tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-67428235437880782222024-03-13T04:59:23.953-07:00Arab News SportsArab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-6245257668580224622012-01-24T13:01:00.000-08:002012-01-24T13:01:33.780-08:00Woods hoping to resume good play in Abu Dhabi<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<strong> Tiger Woods says he’s starting a season fully fit, something he hasn’t been able to say in at least eight years he estimated.</strong>
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“It’s been quite a few years since I’ve
been physically fit,” Woods said on Tuesday in his first appearance at
the Abu Dhabi Championship.<br />
“So I’m looking forward to getting out there and giving it a full season, which I haven’t done in a while.”<br />
Woods’
confidence is higher than of late after the way he ended 2011, when he
won his Chevron World Challenge in December for his first title in more
than two years.<br />
He’s hoping to pick up this year where he left off
last year, though Woods faces a tough field included top-ranked Luke
Donald, second-ranked Lee Westwood, defending champion Martin Kaymer and
US Open champion Rory McIlroy.<br />
“I’m looking forward to this
year,” Woods said. “That’s something that I have to say, because I was
able to prepare and get fit enough to prepare last year and toward the
end of the year. I demonstrated to myself what I can do with
implementing what (coach Sean Foley) wants me to do on the golf swing.”<br />
Woods
took part in traditional Emirati ayala dancing earlier in the day with
Westwood and McIlroy, and was in good spirits for most of the press
conference. But he appeared slightly agitated when the questions turned
to a book written by Hank Haney, who was Woods’ swing coach for six
years.<br />
The book, due out in March, chronicles the time Haney began
working with Woods at the Bay Hill Invitational in 2004 until they
parted a month after the 2010 Masters, where Woods made his return to
golf after being exposed for multiple extramarital affairs that
shattered his image and led to divorce.<br />
Woods said he was unhappy that those he had worked with including Haney and former caddie Steve Williams had spoken out.<br />
“Certainly
it’s something that I have to deal with. I get asked at press
conferences what these guys have done, and that’s just part of it,” he
said. “Am I disappointed? Yes. Frustrated? Certainly, because I have to
answer the questions. … So I’ve answered them and I guess I’ll have to
continue doing it. Hopefully, this will come to an end.”<br />
After
missing much of 2011 with injuries, Woods said he finally was “healthy
enough to practice” toward the end of the season and it paid off.<br />
He
finished third at the Australian Open, and then delivered the clinching
point for the American team in the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne
before winning in Chevron. With the win, Woods has moved up to 25th in
the world after briefly falling outside the top 50 last year.<br />
“I
think Australia was pretty big for me to go down there for two weeks and
play in that type of wind, and to hit the ball as well as I did, I
really controlled my golf ball for two weeks, and you know, I think that
led to what I did at the World Challenge,” Woods said. “I hit the ball
just as well there, and made a couple of putts, and especially on the
last two holes there. You know, consequently, got a W.”<br />
The
14-time major winner would only say his goal this year was to win more
than he had last year, and was hopeful one of those victories would be
another major. He is four short of Jack Nicklaus’ record.<br />
Woods
has switched his season-opener from San Diego to Abu Dhabi this year and
admitted his scheduling decisions are influenced by the appearances
fees he’s offered. Woods refused to say how much he was getting at Abu
Dhabi, but unlike the US PGA Tour, the European Tour allows for
appearance fees which can reach into the millions of dollars.<br />
“You
know, I’d have to say yes, it certainly does,” he said on the influence
of appearance fees. “That’s one of the reasons why a lot of the guys
who play in Europe, they do play in Europe, and they do get paid. I
think the only tour that doesn’t pay is the US tour. But, you know, a
lot of the guys play all around the world and they do get appearance
fees.”<br />
Woods said he didn’t think there was a need for appearance fees on the US PGA Tour.<br />
“Well,
I think that where we offset it is our prize money is pretty high,” he
said. “We certainly play for more money than any other tour in the
world, and the average winning … I think the average winner gets a
million bucks a week, so that’s more than any other tournament, or any
other tour, on average.”<br />
Woods praised Donald, calling his winning
the money titles on the US and European Tours last season a “heck of an
achievement.” But he saved his highest praise for the great Seve
Ballesteros, who died in May following a three-year battle with a brain
tumor.<br />
Woods said the five-time major winner was the most talented golfer he ever played alongside.<br />
“Never
seen a person do the things with the golf ball that he was able to do
and the creativeness that he was able to do,” Woods said. “To me, he
certainly had the most talent that I had ever seen in person. I never
saw (Ben) Hogan hit a golf ball. Never saw (Byron) Nelson hit a golf
ball. I never saw Jack in his prime. But I did see Seve when I first
came out here, and I was able to play with him a few times; it was
impressive.”</div>
</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-48944369824355785622012-01-24T12:58:00.000-08:002012-01-24T12:58:15.753-08:00Federer, Nadal seal semifinal showdown<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<br />
<strong> Roger Federer sauntered through at the Australian Open on
Tuesday to set up a first grand slam semifinal against Rafa Nadal since
2005 after the Spaniard fought tooth and nail to keep his own hopes
alive.</strong>
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So long ranked one and two in the world
rankings, until Novak Djokovic broke their duopoly, their meetings have
more often than not been reserved for finals, one of which came three
years ago in Melbourne when Nadal reduced Federer to tears.<br />
Federer
looked in the mood to add to his 16 grand slam titles when the Swiss
third seed produced another sublime display full of dazzling winners to
fell Argentine Juan Martin Del Potro 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 in his 1,000 career
match.<br />
Nadal was given a torrid time against Tomas Berdych late
into the night on a heaving Rod Laver Arena, however, before grinding to
a 6-7, 7-6, 6-4, 6-3 victory.<br />
The stadium also witnessed the
demise of women's world number one Caroline Wozniacki, whose
counter-punching style was meat and drink to big-hitting Belgian Kim
Clijsters.<br />
Her quarterfinal defeat against the 2011 champion means
she will lose top spot in the rankings and means one of Maria
Sharapova, Victoria Azarenka or Petra Kvitova will seize the No.1
position by the end of the year's first grand slam.<br />
While neither
Nadal nor Federer can shake the number one ranking free of Djokovic's
grasp in Melbourne, the stylish Swiss and swashbuckling Spaniard are
desperate to stop the Serb dominating the slams the way he did in 2011.<br />
Federer,
who failed to win a major title last year for the first time since
2002, had an unexpectedly straightforward win over del Potro, needing
just under two hours to prevail.<br />
Chasing a fifth title in
Melbourne, he was never seriously threatened in his first meeting with
Del Potro in a major since he was surprisingly beaten in the 2009 US
Open final.<br />
Federer, who lost a five-set classic to Nadal in the
2009 Australian Open final, will now get the chance to avenge that
defeat against the Spaniard.<br />
"Obviously I'd like to play Rafa
because of our great epic match in the finals here a few years ago," he
said before Nadal had stepped on court against Berdych. "I'd like to get
a chance to play him again here." His wish came true, but only just as
Nadal flirted with a two-set deficit against an inspired Berdych.<br />
A
set down and facing set point in the second set tiebreak, Nadal was
given a let-off when a lunging Berdych volleyed into the tramlines and
he dug himself out of trouble to overhaul the tall Czech in a taxing
four-hour tussle under the lights.<br />
Nadal said his matches against Federer would always be significant, even though neither of them are number one.<br />
"The rankings are important but we are talking about a player who won 16 grand slams and I have won 10," he said.<br />
"All
the matches against him are special, even if we are (number) 20 against
25." The pair's only previous meeting in the last four of a major was
at the French Open in 2005 when Nadal won before going on to claim his
first grand slam title.<br />
Four-times grand slam winner Clijsters has
said this will be her last season on Tour and few rivals will be
shedding any tears after her dismantling of Wozniacki suggested she
could dominate women's tennis for years to come.<br />
Crowd favorite
Clijsters ended the Dane's hopes of winning a first grand slam with a
6-3, 7-6 triumph as temperatures pushed up to 35 centigrade at Melbourne
Park.<br />
The 28-year-old Belgian bounced around the court with
abandon, and if the ankle she turned painfully over against Li Na in the
last round was bothering her it did not show.<br />
After a one-sided
first set, Wozniacki looked down and out at 5-2 in the second but drew
on all of her reserves to fight back and take it to a tiebreak.<br />
The
comeback only served to delay the inevitable, however, as the Belgian
took the decider 7-4, sealing victory on her first match point with a
forehand volley.<br />
"It definitely didn't feel like being up a set and 5-2," Clijsters said in a courtside interview.<br />
"I
was happy to get through and not go to a three-setter because it's so
hot." While Azarenka has a reputation for getting hot under the collar,
the Belarussian showed her composed side against Poland's Agnieszka
Radwanska in their quarter-final.<br />
Despite going a set down,
Azarenka raised her game to pole-axe Radwanska in the second set and
grind out the third for a 6-7, 6-0, 6-2 win.<br />
"I think I am a
different player right now, especially mentally-wise," Azarenka said.
"Today I really tried to forget about the first set and start from zero
and really fight hard.<br />
"I think that's the toughest thing out
there. Especially when the weather is tough. Your mind is boiling and
it's difficult to think."</div>
</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-67274066584262137252012-01-23T11:31:00.000-08:002012-01-23T11:31:09.219-08:00Courageous Clijsters through, Federer thumps Tomic<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>"Built Belgian tough" might become a badge of honor for
future tennis generations after courageous Kim Clijsters' win over Li
Na on Sunday, while Roger Federer dashed the dreams of home fans by
crushing young gun Bernard Tomic.</strong>
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On a day when the clouds cleared, the
mercury bubbled and temperatures soared, Rafa Nadal won a battle of
Spanish lefties against Davis Cup team mate Feliciano Lopez, and Tomas
Berdych was booed mercilessly for a petulant show of bad sportsmanship.<br />
Defending champion Clijsters crumpled to the court at 3-3 in the first set after her left ankle rolled sickeningly over.<br />
The
Belgian, bidding farewell to the Australian Open in the final year of
her career, had her ankle heavily strapped and Li took advantage to win
the first set.<br />
The 28-year-old Belgian clawed her way back into
the match to win the second set in a tiebreak as the crowd began to
believe she could pull off the win. Clijsters closed out the match 4-6,
7-6, 6-4 to keep her hopes alive of a fifth grand slam title.<br />
However, she conceded the injury had made her think about quitting against Li, whom she beat in the 2011 final.<br />
"It
definitely crossed my mind at some point, but I knew if I could just
try to let the medication sink in ... the pain would go away a little
bit and maybe with the adrenaline I could just fly through it," she
said.<br />
Clijsters was joined in the quarter-finals by number three
seed Victoria Azarenka, who endured her traditional late-game hiccup
before beating Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-2.<br />
World No. 1 Caroline Wozniacki endured a nervy second set against Jelena Jankovic before clinching a 6-0, 7-5 win.<br />
Still
giddy from Lleyton Hewitt's heroics against Milos Raonic, Australian
fans could barely believe they had two players in the men's fourth
round, but hopes that 19-year-old Tomic could depose four-times champion
Federer proved wide off the mark.<br />
Teen Tomic had already come
through two five-setters to reach the fourth round while 30-year-old
Federer looked as fresh as a daisy in securing a 6-4, 6-2, 6-2 win.<br />
The
Swiss, bidding to match Roy Emerson's record of five Australian Open
titles, will face former US Open champion Juan Martin Del Potro in the
quarter-finals.<br />
Federer agreed Tomic had the potential to win silverware.<br />
"I think he has had a wonderful tournament and there's much more that's going to come the Australian way," he said.<br />
"It's
going to be tough against Del Potro. I don't look beyond that because
he's coming up strong. He has had a good year, played all the top guys
again and pushed us all."<br />
World No. 2 Nadal, with heavy strapping
on knee, ankle and foot, huffed and puffed his way past Lopez with
little Spanish sparkle but was happy to go no more than three sets.<br />
Memories
of his last eight withdrawal against Andy Murray two years ago, and
defeat at the hands of David Ferrer last year, still haunt him.<br />
"Hopefully
it won't happen this time," said Nadal after his 6-4, 6-4, 6-2 win.
"Every year is different. I had a bad experience for the last two years
here. It's tough to have to go out of a tournament like Australia in
quarter-finals."<br />
In the day's only real note of controversy, Czech
Berdych was booed off Hisense Arena after a bad tempered 4-6, 7-6, 7-6,
7-6 win over Nicolas Almagro.<br />
Berdych refused to shake hands with
the Spaniard after he sealed the win because he felt the 10th-seeded
Almagro had deliberately blasted a return at his head during the fourth
set.<br />
"The court is pretty big and you always have some space to
put the ball in," No. 7 Berdych complained. "And not even if you are
standing three or four meters from the guy (does he need) to hit it
straight to your face.<br />
"This is not the way how tennis is."<br />
Berdych's
courtside interview was drowned out by the crowd booing and hissing,
while tennis coach and commentator Brad Gilbert said he was appalled at
the Czech's decision. </div>
</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-82666055054432385502012-01-23T11:29:00.000-08:002012-01-23T11:29:08.518-08:00Balotelli gives City 3-2 victory over Spurs<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<div class="author">
By <strong>AGENCIES</strong>
</div>
<div class="dateline">
<strong>Published:</strong> Jan 22, 2012 19:37
<strong>Updated:</strong> Jan 23, 2012 19:39
</div>
<strong>MANCHESTER, England: Mario Balotelli converted a
stoppage-time penalty to give leader Manchester City a dramatic 3-2
victory over Premier League title rival Tottenham on Sunday.</strong><br />
Just after Jermain Defoe had missed
Tottenham's own chance to win the game, Balotelli was fouled by Ledley
King and the Italy striker netted to give City an 11th straight home
league win this season.<br />
"I was calm, like every time I take a penalty," Balotelli said.<br />
City
had thrown away a two-goal lead after Samir Nasri and Joleon Lescott
scored in a four-minute span early in the second half. Tottenham
immediately hit back, with slack defending allowing Defoe to score on
the hour and Gareth Bale to equalize five minutes later.<br />
City moved eight points ahead of third-place Tottenham, with only Manchester United separating the sides.<br />
The
game came to life in the 56th minute with a flurry of goals. David
Silva, who had been pulling the strings of City's midfield, was the
provider.<br />
After a quick break forward, Silva slipped the ball
through the heart of the Tottenham defense and Nasri lifted the ball
past Brad Friedel.<br />
Nasri played a part in City's second, three minutes later, sending in the cross that Edin Dzeko flicked toward the far post.<br />
While
Tottenham midfielder Scott Parker initially blocked the ball he failed
to keep hold and clear, allowing Lescott to scramble it over the line.<br />
City
appeared to be on course to match its crushing 5-1 rout of Tottenham in
August, only for the visitors to be gifted a route back into the game
inside a minute.<br />
Younes Kaboul launched the ball forward and
Stefan Savic's attempt to make a headed clearance only directed it back
into the path of the onrushing Defoe.<br />
The England striker met the ball and rounded keeper Joe Hart on the edge of the penalty area before coolly slotting home.<br />
The comeback was on, with the equalizer coming five minutes later.<br />
Aaron
Lennon broke free on the left flank before squaring to Bale, who lifted
the ball beyond the reach of Hart into the top corner.<br />
Tottenham
could have snatched a late winner. Bale charged down the left and picked
out Defoe at the far post, but the striker couldn't get a touch to
nudge the ball over the line.<br />
And then came a rare blip for King
in the Tottenham defense, having not been on a losing side since August
2010, and Balotelli's winner.<br />
<br />
<strong>Milan beats Novara to remain hot on Juve's heels</strong><br />
In
Rome, strike pair Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Robinho scored the goals as AC
Milan emerged with a 3-0 victory from their trip to Novara on Sunday
and remain hot on the heels of league leaders' Juventus.<br />
Juve won
2-0 at Atalanta on Saturday night and had briefly put daylight between
themselves and the rest but Milan's success closes the gap to a single
point.<br />
Udinese are also hanging on in third, three points behind
Juve, after their comfortable 2-1 win over Catania, whose consolation
came five minutes into time added on.<br />
Ibrahimovic scored a brace and is now level with Udinese captain Antonio Di Natale at the top of the goalscoring charts.<br />
Unlike
the Italian Cup meeting between the pair on Wednesday - which Milan
squeaked through 2-1 after extra-time - Novara couldn't make life
particularly difficult for the champions.<br />
Almost all the pressure in the first half was put on the Novara goal but the hosts managed to hold firm.<br />
Ibrahimovic
hit a vicious free-kick that Samir Ujkani couldn't hold but Robinho
fired the follow-up from a tight angle across the face of the goal.<br />
The
big Swede had another free-kick from a good position that he hit with
venom and again it was too hot for Ujkani to handle but the ball spooned
up and over the bar.<br />
From the resulting corner Philippe Mexes
teed up Thiago Silva but his close range header was miraculously cleared
off the line by Andrea Caracciolo.<br />
Milan kept pushing and Ujkani twice denied Ibrahimovic while Antonio Nocerino fired a shot narrowly past the upright.<br />
Milan
coach Massimiliano Allegri wasted little time in trying to inspire his
team, throwing on young forward Stephan El Shaarawy at half-time in
place of full-back Luca Antonini.<br />
And the hosts cracked just 12
minutes after the re-start as Milan captain Massimo Ambrosini picked out
Ibrahimovic at the back post with a short, dinked cross.<br />
The Sweden forward had lost his marker and had time to control the ball on his thigh before volleying past Ujkani.<br />
El
Shaarawy should have sealed the points 20 minutes from time when played
in by Robinho but having skipped around Ujkani he sliced his finish
wide.<br />
But moments later Robinho slid in at the back post to divert in El Shaarawy's shot that appeared to be going wide.<br />
And
the coup de grace came from Ibrahimovic in the final minute with a
clever flick that fooled Ujkani and three defenders before trickling
over the line.<br />
Udinese were comfortable in dismissing Catania to
contain their stunning campaign in which they have now proved they are
no flash in the pan.<br />
Colombia wing-back Pablo Armero opened the
scoring on 20 minutes and enigmatic striker Di Natale added the killer
second eight minutes into the second period.<br />
They did concede with virtually the last kick of the game but it was too little too late.<br />
Napoli,
however, appear definitely out of the title running and probably also
Champions League contention as they drew 1-1 at Siena.<br />
Emanuele
Calaio opened the scoring for the hosts midway through the second period
before Goran Pandev rescued a point four minutes from time for Walter
Mazzarri's men.<br />
The game of the day was in Sicily where Palermo
trumped Genoa, who have now conceded 16 goals in their last four games,
in a 5-3 thriller.<br />
Inter Milan will look for their seventh
straight win as they host Lazio, one point and one place above them in
fourth, in the late game.</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-20719121507850992382012-01-22T19:01:00.000-08:002012-01-22T19:01:35.467-08:00Jeonbuk, Al Sadd set up Asian Champions League final clash<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<b>JEONJU, South Korea: Brazilian playmaker Eninho scored both
goals in Jeonbuk Motors’ 2-1 win over 10-man Al-Ittihad on Wednesday and
they will play Al Sadd in next month’s Asian Champions League final. </b><br />
Qatar’s Al Sadd overcame Suwon Bluewings 2-1 on aggregate despite losing the second leg of their semifinal 1-0 at home.<br />
Jeonbuk qualified 5-3 on aggregate and the South Koreans will be
confident of a second title following their 2006 success after another
high-tempo attacking display saw off the Saudis.<br />
“We got what we wanted, we are at home for the final and that is an advantage,” Jeonbuk coach Choi Kang-hee told reporters.<br />
“Eninho’s goals were a big help but we still had work to do.”<br />
Ittihad’s slim hopes of overturning the 3-2 first leg deficit at the
World Cup stadium in Jeonju suffered an early blow when their leading
striker Naif Hazazi was shown a red card in the 12th minute for
head-butting Cho Sung-hwan.<br />
Hazazi, who scored his side’s two goals in the first leg, shoved a
teammate after the referee waved the red card, before collapsing to his
knees in tears. Two other Saudi players had to help him from the field.<br />
“The sending-off was another blow but there won’t be any punishment
for Hazazi. He is an excellent player and this kind of thing happens in
football,” Ittihad coach Dimitri Davidovic said.<br />
Ten minutes later Eninho raced on to a neat flicked header from Jeong
Shung-hoon, held off a heavy challenge and struck a left-foot shot into
the corner from 14 meters out.<br />
Jeonbuk flowed forward with wave after wave of attacks before Eninho
scored a deserved second in the 36th minute direct from a corner. The
Brazilian’s inswinger went over Rashed Al Rahab at the near post and
sneaked past goalkeeper Mabrouk Zaid.<br />
The Saudis, who won back-to-back Champions League titles from 2004,
pushed forward bravely in the second half and grabbed a consolation goal
in the 73rd minute through Brazilian Wendel after a clever pass by
Mohammed Noor.<br />
The night ended badly for Jeonbuk when, with two minutes left,
substitute Krunoslav Lovrek was sent off after collecting a harsh second
yellow for tangling with Al Rahab after play had stopped.<br />
The red card means he will miss the final along with striker Luiz
Henrique and defender Cho Sung-Hwan, who picked up yellow cards and will
be suspended.<br />
In Doha, South Korea’s Suwon sparked hopes of an unlikely turnround
by taking the lead after just seven minutes at the air-conditioned Al
Sadd stadium with a superb volley by Oh Jang-eun.<br />
The Suwon striker controlled the ball on his chest before firing a
low right-foot shot into the corner to halve the 2-0 deficit from the
controversial first leg.<br />
Sadd were missing attacking duo Keita Kader and Mamadou Niang after
they were red-carded after a 22-man brawl in the first leg, and the
Qataris opted to drop deep to protect their lead.<br />
The visitors dictated play and enjoyed the bulk of possession against
their more physical opponents but failed to create the clear-cut
chances their dominance merited.<br />
Al Sadd’s former Asian Player of the Year Khalfan Ibrahim was
impressive throughout and came closest to scoring for the home side 10
minutes before halftime with a rasping drive that Jung Sung-ryong tipped
on to the crossbar.</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-52871858456039478942012-01-22T18:58:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:58:08.667-08:00Saudi-Spanish group bags rail contract<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>DAMMAM: A Saudi-Spanish consortium is on track to build the
key Western component of the Kingdom’s high-speed rail system that will
link Makkah, Madinah, Jeddah and Rabigh, the Saudi Railways Organization
announced Wednesday.</strong><br />
The second phase of the multibillion-riyal Haramain High Speed Rail
project was awarded to Al-Shoula consortium, which comprises two Saudi
and 12 Spanish companies such as Renfe, Talgo, Adif and OHL. It is being
described as one of the largest foreign infrastructure projects ever
won by the Spanish companies.<br />
“An approval has been issued on awarding Phase 2 of the project to
Al-Shoula consortium, comprising a number of Saudi and Spanish
companies,” Saudi Railways Organization reported Wednesday from its
headquarters here in Dammam. The contract is worth nearly SR38 billion.<br />
The project includes construction of railway tracks, installation of
signals and telecommunication systems, electrification, operational
control center, procurement of 35 passenger trains along with operation
and maintenance for 12 years.<br />
Spanish Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Pablo Bravo expressed delight, and
acknowledged the tough competition that Spanish companies faced in
winning the coveted project.<br />
“I am very happy and very satisfied that the award has gone to a
Saudi-Spanish consortium,” he told Arab News from Riyadh. “I tell you,
we will do a very good job … We are, as you know, the world leader in
high-speed rail networks.”<br />
Spain and France have been in stiff competition to win the contract.
Wire reports said French Prime Minister Francois Fillon had discussed
the project during his visit to Saudi Arabia earlier this year. Spain
has been a world leader in high-speed rail networks and boasts one of
the longest such systems in Europe, ahead of France.<br />
In July, media had widely speculated that the Al-Shoula consortium
had won the project, beating the French group which included SNCF and
Alstom. However, SRO President Abdul Aziz M. Al-Hokail clarified at that
time no deal had been reached.<br />
The Haramain High Speed Rail project, widely known in industry
circles as HHR, is a 444-km high-speed inter-city rail transport system
currently under construction linking the two holy cities of Madinah and
Makkah via King Abdullah Economic City in Rabigh and King Abdul Aziz
International Airport in Jeddah.<br />
The Makkah-Madinah rail link is part of the major railway expansion
project, which includes linking Jeddah with Riyadh and Dammam. The
Makkah-Jeddah-Madinah rail link is expected to carry more than 150,000
passengers daily during peak seasons, such as Haj and Umrah.<br />
The rail line is planned to provide a safe, comfortable transport in
320-kph electric trains. Construction started in March 2009. The railway
is expected to carry 3 million passengers annually, including Haj and
Umrah pilgrims, helping to relieve highway congestion.<br />
The double-track line will be electrified, and the design speed is
360 kph. Commuting the 85 km between Jeddah and Makkah will take less
than half an hour, while the 410 km between Jeddah and Madinah will take
about 2 hours.<br />
There will be several stations including at Madinah (Knowledge
Economic City) at the north end of the line, King Abdullah Economic
City-Rabigh, King Abdul Aziz International Airport in Jeddah, and Makkah
in the south. The Makkah Central Station will be located near the 3rd
Ring Road. The Jeddah Central Station will be located on the Haramain
Road.<br />
The stations will be “aesthetically iconic” buildings with designs
that take into account Islamic architectural traditions. They will have
shops, restaurants, mosques, car parking, a helipad and VIP lounges.<br />
The two holy cities attract pilgrims all year round, and, in addition
to Jeddah, make up the main center in the Kingdom’s Western region.<br />
Considered by many as the Kingdom’s economic capital, Jeddah is the
second most populated city after Riyadh and is popularly known as the
gateway to Makkah</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-29207607440574197412012-01-22T18:39:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:39:15.070-08:00Troicki, Zvonareva advance at Kremlin Cup<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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MOSCOW (AP) — Defending men’s champion Viktor Troicki and top-seeded
woman Vera Zvonareva advanced to the quarterfinals of the Kremlin Cup
with straight-set victories on Wednesday, while Lucie Safarova upset
second-seeded Agnieszka Radwanska 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.<br />
The second-seeded Troicki beat Pere Riba of Spain 6-4, 6-4, while Zvonareva routed Bojana Jovanovski of Serbia, 6-1, 6-1.<br />
With a victory, Radwanska could have secured the last spot left for
next week’s season-ending WTA Tour championships in Istanbul. Now she
will have to wait for Marion Bartoli’s results in Moscow this week.<br />
Fresh from winning her seventh career title in Osaka, Japan, Bartoli
is seeded third and needs to win the title here. Any other result for
her will see Radwanska qualify directly for the first time after being a
substitute in 2008 and ’09.<br />
Safarova broke in the ninth game of the first set, but the Pole
leveled at a set apiece to force the decider. The 27th-ranked Czech
broke decisively in the third set with a precise forehand crosscourt in
the seventh game. She netted on her first match point, but won the
second when Radwanska hit a backhand into the net.<br />
Also Wednesday, Kaia Kanepi of Estonia came from 5-1 down in a
third-set tiebreaker to upset fourth-seeded Francesca Schiavone of Italy
6-4, 5-7, 7-6 (7), and three-time winner Nikolay Davydenko, seeded
fourth, defeated fellow Russian Teimuraz Gabashvili 7-5, 6-2.<br />
Troicki broke once in each set and sealed the victory on his first
match point. The Serbian player will face Alex Bogomolov Jr. of the
United States, who beat his doubles partner Mikhail Kukushkin of
Kazakhstan 6-4, 3-6, 6-4 to advance.<br />
“It was a tough match today,” Troicki said. “It was tough to break
him. He was serving always over 200 (kph). But I also served good.”<br />
Last year, Troicki beat Marcos Baghdatis of Cyprus in Moscow for his first career title.<br />
“I hope to do well to defend my title, but there’s a lot of good
players and I still have three matches to go to defend it,” Troicki
said.<br />
The fifth-seeded Bogomolov Jr., who was born in Moscow, broke his
opponent once in the first set to take the lead, but stumbled in the
second set, losing four games in a row at one point. He saved two break
points before breaking Kukushkin in the third game of the decisive third
set, and held on to win.<br />
Schiavone, who won here in 2009, saved two match points before her forehand landed just wide on the third one.<br />
“I’d been down before (in the match), so I just kept playing to see
what would happen,” said Kanepi, who rallied back from an early break in
the final set.<br />
Zvonareva, runner-up here in 2008, won nine consecutive games before
Jovanovski held her serve in the fourth game of the second set. The
Russian went on to finish the match in just over an hour.<br />
“From the stands the matched looked like an easy one,” Zvonareva
said. “But there were tough games in which I managed to stay
concentrated. I didn’t make consecutive unforced errors and didn’t allow
her to feel as if she was leading the play. And it was the key to my
victory.”<br />
The Russian, who has not played a competitive match since losing in
the second round in Beijing two weeks ago, is using the tournament to
prepare for next week’s season-ending WTA Tour championships in
Istanbul.<br />
In the last two women’s first-round matches, eighth-seeded Dominika
Cibulkova of Slovakia defeated Polona Hercog of Slovenia 6-3, 7-6 (3),
while Elena Vesnina routed wild card Alla Kudryavtseva 6-0, 6-1.</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-41903930319314742572012-01-22T18:15:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:15:09.393-08:00Centurion Umar puts Pakistan in control<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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The left-handed opener made 109 not out and shared century
partnerships with Mohammad Hafeez and Azhar Ali as Pakistan piled up 259
for one at the close, a lead of 62 runs at the Sheikh Zayed Stadium.<br />
<br />
It was a patient innings by the 30-year-old Umar who faced 296 balls and hit eight boundaries.<br />
<br />
Resuming overnight on 27 for nought, Hafeez and Umar put on 118 for the first wicket.<br />
<br />
Hafeez was the more aggressive and struck eight fours and a six
before falling just after lunch, trapped leg before for 75 by left-arm
spinner Rangana Herath.<br />
<br />
Umar and Ali then put on an unbroken 141 for the second wicket and
Pakistan now look like building a substantial first-innings lead.<br />
<br />
Mahela Jayawardene failed to take a low catch when Ali, on seven, edged Herath to slip.<br />
<br />
Sri Lanka’s pacemen toiled hard on a lifeless pitch as edges several times fell short of fielders.<br />
<br />
Pakistan play ‘home’ tests in the Gulf region because of security fears in their own country.<br />
<br />
The game is the first in a three-match series.<br />
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<br /></div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-36296779231005332712012-01-22T18:13:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:13:04.677-08:00Schiavone doesn’t blame fatigue for tennis defeat<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
<div class="entry-content">
MELBOURNE (AFP) – Superfit Italian Francesca Schiavone refused to
blame fatigue for her narrow quarter-final loss to Caroline Wozniacki on
Tuesday, despite playing for nearly five hours two days earlier.<br />
Schiavone, who played the longest match in women’s Grand Slam history
on Sunday, was up a set and a break at 3-1 in the second, before the
world number one fought back to win 3-6, 6-3, 6-3.<br />
The determined Schiavone saved three match points before pushing a backhand just wide to hand Denmark’s Wozniacki the match.<br />
The reigning French Open champion was coming off Sunday’s marathon
fourth-round match, when she beat Russia’s Kuznetsova in a record 4hr
44min, the third and final set alone lasting three hours.<br />
However, the 30-year-old said she simply failed to take her chances
against Wozniacki and dismissed suggestions tiredness played a big role.<br />
“I had my chance anyway,” she said. “Maybe in the third set I felt a little bit something physically, but it’s not an excuse.<br />
“I think I gave the best that I could do it.”<br />
Despite her heartbreaking loss, Schiavone was anything but devastated
even though her quest for a second Grand Slam title had come to an end.<br />
Her pain was eased by news she was set to reach a career-high ranking
of world number four, the best ever achieved ever by an Italian woman.
It’s also equal with the highest ever by an Italian male, Adriano
Pannatta in 1976.<br />
“I am happy,” she said, with a clenched fish raised in triumph. “I
worked hard to arrive here (fourth ranking), so I’m very happy, it’s
fantastic. I want to keep going.”<br />
The veteran, who hit 41 winners to Wozniacki’s 14 but made 46
unforced errors to the Dane’s 15, said she was also enjoying her
new-found celebrity as one of the players the fans love to watch.<br />
“I’m happy for this,” she said of her fan favourite status. “I’ve waited all my life, so now I’ll take it.<br />
“Last night I was walking and they said, ‘Francesca, you give me a lot of emotions, thank you, I hope you win tomorrow’.<br />
“I think it’s something fantastic for me or any player.”<br />
</div>
</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-58155288458140268622012-01-22T18:12:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:12:02.651-08:00Redskins’ Hightower out for season, Moss 5-7 weeks<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
<div class="entry-content">
<strong>ASHBURN, Virginia: From healthy, first-place surprise to
battered and struggling, the Washington Redskins had their fortunes take
another dive Monday when running back Tim Hightower was declared out
for the season with a torn knee ligament and receiver Santana Moss
underwent hand surgery that is expected to sideline him for 5-7 weeks.</strong><br />
<div>
That makes five starters lost to significant injuries over the last
two weeks, coinciding with a two-game losing streak and a quarterback
switch.<br />
The Redskins (3-3), sitting so pretty after winning three of their
first four, are on their heels. Little seems to be going right, and some
of the misfortune is truly out of the norm. London Fletcher — who has
never missed a game in his 14-year NFL career — has a hamstring injury
that might finally get him off the field, and demoted quarterback Rex
Grossman is in the hospital with pneumonia.<br />
“We’ve got a lot of young players,” coach Mike Shanahan said. “We’re
going to get a chance to see how much talent they do (have), and how
quickly they can improve.<br />
“And, hopefully, it’s quick.”<br />
Hightower is the team’s leading rusher. Moss is the top wideout. With
the injury-induced shuffling along the offensive line, there are now
only four offensive starters — tight end Fred Davis , receiver Jabar
Gaffney , right guard Chris Chester and right tackle Jammal Brown —
still manning their same positions from the beginning of the season.<br />
“I felt like coming into the season we had a chance to be a good
football team; I still feel like that,” cornerback DeAngelo Hall said.
“We’re a little banged up, though, there’s no doubt about that. … (But)
this is a different group. This isn’t a group that’s going to hang their
heads and feel sorry for themselves. We’re going to bounce back.”<br />
Hightower and Moss were hurt in Sunday’s 33-20 loss to the Carolina
Panthers. Hightower’s left knee buckled when he tried to make a cut
during a 4-yard carry in the third quarter, ending his season with 321
yards on 84 carries.<br />
Ryan Torain and rookie fourth-round draft pick Roy Helu will try to
take up the slack, although neither has Hightower’s locker room
leadership or ability to pick up a blitz. Torain had a 135-yard game in
relief three weeks ago, but since then he has 12 carries for 17 yards.
Helu’s last 16 attempts have netted only 55 yards.<br />
Hightower gave an emotional speech to his teammates after the game, encouraging them to soldier on.<br />
“It’s always tough to lose a player like that,” Shanahan said, “who leads both on and off the football field.”<br />
Moss has 25 catches for 301 yards, second in receptions on the team
behind tight end Davis. Moss broke his left hand in the first half
against Carolina and had three pins inserted into the area around his
index finger on Monday.<br />
That leaves Gaffney, who has a team-high 361 yards, and either
Anthony Armstrong or fifth-round rookie Niles Paul as the starting
tandem for this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills (4-2) at Toronto.<br />
Fletcher, the heart and soul of the defense, left the Panthers loss early. His streak of 214 straight games might be in danger.<br />
“I don’t think it’s that serious,” Shanahan said. “But we’ll find out more on Wednesday.”<br />
As if that weren’t enough, Grossman spent Sunday’s game in the locker
room fighting pneumonia and a fever. Shanahan said Grossman would have
come out to play if needed, but the coach also had receiver Terrence
Austin taking snaps as an emergency quarterback during pregame warmups.
Grossman is now being treated in a hospital for at least the next 48
hours.<br />
Among those already on the sideline: Tight end Chris Cooley , left
tackle Trent Williams and left guard Kory Lichtensteiger , all hurt in
the previous week’s loss to Philadelphia. Lichtensteiger is out for the
season with torn knee ligaments, Cooley is sidelined indefinitely with a
broken finger and is having his balky knee re-examined, and Williams is
week-to-week with a sprained ankle.<br />
The injury news overshadowed mixed results from John Beck , who
completed 22 of 37 passes for 279 yards with one passing touchdown, one
rushing touchdown, one interception and one lost fumble in his first
start in four years.<br />
Those numbers aren’t bad, especially given the injuries, but Beck
stood out in a different way Monday. It’s been years since Redskins
quarterbacks held regular day-after-game chats with reporters, but Beck
made an appearance in the locker room and wrapped it up making a point
to defend rookie receiver Leonard Hankerson . Hankerson, making his NFL
debut, took a wrong turn on the first pass intended for him, leading to
the only interception thrown by Beck.<br />
“Hey, listen, the play with Hankerson, it’s on me,” Beck said. “I’m
the guy that has got the ball in my hand, and I’m the guy that makes the
decision where that ball goes, and we’re very excited to have Hankerson
be a part of this football team. He’s going to be a great asset to this
football team. Nothing goes on Hankerson. It all goes on me. You got
that?”<br />
Notes: Hall said he was “disappointed” that he wasn’t the primary
cover man on Steve Smith, who had 143 yards receiving. Shanahan said CB
Josh Wilson got the bulk of the duty on Smith because Wilson had been
playing well. … S Kareem Moore , on the physically unable to perform
list with a knee injury, will return to practice this week.<br />
</div>
</div>
</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-699182759290138122012-01-22T18:10:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:10:12.898-08:00Saudi consumer confidence surges despite global gloom<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia has retained second position in the
Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index for the third quarter of this
year released on Sunday.</strong><br />
<div>
Global consumer confidence, however, remained weak in the third
quarter with more than 60 percent of consumers saying it was not a good
time to spend, and one-in-three North Americans saying they have no
spare cash.<br />
The surge in Saudi Arabia and Brazil masked weak confidence in major
developed economies, global analytics and information company Nielsen
said.<br />
Confidence was highest in India for a seventh straight quarter but
India’s reading fell 5 points from the second quarter and Saudi Arabia
was catching up.<br />
“The exceptional consumer confidence number for Saudi Arabia is a
huge vote of confidence for the economic policies being implemented by
the government, and, in particular, the positive effect of the recent
government initiatives,” Khan H. Zahid, vice president and chief
economist at Riyad Capital, said.<br />
“With high oil prices and a strong foreign asset position, consumers
see this as a sustainable policy for growth without causing inflation.
We project economic growth in the Kingdom to probably surpass the 7
percent level this year,” Zahid added.<br />
The Nielsen Global Consumer Confidence Index dipped just 1 point in
the third quarter from the second quarter to 88 points, Reuters reported
Sunday.<br />
The UAE was among the top 10 countries in the world in terms of consumer confidence.<br />
Commenting on the Nielsen report, Jarmo T. Kotilaine, chief economist
at the National Commercial Bank, told Arab News: “This survey data
suggest that Saudi Arabia is now one of the most optimistic economies
globally. This reflects the reality that the Kingdom is among the small
number of countries globally that are actually seeing an improvement in
their economic prospects. The resilience of the oil price, historically
high production levels and increased government spending in key priority
areas are successfully feeding through into improved consumer and
investor sentiment.”<br />
He said the positive picture is also supporting a gradual pick-up in
bank lending, which augurs well for private sector activity. While the
annual rate of credit growth is still below pre-crisis levels and not
very high in real terms, it has been fairly consistently edging toward
the 10 percent mark, which suggests that the period of suspended motion
both in terms of credit demand and supply are finally over, he added.
This is in part because banks have largely dealt with the challenges of
bad loans and now drawing additional comfort from the increased levels
of economic activity, he said. “All in all, Saudi Arabia is likely to be
economically one of the global top performers this year and it is
encouraging that consumer sentiment has caught up with this reality even
if some of financial markets still remain depressed,” Kotilaine added.<br />
Paul Gamble, head of research at Jadwa Investment, said: “It is not a
surprise that Saudi Arabia has one of the highest levels of consumer
confidence in the world. High levels of government spending and a
strengthening private sector are shielding the economy from the
difficulties being faced elsewhere.<br />
“Unlike most of the leading economies in the world, Saudi Arabia has
an enviable debt position; with very low debt and reserves of over $500
billion (reserves climbed by nearly $17 billion in September alone).”<br />
Furthermore, Gamble said: “Most consumers have benefited from a
salary bonus earlier in the year. Although new data indicate that the
boost to consumer spending triggered by the bonus for public-sector
workers has faded, with government spending set to remain high, the
economy will continue to perform well. It is therefore likely that
consumers in the Kingdom will remain confident about the outlook.”<br />
Consumer morale in the euro zone remained especially weak, notably in
France, as the region’s debt crisis deepened during the summer.
Confidence in Greece, at the center of the crisis, actually rose sharply
but it was still the fourth weakest of the markets surveyed. Confidence
was lowest in Hungary, Reuters said.<br />
One in five Europeans said they have no extra cash to spend, although that was better than one in three North Americans.<br />
The survey, taken between Aug. 30 and Sept. 16 and covering 28,000
consumers in 56 countries, revealed 64 percent of consumers globally
felt it was not a good time to spend.<br />
</div>
</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-48416751268861647712012-01-22T18:08:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:08:20.782-08:00Illegal pilgrims a real source of worry<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article526612.ece/REPRESENTATIONS/large_620x350/SAU_illegal-pilgrims2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://arabnews.com/saudiarabia/article526612.ece/REPRESENTATIONS/large_620x350/SAU_illegal-pilgrims2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<strong>JEDDAH: Undersecretary of the Makkah Governorate Abdul Aziz
Al-Khudairy, who is also chairman of the preparatory and executive
committees for Haj activities, has urged pilgrims to realize that the
rules and regulations introduced by the government to streamline the
pilgrimage season were not meant to make them uncomfortable.</strong><br />
“The easy and comfortable performance of the Haj rites is a God-given
right for every Muslim,” he said in an exclusive interview with Arab
News. He asked Muslims to be always thankful to God who made the Haj a
once in a lifetime duty dependent on the person’s capability.<br />
“I hope that all those who do not respect the rules and regulations
will realize that by doing so, they will be making the performance of
Haj a difficult task,” he said.<br />
Al-Khudairy said illegal pilgrims impede legitimate pilgrims.
“Pilgrims who go to Makkah without permits, squat on the streets in the
holy sites and dump garbage haphazardly commit downright offenses
against legal pilgrims,” he said.<br />
Such offenses would be harmful to those who commit them in the first
place, impede the efforts of government departments to serve the guests
of God properly and distort the good image of Saudi Arabia. “We hope
that all pilgrims will strictly adhere to Haj rules and regulations,” he
added.</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-69920645173968935082012-01-22T18:06:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:06:46.730-08:00Scaling new heights for cancer patients<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article526556.ece/REPRESENTATIONS/large_620x350/off_kili.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="http://arabnews.com/lifestyle/offbeat/article526556.ece/REPRESENTATIONS/large_620x350/off_kili.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<strong>JEDDAH: A team of 11 climbers including a Saudi woman is to tackle two Himalayan climbs for charity</strong><br />
The team, which includes the Kingdom’s Reem Shaath, hope to raise
$202,000 to fund the treatment of two underprivileged pediatric cancer
patients currently being trained at the King Hussein Cancer Center,
Amman. The children, 10-year-old Iraqi Huda and four-year-old
Palestinian Ahmed, are suffering from cancer.<br />
After meeting the children they aim to help, founder of “Climb for
Cancer” and organizer of the climb Nizar Fakhoury said: “It always helps
put things into perspective when you meet the children you’re climbing
for. They are the essence behind our challenges and they are our driving
force every step of the way.”<br />
On Nov. 4 a team of 12 climbers will depart for Nepal to embark on
two challenges. The first, tackled by seven of the climbers which
includes Princess Noor Asem of Jordan and Shaath, will be the 5,540
meter high Everest Base Camp. The remaining five will take on the more
technical ascent to Island Peak at 6,189m.<br />
The team is made up of people from a variety of professional
backgrounds from Lebanon, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Sri Lanka, and
the United Kingdom. The challenge will last for 14 days and will be a
test of the team’s physical and emotional capabilities.<br />
In September 2010, a team of six organized by Climb for Cancer topped
Africa’s highest peak Mount Kilimanjaro (5,895 meters). In the process
the team was able to raise $129,000 to treat two pediatric cancer
patients at the King Hussein Cancer Center.<br />
Shaath, reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in February 2011, the
first Saudi women to do so. With the experience of that climb behind
her, Shaath, who said at the time she would never climb again, was
overridden by her commitment to the charity that she became part of the
Himalayas expedition.<br />
She will be keeping a diary of their progress to be published in Arab News on her return toward the end of November.<br />
“Sometimes, all you need is to look at things with a different eye,
and everything you worry about seems minuscule compared to what these
children have to go through,” said Shaath, reflecting on the reasons
that motivated her to join the climb.<br />
Candidates to join the expedition were selected partly on the basis
of their experience and fitness but a large element was the reasons
behind their decisions and their commitments to the cause. The climbers
fund their own trips and are responsible for covering all their personal
costs themselves including tickets, equipment, and hiking expenses,
ensuring that all money donated goes toward the treatment of the cancer
patients who the climbers are supporting.<br />
“We are extremely excited about this new challenge and have set up a
website to raise awareness and funds through corporate sponsors,
colleagues, friends, family and anyone who wishes to contribute to the
treatment of these children,” Fakhoury said. “The families of these
patients are unable to support the costs of the cancer treatment their
children require and they rely on volunteers like us to step in and help
make a difference in the lives of their children.”<br />
“Climb for Cancer” is a non-profit charitable initiative that
encourages hikers and adventure enthusiasts to climb mountain peaks
around the world in an effort to raise money for children suffering from
cancer. It was founded by Nizar Fakhoury in 2009 and driven by two
passions in life, climbing and helping children with cancer.</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-50897345926563213562012-01-22T18:03:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:03:26.683-08:00Red Bull Ras B Ras to feature top Arab drivers<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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<strong>ALKHOBAR: The Sharqia Tourism Development Council and Saudi
Arabian Motor Federation (SAMF) have announced the staging of the 2011
Red Bull Ras B Ras event with the support of Eastern Province Gov.
Prince Mohammed Bin Fahd at Alkhobar Plaza on Nov. 23. </strong><br />
<div>
The event will be held under the direct supervision of Eastern Region
Tourism Council and the Saudi Motor Sports Federation. The head-to-head
race is the first of its kind to be held in the Middle East, with the
crème de la crème of Arab driving talents. The participants will be
challenging each other for the Red Bull Ras B Ras title on a
world-class, custom-built circuit in front of an expected capacity crowd
of 11,500 spectators.<br />
Red Bull Ras B Ras was conceived with the Middle East in mind and
specifically caters to Arab motor sport enthusiasts in the region. The
title of the one-day event will go to one of the 16 racing superstars
invited by Red Bull to take part in various heats, which challenge each
of the champions to showcase their best driving and racing skills. The
drivers will battle behind the wheel of identical cars, abiding by the
same specifications as they compete across an 800-meter circuit. For the
contenders, then, there will be nowhere to hide and no getting away
with blaming the vehicles. Red Bull Ras B Ras will likely prove to be
the ultimate showdown in Middle East for motorsports where the top Arab
racing champion will be crowned.<br />
Elimination starts early on, in the first rounds of the challenges,
putting 16 drivers against each other over 8 separate groups. The
fastest 8 drivers will then qualify for the quarterfinals, where
contenders will vie across 4 groups, for a spot in the semifinals. With
pressure mounting to make it to the final round, two drivers will
face-off against each other, and only one will stake his claim as the
undisputed Arab champion.<br />
Prince Abdul Aziz bin Fahd bin Abdullah Al-Saud, president of the
Eastern Region Tourism Council, said: “The Red Bull Ras B Ras will give
Sharqia residents and visitors the opportunity to watch local and
regional racing all-stars compete for the title across the same circuit
and on the same day. The Sharqia Tourism Development Council strives to
present events that boast a high level of professionalism in terms of
organization and are unique not only in the Kingdom but also across the
Middle East.”<br />
What makes this competition so special and different than traditional
car races is the fact that 16 of the best drivers in the Arab world and
the Kingdom from across the racing spectrum will come together on one
circuit in duals that automatically eliminate the loser over several
rounds leading to the crowning of one ultimate driver. The Red Bull Ras B
Ras titleholder will become the undisputed Arabian champ in a special
event that headlines some of the biggest names in car racing.<br />
Red Bull has confirmed the participation of 16 Arab champions with
backgrounds in different motor sport disciplines. Contenders from KSA
are Prince Abdul Aziz bin Turki Al-Faisal (Porsche GT3 Cup Challenge –
Middle East first edition champion), Yazeed Al-Rajhi (winner of the 2009
Hail International Rally and the 2008 and 2010 Sharqia Rally), Bandar
Alireza (Radical ME Masters 1500 title holder), Saeed Al-Mouri (Red Bull
Middle East Car Park Drift king) and the famous Saudi Rally driver
Majed Al-Ghamdi. Regional racers include the best Arab drivers such as:
Qatari driver Misfer Al-Marri (2010 Middle East Rally Championship title
holder), UAE’s Sheikh Abdullah Al-Qassimi (Group N champ and 3-time
title holder of the Middle East Rally Championship), Bahrain’s Fahd
Al-Musalam (Chevrolet Supercars Middle East Championship winner) and
Lebanon’s Roger Feghali (9-time winner of the Rally du Liban).<br />
</div>
</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6742823543788078222.post-39687802231692172752012-01-22T18:01:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:04:10.041-08:00Tsonga hits back to beat Del Potro in Vienna<div dir="rtl" style="text-align: right;" trbidi="on">
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Tsonga hits back to beat Del Potro in Vienna </h1>
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<b>VIENNA: Jo-Wilfried Tsonga bounced back from a set behind and
a service break down to beat Juan Martin del Potro for the first time
and win the Vienna ATP tournament on Sunday</b></div>
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The Frenchman’s 6-7 6-3 6-4 win also kept him on course for a place
in the season-ending World Tour finals in London next month, moving him
to seventh place in the 2011 rankings ahead of Mardy Fish.</div>
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Top-seeded Tsonga crashed 25 aces on his way to a first win in four
meetings over the former US Open champion, who has been fighting his way
back to form after being plagued by a wrist injury last year.</div>
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“That was really tough,” said Tsonga. “Juan Martin played very well.</div>
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“I lost a little motivation after losing the first set but
fortunately I got it back quickly.” Neither player managed to break
serve in the first set and, having fought back from a break point down
in the tiebreak, Tsonga then served a double fault to hand Del Potro the
opportunity.</div>
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The Argentine duly took it when Tsonga over-hit a forehand.</div>
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Del Potro appeared to be heading for a win when he broke in the third
game of the second set, but Tsonga replied in the next game in what
appeared to be the turning point of the match.</div>
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The Frenchman broke again in the sixth game when, having missed one
break point, he was handed another by a Del Potro double fault and
gleefully seized it with a stunning forehand drive down the line.</div>
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In the third set, the 26-year-old served nine aces and broke in the
seventh game to claim his second ATP title of the year following his win
in Metz</div>
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</div>Arab News Sportshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11368994369074252365noreply@blogger.com1