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Gillings keen for Olympic run-in

Posted by admin under Winter sports

Ride the slopes with Zoe Gillings
Manx snowboard cross racer Zoe Gillings says training is going well ahead of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.
The British number one and world number five said: “I had some great results last season and I’m confident I can improve again this year.
“The Winter Olympics will be a massive test for me with huge crowds but when I’m nervous I perform at my best.”
The 24-year-old’s first race of the season will be in South America on the 11 September.

Danny Crates Paralympic gold medal-winning athlet

Posted by admin under Disability Sport

Paralympic gold medal-winning athlete Danny Crates came third in his last race at the London Grand Prix at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

The 36-year-old from Essex, who lost his right arm in a car accident in Australia in 1994, has announced his retirement following a successful career.

The undoubted highlight was his victory in the T46 800m at the Athens Paralympics in 2004.

Here he tells BBC Sport about some of the best and worst moments of his athletics career.

Hundreds on Armstrong Tweet ride

Posted by admin under Cycling

About 300 people have joined an impromptu bike ride with cycling legend Lance Armstrong after he issued an open invitation on a Twitter post.

The seven-times Tour de France winner alerted fans that he was coming to Scotland during a Tweet on Monday.

He posted: “Hey Glasgow, Scotland! I’m coming your way tomorrow. Who wants to go for a bike ride?”

Armstrong set off from Ashtree House Hotel, Paisley, Renfrewshire, shortly after 1230 BST on Tuesday.
Up to 300 people are thought to have turned out for the event - including Scottish former cycling champion, Graeme Obree.

After the event, Armstrong posted the Tweets: “Thanks to everyone who turned up to ride in Paisley! I figured we’d have a nice ride for a dozen or so. But 100’s came. Haha! Awesome!

“And yes, next time I’ll try to bring some sun. You bring the translator (Scottish to Texan) and I’ll bring the rays. Seriously, thanks again.

“And how great was it that the Flying Scotsman Graeme Obree came out? Legend.”

BBC Scotland reporter Mark Daly spoke briefly to Armstrong before he set off at the head of a 300-strong pack of cyclists.

Tour preparation

Speaking while cycling with Armstrong, he said: “He told me he hadn’t been doing too much training but he was in advance preparation of putting his team together for his assault on next year’s Tour de France.
“What we’ve been told is that he is going to do a 90-minute route which, depending on how fast he wants to go, could be anything between 30 and 40 kilometres.

“The pace is already beginning to quicken and perhaps some of the more fun cyclists may soon drop off.”

BBC Scotland news website reader Leigh McConnell, from Beith in Ayreshire, said: “Went along, after getting my Tweet, to wait for the inspirational Lance Armstrong and was not disappointed.

“My best friend Jules lost her mum to cancer and Steven suffered just like Lance and all find him the most incredible person giving hope and guidance to all.”

Armstrong returned to competitive cycling this year after retiring in 2005. He finished third in the 2009 Tour de France.

The 37-year-old American’s achievements in the sport are considered remarkable as he has undergone several treatments for cancer after being diagnosed at the age of 25.

GB’s Cawthorn just out of medals

Posted by admin under Canoeing

Rachel Cawthorn, Great Britain’s leading female sprint kayaker, suffered a second near-miss on the final day of the World Championships in Canada.

Having come fifth in a four-woman crew on Saturday, she was 0.6 seconds off a podium place in Sunday’s singles final.

Cawthorn was beaten to bronze by Italy’s Josefa Idem, who she had pipped to third spot in the European Champs.

“I am a little disappointed that I didn’t medal but its a good end to the season,” said the 21-year-old.

“The results this year confirm that we are on the right track.

“If we continue training and preparing as we have, we will be on the podium in the not too distant future.”
Britain’s four-man kayak were seventh on Saturday after becoming the GB crew to reach a world final in that class.

Ben Farrell, Stuart Hastings, Paul Wycherley and Andy Daniels were three seconds behind winners Belarus in Dartmouth.

The kayak double of Lucy Wainwright and Lani Belcher also raced in a final on Sunday but their eighth-place finish behind champions Hungary was two short of the pre-championships aim.

And performance director John Anderson was impressed, particularly with the women, saying: “These are the best results at a Worlds for GB ever.
“Rachel’s fourth place in the K1 and the women’s K2 and K4 results are fantastic; they are consistently reaching the finals.”

A young Great Britain squad were without double Olympic medallist Tim Brabants, who is taking a year out from competition to concentrate on his medical career.

Live ice hockey from BBC Spor

Posted by admin under Ice hockey

Follow live GB, Elite League and Premier League ice hockey with BBC Sport.

BBC local radio brings you live commentaries, interviews and reports from rinks across the UK.

Find out where you can hear more about your local team, and how to tune in.

List may be incomplete - check your local station’s listings for more details.
Many commentaries will be available online only.
BBC Coventry & Warwickshire are the media partner for the Great Britain senior team.

All GB matches at the 2009 World Championships in Poland will be broadcast live.
Cardiff Devils - BBC Wales

BBC Wales offer some live commentaries of home games, interviews, and features on Sportstime (Tuesday nights).

Coventry Blaze - BBC Coventry & Warwickshire
Comprehensive coverage - key home games live on air and a dedicated show, Face-Off (7pm, first Thurs each month).

Hull Stingrays
BBC Humber offer interviews, web features and match reports from most Stingrays home games.

Newcastle Vipers
BBC Tyne offer news from the Vipers and live commentaries from big Cup and Play-off matches.

Nottingham Panthers - BBC Nottingham
Tune in for match previews (6-7pm Fri, 5.45pm Sat), live radio updates, all the reaction, and reports online.

Sheffield Steelers - BBC South Yorkshire
The best Steelers coverage including Steelers Hockey (Fridays 7-8pm), interviews and some commentaries.

Basingstoke Bison
BBC Berkshire are following the Bison with reports and updates throughout the season.

Bracknell Bees
BBC Berkshire offer live coverage of selected Bees home games, plus interviews, scores and reports.

Peterborough Phantoms - BBC Cambridgeshire
Tune to BBC Cambs the morning after each Phantoms game for reports, plus interviews and news on air and online.

Slough Jets
BBC Berkshire offer live coverage of selected Jets home games, plus interviews, scores and reports.

Swindon Wildcats
BBC Wiltshire offer regular interviews, match reports and news from the Wildcats.

Telford Tigers
BBC Shropshire offer interviews, previews and match reaction online and on radio.

Blackburn Hawks
BBC Lancashire offer Hawks results in sports bulletins with previews and web features each week.

Invicta Dynamos
BBC Kent offer regular interviews with the Dynamos, plus guests from the team on sports programmes.