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Beachley takes Brazil surf pro (30 August)
 Layne Beachley (AUS) won the inaugural Billabong Girls Pro Brazil to post her first ASP Women’s World Tour event in two years last weekend. Beachley (pictured) is now the number one rated female surfer in the world – an honor she hasn’t shouldered since she won her sixth world title in 2003.
"It was a fairy tale ending for me,” Beachley said. “I’ve worked so hard all week and I’ve been participating and making the call and hoping I’m doing the right thing – the conditions have been so challenging and then it all just fell into place for me in the final. It couldn’t have happened any better and I’m really excited that I’m No. 1 in the world and made such great ground on Mel (Redman-Carr) - it’s such an integral part of the year."
Although looking in top form throughout the event, Beachley stepped it up in the finals, amassing an excellent 9.95 and an 8.50. The performance signaled to competitors that the six-time world champ has returned her devastating competitive form.
"The insatiable winning thirst has come back," Beachley said. "It’s been 18 months since I won an event and it hasn’t really sunk in yet. I’m so excited. I can’t remember what to do because it’s been so long since I won. I’m just thrilled and .”
Left needing a combination of wave scores to challenge Beachley, Jessi Miley-Dyer (AUS) sat in second for most of the heat.
"Layne (Beachley) got two really good scores right away," Miley-Dyer said. "When she pretty much got a 10, I went, ’Wow, heavy - anybody who can get a 10 in difficult conditions like this....well, perhaps I’ll just stay over here on my left while they finish the contest.’"
Still, at 19-years-old, the rookie was pleased just to be in the final - her first on the ASP Women’s World Tour.
"I still had a little bit of hope that I could pull it off because anything can happen in a heat," Miley-Dyer said. "It’s always hard when someone has a 9.95 and an 8.50 to come from behind and beat them but I was just having fun out there. I’ve already qualified via the WQS, so I didn’t have any pressure and I think that really showed in the event. Everywhere else I’ve been knocked out in the third round and then here I make a final."
Miley-Dyer was one of two rookies represented in the business end of the Billabong Girls Pro Brazil. Brazilian Silvana Lima was beaten by Beachley in the heat prior to the final. With 33-year-old Melanie Redman-Carr (AUS) and 34-year-old Beachley heavily dominating the early leg of the tour, today was one for the youngsters.
ASP World Tour home
Henin-Hardenne survives US Open start-up (1 September)
Staring down a one set deficit against a player that had given her trouble in the past, Justine Henin-Hardenne's desires of another US Open title run didn't burn so brightly; but she regrouped almost immediately and then steamrolled through the second and third sets to post a convincing 46 61 60 victory over Ai Sugiyama on Arthur Ashe Friday afternoon.
Full story via the US Open web
‘Lethal’ & Lenton take a double (29 August)
Young Australian swimmers ‘Lethal’ Liesel Jones and Libby Lenton have set new world records in their respective swimming events at the world short course championships in Hobart.
Lenton beat rival Jessicah Schipper in the 100m butterfly to claim a record 55.95sec time.
Earlier, Jones claimed a new mark for the 100m breaststroke of 1:03.86. Click here to see the full report at Swimming Australia.
Navratilova's last stand (29 August)
 From the US Open tennis: Steffi Graf may have her 1988 golden Grand Slam, but no player in the past 30 years has left a more complete mark in tennis history than Martina Navratilova. The Czech-born southpaw has stood atop the winners stand – not only in singles – but also in doubles and mixed doubles at all four majors. There isn’t one title she’s missed on tennis’ grandest stages.
This year, she will make her 22nd US Open appearance and, she says, her last.
“Now that I'll be collecting AARP discount, it's time to move on with life,” she said, referring to her 50th birthday next month.
Full story from the US Open website
Plus…
Due to a shoulder injury she sustained in New Haven, 1998 US Open champ Lyndsay Davenport wasn't sure whether she would be able to even lay her first-round match against Klara Zakopalova, but she survived, 6-1, 6-4.
"It's my arm," Davenport said. "Like in fatigue, soreness. It just feels really heavy. I've actually never had an arm injury. I think I've had every other injury known to a tennis player but an arm injury. It's kind of the unknown dealing with it. It was playable today. Now that I have every other day off, I think I'll be able to kind of make it better as the tournament goes on. "
American Vania King upset former Aussie top-10er Alicia Molik, 6-3, 6-2. The 17-year-old King not only moves well but is also a terrific counterpuncher.
"I'm very disappointed, " Molik said. "I'm miles away from where I've been the last few weeks."
Australian unknowns take scull champs (28 August)
 Little-known double sculls pairing Brooke Pratley and Liz Kell won their world title race at Eton yesterday, ahead of the more fancied New Zealand. It was only the third time the pair had raced as a team.
From Rowing Australia: This young Australian double scull of Brooke Pratley and Liz Kell had rowed well above their experience level to advance to this A Final, particularly in their semifinal when they finished less than a length behind the Olympic and World Champions, the Evers-Swindell twins from New Zealand. The Aussie girls drew lane 5 between Belarus and Ukraine.
The girls began well and held second place after 500 metres just 0.3 seconds behind the favorites New Zealand, with Belarus in third place. By 1,000 metres this young and inexperienced double scull coached by Adrian David had taken the lead from New Zealand and Belarus, with Germany moving into the fray. At 1,500 metres the Aussies in the crowd sensed a huge upset was on the cards and began to chant the familiar Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, Oi, Oi, Oi.
In the last 500 metres the girls were challenged by, first New Zealand, and when their run had ended, the Germans charged at the Aussie girls but again it was Gold to Australia. The winning time was 6:47.67 with Germany second and New Zealand third. (Pics by Rowing Australia)
Rowing Australia website
Netball featured on Wikipedia (24 August)
Netball player Cynna Kydd was recently the subject of Wikipedia’s Today’s Featured Article.
Following the concern that women’s sport is frequently overlooked in mainstream media, fans of the sport will be glad to know that it is considered coverage-worthy thru other channels.
Wikipedia is an online encyclopedia where articles are “written collaboratively by many of its readers.” The website is written in fifteen different languages and has information on a wide range of topics. The main page covers Today’s Featured Article, In the News, Did You Know, On This Day, and Today’s Featured Picture, all changed daily.
The article also includes links to other Wikipedia articles on Australian netball players, as well as outside articles on netball from 1998 to 2004.
Wikipedia netball
Husband and wife take on world -- and each other (23 August)
 Bettina Hoy and husband, Andrew, will be competing against each other on 24 August at the World Equestrian Games in Aachen, Germany.
Bettina is representing Germany, while three-time Olympic gold medallist, Andrew Hoy, will ride for Australia. Both are considered contenders for a top place finish.
At Athens Bettina and Andrew became the first husband and wife ever to compete against each other in Olympic competition.
In the dangerous sport of eventing, the emphasis is on support. Speaking to The Age newspaper, Andrew said, “You're competing with the horse against the course, not against each other.”
Eventing is the triathlon of equestrian competitions, with riders competing in dressage, cross-country and show-jumping. The World Equestrian Games are currently underway and will run until 3 September. (Pic: ALRV-Rüland)
By Ophelia Keys
Links: World Equestrian Games site;
Feature on Bettina and Andrew from The Age: Equestrian Federation of Australia
Marion Jones tests positive for EPO (22 August)
US sprinter Marion Jones reportedly tested positive for the banned endurance-boosting drug erythropoietin (EPO) at the US national championships in June.
A person with knowledge of the results told Associated Press that the A sample taken after Jones won the 100-metre title at the track and field championships in Indiana had shown the presence of EPO.
The results will not be made public until the B sample has been tested. If both samples are positive, Jones could face a 2-year ban.
Jones has previously denied repeated allegations of drug use, but has yet to comment on the latest reports.
By Siobhan Brophy
AP report;
About EPO
Three strikes and she’s out (22 August)
Britain’s most promising hopeful for the 2012 Olympic Games, Christine Ohuruogu, has received a provisional ban for missing three drug tests over the past 18 months. Not only does this damage Ohuruogu’s preparation for the Games but much has been made of the cloud it places over Britain’s lead-up to what was predicted to be their most successful Games yet. (By Edwina Ryan) Click here for the full feature.
First women’s surf champ reflects on sport (21 August)
 Phyllis O’Donnell looks like any other grandmother. But when was the last time your gran rode frontside into some gnarly tubes? (For the uninitiated, that’s surfing with the front side of your body through some very intense wave barrels.)
O’Donnell, still sprightly at the age of 69, was a pioneer in women’s surfing. Think of her as a sort of women’s surfing equivalent of Margaret Thatcher and you start to get the picture – she went where no woman had gone before. In 1969, O’Donnell became the first woman to claim an official surfing world championship title – World’s Best Woman Surfer, no less.
“My prize money was $250. I won a surfboard which I sold and numerous packets of cigarettes because they were sponsors” O’Donnell recalls.
Nearly 40 years on from O’Donnell’s historic victory, women’s surfing has come a long way. Whilst there are still popularised images of women in surfing merely acting as a hot accessory in a bikini to the main event, male surfers, for the most part the brilliant skills of current day surfers such as Australia’s own Layne Beachley and previous world champion Lisa Anderson have demanded the surfing world’s respect.
Far from a hokey competition offering cigarettes and not much more, women’s surfing has today involved into a multi-million dollar business. The fastest growing market in the sport, women are eligible to compete in a myriad of prestigious competitions around the globe, with the Association of Surfing Professionals (ASP) the peak global surfing body, running women’s titles concurrently with the men’s. The ASP Women’s World Tour criss-crosses the globe and it the ultimate women’s surfing championship. Major sponsorship deals have seen the sport become very lucrative for a select group of champion female surfers, with the combination of prize money and endorsements often rivalling amounts previously only made by the male athletes.
Multiple world champion Beachley has also seen the changes to women’s surfing but still believes more work can be done. In response, she has established the Layne Beachley Reach For The Stars Foundation, an organization designed to provide support, primarily financial, to not only up and coming female surfers, but to women in all academic, sport, cultural and community pursuits.
“Having experienced the financial pressures of supporting my professional surfing career, I set out to establish a foundation offering assistance for those who need some extra help to achieve their ambitions”, Beachley says.
As for O’Donnell, she looking back fondly on the generations of wahines (that’s Hawaiian for female surfer) she helped inspire, she can hardly believe the legacy she established.
“I look at these pictures and I say ‘Did I ever do that?’ Apparently I did” she said.
By Michelle Segal
Links:
Womens Surfing Internatiional (pictured);Layne Beachley site;
Global Surf News
Aus shuts out Kiwis in world cup (18 August)
 (Soccer) From the FIFA under-20 world cup: In the afternoon game at the Petrovsky Stadium in St Petersburg, the Antipodean derby between Australia and New Zealand ended up with the Young Matildas securing the three points. Collette McCallum, who had already represented the Aussies at Thailand in 2004, bagged a brace, putting her on her own at the top of the scoring charts, albeit for just a few hours. Sally Shipard rounded off the scoring for one of the tournament's more fancied teams, though their Kiwi opponents were by no means outclassed in this their first appearance in the competition.
Full report at FIFA
Schipper sets record (18 August)
Australian swimmer Jessicah Schipper claimed a new world record for 200m butterfly at the Pan Pacific swimming champs in Canada, last night.
The 19-year-old finished in 2:05.40, bettering the standing time of 2:05.61.
Pan Pac website
Firebirds face Phoenix tonight (18 August)
 The Queensland Firebirds say they are ready for anything that Melbourne First National Phoenix can throw at them in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy semi final tonight at the State Netball and Hockey Centre in Melbourne at 8.05pm.
“A finals berth is something at the beginning of the season that we could only dream of,” says Firebirds’ coach Vicki Wilson. “Now it is a reality and we couldn’t be more excited.”
“But we continue to play one game at a time. So we are very determined to show that we have earned our position in the finals and that we are definitely worthy of being in the top four in the competition,” adds Wilson.
Captain Peta Stephens goes further saying “We are confident we can beat Phoenix this week. We are not just making up the numbers. In both games during the rounds this year we have worried Phoenix for the first half, but then not been able to continue the momentum. However, our dramatic improvement over the past few weeks has given us confidence that we can finish strongly.”
“All I can say is Beware of a fired up Firebirds team.”
Phoenix has struggled in the last few rounds against the top teams, looking vulnerable against fast paced offensive teams. Firebirds’ attacking speed between Lauren Nourse, Karen Clarke and Belinda Dever has already unsettled Phoenix in previous games and will certainly menace them again in Melbourne this week.
Whilst shooter Sharelle McMahon has maintained a steady 80% plus accuracy under the post, Goal Attack Cynna Kidd has been fazed by torrid defence recently, leaving Phoenix threatened by the consistent and mobile Firebirds defence of Mel McKenzie and Peta Stephens.
“This what we have trained for all season and we are going to give it everything we have,” concludes Wilson.
(Source: Firebirds web)
Bendigo in basketball battle (18 August)
From the Bendigo Advertiser: The Bendigo Braves are embroiled in a bitter battle with Basketball Australia and the South East Australian Basketball League over the availability of Kristi Harrower and the playing date for next week's women's grand final…the club is staring down the barrel of having to play the grand final without its premier player.
Bendigo Advertiser home; Story
No jumping the shark for surf sensation Bethany Hamilton (16 August)
Bethany Hamilton’s surfboard has an unusual design on it. The zig zag stripes mimic the patterns of a poisonous sea creature, and are designed to ward off sharks. “Sharks are way scared of this pattern,” her brother Noah told ABC News America. “But the main thing is, it’s a total confidence booster.” Hamilton must have needed all the confidence she could muster to get back in the water after October 31, 2003.
The 13-year-old pro surfer was attacked by a tiger shark whilst surfing near Tunnels Beach, Hawaii, losing 70% of her blood and her entire left arm. Yet thanks to her excellent physical condition, she recovered quickly and was back in the waves with a specially modified surfboard less than 12 weeks later.
Hamilton’s stupendous survival ensured her 15 minutes of fame in the wake of the attack, as media outlets worldwide rushed to cover the story. (By Arwen Summers) Click here for the full story.
Dancing with the Matildas (15 August)
 Australian women’s soccer is thriving and, with five of the junior team competing successfully at the senior level in the recent AFC Women’s Asian Cup, looks set to be competitive for years to come.
Despite narrowly missing out on winning the Asian Cup, senior team the Matildas did well to fend off China, eight time Cup champions, to a penalty shoot out after extra time.
Buoyed by the recent achievements of the Matildas and the Socceroos in the World Cup in Germany, the Young Matilda’s have set off for the third FIFA under19/under 20 Women’s World Championship held in Russia. (By Jennifer Thomas) Click here for the full story.
Give them a sporting chance (15 August)
(Opinion) In Britain last month 10-year-old Minnie Cruttwell asked her government why she has to change to an all girls football team at age 11 when she’s “just as good as boys.” In Australia last week 33-year-old Liz Ellis, captain of Australia’s national netball team, asked her government to push for greater coverage, support and professionalism in women’s sport. Both seem like pretty reasonable questions. (By Clare Marshall) Click here for the full opinion piece.
Plus... Women’s Sport still warming the bench (15 August)
(Opinion) The proposed changes to media regulation could result in an increase in women’s sport coverage for free to air television. But will this increase in coverage result in an increase in interest?
Debate over this topic has raged for almost as long as women have been allowed to participate in the upper echelons of the sporting world and was again pushed into the media spotlight following a submission to a parliamentary inquiry into women’s sport. (By Merrin Hughes) Click here for the full opinion piece.
Sport coverage – it’s not about gender, it’s about business! (14 August)
(Opinion) How many articles about women’s sport, of any kind, have you seen in today’s sport coverage? Turn on the radio, open your newspapers, flick through TV channels – you will most likely find very little, if anything, about women’s sport. (By Gorana Masic) Click here for the full story.
Move more, eat well says 1Seven program (15 August)
Australian Netballer Sharelle McMahon and Australian Cricketer Karen Rolton have been announced as ambassadors for the Medibank Private 1Seven program, a new nationwide health and wellbeing program targeted at tackling the child obesity epidemic. (By Laura Perriam) Click here for the full story.
Beijing buzz (15 August)
 Tuesday 8 August marked the beginning of the two year countdown to the opening of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, and the Chinese know how to celebrate. Over a million people attended events across Beijing, a city that is amid a mammoth construction and restoration project in the lead up to the games. (By Clare Chapman) Click here for the full story.
Plus... Olympic corruption casts shadow (15 August)
While preparations are undoubtedly rolling ahead, local media has also found itself obliged to suppress too much discussion of the dark shadow which remains over the 2008 Beijing Olympics -- the discovery of a high-level corruption scandal consisting of bribes and sexual favours.
Liu Zhihua, now ex-vice mayor and Olympic official in charge of overseeing the extensive construction binge of new sporting venues, has been accused of accepting bribes amounting pass AU $1.5 million from developers, according to Hong Kong’s Oriental Daily. (By Gail Ng) Click here for the full story.
Defence Force recruiting comes up Opals (15 August)
As we reported on 9 August, the Australian Opals have signed on with Australian Defence Force Recruiting in a new one-year sponsorship deal worth $300,000. The deal, which extends to the WNBL, includes naming rights and will see fans cheering for the Defence Jobs Opals in the World Championships in Brazil next month. (By Amber Hammill) See this page for a full background briefing on the story.
Netball and the two-team town (15 August)
 Melbourne is the only remaining two-team town in the national netball league, but for how long?
The future of Melbourne’s status as the only Australian city to host two netball teams in the national Commonwealth Bank Trophy (CBT) competition might be under threat. Melbourne Kestrels had a slow start to season 2006 and have missed the finals. Meanwhile, negotiations to explore a competition combining the current Australian and New Zealand national leagues have been reported. (By Chris Callanan) Click here for the full story.
Records quickly become fleeting memory (14 August)
These days, claiming a sport world record doesn’t guarantee that you will be holding it for very long.
At the European Championships two weeks ago, Germany snatched the 4x100m women’s freestyle world record at 3:35.22 minutes. The record ousts the Australian team’s time of 3:35.94, set at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
While this leaves Australia as the ‘underdogs’ for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, the small 0.72-second difference between the two records suggests that in this age of minute measurement, anything is possible. (By Melissa Krafcheck) Click here for the full story.
Plus... Swimming vs reality television: it’s time to get real (14 August)
(Opinion) Australia has held the world record for women’s 4x100m freestyle relay for the past two years. That is until two weeks ago, when the Germans blew that record out of the water by taking 0.72 seconds off the time set at the 2004 Olympics. The swimming world has been clamouring about Australia’s loss of dominance ever since, as strong young teams from around the world get set to claim the recently vacated number one position. Never mind about Thorpie, it's the girls we should be worried about. (By Anne Treasure) Click here for the full opinion piece.
Baum’s stance on women’s sports slammed (14 August)
An article in The Age newspaper on coverage of women’s sport has sparked outrage among readers.
Greg Baum’s article (5 August) on why women’s sport does not get much media coverage, describes them as “boring” and lacking in quality as compared to male sports. The article also wrote of the inferiority of women athletes as compared to men in terms of strength and speed.
“Women runners, jumpers, throwers, cyclists and swimmers do their best, but it is, by definition, second-best. Women's triathlon is a yawn. Women's golf is nothing more than a set of gimmicks. Women's AFL is embarrassing. If women insist on playing sport at all, it should be beach volleyball.”
The Age readers have blasted this piece, calling it ‘dismissive and misogynistic’ of women’s sports. Many have questioned his authority in deciding how good women’s sport should be.
“After having enjoyed Greg Baum's writing for some time, my partner and I have lost all respect for him and his views after this drivel… He takes as a self-evident truth that women's sport is ‘less of a spectacle’ than men's,” wrote reader KatieAlex.
Many readers have offered their own views on this issue, blaming the apathy of television networks and the lack of sponsors. Susanne Prosser echoed most of their sentiments, attacking the media for this disparity in coverage.
“People read and watch what they are used to, and what the media tells them they like. Take the massive media campaign over the soccer. All of a sudden people think they are mad soccer fans. If the media did the same with women's sport I am sure people would start to follow it and demand more coverage,” she wrote.
This article follows the heated inquiry in women’s sports coverage, where various women’s sports organizations are pushing for a minimum 30 per cent of media coverage devoted to women's sport.
By EePin Pang
Age home; Baum article, Blog comments
Women’s race for a share of the funds (14 August)
The Federal Government is now calling for applications for the 2006-07 Sport Leadership Grants for Women.
The Minister for the Arts and Sport Rod Kemp, and Julie Bishop, the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues, recently announced $400,000 of funding to encourage women’s participation in sports leadership.
Grants of up to $5000 for individuals and $10,000 for organizations are available in five key areas:
- high performance coaching and officiating
- Indigenous women in rural and remote communities
- women in disability and sport
- women from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds
- women in general sport leadership.
The grants will assist women to seek accredited training in coaching, officiating, governance and management.
“Improving the involvement of women contributes to a strong, diverse and sustainable Australian sports system,” Minister Bishop said. Since the introduction of the Government’s ‘Backing Australia’s Sporting Ability’ policy four years ago, grants of over $1.2 million have helped more than 11,000 women to develop sports leadership skills.
Jointly administered by the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Government Office for Women, the grants are aimed at raising women’s profile as managers and mentors in the sporting arena. Traditionally, financial support and payment for women in sport has been virtually non-existent.
Senator Kemp commented that Australian sport stands to benefit from a greater number of women in leadership and decision-making roles, which contributes to the depth and diversity of Australian sport.
Applications for the 2006-07 Sport Leadership Grants for Women close on 15 September 2006.
By Suellen Gosstray
For more details about the grants go to:
Ausport
Government announcement
TV money buys Olympic schedule (13 August)
From Reuters via the Benton news service: How much does US$1.18 billion buy you these days? Well, would you like
to schedule the time for the swimming finals for the 2008 Olympic
games? Heated discussions can be expected when the controversial
competition schedule for the 2008 Olympics is hammered out at a
meeting of broadcasters in Beijing this week. A draft schedule leaked
to the Australian media last weekend had the finals of the swimming,
gymnastics and men's basketball pencilled in for the morning
sessions, prime-time for American television audiences. NBC paid US
$3.55 billion for the rights to three Olympic Games, including
Beijing, and many are convinced the early starts are the result of
the American broadcaster looking to ensure they get their money's
worth. The proposed shifting of the swimming finals from their
traditional evening slot has caused uproar in Australia, whose strong
swimming team has a great rivalry with the Americans. Six-times
Olympic medallist Michael Klim slammed the move as "pandering to the
American dollar" and said leading swimmers planned to petition the
International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Reuters story; Benton news service at Guidomedia
Teacher wins city to surf (13 August)
Melbourne school teacher Anna Thompson was first woman across the line in today’s Sydney city to surf run, which attracted a record 63,000 entrants. Her time was 47 minutes.
Tanzanian Dickson Marwa won outright, covering the 14km course in 40 minutes and 49 seconds.
City2surf website
Stanford leads Canada Open (12 August)
Angela Stanford maintained a three-stroke lead entering the third round of the CN Canadian Women's Open—a tournament record since it entered the LPGA Tour schedule in 2001. Stanford's 3-under-par 69 on Saturday increased her lead to four strokes over defending champion and 2005 rookie Meena Lee (68-73-66=207, -9). Stanford (64-70-69=203, -13) will once again play in the final group of the day on Sunday with Lee.
More: LGPA website
Opals backed by Defence Force (9 August)
 The Opals national basketball team has received sponsorship from the Australian Defence Force.
It is part of a wider campaign to attract fit young women to the services, which currently lists 6800 women among its 51,000 personnel.
The forces have suffered a recruiting shortage in recent years.
Veterans Affairs Minister Bruce Billson said, "We are committed to bettering this result and we are keen to highlight the job opportunities that the ADF offers for women."
Meanwhile the squad has named its members for the upcoming world championships. A major concern for coach Jan Stirling is whether injury-prone Lauren Jackson will be fit to play. The team members are: Tully Bevilaqua (Indiana WNBA/Canberra Capitals), Holly Grima (Bulleen Boomers), Kristi Harrower (Valenciennes, France), Lauren Jackson (Seattle WNBA), Emily McInerny (Dandenong Rangers), Erin Phillips (Connecticut WNBA/Adelaide Lightning), Emma Randall (Samara, Russia), Jennifer Screen (Parma, Italy/Adelaide Lightning), Belinda Snell (Phoenix WNBA), Laura Summerton (Connecticut WNBA), Penny Taylor (Phoenix WNBA) and Jenny Whittle (Mizo Pecs, Hungary/Canberra Capitals).
Opals home page
Sharapova defeats Clijsters at Acura Classic (8 August)
In the end, second-seeded Maria Sharapova, the 2006 Acura Classic champion, held the crystal trophy over her head after defeating top-seeded Kim Clijsters, 7-5, 7-5, in an action-packed final before a sold-out crowd on Stadium Court. The final finished an incredible week of tennis which had a little bit of everything including a couple of rare rain delays. After the singles final, the doubles final featured the second-seeded team of Cara Black and Rennae Stubbs against the fourth-seeded team of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Meghann Shaughnessy. In a thrilling display of top-notch doubles, Black and Stubbs won the Acura Classic doubles championship for the second time in three years with a 6-2, 6-2 victory.
Acura Classic website
Steinhauer wins British Open (6 August)
From the British Open golf: American Sherri Steinhauer has won the 2006 Weetabix Women's British Open at Royal Lytham and St Anne's.
The 43-year-old dropped a shot at the 18th - her first bogey in 49 holes - to become the oldest Open title winner.
It was a second major win for Steinhauer, who finished on seven under, clear of compatriot Cristie Kerr and Swede Sophie Gustafson.
Steinhauer becomes only the second woman to win British Open three times.
Her previous victories, on this course in 1998 and at Woburn in 1999, came before the tournament was awarded major status.
British Open
Sports training (5 August)
Womensport, Recreation Victoria and Basketball Australia are running a sports governance workshop in Melbourne on 29 November. See this link. Plus, the Football Federation Victoria (soccer) is running coaching seasions for women on 19-20 August. Contact bshelton@footballfedvic.com.au.
Sydney TAB Swifts secure minor premiership (4 August)
 From Netball Australia: The Sydney TAB Swifts have had a dream run through the 2006 Commonwealth Bank Trophy season, taking out the Minor Premiership for the third consecutive year, six points ahead of their closest competitors at the end of Round 12.
In the history of the competition no team has sailed through the minor rounds without a loss and the Sydney TAB Swifts look set to achieve this milestone in 2006.
With still two rounds remaining, the TAB Swift’s undefeated run has secured them a top of the table position and hometown advantage for the Major Semi Final.
Acer Arena will be the scene for the battle as the Sydney TAB Swifts take on their closest rival at 8.05pm on Friday, 18 August. The stakes will be high as the two teams fight it out for an immediate place in the coveted 2006 Commonwealth Bank Trophy Grand Final on Friday 1 September.
Full story at Netball Australia
Inkster leads Brit Open (4 August)
USA player Juli Inkster leads the British Open golf ahead of Silvia Cavalleri of Italy, Candie Kung of Taiwan and Karen Stuppes of the UK, with Lindsey Wright the lead Australian in equal third. The higher-profiile Australian Karrie Webb was struggling, as much as 10 shots behind then leader at one stage.
Open website
Inquiry concludes public hearings (4 August)
The Senate inquiry into women in sport and recreation held the third and last of its public hearings today in Canberra, with the other conducted in Sydney and Melbourne.
Over 70 written submissions have been received by the inquiry, while several high-profile witnesses were heard at the hearings. Among them was netball captain Liz Ellis.
The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper reports: "What I would like to see is (the Federal Government) take a punt and see corporations rewarded via tax breaks, there should be a mandate similar to Australian content rules … you should offer financial incentives for corporations and media outlets," Ellis said. "The men's sports world would be kicking and screaming, but they have had it good for a long time."
Sydney Morning Herald home; Report; Senate inquiry page
Feds offer additonal leadership funding (4 August)
 (Media release) The Australian Government has made available a further share of $400,000 for women to pursue sports leadership opportunities in 2006-07.
The 2006-07 Sports Leadership Grants provide funding and support for women to seek accredited training and development in coaching, officiating, governance and management. The Women’s Sports Leadership Grants Programme is jointly funded by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) and the Office for Women.
The Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women’s Issues, Julie Bishop (pictured), and Minister for the Arts and Sport, Senator Rod Kemp, said that the Sports Leadership Grants for Women continues to improve the involvement and status of women in Australian sport.
“Over five years, the grants scheme has provided opportunities for women to gain accredited training and development in coaching, officiating, governance and management,” Minister Bishop said.
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Allston takes orienteering world title (3 August)
Tasmanian Hanny Allston has won the world orienteering championship in Denmark, becoming the first non-European to do so.
The 20-year-old medical student said she was shocked at the win, ahead of the more fancied Swiss athlete Simone Niggli-Luder.
China homes in on shooting titles (2 August)
 China has shaken up the traditional domination of shooting by European competitors in the recent ISSF world championship in Zagreb.
The pic shows the winners in sport pistol: Chen Ying of China, Fei Fengji, also of China and Gundegmaa Otryad of Mongolia. (Pic: People’s Daily)
See the ISSF website
Super club challenge for bowls (1 August)
Bowls Australia today announced the development of a new national club championship competition to commence in 2007.
Called the Australian Super Club Challenge, it is the first competition that will allow clubs to compete for a national title.
Based on a highly successful Queensland-based club competition, Bowls Super Challenge, the Australian Super Club Challenge will cater for clubs of all sizes and teams of varying playing ability.
It will comprise five levels and will lead to a national champion in each level. The five levels are: gold for men and women, silver for men and women, and a bronze level for mixed (combined male and female) teams.
"This is a very exciting development for the sport," said Bowls Australia chief executive Mark Rendell.
"Clubs have always been the heart and soul of bowls with some 2000 clubs in metropolitan and regional areas competing regularly in pennant and other levels of competition.
"While we have had national championships for state teams and Australian titles for individuals, we have never had a competition structure that is geared to finding a national champion club side.
"The main features of this competition are that the format will be the same across all states, it provides gender equity, and it allows smaller clubs and players of all abilities to contest for a national title.”
Bowls Australia
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