MotoGP detects and isolates one case of Covid-19 in Brno
Aug 09. 2020
By THE NATION
After more than 5,500 tests performed on all paddock personnel before their attendance to the Spanish, Andalucia and Czech GPs, one person in the FIM MotoGP™ World Championship paddock has tested positive for Covid-19.
The result was returned during testing undertaken ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix. The person is a member of Dorna Sports’ team and is asymptomatic.
Following the positive result that arrived early on Saturday, the person was immediately informed and isolated in their hotel. A further test was then undertaken in order to confirm the result. This second test also proved positive and therefore the staff member and all close contacts will remain in isolation.
Local health authorities will now decide on the duration of self-isolation they are required to undertake.
As a precautionary measure, the Championship has taken the decision to test any persons in secondary contact with the individual and each of them has returned a negative result.
Wichanee outlasts teenage rival in play-off for first win in five years
Aug 09. 2020Wichanee Meechai (Credit to Jirawat Srikong, Sports Aperture)
By THE NATION
LPGA player Wichanee Meechai relied on her experience to beat amateur Chanettee Wannasan in a play-off to reign supreme in the Bt1 million Singha-SAT Thai LPGA Championship at the Watermill Golf Club and Resort in Nakhon Nayok on Saturday.
Wichanee Meechai (Photo credit to Jirawat Srikong, Sports Aperture)
The 27-year-old Bangkokian who opted not to compete on the on-going LPGA series in the US in fear of COVID-19 pipped the 16-year-old opponent with a birdie on the par 4 nine hole in the play-off to celebrate her first victory in five years.
“I was quite excited since the first tee-off. But I tried to concentrate on what I had to do and stuck to it,” said Wichanee who was tied with the teenager on 15 under-par-201 in regulation. “I was more focused during the play-off. I have to give credit to Chanettee who put up a great fight. She will have a great career in the future,” added Wichanee at the par 72 6,285 yard landscape.
“My goal is to win more and more. I also want to win an LPGA Tour title. Too bad I was unable to join the LPGA which resumed again already. I’m so concerned about the COVID-19 outbreak in the US,” added Wichanee who won Bt120,000 as top prize money.
Another LPGA member Pajaree Anannarukarn landed at third after a total 13 under-par-203, followed by teen prodigy Atthaya Thitikul, winner of the previous circuit, after she signed off with a 204.
Chanettee Wannasan (Photo Credit to Jirawat Srikong, Sports Aperture)
Rodlek believes he has what it takes to beat Saemapetch
Aug 08. 2020
By THE NATION
Former Channel 7 Boxing Stadium Champion Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym is up for the biggest test of his ONE Super Series career thus far.
The 30-year-old veteran fighter is scheduled to face cross-country rival Saemapetch Fairtex in the headline bout at ONE: NO SURRENDER II, a closed-door, audience free event set for broadcast on Friday, 14 August in Bangkok, Thailand.
Rodlek and Saemapetch have faced each other previously at Thailand’s prestigious Channel 7 Boxing Stadium, with Rodlek taking home a decision victory back in 2014. But that was many years ago, and the two have both changed immensely since then, particularly Saemapetch who has emerged as a top global talent in the Muay Thai realm.
Rodlek himself has remained unbeaten in his ONE Super Series stint thus far, claiming victories over Liam Harrison, Andrew Miller, and Chris Shaw. On the other hand, Saemapetch only has one loss in the ONE Championship ring, and that came against reigning ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao late last year.
Analyzing his opponent ahead of their highly-anticipated second meeting, Rodlek details what makes Saemapetch a dangerous foe for him this time around.
“He (Saemapetch) is one of [the most] skilled boxers I have ever known. His punches are powerful, and he has powerful weapons and cannot be underestimated,” said Rodlek.
“His deadliest weapon will be his left kicks and left punches. [I’ll need to] keep my guard up, and study his strategies, styles, and patterns.”
The stakes are high for both Rodlek and Saemapetch, as ONE Championship recently revealed that their clash will be a semifinal match-up in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament, with the eventual winner earning the right to meet the division’s reigning titleholder.
Rodlek knows exactly what’s on the line in this bout, and that a victory would inch him closer to his ultimate goal of becoming a ONE World Champion. As such, the 30-year-old is planning to put the pressure on Saemapetch, which will no doubt make for a very exciting contest for the fans.
“I might have more weapons, and my gut is better. That will be my advantage. If I want to win, I need to approach him first, keep the pressure on him, and not let my guard down,” said Rodlek.
“If I win this fight, there will be a higher chance to get [a title shot], and if I lose, I will need to start from the beginning. So, I will not let my guard down.”
ONE: NO SURRENDER II is ONE Championship’s second event in Bangkok since resuming its flagship event schedule. Apart from the exciting main event, the show also features appearances from some of the best local Thai martial arts talent, including Pongsiri Mitsatit, Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy, and Pongsiri PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym, among others.
Quartararo and Morbidelli lead a top four split by just a tenth on Friday
Aug 08. 2020
By THE NATION
Petronas Yamaha SRT lock out the top, with Oliveira and Zarco for close company in an Independent Team 1-2-3-4
Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) remains the man to beat after Day 1 of the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky, setting the timesheets alive in the afternoon to end Friday fastest. It was far from lonely at the top, however, as his teammate Franco Morbidelli was just 0.007 behind to go P2 overall.
The top three was completed by another Independent Team runner in the form of Miguel Oliveira (Red Bull KTM Tech 3), the Portugese rider putting KTM within half a tenth of the top, with Johann Zarco (Esponsorama Racing) the fastest Ducati to make it a 1-2-3-4 for Independent Teams – and all four were within a tenth.
Francesco Bagnaia (Pramac Racing) crashed in FP1 and has been declared unfit. The Italian headed to the medical centre and then Brno University hospital for check ups on his right knee and has been diagnosed with a fracture at the top of his tibia.
FP1 Pol Espargaro (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) was the man in charge for much of FP1, but the glory went the way of Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu) at the end of the session after a late charge put him on top. Behind him was Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar) as he impressed on his return Brno after his big crash in testing last year, ending FP1 just an infinitesimal 0.011 off the top. Pol Espargaro was therefore shuffled down to complete the top three, but the early pacesetter was still only 0.039 off P1.
Zarco impressed in P4 in his first session at Brno on a Ducati, with Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) edging out key Championship rival Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team) to complete the top five. That made it five manufacturers in the top five, with only half a second covering the top 16 in FP1.
Viñales was an early crasher in the session as he slid out at Turn 13 – rider ok – and both Brad Binder (Red Bull KTM Factory Racing) and Jack Miller (Pramac Racing) subsequently ran off at the same corner, pulling solid saves out the hat to stay upright through the gravel. Miller’s teammate Bagnaia was the second rider to suffer a tumble in FP1, but he was unluckier as his spill ruled him out of the rest of the weekend and maybe the Austrian GP too.
FP2 Despite the hotter temperatures, the top 14 improved in the afternoon and Quartararo reversed his Friday trend from Jerez – where he finished both first days outside the top ten – as the end of the session became a hot lap shoot out and the Frenchman came out on top.
Mir was the man leading the way when Morbidelli struck and knocked a whopping 0.936 off the fastest lap of the day, kickstarting the FP2 gold rush as a flurry of red sectors started to appear from a good few riders. Oliveira got within a few hundredths, Viñales looked threatening, and Zarco and Mir were still up at the sharp end. But with 30 seconds left on the clock for Friday, Quartararo was the only man left to cross the line – and just pipped his teammate by 0.007.
That made it another Petronas Yamaha SRT 1-2, pushing Oliveira down to a nevertheless incredible P3. Zarco impressed in fourth once again, as in FP1, with Viñales completing the top five. The number 12 had punched in a stunning first sector on his last time attack, but the lap went away from him.
Mir was sixth in FP2 and overall following the shuffle, ahead of a big leap forward for Aprilia Racing Team Gresini’s Aleix Espargaro as he knocked seven tenths off his morning best to end the day in P7 – and just get the better of brother Pol Espargaro. Nakagami was ninth on the combined timesheets, ahead of Miller as the Australian rounded out the top ten overall.
That leaves Binder in P11, Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) just behind him and Andrea Dovizioso down in P15. They’ll certainly be looking for more in FP3, although the time attacks didn’t come from everyone on Friday, so the margin could well be there…
Alex Marquez (Repsol Honda Team) had the sole incident in FP2, the Spanish rookie seemingly suffering a technical problem and pulling over early in the session before scootering back to the pits.
That’s it from Friday, come back for more on Saturday morning as the field head out for FP3 at 9:55 (GMT +2), before qualifying to decide the grid for the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky begins from 14:10.
MotoGP™: the five fastest on Friday 1 Fabio Quartararo* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – 1:56.502 2 Franco Morbidelli* – Petronas Yamaha SRT – Yamaha – +0.007 3 Miguel Oliveira* – Red Bull KTM Tech 3 – KTM – +0.048 4 Johann Zarco* – Esponsorama Racing – Ducati – +0.081 5 Maverick Viñales – Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP – Yamaha – +0.166 *Independent Team rider
Lowes heads Bastianini and Marini on Day 1 The Brit reigns the morning ahead of Roberts, before an Italian invasion in the afternoon
Sam Lowes (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) heads the combined timesheets on Friday at the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky, the Brit’s FP1 time keeping him ahead of the game despite an Italian invasion in FP2. In the afternoon, Enea Bastianini (Italtrans Racing Team) and Luca Marini (Sky Racing Team VR46) moved up to complete the top three overall by way of P1 and P3 – split by Lowes.
FP1
Lowes went fastest in the morning, ultimately by over three tenths ahead of a resurgent Joe Roberts (Tennor American Racing) in P2. The American had led the way heading into the latter part of FP1 before seeing himself pushed down to second. Championship leader Tetsuta Nagashima (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the top three, less than a tenth off Roberts’ best, ahead of Augusto Fernandez (EG 0,0 Marc VDS) as he got back at the sharp end in P4. Marcel Schrötter (Liqui Moly Intact GP) rounded out the fastest five in the morning.
Kasma Daniel (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) was the only crasher in FP1, the Malaysian taking two tumbles but rider ok.
FP2
Jerez winner Bastianini got the better of Lowes in the afternoon, although the Brit ended FP2 second quickest overall. Marini leaped up the timesheets to third, ahead of a huge improvement from Jorge Navarro (MB Conveyors Speed Up) as he moved into fourth in the session. Meanwhile, Roberts was consistent – ending FP2 in fifth and with a similar laptime.
Simone Corsi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) was an early faller, and FP2 didn’t start well for Jorge Martin (Red Bull KTM Ajo) as the Spaniard crashed at Turn 11 with 10 minutes gone. Marco Bezzecchi (Sky Racing Team VR46) later went down at Turn 10, and Nagashima was the next faller after a strong FP1, the Japanese rider crashing at Turn 13. Finally, Aron Canet (Openbank Aspar Team Moto2) took a tumble at Turn 5 after a tougher day for the Moto2™ rookie in Czechia.
By the end of play though, it’s Lowes leading Bastianini and Marini, with Roberts holding onto fourth from his FP1 laptime. Navarro shuffles into fifth overall, ahead of Nagashima. Fabio Di Giannantonio (MB Conveyors Speed Up) showed some good speed to take seventh overall, ahead of Bezzecchi.
Remy Gardner (ONEXOX TKKR SAG Team) was ninth, with Stefano Manzi (MV Agusta Forward Racing) completing the top ten. Fernandez and Schrötter are P11 and P12 by way of their FP1 times, with Lorenzo Baldassarri (Flexbox HP 40) and Nicolo Bulega (Federal Oil Gresini Moto2) currently the last two set to move through.
But will entry to Q2 shuffle on Saturday morning? FP3 is the last chance to fight back, before qualifying from 15:10 (GMT +2).
1 Sam Lowes – EG 0,0 Marc VDS – Kalex – 2:02.480 2 Enea Bastianini – Italtrans Racing Team – Kalex +0.209 3 Luca Marini – Sky Racing Team VR46 – Kalex +0.319 4 Joe Roberts – Tennor American Racing – Kalex +0.336 5 Jorge Navarro – MB Conveyors Speed Up – Speed Up +0.343
Rodrigo rules the Friday roost in Moto3™ The Argentinean sets the pace in practice, ahead of Toba and Fernandez
Gabriel Rodrigo (Kömmerling Gresini Moto3) has topped the practice timesheets once again in the Moto3™ World Championship, ending Friday at the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky in P1 by virtue of his fastest laptime in FP1. Under the summer sun in Czechia, most of those currently set to go straight into Q2 set their quickest efforts in the morning, including Red Bull KTM Ajo duo Kaito Toba and Raul Fernandez as they completed the top three overall.
FP1
Rodrigo was quickest but left it late to topple Toba, with the Japanese rider having spent much of the session at the top. Ultimately Rodrigo rounded out the the session just over a tenth ahead after a late push, with the second Red Bull KTM Ajo of Toba’s teammate Raul Fernandez ending FP1 third fastest and a further 0.121 in arrears.
Dennis Foggia (Leopard Racing) had a good first session as he took P4, only 0.060 off Fernandez, before a big gap separated the fastest four from the rest. Ayumu Sasaki (Red Bull KTM Tech 3) was half a second off Foggia in fith, with the rest of the top ten split by almost nothing, including the likes of Albert Arenas (Gaviota Aspar Team Moto3) and key challenger John McPhee (Petronas Sprinta Racing).
There were a number of crashes in FP1, all riders ok. Tatsuki Suzuki (SIC58 Squadra Corse) went down at Turn 13, before Jaume Masia (Leopard Racing) had one crash at Turn 11 and then another at Turn 3. Jason Dupasquier (CarXpert PruestelGP) crashed at Turn 7, with Celestino Vietti (Sky Racing Team VR46) retiring at almost the same time and place after running out of fuel. Sergio Garcia (Estrella Galicia 0,0) also some a little drama as he moved off the racing line on the main straight with an issue, pulling in at the end of pitlane.
FP2
As the temperatures rose, the laptimes slowed slightly but it was Fernandez back at the sharp end as he was fastest in FP2. The afternoon’s second quickest lap came courtesy of Masia after a sterling effort to bounce back from his two FP1 crashes, and his 2:09.364 makes him one of few to improve overall. The top five in FP2 was completed by Romano Fenati (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team), McPhee and Garcia.
Carlos Tatay (Reale Avintia Racing) was the first to crash in FP2 as he took a tumble at Turn 7, and he’s gone for a check up at local hospital. Ayumu Sasaki then went down at Turn 10, before the same corner also caught out his compatriot Kaito Toba a few minutes later, although the number 27 was able to get back on track. Alonso Lopez (Sterilgarda Max Racing Team) slid out at Turn 5, Vietti at Turn 4 and, finally, Darryn Binder (CIP – Green Power) at Turn 13. All riders ok, Tatay pending his check up.
By the end of the day, Rodrigo leads the way ahead of Toba, Fernandez and Foggia as the fastest four come from FP1, with Masia completing the top five to shuffle Sasaki down to sixth. Tony Arbolino (Rivacold Snipers Team) is P7 ahead of Arenas, with McPhee taking ninth. Fenati completes the top ten for Husqvarna.
Riccardo Rossi (BOE Skull Rider Facile Energy) took an impressive P11 ahead of an equally impressive Dupasquier, with Sergio Garcia next up as the second rider – alongside Masia – to improve in FP2. Ai Ogura (Honda Team Asia) currently stands to be the last man moving through to Q2, but everything can get another shake up on Saturday ahead of qualifying.
How will FP3 change the game? The likes of Suzuki, currently down in P16 overall, will be pushing hard from 9:00 (GMT +2), before qualifying decides the grid from 12:35.
Saemapetch believes experience from Nong-O bout gives him the edge against Rodlek
Aug 07. 2020
By THE NATION
Former ONE World Title challenger Saemapetch Fairtex of Thailand knows exactly what he’s up against when he faces Thai countryman Rodlek PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym later this month. They’ve faced each other in the ring once before, with the younger Saemapetch dropping a decision to the older veteran.
The two square off again in the headline bout of ONE: NO SURRENDER II, a closed-door, audience free event set for broadcast on Friday, 14 August in Bangkok. Saemapetch has taken the time to study Rodlek’s improvements and style, and believes he understands his opponent quite well.
“He (Rodlek) is like a tank. He keeps attacking by kicks and knee strikes and going forward to keep the pressure on his opponents,” Saemapetch said.
“[His best weapons] would be his fists, elbows, and knees – especially knees because he has mastered knee techniques.”
Since joining ONE Super Series in 2018, Saemapetch has impressed so far in his time inside the ONE Championship ring. With victories over top talents such as Deividas Danyla, Alaverdi Ramazanov, and Ognjen Topic, Saemapetch earned a shot at ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai World Champion Nong-O Gaiyanghadao late last year.
It’s an experience Saemapetch says he will never forget, and one that he says has changed his approach to fighting. The 26-year-old phenom feels he’s learned a lot from his bout against Nong-O, and that he’s ready to turn the corner in his return to the ONE Championship ring.
“I learned many things from him (Nong-O) and adapted it to my style, such as attacking, punching style, heavy strikes, counterattacks, and tactics,” said Saemapetch.
“This time is different, and I also trained for additional skills as well. I have an ample amount of fighting experience, and I will use my new style to fight with him.”
Of course, taking on Rodlek is certainly no walk in the park. Rodlek, who is unbeaten in ONE Super Series, is easily one of the toughest men Saemapetch will ever face in the ring.
The stakes for the two Thai warriors are also incredibly high, as ONE Championship recently revealed that their clash will be a semifinal match-up in the ONE Bantamweight Muay Thai Tournament, with the eventual winner earning the right to meet the division’s reigning titleholder.
For Saemapetch, winning the tournament means securing a rematch against Nong-O, and that remains his ultimate goal. If that means having to use Rodlek as a stepping stone, a man he holds in high regard and has a lot of respect for, in order to earn another shot at the title, then so be it.
“Whatever happens, we are still a family as Thai people,” said Saemapetch. “But in the boxing ring, we need to do our best.”
ONE: NO SURRENDER II is ONE Championship’s second event in Bangkok since resuming its flagship event schedule. Apart from the exciting main event, the show also features appearances from some of the best local Thai martial arts talent, including Pongsiri Mitsatit, Sorgraw Petchyindee Academy, and Pongsiri PK.Saenchaimuaythaigym, among others.
“Every season has a different story”: the pre-event Press Conference gets Brno down to business
Aug 07. 2020
By THE NATION
On Thursday at the Monster Energy Grand Prix České republiky, the pre-event Press Conference brought some of the protagonists of 2020 so far together as we head into the first three in a row of the year – with plenty to talk about ahead of Brno.
Fabio Quartararo (Petronas Yamaha SRT) took centre stage as he comes into the event leading the Championship, joined by Maverick Viñales (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP), Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team), Takaaki Nakagami (LCR Honda Idemitsu), Valentino Rossi (Monster Energy Yamaha MotoGP) and Joan Mir (Team Suzuki Ecstar). Here are some of their quotes!
FABIO QUARTARARO: “I think Jerez is a track that was better for us, but like I said last year the Yamaha is going well in every track. It’s true this track has a lot of straights, uphill, but a lot of corners so at the end our bike is turning really well. We miss a bit of power but we can’t have everything. We will do out best, the same mentality, we will work really hard to see what our potential is for Sunday and tomorrow and Saturday we’ll be working on the pace.
“Honestly, after race wins, you always celebrate with your friends but it was quite strange. But when I arrived home, I saw nobody and always with the mask. I went back to see my family but I couldn’t even kiss my mum so I was a bit scared, especially after an F1 driver had the virus. I was a bit stressed honestly so we didn’t do something special, but stayed safe and always with the mask. Now we’re here and we can fully focus on racing.”
MAVERICK VIÑALES: “It’s fantastic. Our objective was to be on the podium, so we achieved our maximum in Jerez. Now we’re going to tracks I really like; I love the layout of both Brno and Austria. We have a great opportunity, so we need to keep pushing and hopefully we’ll find something more for this race and get to the maximum again.
And is he worried about the Yamaha engine usage so far?
“No. We’re quite confident and comfortable. We know what our potential is, so we’re quite calm. We need to make it work as best we can, and that’s it. We need to keep going and, especially, we need to be as fast as we were in Jerez.”
ANDREA DOVIZIOSO: “I can’t be too happy about my riding in Jerez in the first two races, but in the end the Championship points are not so bad. Happy to be in Brno. I think it can be a better track for us, but it will be important to fix my weak points. We studied a lot this week to try and be ready for this weekend.. We will see during the practice, because just being on the bike you can feel if you have made some changes. Let’s see how the track is because its normally very difficult for the map and the grip. There is a new tyre so we will work in a different way. And let’s see the Yamaha. I expect them very competitive here, but I’m really interested to see if they are strong like in Jerez.
“For sure, there is an opportunity for everybody. But, you know, every year has a different story and the first two races say that the two Yamaha riders are stronger than everybody else. But, whether it’s just in Jerez in the really hot temperatures. The season is still really long with a lot tracks and different temperatures. Let’s see.”
VALENTINO ROSSI: “It’s an important weekend because I’ve always liked Brno. Last race in Jerez, we changed something that gave me a better feeling and I enjoyed the whole weekend. To be back on the podium after a long time and a difficult period was a great feeling. So, it’s important to understand if I can also be strong here because the track is great, I’ve always liked it, but in previous years with the Yamaha we’ve always struggled a bit. It’s important to know our potential at another track, with different conditions, and also for the next races after this.
“In the summer of last year, I understood that I needed something different, so we changed the chief mechanic and we bet on a younger guy from Moto2 with no MotoGP experience. I liked a lot his approach because he was working in my team with Moto2. I feel very good, he can teach me a lot and he has a different way of working on the bike. We needed fresh ideas, and now we need time to work on our relationship and for him to understand what I need. But over these next races we will understand if we’re in a good way.”
TAKAAKI NAKAGAMI: “In Jerez it was special conditions. Really hot, the second race on the Sunday was my worst conditions. I was always behind and it was difficult to breathe. We’ve improved a lot from the first race, now it’s a different story and a different track. Not the same conditions as Jerez, I think Sunday will be hot but not like in Jerez. Nothing special, we’re working hard, the same as always. Marc is not here so I feel a lot of pressure from HRC but that is nice, I’m enjoying this moment so hopefully it’s a good weekend for us.
“Of course when I saw the data compared to Marc, I always saw some… I can find some special riding from Marc. But absolutely not easy to copy. From HRC side they have helped a lot during the weekend, we checked Marc’s data from the first race and one thing I found that on braking he has a completely different way to stop the bike. I tried all sessions, it’s not easy to understand but I feel that when I saw the lap times it was always better. When I’m riding, I feel a lot more confidence and it’s easier to stop the bike. This is a lot of help during the race, Jerez, 25 laps, it was difficult to not make any mistakes. It was a lot of help. It’s difficult to explain but he has special riding under braking. It was tough and not easy, but we have to adapt all season. Now I have found the best way on braking, we’ll keep going like this and we will see on this track.”
JOAN MIR: “I’m so happy about the fifth position in Jerez. The most important thing after the first race was to finish. I had this on my mind during all the weekend. I think that here we can be a little bit more competitive. The weekend looks like it will be much colder than in Jerez. So, looking forward to it, so let’s see if we can improve our qualifying sessions I think that is our.. we are missing a little bit in that point. But I think if we improve in that area we can fight to be in front.”
Mir also spoke about the crash he had last year in the Brno test.
“This track doesn’t bring me good memories, like you said, but it’s always been a track that I enjoyed a lot. Riding here is so nice, but like you said I had a big injury last year, but anyway it’s best not to think about that, it’s better to think about the good feelings I have had here in the past and for sure let’s see if we can bring a good result on Sunday to help us forget last year!”
MotoGP™ head out for FP1 at 9:55 (GMT +2) on Friday, and the race starts on Sunday at 14:00.
50/50. What does Brno bring for Fabio?Viñales says he’s happy arriving so close in the ChampionshipDovizioso, meanwhile, said he was unhappy with his riding in Jerez. But is a recent Brno winnerNakagami took a premier class best last time out in P4Rossi looks to continue his podium form – he could reach 200 in the premier classMir took a solid top five in the Andalucia GP. Can he conquer Brno’s bad memories?
PFL provides free access to year-round premium content
Aug 07. 2020
Professional Fighters League (PFL), the first organization ever to present MMA through a Regular Season, Playoffs, and Championship format, rolled out a new OTT platform, providing fight fans with access to hundreds of hours of premium PFL content wherever they are, with no restrictions.
The PFL MMA app is available now for free on Apple TV, Roku, Fire, Android, and iOS devices.
“With the launch of our first OTT platform, we’re excited to fulfill the growing global demand for our product by providing fight fans around the world with free access to premium PFL content wherever, whenever and however they want to consume it,” said PFL CEO Peter Murray. “Professional Fighters League is a media and content company. As we continue to grow, innovate, and reimagine MMA, we have placed an emphasis on engaging fans all year long through impactful storytelling and unprecedented access to the sport, our fighters, and the action inside the cage. As the app continues to evolve, this will especially be a destination for international fans outside the US.”
PFL Unlocks Its Vault – Access Classic Fights On Demand
Professional Fighters League is delivering a full fight library, from classic matchups to million-dollar championship fights, featuring PFL stars such as Kayla Harrison, Ray Cooper and Emiliano Sordi. Fans will also gain access to never-before-seen World Series of Fighting matchups. Relive all the memorable moments in one location, at your fingertips.
Enjoy Original Programming From PFL Studios
In addition to event replays, fans will enjoy original storytelling from PFL Studios, a fully integrated global media division of the Professional Fighters League producing original MMA content for all platforms including television, digital and mobile. Murray drew inspiration for PFL Studios from his time with NFL Films and has assembled a top executive team, including Executive Producer and 16-time Emmy winner George Greenberg and Chief Digital Officer Dan Ghosh-Roy, to lead the effort.
Go Behind-The-Scenes
PFL MMA will feature exclusive, never-before-seen interviews and footage that will provide fans with unprecedented access to the league. Hear from PFL stars like Rory MacDonald and personalities like MMA legend Randy Couture, in addition to celebrity fans.
The league will monetize the OTT platform through sponsorship and advertising opportunities for leading brand partners, in addition to microtransaction purchases for fans tied to gaming and exclusive content.
Professional Fighters League partnered with ViewLift to bring the PFL MMA OTT platform to life. ViewLift offers end-to-end solutions for creating, launching, and monetizing video applications across mobile, over-the-top, connected TV and game consoles.
The PFL has quickly become the most innovative league with the use of SmartCage™ technology to deliver real-time fighter data and analytics, referred to as Cagenomics™.
Ali Abdelaziz, Dominance MMA Set To Work With ONE Championship
Aug 06. 2020
Renowned mixed martial arts manager Ali Abdelaziz has his sights on Asia and he knows exactly where to go here.
The founder of Dominance MMA – the number one sports agency in the US – will now work with ONE Championship moving forward and he plans to roll in some of his best guys in The Home Of Martial Arts.
“I just want to express my excitement with working with ONE, I represent around 300 fighters, some of the biggest fighters in the world which we can work with,” Abdelaziz said.
“I think I have a lot of guys right now, some up and coming fighters, world champions, big names and one day some of them can become free agents and join ONE. I am excited to work [ONE].”
The 42-year-old praised how ONE always puts on a show night in and night out, even describing it as a ‘spectacle’. He also had the chance to talk with some of the athletes he knows which validated his thoughts about the largest martial arts organization in the world.
“One of the meccas of MMA is in Asia, and ONE Championship is a world class brand. I’m excited with how they run the show,” he said.
“It’s like a spectacle, it’s like watching the Olympic games, it has a different feel to it. I have [talked to] fighters like Eddie Alvarez, with how he’s been treated with ONE and I can’t wait to work with them.”
Perhaps what everyone wants to know is how Abdelaziz’ relationship with ONE affects the possible trilogy between one of his athletes in Henry “Triple C” Cejudo and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson.
The pair has engaged in two wars already, having won one match apiece over each other.
Cejudo has recently retired from the UFC, and he even teased a third match with Johnson in his Twitter account. Asked about it, Abdelaziz clarified that Cejudo still has a live contract with his former employer – though he is not closing any doors on anything right now.
“At the end of the day, MMA has grown so much, you see soccer players that get traded every year from team to team. ONE Championship is full of smart people. The UFC is full of smart people and I have amazing relationships with both promotions. If this is real talk (from Cejudo), I have to talk to both parties cause I would love to see that match between them,” Abdelaziz said
“Right now Henry Cejudo is still a UFC fighter, but if two people want to do something, we can do it but we have to get everything to agree.”
But Abdelaziz said that the focus should not just solely be on Cejudo as he has other big names in his stable which he feels can make a huge dent in mixed martial arts here in Asia.
Take the brother of Khabib Nurmagomedov for example, Usman. The undefeated 20-year-old has been linked to ONE Championship and Abdelaziz believes this is the best organization for the younger Nurmagomedov to strut his wares.
Another name he threw out is Iranian wrestling machine Amir Aliakbari who has demolished everyone in his path since transitioning to mixed martial arts.
“I have a lot of athletes coming up and possibly joining them, like Khabib’s younger brother, Usman, Amir Aliakbari, so many upcoming guys, they can be huge signings for ONE,” Abdelaziz shared.
“Usman is 20 years old, he’s undefeated 9-0, he’s one of my biggest prospects in MMA, to be honest we talked about it with Khabib and we thought, maybe he can join ONE Championship,” he added.
“In the next few days, we’re gonna look at some athletes, and me and Chatri have been talking and maybe we’re gonna break something in a few days.”
While nothing is finalized yet, having a kingmaker like Abdelaziz join forces with The Home Of Martial Arts is already a good thing, and he only promises one thing to fans in Asia.
“I have a garage full of Ferraris and Lamborghinis and I’m looking forward to put on a very very good car show in Asia.”
REBEL Fighting Championship (REBEL FC), a dynamic fightainment company, is not letting the COVID-19 pandemic get in the way of its goal of becoming the first MMA promotion from Southeast Asia to produce a full-fledged Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) reality show in China and develop the next generation of China-grown MMA superstars.
REBEL FC already has an ace in place with famed Chinese director Xie Dikui, as the executive producer of the planned MMA reality show. Xie is a household name for his work on one of China’s biggest reality shows in the past decade, Where Are We Going, Dad? (Chinese: 爸爸去哪儿; pinyin: Bàba qù nǎr), on Hunan Television, which debuted in 2013 and is currently being filmed for the sixth season. He was the director for the series’ first (2013), second (2014), third (2015) and fourth seasons (2016), as well as two movie adaptations of the series. The series attracted an average of 75 million viewers per episode every week and an astonishing TV viewership of 190 million people in the 2015 season finale.
“Just like any programme on terrestrial TV or streaming platform, the sponsorship team behind a programme is its bedrock. Hence, REBEL FC is pulling out all the stops to recruit the best in the business to give its reality show a strong boost.” explains Justin Leong, CEO of REBEL FC.
“Our reality show ties in with the REBEL FC’s core value of empowerment. We will empower our fighters in and out of the ring as well as during and after their fight careers. We want to empower our gym and brand partners. Our new sponsorship colleagues will work towards a holistic partnership with our sponsors where everyone will benefit — from everyday men and women who will be inspired by the tales of the fighters’ determination to succeed against all odds in the reality show to our brand partners who will be able to communicate the empowering aspects of their products and services to the mainstream viewers,” emphasises Leong.
Vivian Xia, who joins REBEL FC as sponsorship director, is the promotion’s most significant appointment to date. She spent most of her career from 1999 to 2018 — 16 years — at The Nielson Company, a global marketing research firm headquartered in New York City, USA. Nielsen’s possibly best known creation is the Nielsen ratings, an analytical system that measures television, radio and newspaper audiences in their respective media markets.
The highlight of her work with Nielsen was building up a sports and entertainment department for the company from 2016 to 2018 as Associate Director. This new department is responsible for the business and product developments of the sports industry in China. Major clients she managed with this new department were Hebei China Fortune Football Club (image branding to fans), Tencent Sports (evaluation of NBA sponsor exposure in the media), HUPU (industry prospect evaluation), Foshan Xiqiao Marathon (event performance evaluation) and JD (sports goods industry research).
From 2018, Xia went on to join OCEANS Sports & Entertainment Inc. as its Vice President. OCEANS is one of the leading sports marketing agencies in China specialising in integrated sports marketing, event organisation and promotion, sponsorship development, and building relevant relationships across China’s fast-growing sports industry. At OCEANS, she was responsible for managing new businesses in the country. A major client she handled was ADK, whom she facilitated to successfully obtain the title sponsor of the WTA Final in Shenzhen in 2019.
Joining Vivian Xia is Ophelia Yao, REBEL FC’s sponsorship manager, who has experience from IMG, a global events and talent management company headquartered in New York, USA, under Endeavor Group Holdings. Endeavor is best known for acquiring UFC in 2016 for 4 billion USD.
At IMG, Yao was Sales Support & Client Servicing Manager at IMG Golf Asia, focusing on client relations and servicing for the WGC-HSBC Champions project, building corporate partnerships with Mercedes Benz, WeChat, Dell and TutorABC.
“It is an honour for me and Ophelia to be a witness and participant in innovative sports marketing with REBEL FC’s planned reality show. I think it is an exciting platform to communicate MMA as a professional sports in the language of mass entertainment that will resonate with the mass audience in China. The attributes of MMA conveyed through the reality show can encourage positive thinking and enterprising fighting spirit as well as revitalising national pride in everyone in China,” elaborates Xia.
We hope to inspire more innovative ideas for event operations and make REBEL an industry benchmark and leader not only in China but around the world in the time to come,” she adds.
With Xia and Yao onboard, REBEL FC adds another milestone in its course towards bringining its ambitious MMA reality show into fruition.
Defending champion Sei Young Kim skips Marathon LPGA Classic due to COVID-19 concerns
Aug 05. 2020
By The NATION
The 2019 Marathon LPGA Classic champion Sei Young Kim will not defend her title this week at Highland Meadows Golf Club, opting to remain home in Korea due to travel concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I feel down and my heart feels heavy because I can’t go to the tournament where I had one of my best memories,” said Kim, No. 6 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. “I would like to thank the partners, the tournament committee and the volunteers for making this tournament possible for us during these difficult times. It is a bit regrettable that I can’t go to Ohio to defend my title, but you can count on me to be the first one running to Toledo once it is safe for everyone to return. What I remember from Highland Meadows is that there was a lot of support from fans and cheers from LPGA’s side.
“Even though I can’t be a part of this great tournament this year, I will definitely go back and repay the fans for their support.”
Kim has played in two LPGA Tour events this season, finishing in the top 10 at the Diamond Resorts Tournament of Champions and the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio. Kim has competed in four KLPGA events since that Tour resumed play in May, with a best finish of second at the LOTTE Cantata Ladies Open. She also finished fourth at the Korean Women’s Open, one of the KLPGA Tour’s major championships.
THE STRENGTH YOU BUILD – HALEY MOORE’S #DRIVEON STORY
“The pain of being bullied is cutting and deep. I know. I also know that it makes you tough and strong. One day, not that far away, you will have to perform under pressure. It might not be a putt to win an NCAA Championship, or a par to earn your LPGA Tour card, but there will be something. When that moment arrives, you will be ready.”
Those eloquent words come from 2020 LPGA Tour rookie Haley Moore, who told her very personal #DriveOn story to LPGA.com in a first-person article and accompanying video. Moore wrote about a childhood full of cruel taunts and how she overcame those difficult moments to become one of the best female golfers in the world.
Now she hopes that her story can help inspire other kids who are dealing with their own bullies.
“I realize my story is truly powerful, and I want to help every young girl and boy, everyone, who has been (bullied),” said Moore. “And I think just being able to tell my story in front of a whole platform of kids who have been bullied, I mean, they have different stories, too. I just feel like my points that I will give to them definitely will help them. I just want everyone who has been struggling to be able to get over it and not always go home thinking, If I go outside, what are people going to think of me.”
Moore’s mother, Michele, also shared her experience as the mother of a bullied child, giving a heart-wrenching but convicting perspective on seeing her child persevere through those deeply cutting moments.
“Many nights I laid in bed and wept. The ‘mama bear’ inside me wanted to go to school with Haley, to protect her and give those mean kids a good dressing-down,” Michele Moore wrote. “But I knew that handling conflict and unfairness, learning to cope with nasty things and unkind people, was part of life. If I did nothing, my child would suffer. But if I intervened, I might make things worse.”
Haley and Michele both pointed to golf as a saving grace in Haley’s childhood and a pastime that brought them together, not just as mother and daughter, but as friends.
“As a parent of a golfer, I believe it’s really more important to be their best friend and not their coach, you know, when they’re playing golf,” Michele said. “Bullied children don’t really have a whole lot of friends, and there is even fewer safety outlets for them to go to when this happens. So for me, I want it be not only mom but as a big sister. It’s easy to just tell a child, Oh, kids will be kids. It’ll get better. But most of the time that doesn’t really work. So I just wanted to make sure that Haley had every opportunity to showcase her talents and make them better and stronger. I’ve been her No. 1 fan the whole step of the way.”
HOLLIS RETURNS TO MARATHON NOT AS A SPONSOR INVITE BUT AS A LPGA PROFESSIONAL
Jillian Hollis comes back to her home state this week to compete in the Marathon LPGA Classic for the second time, but her first time as an LPGA Tour Member. After being a sponsor invite in 2014 as an amateur and again in 2018 as a Symetra Tour player, the 23-year-old from suburban Cleveland will compete in her third LPGA tournament of 2020 and her third Marathon Classic.
“Last year when I was playing Symetra, I think I was doing really well. I won two tournaments and I got the invite to come play in this tournament last year. I told Judd (Silverman, the tournament director), ‘You know, I want to come back next year as a rookie,” said Hollis. “That’s my goal, rookie on the LPGA. I want to come back as a member of the LPGA Tour so I was solely focused on Symetra.’ He’s like, ‘Jillian, I respect that. That’s awesome.’ So I had said that the Marathon was the tournament I look forward to the most.”
Hollis can count on her family watching her this week, especially since her mother, Sharon Minnich Hollis, once played this event as a sponsor invite in the late 1990s.
“It’s been so special. And we have a lot of history here. My mom played professional golf. She played on the Futures Tour and Judd gave her a sponsor’s invite long, long time ago when she was playing,” said Hollis. So we always joke about that. He’s like, ‘Tell my sponsor’s invite that I said hello.’ We chatted earlier this week and he told me that. So I always get a good kick out of that.”
BELAC EXCITED FOR LPGA TOUR DEBUT AT MARATHON CLASSIC
This week is incredibly special for Ana Belac. She said she’s worked her entire life for this moment – a shot to compete against the best in the world on the LPGA Tour. The native of Slovenia has the chance to put her skill to the test at the Marathon LPGA Classic, where she is competing in her first Tour event as a sponsor invite.
“This is something I’ve dreamed of since I was a little girl, to play a professional sport, and I finally got a chance to really tee it up on the biggest stage,” said Belac.
When the coronavirus pandemic ended collegiate athletics in the early spring, Belac turned professional in late March after four years at Duke University. She earned Symetra Tour status after the 2019 LPGA Q-Series and competed in her first Symetra event as a professional at the Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship, finishing T28.
As Belac prepared for this week, she got advice from a certain 2020 LPGA Tour rookie. “I talk a lot with Leona Maguire, my close friend from Duke. She’s out here on tour as well. Unfortunately not here this week. But she’s been always like a really supportive friend, like a big sister. Just reassuring me that it’s just playing golf, like just like we did in college,” said Belac, who played with Maguire at Duke for two seasons. “It’s on a bigger stage, but at the end of the day, you got here for some reason, so just trust your game and just go and play and enjoy.”
FROM RON SIRAK – KANG PICKS UP WHERE SHE LEFT OFF IN RETURN TO LPGA TOUR
Now, this is what we were missing. Sure, the roars of the gallery were socially distanced, but that soothing sound of a well-struck golf shot was welcome music to the ears of fans glued to the broadcast. The LPGA returned with the Drive On Championship and in Danielle Kang, Inverness Club produced an extremely fitting winner.
Both the LPGA and Kang picked up right where they left off. With her fourth win – one in each of the last four years – the 27-year-old Kang continued a hot streak that began right after the Solheim Cup in September, when she took the 1-point loss by the U.S. to Europe personally. Since then, Kang has won twice – she grabbed the Buick Shanghai for the second time in October – has been second once and third on two other occasions.
In what was either a reprise of the 2019 Solheim Cup at Gleneagles in Scotland or a preview of 2021 – which will be played at the Inverness Club – Kang and Celine Boutier of France staged a classic back-nine battle.
KANG MOVES TO NO. 2 IN ROLEX RANKINGS
For the first time in her LPGA Tour career, American Danielle Kang has risen to No. 2 in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings. The 27-year-old from Las Vegas jumped from fourth to second on the strength of her victory at last week’s LPGA Drive On Championship held at Inverness Club.
Kang becomes the seventh American player to be ranked No. 2 in the history of the Rolex Rankings, and has been ranked in the top 10 for 41 consecutive weeks. In her last six starts on the LPGA Tour, Kang has two wins, one second-place finish and two third-place finishes.
Americans Ranked No. 2 in the Rolex Rankings Since 2006
Player
First Year
Danielle Kang
2020
Nelly Korda
2020
Lexi Thompson
2017
Stacy Lewis
2012
Cristie Kerr
2010
Michelle Wie
2006
Paula Creamer
2006
SOME HEROES WEAR MASKS – SYMETRA TOUR PLAYER HOFFMAN RETURNS TO NURSING DURING PANDEMIC
Symetra Tour player Sarah Hoffman received a sponsor exemption to play in this week’s Marathon LPGA Classic presented by Dana, her second career LPGA Tour appearance joining the 2016 LPGA Volvik Championship. Two weeks ago, the Michigan native tied for 28that the Symetra Tour’s Firekeepers Casino Hotel Championship. But before that, when the world seemingly stopped to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic, Hoffman put down her clubs and put on her nursing scrubs. Hoffman, who has a B.S. in Nursing from Grand Valley State University, went to work as a nurse at Michigan Medicine.
“The sacrifices are different in golf and nursing. Golf leans toward an individual focus and you have to think about yourself as No. 1. Nursing is all about the patient and how I can go the extra mile to make them the most comfortable,” said Hoffman. “After a season on the links it’s nice to get back to this other career I chose, to gain perspective. I feel fortunate in helping make a difference and that it allows for a steady paycheck. While I am on the front lines, the efforts of people following ‘stay at home’ orders have truly made an immediate impact.”
Wichanee Meechai (Credit to Jirawat Srikong, Sports Aperture)
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