THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2014 SPORTS Pumas seek their first Australia Grand Prix posts New signings could fire Rugby Championship a record $55 million loss United back to Europe MELBOURNE: The 2014 Australian Grand Prix posted a record MANCHESTER: Manchester United’s transfer window spending spree can help GOLD COAST: Argentina have made three changes to their run-on team to face the A$59.97 million ($55 million) loss amid soaring costs and declining restore their attacking flair and spark a renewed challenge for a Champions Wallabies on Saturday, with both wingers paying the price for poor performances against revenue, government officials said yesterday. The loss, subsidized by League spot, according to their former England player Paul Scholes. United, New Zealand last weekend. The Pumas are still seeking their first Rugby Championship taxpayers in Victoria, the host state of the Melbourne Formula One winners of a record 20 English League titles, including 13 since the Premier win after 15 attempts and have an uphill battle on the Gold Coast, with lock Tomas race, outstrips last year’s deficit of A$50.7 million by over 18 percent. League was launched in the 1992/93 season, finished seventh last season and Lavanini suspended after being cited in the 28-9 defeat by the All Blacks. The youthful Sales revenue was down A$2 million while expenditure was up A$7.5 failed to qualify for European competition. They are without a competitive win Matias Alemanno takes his place in the only alteration to their powerful forward pack. million, Victoria’s Major Events minister Louise Asher told reporters. in four games under new Dutch manager Louis Van Gaal this season. Scholes Wingers Horacio Agulla and Lucas Gonzalez Amorosino are the main casualties from the The race, which has traditionally opened the F1 season, has recorded last match following a disappointing game in Napier, with Juan Imhoff and believes the club’s outlay of over 150 million pounds A$50 million-plus losses for a number of years, sparking a backlash Manuel Montero preferred against the Wallabies. Coach Daniel Hourcade has ($241.97 million) on six internationals, including from local critics who see it as a waste of public money. The controver- stuck with his dangerous halves pairing of Martin Landajo and Nicolas Argentina winger Angel Di Maria and on-loan Colombia sy was brushed aside last month, however, when the state’s Liberal-led Sanchez, who has proven to be a damaging attacker. Although Argentina striker Radamel Falcao, will see United back in Europe government inked a new five-year deal with Formula One manage- have suffered three straight losses, they pushed South Africa all the way in again. “The calibre of player we have brought in is top ment to keep the race in Melbourne until 2020. Local politicians from their opening two Tests and their strength remains in the scrum. They go quality, like Di Maria and Falcao,” Scholes told both major parties have long justified the costs on the claimed eco- into Saturday’s game looking to dominate through their punishing MUTV. “These are proper players. We just have nomic impact and branding effect the race has for the state. “The front-row of Ramiro Herrera, captain Agustin Creevy and Marcos to find a way of getting them all in the same Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix alone generates between 351 and 411 Ayerza. The Pumas also boast back-row strength with No.8 team, playing well and scoring goals - which we full-time equivalent jobs and up to A$39 million in economic benefits Leonardo Senatore, Juan Manuel Leguizamon and former skip- have struggled to do a little bit. “Defensively, we as well as up to A$35 million in media or advertising-equivalent,” a per Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe. Argentina last triumphed haven’t been great either so he (Van Gaal) needs over the Wallabies in 1997 and it has been more than 30 statement released by Asher’s office said. Critics have strongly ques- to sort that out. —Reuters years since they have beaten them in Australia. — AFP tioned the accuracy of those figures. —Reuters SAILING All hands on deck as Ainslie prepares Cup challenge LONDON: Ben Ainslie is the most successful the same answer I would give you in a cou- on. “It’s crazy really. We had such a successful Olympic sailor of all time but he said he might ple of years time.” race last time, we needed the continuity to not necessarily helm Britain’s America’s Cup keep the momentum going.” With Australian challenge in 2017, despite being the team Whirlwind life Spithill saying the next America’s Cup will see boss. Ainslie, who won medals at five consecu- Since entering for the 35th America’s Cup the “toughest lineup ever”, Ainslie said it tive Olympics and gold in the last four, is busy with his Ben Ainslie Racing (BAR) team, life has would “massive” for Britain to bring home the with the colossal task of putting together a been a whirlwind. “I reckon recreational sailors Cup to where it all began in 1851. At his side British boat capable of beating Team Oracle, are seeing more of the water than me this will be Jonathan ‘Jono’ Macbeth, a three-times the American outfit he masterminded to one year,” said Ainslie, whose first taste of the America’s Cup winner and who was part of the of the greatest sporting comebacks in San America’s Cup was with Team New Zealand in Oracle crew last year. Francisco last year. 2007. “There have been a few moments where The 37-year-old said at least five of his I thought, ‘yeah it’s great to get out of the British strength eight-man crew will be British and such is the office’. But that was always the plan, to set the Kiwi Macbeth, who holds a British passport, talent pool in a nation steeped in sailing tradi- team up, get the funding, the designers the is BAR’s Sailing Team Manager and if it was tion that he said he might not even be steer- sailors.” down to him alone, there would only be one ing the boat when action begins at a venue Funding what is often called Formula 1 on person at the helm in 2017. “The guy has five still to be decided. “We are a British team,” the waves is a tough proposition for the team Olympics medals so it would have to be some- Ainslie told Reuters at a news conference on principal and his board - a situation he said one pretty special to come along and take the Tuesday also featuring Oracle skipper Jimmy was more difficult because of delays in nam- helm from him,” Macbeth joked. “I don’t know. Spithill and Dean Barker, whose Team New ing where the Challenge Match will actually Ben and I will discuss it and we will be doing Zealand crew snatched defeat from the jaws of take place in 2017. San Diego and Bermuda what’s right for the team.” Macbeth, a grinder victory a year ago, having led 8-1. are the two favorites. There are even ongoing on the decks of Oracle, said he had been over- “That’s important to us that we are seen rumors that the 62-foot wing-sailed catamaran whelmed by interest in BAR. “Britain is incredi- to be so. We are very fortunate that it hap- yachts could be ditched for smaller ones. bly patriotic about sailing,” he said. “My inbox is pens that the key guys we identified were Ainslie clearly finds it frustrating. “In an ideal full constantly of British sailors asking what can British, both in the design and sailing front. world, 12 months down the road it would be I do to get involved. “This is by far the strongest “We have a mixture of guys, some with expe- nice to have a venue and a date set in stone British team that has ever been presented and rience of previous Cup campaigns and some but for a number of different reasons that has- we have some amazing sailors coming on younger talent coming through, particularly n’t happened,” he said. board. We have seven sailors at the moment British talent who race in 49ers and classes “The great thing is, the teams are coming LONDON: America’s Cup skippers (left to right) Jimmy Spithill of Oracle Team USA, Max and five are British. “Come race day it will be a like that. It’s about putting a group together together to rectify that. Probably more impor- Sirena of Luna Rossa, Franck Cammas of Team France and Nathan Outteridge of Artemis 90-95 percent British team.” The America’s Cup’s and working out how the relationships work. tant for the future, so that after this next race Racing, (left to right front) Ben Ainslie of Ben Ainslie Racing and Dean Barker of Emirates preliminary series, known as the World Series, “If we were going racing tomorrow I would we will know what the boat will be, what the Team New Zealand pose for photographers along with the trophy following a press confer- will take place at various venues in 2015 and be steering the boat, but maybe that’s not venue will be and get a structure in place early ence for the 35th America’s Cup in London, on September 9, 2014. — AFP 2016 using smaller AC45s. — Reuters RUGBYL-SUPER PREVIEW Saints aiming to make no mistake the second time LEEDS: Within touching distance of the League Leader’s Shield, St Helens were brought crashing down to earth - and Anthony Laffranchi expects a response when they get a second bite of the cherry.