Monday 4th January, 2010 15 Fan killed Roma, Casteu So Tiger, you thought it lead Dakar Rally BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) - time.” Nani Roma won the first stage of the Despres said he was content Dakar Rally in a BMW and David just to get through the first day of rac- Casteu of France led home the bikes ing. on a Saturday marred by the first “I had butterflies in my stomach death of a fan in four years. this morning because on the last two couldn’t get any worse... Roma finished the shortened Dakars, each time my first day was stage from Colon to Cordoba 2 min- terrible,” he said. “So I’m really happy utes, 7 seconds ahead of Spanish to have finished. The time I managed Is Woods under the knife mation has emerged: that the golfer adultery if he blames it on a psy- ellers, without anyone stealing a countryman Carlos Sainz in a wasn’t too bad and, more importantly, or under psychologists? Is who took “indefinite leave” from his chological illness. The report led to picture. Volkswagen, and 2:50 in front of BMW I didn’t have any problems.” his yacht moored or cruising career to focus on “being a better speculation that Woods is also being teammate Stephane Peterhansel. The fatality occurred when a Giniel De Villiers of South Africa, the woman watching the rally was struck husband, father and person” has weaned off painkilling drugs that He’s on the run from the Caribbean? Guy Adams 2009 champion, was 4:31 off the lead by a 4x4 driven by Mirco Schultis and reports from Los Angeles. been dropped by a sponsor, the were prescribed to ease a bad back the law! in a Volkswagen. partner Ulrich Leardi, who veered off phone company AT&T. All other he suffered last season. A month after it broke news of “It’s only just the start,” Roma course in north central Argentina. fter a well-earned break reports are based on rumour and Verdict Arizona boasts just two Tiger’s extramarital activities, the said. “We haven’t really had a battle Norberto Brusa, a spokesman with the VWs yet. There is still a lot of for Rio Cuarto Hospital, said Natalia over the holidays, the Tiger conjecture. Therefore, and mindful clinics that might cater for a celeb National Enquirer claimed a fur- the race to go. In any case, it was a Sonia Gallardo, aged 28, died from AWoods scandal and associat- of readers’ need to remain fully of Tiger’s standing: the Cottonwood ther “scoop” with the revelation good special stage for warming up.” injuries suffered in the crash. Brusa ed revelations industry returned to briefed on the marital bust-up of in Tucson and the Meadows in that the FBI and IRS are consider- The stage was trimmed by 50 said four other people were injured, work last week, refreshed and full of the new decade, here, together with Phoenix. X-17’s inability to identify ing launching an investigation into kilometers (30 miles) to 199 kilometers but the extent of the injuries was not (124 miles) because of flooding at the immediately available. renewed vigour with rumours of our assessment, are six of the best: which one suggests its “source” his finances. Agents wonder if the start, and Peterhansel, a nine-time A witness to the accident told the plastic surgery, rehab clinics, well- isn’t exactly copper-bottomed. golfer’s company or charitable winner of the Dakar, led early. But television station TN that fans were aimed 9 irons and more large He’s in an Arizona rehab foundation illegally used funds to Roma, who won the race on a motor- standing outside a secure area blonde ladies of a certain stamp. clinic! He’s had plastic surgery! pay for his girlfriends to travel bike in 2004, took over the lead after reserved for spectators. about 50 kilometers (30 miles), and “There was no place and the So far, only one The paparazzi website X-17 An email that went viral after around the world with him. kept extending it, while Sainz passed police did not stop people,” said the piece of veri- claimed last Tuesday being published on the blog of vet- Verdict Nothing the Enquirer Peterhansel after the midpoint. witness, identified as Gaston fiable that Woods had eran sportswriter Furman Bisher says about celebs can ever be Casteu won the 168-kilometer Harriague. “The fields around there infor- checked into an claims that Tiger’s wife Elin discov- entirely dismissed. But nor can it (104-mile) bike stage in 1 hour, 50 are all private. They are not permitted minutes, 42 seconds, only three sec- places.” addiction centre ered illicit texts on his mobile when be entirely trusted, either. onds ahead of fellow French rider Cyril French motorcyclist Pascal Terry to seek treat- he left the device at his Florida Despres and 12 seconds in front of died last year in the rally, which is ment for a home. On his return, it claims Mrs He’s in the Bahamas! Spanish rider Marc Coma. Despres widely regarded as one of motor- “sexual com- Woods attacked him with a 9 iron, People magazine reckons Woods and Coma, who have shared victories sport’s most dangerous events. in the last four Dakars, swapped leads Sunday’s second stage takes pulsion”. causing severe damage to his face. spent Christmas cruising the until Casteu came through at the end. the racers to La Rioja as the rally It quot- The email, which Bisher says came Caribbean aboard Privacy, which it Casteu, a former teammate of moves northwest toward the Chilean ed a from a “trusted source”, contends claims left Palm Beach the previous Despres but riding for French con- border. that he’s since had reconstructive weekend. In support of the theory structor Sherco, said he was urged by The rally, which finishes on Jan. his mechanic before the stage “to 16 in Buenos Aires, was moved to surgery, again in Arizona. that he’s in the Bahamas, it claims make an impact.” South America in 2009 because of “source” Verdict The story is undermined that the boat has a 12,000-gallon fuel “So I attacked, attacked and safety concerns and the possibility of close to the by police reports, which record the tank which “gives it a range of attacked,” Casteu said. “I had a great a terrorist attack in Africa. golfer saying golfer suffered no injury more dis- 4,000 miles”. he hopes the figuring than a puffy lip. Verdict The high seas seem an public will unlikely place for Woods to vanish forgive his He’s living with since, as Princess Diana showed, Rachel Uchitel! yachts are liable to be tracked The TV show Entertainment down. Privacy would also need to Tonight told its millions of viewers make a refuelling stop – a move that Woods spent Sunday afternoon that would have increased its risk “holding hands and mingling with of being spotted. 300 other partygoers inside a pri- vate mansion in Palm Beach” He’s seeing divorce lawyers! before adjourning to a local Mrs Woods might have bought nightspot. The show added that herself a home on a private island Woods and Mrs Uchitel, who was in her native Sweden, but she’s the first of his alleged mistresses to been staying instead at a £5,000-a- be identified, have been together night ski chalet near Chamonix, for the past fortnight aboard where photographers have snapped Privacy, the golfer’s ironically her sans wedding ring. Friends say named yacht, which is said to be she’s using the holiday to “start moored in a discreet harbour. afresh.” Verdict ET is a well-respected Verdict Probably true. Divorce show. But it won’t remain that way is one of precious few news lines if it expects viewers to believe that where “sources” are supported by a painfully reclusive man would photographic evidence. parade his controversial mistress Tiger Woods in front of several hundred rev- (Independent on Sunday) Five players named for Davis Cup 2010 Seventeen Sri Lankans by Revata S. Silva Thangarajah Dineshkanthan, The Sri Lanka Tennis Guyanga Weersekera, Rajeev Rajapakse and register for IPL auction Association (SLTA) on Sankha Atukorale. Sunday (3) said it had NEW DELHI (AP) - Young batting sensation England (8), Bangladesh (2), Canada (2), picked five players for Those who lost in the Umar Akmal and paceman Mohammad Aamir Zimbabwe (2), Ireland (1) and Netherlands (1) this year’s much antici- trials were: Amresh are among 26 Pakistan cricketers to register are the other nations from which players have pated Davis Cup (Asia- Jayawickrema, Shehan for the Indian Premier League player auction registered. Oceania Zone) Group-II, Gomesz, Artha later this month. Registered players: to be held from March 5- Hewacottege and Pakistan’s players last month missed the Pakistan: Mohammad Aamir, Shahid 7 at the SLTA against Michael Siyaguna. deadline to secure the necessary clearances to Afridi, Ahmed Shahzad, Saeed Ajmal, Umar fancied New Zealand. The final round trials participate in the IPL, meaning they must go Akmal, Fawad Alam, Yasir Arafat, After a first round of to pick the stand-by through the auction process to compete in the Mohammad Asif, Salman Butt, Imran Farhat, trials held for eight play- player, out of the above third edition of the lucrative Indian domestic Mohammad Hafeez, Yasir Hameed, Faisal Twenty20 competition. Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Danish Kaneria, ers, four have been five, would be held later It now depends on whether the individual Mohammad Khalil, Abdur Rauf, Khalid Latif, this month, Rohan de picked to join Sri IPL franchises have slots available for more Azhar Mahmood, Shoaib Malik, Khurram Lanka’s No.1 player Silva, one of the selec- overseas recruits.