THE PRESS, Saturday, May 14, 2011 WEEKENDSPORT D5

FOOTBALL IN BRIEF

Head1

Position popular ❯❯ Applications for the Otago Volts head coaching job closed The Chatham yesterday with 16 people applying. Volts coach Mike Hesson stood down from the Cup – one of position recently. Otago Cricket Association chief executive Ross Dykes was happy with the standard of sport’s most applicants for the position. venerable Sharks hold on ❯❯ The San Jose Sharks avoided a major collapse by national holding off the resilient Detroit Red Wings to reach the competitions NHL Western Conference finals with a tense 3-2 game seven win yesterday. In the – kicks off conference finals, the Sharks will take on the top-seed this weekend. Vancouver Canucks. TONY SMITH Hopoate out ❯❯ Manly young gun Will talks to the Hopoate has shunned the big- money offers of several NRL clubs to embark on a two-year last Mormon mission from 2012. Hopoate was being chased by Christchurch Canterbury and Parramatta most prominently. captain to lift Power hassles the trophy ❯❯ The women’s competition at the Japan Open tennis tournament has been about the cancelled to conserve electricity, but the tier one region’s Pan Pacific Open tournament in September and the Japan Open men’s tournament in 20-year cup October will go ahead as drought. scheduled. Bulls make it ❯❯ The Chicago Bulls advanced to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time since 1998 with a series-clinching 93-73 win over the Atlanta Hawks on Thursday and will now face the surging Miami Heat for a place in the NBA finals. Driver honoured Keith Braithwaite: ‘‘We’ve been saying we need to get our league stronger and until we do, it’s always going to be a big ask for any team down here to win the .’’ Photo: DEAN KOZANIC ❯❯ The three-times Formula One champion Jackie Stewart is among the 2011 inductees into the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Hall of Fame, the speedway has announced. Stewart was the 1966 India- Cup glory now distant memory napolis 500 Rookie of the Year.

hen current ago,’’ Braithwaite said this CHATHAM CUP DRAW They may well have enjoyed coaches Woolston Technical – hallowed trophy? Braithwaite Federer bombs Canterbury week. ‘‘That’s a long time more cup success but they said the Chatham Cup believes they are ‘‘behind the United coach ago.’’ Today’s first round Chatham Cup games for Mainland Football clubs (kickoffs had the rug pulled from under remains to him ‘‘New eight-ball’’ from the outset ❯❯ Roger Federer failed to Keith The bad news is at 2pm unless otherwise stated) them when the national Zealand’s equivalent to the because Canterbury’s make the quarterfinals of a Braithwaite Braithwaite could not ■ v (Halswell Domain) FC league was disbanded in 1993 FA Cup in England’’. premier club competition, the tennis tournament for the Wwas scoring goals for fun it confidently predict an and replaced with a regional But, like the FA Cup, , is Twenty11 v Waimakariri United (Avonhead Park) Western v first time in a year yesterday seemed Christchurch had a imminent end to the barren Mid Canterbury United (Walter Park) v Superclub competition. ‘‘which has been taken over weaker than the two regional while Rafa Nadal returned to stranglehold on the Chatham spell. ‘‘It’s not getting any (Tulett Park) Nelson Suburbs v FC Nelson United’s players dispersed by the [European] Champions leagues in the . form in the third round of the Cup. easier to win it.’’ (Saxton Field, Nelson, 3pm) Rangers v Richmond Athletic (A to other Christchurch clubs, League’’, the Chatham Cup ‘‘The northern and central Rome Masters despite In the 70s and 80s the Only four Christchurch and P Park, Blenheim, 3pm). Byes into second round: Coastal mainly Technical and has lost a little of its lustre. leagues are stronger than almost withdrawing with a Chatham Cup lived in clubs have won the Chatham Spirit, Woolston Technical. Rangers, who became the last The summer franchise ours. They are used to having fever. Novak Djokovic Canterbury. Cup since it was first Christchurch team to make a national league and Oceania tougher games than we are.’’ stretched his unbeaten run for ‘‘We had a great cup contested in 1923. Sunnyside – final in 1993. Champions League are now The northern league ‘‘covers the year to 34 matches history,’’ said Braithwaite, a team largely comprised of The cup became a truly – a three-match epic series Rangers goalkeeper and the showpiece of the New a bigger area’’, featuring after winning eight of the last who captained Christchurch staff from the eponymous open competition in 1970 – the against arch rivals Mount ex-All White Alan Stroud, Zealand calendar. teams from and nine games against Swiss United’s cup-winning teams mental hospital – were the start of a decade which in 1972. who played in five finals for But Braithwaite said Hamilton. The central league Stanislas Wawrinka to triumph in 1989 and 1991. first Christchurch champions heralded the emergence of From that moment, the United, once quipped he winning the Chatham Cup includes three national league 6-4 6-1. However, the last time a in 1926. Canterbury’s real cup magic of the Chatham Cup couldn’t remember the score, was still a big goal for today’s franchise areas – Wellington, side from Canterbury hoisted Western won it three times champions Christchurch had Christchurch football ‘‘except it was nil-nil at players. Senior Woolston Manawatu and Hawke’s Bay. Team withdraws the cup aloft was at (1936, 1945 and 1955) and United, a hybrid entity fans in its grip. halftime’’. Rangers were Tech and Canterbury United ‘‘We’ve been saying we Wellington’s Basin Reserve in shared it once, after a 1-1 formed by four Christchurch United were in four finals trounced 6-0 by Napier City men Andy Pitman, Joe need to get our league ❯❯ Mascalzone Latino, the 1991 to climax United’s second extra-time draw with North clubs specifically for the in the 70s, winning them all, Rovers in Napier – and no Murray and Dan Terris ‘‘talk stronger and until we do, it’s sailing team that represents Chatham Cup-national league Shore United in 1952. national league. and five consecutive finals Christchurch club since has about it every year’’. always going to be a big ask the Challenger of Record for double. ‘‘Till you said that, I Christchurch Technical United went on to win the between 1987 and 1991, had a chance to atone. So, why can’t Christchurch for any team down here to the 34th America’s Cup, won’t never thought it was 20 years Old Boys triumphed in 1948. cup six times, from their first winning two and losing three. Braithwaite – who also clubs get their hands on the win the Chatham Cup.’’ compete in the regatta in 2013. Vincenzo Onorato says on the Italian team’s website that it was not able to raise SURFING GOLF the money needed to be competitive. Form continues Injured ❯❯ New Zealand tennis player Marina Erakovic has continued her recent good form on clay Woods to reach the quarterfinals of the US$50,000 ITF women’s event in Reggio Emilia, Italy, yesterday. The 23-year-old, departs building for the French Open later this month, beat Swiss seventh seed Stefanie Voe- The suggestion that Tiger gele in the second round, and Woods would be approaching will now face Germany’s the end of his stellar career by Sabine Lisicki in the the age of 35 would once have quarterfinals. been regarded as absurd. No longer. Sevens change Woods managed only nine excruciating holes – for him- ❯❯ North Harbour winger David self and those watching – in Raikuna is the only change to the first round of The Players the New Zealand sevens squad Championship at Sawgrass for the final two legs of the yesterday before succumbing world series in London and to knee and Achilles injuries Edinburgh this month, replac- that forced him to withdraw ing Rory Grice in the 12-man from the event. squad named yesterday by As Woods departed from coach Gordon Tietjens. New the course in his blacked-out Out of sorts: Tiger Woods looks pained after missing a putt at The Players Championship. Photo: REUTERS Zealand have won four of the white Mercedes – parked, six tournaments this season, incidentally, in a disabled bay for Seve’s game and now, The stress of it all seems to drive south of Ponte Vedra winning the last two in Hong – it was hard not to wonder perhaps, the battle of Tiger’s be affecting his mind as well. Beach, the clubhouse lead was Kong and Adelaide to head the when the world’s finest player wounded knee could be about How else can his play at the being held by Nick Watney, of table on 134 points. Photo: REUTERS would be seen again. to do for his. 4th hole yesterday be the United States, who was on His immediate aim will be Suddenly, the four major explained? There, he hit two eight under par after a round Safina pulls out to get fit enough for the US championships that he needs balls into water, the second of of 64. Hareb improves chances of keeping tour place Open, at the Congressional to equal Jack Nicklaus’ rec- them coming with a fluffed Kaymer, who, like Luke ❯❯ Dinara Safina will miss the Club near Washington in five ord of 18 seem a long way off. pitch to a flag no more than 30 Donald and Phil Mickelson, French Open taking an indefin- New Zealand surfer Paige Pro in clean one-metre requalification with just weeks, but there is specu- Woods has had four oper- yards away that went about 10 could go to No 1 in the world ite break from tennis, the Hareb has taken another waves at the main event two events left on the tour. lation that he may need ations on his left knee, the last yards and bounced back off this week, held a share of Russian former world No 1 said step towards retaining her site of Barra Da Tijuca in Hareb, from Taranaki, surgery once more on his of them reconstructive sur- the retaining wall and into third place after a 67. Donald, yesterday. The 25-year-old place on the ASP World Rio De Janeiro yesterday. A finished second to local battered left knee. gery after his stunning ‘‘one- water. It took six shots to get many people’s favourite to lift said she might retire altogeth- Tour with a solid effort at place in the quarterfinals surfer Silvana Lima in a In the week of Severiano legged’’ US Open win at Tor- on to the green and one long the trophy, had a 69 and did er following a latest setback the latest event in Brazil beckons and with it the tight first round heat Ballesteros’ death, there was rey Pines in 2008, and there putt to secure a triple-bogey not drop a shot, while Paul on her return from a serious yesterday. Hareb worked chance to improve her before beating Brazil’s an unwanted parallel to be will come a time, perhaps seven. Casey went out in 38, but back injury. Safina spent 26 her way into the third world ranking of 12 which Suelen Naraisa in the drawn. It was a chronic back already reached, when sur- By the time Woods reached came back in 33 to finish one weeks at the top of the round of the Billabong Rio is precariously placed for elimination second round. condition that suddenly did gery is no longer an option. his Orlando home, two hours under par. The Times rankings in 2009. Agencies