ntnews.com.aulllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllll SPORT Whincup qualifies for pole Rice books passage to London Trickett into butterfly final HOLDEN star Jamie Whincup has celebrated the REIGNING Olympic champion Stephanie Rice booked a LIBBY Trickett says she’s ready to unleash her inner signing of a new three-year deal by clocking the spot at the London Games by taking out the 400m bulldog after advancing to tonight’s 100m butterfly quickest time yesterday in qualifying for the V8 individual medley final at trials in Adelaide last night. final at the Olympic trials in Adelaide. Trickett’s Supercars Challenge at Albert Park. Whincup finished Rice overcame her troublesome right shoulder to comeback to swimming continued last night when almost half a second ahead of Ford’s Mark clock an impressive 4mins 33.45secs and beat Blair she was sixth-fastest in the semi-finals. Trickett Winterbottom with another Ford pilot, Shane van Evans, who claimed the second individual spot for a clocked 59.67 seconds with the fastest qualifier for Gisbergen, third. The 29-year-old Whincup earned place on her first Olympic team. Rice’s victory came the final being her long-time rival Jessicah Schipper pole position for today’s opening race of the non- despite an injury disrupted preparation, including (58.26s). ‘‘At the end of the day it’s just such a thrill to championship round as part of the Australian F1 GP. surgery in December to repair a torn tendon. be racing at this level,’’ Trickett said. Vettel is hungry for Manly more glory

MOTOR RACING By RON REED won’t let SEBASTIAN Vettel is one of the world’s top 10 sports stars but you wouldn’t know that by look- ing at or listening to him. Still only 24 but already a dual Formula One world champion, he remains baby-faced with noth- Daly go ing fancy about his hair-do, no bling, no tattoos and usually wears just an old pair of jeans. negotiated by former coach He is uncomfortable about , giving them talking himself up and is unwill- MANLY insist star halfback very little room to upgrade ing to make big calls about the Daly Cherry-Evans is not go- Cherry-Evans’ current deal. future. He is up for a laugh and ing anywhere in the short- ‘‘We’ve been lucky comes across as a likeable term despite the 23-year- enough since ’08 to keep the character rather than the villain old’s manager, Gavin Orr, basis of a really good he is sometimes perceived to be requesting a release from squad,’’ veteran prop Brent as he frustrates teammate Mark the final year of his contract. Kite said. ‘‘Dessie did a good Webber at every turn. Sea Eagles coach Geoff job in the past keeping the But make no mistake, he is Toovey went on the front squad together but he has what he is for more than one foot yesterday to say left us with a few headaches. reason — towering talent, obvi- Cherry-Evans would remain ‘‘But it’s a catch-22. You ously, intense competitiveness in maroon and white until get those players staying and a relentless hunger to ac- the end of his deal in 2013. last year but they might not hieve more. Cherry-Evans rose from be here unless they had a That starts today when he sets nowhere last season to be- back-ended deal. It’s the out to repeat last year’s win at come a key member of nature of the beast.’’ Albert Park, one of 11 for a Manly’s premiership win But Kite believes that if season he utterly dominated. and make his international Orr was able to utilise third- Already the youngest champ- debut. But he has another party payments effectively, ion, he is aiming to become only two years to run on a con- it would help appease the third man to win three in a tract in which he is paid Cherry-Evans and also ease row, behind compatriot and boy- $85,000 a season — a paltry the salary cap burden. hood hero Michael Schumacher figure considering his stand- Cherry-Evans isn’t the and Juan Fangio, who have the ing in the game. only Manly star with ques- most titles — seven and five. ‘‘A contract as far as I tions over his future. Only six others have won three know is a contract,’’ Toovey Fullback Brett Stewart is or more, none consecutively. said yesterday. ‘‘It’s not most likely to be forced out ‘‘I am here to win the cham- concerning at all, because I as he is believed to be chas- pionship, that’s the target — thought the wheels were in ing a four-year deal worth whether it is the third one motion to sort out Daly’s $600,000 a season. doesn’t make any difference,’’ future and beyond the cur- And Darcy Lussick, Steve Vettel said. rent contract.’’ Matai, Tony Williams and Webber says his young col- Manly’s salary cap issues Kieran Foran could all find league has grown in stature now Reigning F1 world champion Sebastian Vettel looks relaxed at Albert Park yesterday are believed to be tied to a themselves on the open mar- he has two championships. number of back-ended deals ket at season’s end. ‘‘A double is more than a dou- yourself you can do it, which is when someone is beating me — ble — a lot of drivers win one, more important than anything and that’s a good thing,’’ Vettel very few win two,’’ Webber said. else, and it’s something no one said. ‘‘Everyone will get beaten Vettel simply says he is greatly can take away from you’’. one day but there’s nothing Mega Monday Crossword solution Mar 12 relieved to have won the prize at ‘‘Nothing has changed. I am wrong with losing — it’s about all ‘‘because you have proven to still hungry, still getting upset how you come back.’’

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฀฀฀฀ 10fa06/11 ฀฀฀฀ Call our Clubhouse ฀฀฀฀ For membership enquiries NTNE-WS-16-53KGE:MPUB: DA-TE: Y-C-CO-LO-R: ฀฀฀ 8927 1322 ฀ Call the Pro Shop ฀฀฀฀ To book a round of golf 0402 152 929 8927 1015 1079496 PO BoBox 3079, Darwin NT 0801 LinksLinks Road, Marrara Licensed Real Estate Agents ABN 69 139 186 495 www.darwingolfclub.com.au re200102 www.ntnews.com.au Friday, March 16, 2012. NT NEWS. 53