SPORT The Minsk Times Thursday, June 9, 2011 11 Season opens well Four points gained over By Kirill Pirogov Yekaterina Karsten wins Rowing World Cup round France proves good result In this fi rst stage of the World Cup season, held in Munich, those Belarusian football team continues struggle towards European Championship finals from Germany and Great Britain vied for supremacy, yet our Be- By Yuri Karpenko larusian women rowers also cap- tured two medals at the Olympic Squads are now competing Rowing Centre. for entry into the 2012 European Gold was grabbed by famous Championship fi nals continent- Yekaterina Karsten, in the women’s wide. Much water has fl owed un- singles. In the fi nals, the prima of der the bridge since the Belarusian Belarusian academic rowing hid team made its sensational win early behind the younger generation: in the tournament; in Paris they Ann-Katrin Th iele from Germany defeated the undisputed favourite — who was desperate to win at of D Group — 1:0. Th e situation home, Chinese Xiuyun Zhang and has now drastically changed, with Czech Jitka Antosova. By mid-race, Laurent Blanc’s team winning all Th iele led dynamically but Karsten four matches over the past nine caught up to third place within months and confi dently topping 500m of the fi nish line. From there, the tournament rankings. Belarus Yekaterina began her favourite ‘fi n- has earned just fi ve points over the ish tour’; Th iele attempted to hold same number of matches. on but in vain. Karsten fi nished Th e titled guests were eager two seconds ahead — quite sig- to take revenge for their off en- nifi cant in rowing terms. Xiuyun sive defeat at Stade de France and Zhang took bronze. came to Minsk with their optimal Th e second medal went to Be- line-up — stars Karim Benzema, larusian duo Tatiana Kukhta and Franck Ribéry, Samir Nasri, Patrice Yulia Bichik, who took bronze in Evra and Eric Abidal among them. the fi nal tough battle. British team Meanwhile, the Belarusian squad BELTA leader Katherine Grainger is the was missing over half of its most Belarus and France equally matched in skill and force main bidder for gold in all world experienced footballers — includ- ginning of the match was wary. Ini- and Sergey Veremko failed to save made several dangerous attacks but events at present and again claimed ing distinguished Alexander Hleb, tially, the French took a territorial the shot. the French defence repelled them victory, with partner Melanie Wil- Vitaly Kutuzov, Alexander Kulchy advantage but failed to pose a real Th e fi rst half ended to French easily. Aft er an hour, the guests be- son. Th e fi ght for silver went to the and Sergey Kornilenko. Head threat. Later, the initiative passed advantage. Blanc’s team possessed gan to attack more decisively and, USA’s Kathleen Bertko and Sarah coach Stange instructed his players to the Belarusians, with Igor Shitov the ball several times, creating not long before the fi nal whistle, Trowbridge, with our pair fi nish- to fi ght seriously, with the hope of in defence being the fi rst to disturb some unsafe situations. However, Stange sent Sergey Kislyak onto the ing third. performing a miracle and pleasing goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. He sent Benzema failed to make a precise fi eld. During the September match, fans at the Dynamo Stadium. His the ball into the corner and, aft er kick and, aft er Ribéry’s appearance the halfb ack had played well; sadly, French colleague also foresaw a Timofey Kalachev’s penalty shot, from behind the penalty box, the he failed to save the situation this Best at water tough match and primarily focused Eric Abidal fought against Maxim ball passed near the bar. Th e Bela- time. on his defence. Bordachev, scoring an own goal! rusians counter-attacked, though Th e point earned by Belarus In fact, the two teams appeared However, Belarus could not enjoy creating no near-goals. during the match helps them re- acrobatics pretty equally matched, with a its success for long. Soon, Bacary At the beginning of the second main in second place in D Group, New water skiing world logical draw as the result. In the Sagna and Karim Benzema were half, the situation levelled off , with continuing on in their struggle for record for Belarusian Alexey middle of the fi rst half, the rivals helping Florent Malouda to score Belarus managing to push their a place at the European Champion- Zhernosek approved by judges exchanged goals, though the be- from the centre of the penalty box rival farther from its goal. Th ey ship fi nals. Alexey demonstrated his ul- timate programme back on April General 30th, 2011 at a US tournament, To the breaking the previous world record of multi world champion Nicolas Le rehearsal Forestier of France, by 170 points. Th e Frenchman’s record had lasted fore at before fi ve years. However, in water skiing, it’s European never enough to simply earn a record sum of points; the sum Giro Championship must be recognised by a panel of judges who assess video footage Belarusian national basketball of the programme. Th e impartial d’Italia players placed second at committee failed to fi nd fault in international tournament in Zhernosek’s fi gures, with his re- By Kirill Karin Lithuania sult of 12,570 points recognised as In the closing and decisive a new world record. Curiously, in Four belarusian athletes REUTERS match of the event, held in Drus- prove a success at one of most Vasily Kirienko breaks away kininkai, Anatoly Buyalsky’s train- prestigious multi-day cycling strength, returned him there. outstanding in Italy. During the fl at ees lost to Lithuania 69:76. Marina races Vasily Kirienko, cycling for Mo- and hilly stages, he was fi t only to Kress scored the most points for the Th e triumphant win went to vistar team, captured the brightest defend the captain of his team, Katy- Belarusian squad, while Anastasia Spanish Alberto Contador for the victory for Belarus in the last but usha, from the wind and other un- Veremeenko earned one point less: second time, whose advantage was one Giro round, fi nishing a full four desirable circumstances. Only once 16 and 15 respectively. Beforehand, obvious long before the fi nish. Th e minutes ahead of his nearest rival. did he have the chance to break away Belarus defeated Ukraine — 61:45, thrown was occupied, with only the His persistence during the hardest from the rest but, again, only for the and Finland — 48:45. nearest seats to be shuffl ed. 15th round saved him from falling sake of the squad. Th e Lithuanian team captured Zhernosek climbs the podium Th e race was a bright event for below 25th position: his best person- Meanwhile, the Belarusian na- gold, enjoying three wins across May, at another tournament, Zher- our Belarusian cyclists. Konstantin al achievement in the general stand- tional team has climbed up from three matches, followed by Bela- nosek managed to again exceed Le Sivtsov (High Road captain for the ings. His eff orts caused a sensation. 23rd to 17th position in the world rus and Ukraine. Finland fi nished Forestier’s previous record, earning fi rst time) reached the top ten in Kirienko’s team mate, Bronis- rankings — as released by the Inter- fourth, having lost all its matches. 12,420 points. He has truly shown the general classifi cation — a record lav Samoilov, is yet to show himself national Cycling Union. Aft er suc- Marina Kress was admitted into himself to be a ‘trendsetter’ in water for Belarusian cyclists. However, his ready for multi-day races, his moun- cess in the Giro d’Italia, Belarus has the symbolic team of the tourna- acrobatics. path was not smooth. He came sec- taineering capabilities being episod- 66 points, rising six places. Th ose in ment. Th e top world records in water ond aft er the fi rst mountains but then ic. More stability could push him not the fi nal top 20, based on the results Th e event was a qualifying skiing belong to Belarusian athletes, dropped out of the top ten until his only into week-long races but into of 2011, will be able to send a maxi- round for the European Champi- with Natalia Berdnikova setting a determination in the closing rounds, Grand Tours. mum of fi ve cyclists to the 2012 Lon- onship, to be held from June 18th- record of 9,690 points for women. coupled with his sporting skills and Alexander Kuchinsky was less don Olympics. 3rd July, in Poland..