the super eight.

Super eight. The winners and runners-up from the four groups will play each of the other teams except the team which advanced from their own group. The top four qualify for the semi-finals.

Semi-finals and final. The second and third place finishers will contest the first semi-final while the teams placed first and fourth will meet in the second. The winners meet in the final in Barbados on April 28.

Points: Two for a win, one for a tie or a game without result in the preliminary and super eight stages. Teams qualifying for the super eight carry forward only the points gained in the group stage against the other qualifier.

Key rules:

If the scores are equal, the match is tied regardless of the number of wickets which have fallen.

Each match comprises two sessions of 3-1/2 hours each with a 45-minute interval. First session 0930 - 1300, interval 1300 - 1345, second session 1345 - 1715

If the start is delayed or play is suspended, the match can be extended by a maximum 30 minutes.

Key innovations:

Powerplay - Fielding restrictions when only two fielders are allowed outside the 30-metre circle surrounding the wicket with at least two in catching positions will be applied in three blocks totalling 20 overs.

The first powerplay of 10 overs automatically comes into force at the start of an innings. The fielding captain must then nominate two five-over spells when restrictions will apply.

Bowl-out - Cricket's equivalent of soccer's penalty shootout if the semi-finals or final end in a tie. Bowlers from opposing teams take turns to bowl at a set of three stumps. The team with the most hits after five deliveries each is the winner.

For a full list of rules click on this link...