Tuesday 18th March, 2008 13 No plans to race at night at Formula Australian GP MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - The Australian Grand Prix won't be held under lights, despite comments from head Bernie Ecclestone that the race needs a floodlit future. On Monday, Victorian state leader One’s Premier John Brumby ruled out a night race, but said his government would do "everything possible" to keep the Grand Prix in Melbourne. six of the worst Last week, in an interview published in London's Mail on Sunday, Ecclestone tied the future of the race to it being held at night. accidents "The only way the race could stay in Melbourne, or anywhere else in Australia, Poorly trained marshals night. is if it is staged during the night so that failed to assist, and as spec- Gerhard Berger, Imola (1989) the public in Europe can watch it," tators tried to jump the , Nurburgring On the opening lap of Ecclestone said. "The alternative is to pull fence to help, security staff (1976) the Spanish Grand Prix, the race completely from Australia." with dogs forced them On the second lap of Gerhard Berger speared Sunday's race started 90 minutes back. the German Grand Prix, straight ahead off the later than last year - at 3:30 p.m. local It was eight minutes Lauda lost control of his Tamburello corner at full time - to offer a better viewing time for before the fire truck Ferrari rounding a fast speed, smashing head-on Asian fans, but Ecclestone said the move arrived, by which time lefthand corner, losing the into the wall and then slid- was not enough to guarantee the future Williamson had died from back end and then over- ing along the barrier. of the race in Australia after its F1 con- asphyxiation. correcting, spinning Almost as an after- tact expires in 2010. around at full speed and thought, the car's full fuel Formula One newcomer Singapore Gilles Villeneuve, slamming the left-hand tank then burst into will stage the first night Grand Prix this The good looking Ayerton Senna was someone who was born to Zolder (1982) side of his car into the bar- flames. season in September, but Australian drive. The God-fearing Brazilian started the Imola Grand Prix in On a flying lap in a rash rier. Marshals arrived with- organizers maintain that night time rac- attempt to beat his team- Both left-hand wheels in 10 seconds and quickly Italy from pole position, but moments later died a tragic death ing at the temporary track at Albert Park mate's pole-position time, flung up into the air in a extinguished the fire. is not viable. when his car collided with a wall at high speed. popular Canadian Gilles hail of debris and the car Everyone feared the The Australian GP has been part of , Imola (1994) Roger Williamson, Villeneuve rounded on burst into flames. worst but Berger escaped the F1 circuit for 23 years, 12 at Albert Jochen Mass, who had Lauda's Ferrari came to with bruises and a few Park on the edge of downtown Zandvoort (1973) It began with Rubens slowed after his own flying rest in the middle of the small burns. Melbourne. Barrichello leaving the In the 1973 Dutch Grand lap. track, and while one car Brumby said Monday that the track in Friday practice, Prix, a sudden tyre defla- Mass moved aside for managed to evade him, the Robert Kubica, Canada prospect of a 10 a.m. Sunday race - lifting into the air and tion pitched Englishman Villeneuve, who had following car slammed (2007) Saturday night in Europe - has also been slamming into a wall five Roger Williamson's March already committed to take head-on into Lauda. Kubica's BMW Sauber raised. metres off the ground. Engineering Works car the same racing line. As Lauda sat in the touched the rear of a "We'll take whatever steps are rea- On Saturday, rookie into the barriers, catapult- The front left wheel of burning wreck, three mar- Toyota and launched into sonable and whatever steps are practical Roland Ratzenberger was ing him almost 300 metres Villeneuve's car clipped the shals arrived - none armed the air, hitting one con- to keep the event. We'd like to keep the killed after hitting a wall across the track. rear of Mass', launching with a fire extinguisher - crete barrier at high speed event, that's what we want to do - I've at 315 km/h and on the Williamson came to rest his Ferrari skywards. and eventually his fellow and then another before made no secret of that," Brumby said. Sunday, F1's greatest tal- upside down against the The car flipped, then drivers pulled him out of spinning and rolling. "There won't be a night Grand Prix ent, Ayrton Senna, also barriers across the road, nosedived and somersault- the car. Despite an impact that and I don't think we need to hold a night died. then his car burst into ed along the side of the Lauda suffered horren- was 75 times the force of Grand Prix." He left the track at the flames. track, disintegrating into dous burns to his face and gravity, the Pole suffered a Brumby said Asian television audi- notorious Tamburello cor- Fellow driver David pieces. body and badly damaged sprained ankle and a light ences were increasing and could over- ner and hit the concrete Purley abandoned his own Villeneuve was thrown his lungs, falling into a concussion. take Europe as the biggest F1 spectator wall, his car's front-right race in a desperate attempt out of the car and across coma. He returned for the market in the future. suspension rod piercing to turn the car over but the track. He was back racing just French Grand Prix three "I think there's going to be a lot of his visor on impact. couldn't. He died in hospital that six weeks later. weeks later. viewers in our time zone," Brumby said. "Yesterday the race went into Europe early in the morning, we'll look at other times but there won't be a night Grand Prix." A contest imminent at this year’s AGM On Sunday, McLaren's Lewis Thurstan-Cambrian Hamilton started from pole position and avoided a number of early accidents to SLTA hot seat gets hotter fight continues win the Australian race. Hamilton was never seriously threatened and won in 1 by Revata S. Silva by Reemus Fernando Karunaratne 41 n.o, Shehan Kamaleen 17 hour, 34 minutes and 50.616 seconds to n.o) claim his fifth victory in 18 GP starts. Thurstan College kept alive their Ananda by nine wickets Adding more and more twists hopes of entering the second round to an already bizarre sequence of Ananda College recorded a nine from a tough Group when they recorded wicket victory over Henegama Central events, the Sri Lanka Tennis a thumping nine wicket victory over as Prabodha Seneviratne scored 63 not Association (SLTA), which is get- Joseph Vaz College, in their Inter out and Ranganath Wijetunga 40 not for Zidane believes ting ready for its March 29 Annul School Limited Overs Tournament Ananda in their their Limited overs General Meeting, is likely to go match played at Thurstan Grounds, on match played at Moratuwa, on Monday. Monday. Ronaldo will recover for a contest for top posts of its After Matheesha Rasuwan and Drawn in Group ‘H’ which includes Udara Peiris shared five wickets executive committee this year. It Nalanda College and Prince of Wales was, ironically, only nine days ago between them to restrict Henegama to from knee injury College, Moratuwa, Thurstan College 109, Ananda reached the target for the (March 6), that the two interested needed to record victories over Joseph loss of one wicket in 17 overs. parties came to a settlement rul- Vaz College and Siri Piyarathana MV SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) - ing out any possibility of a contest with a better run rate than the Scores: Zinedine Zidane is confident his friend at the AGM. Cambrians to enter the next round. Henegama 109 all out in 36 overs Ronaldo is not done playing soccer just Nalanda are already ahead of the rest. Following the aforesaid (Matheesha Rasuwan 3/11, Udara Peiris yet. Nalanda’s win over Prince of Wales a March 6 settlement, the incum- Bogollagama Subramnaim week ago has given Thurstan new hopes 2/16) Zidane, in Brazil to inaugurate a bent President Janaka Ananda 110 for 1 in 17 overs (Prabodha sports complex in a Sao Paulo slum, No contest situation eventually becomes a big contest of entering the fray again. If Thurstan Bogollagama said he would step win the next match against Siri Seneviratne 63 n.o, Ranganath Wijetunga said his former Real Madrid teammate after nominations closed for this year’s SLTA AGM last down from the presidency, paving Piyaratane, with a better run rate, they 40 n.o) is capable of overcoming the knee Saturday (15). The incumbent president Janaka way for Suresh Subramaniam to have realistic chances of entering the injury that many say has jeopardized Bogollagama (L) is to contest former five-time presi- take the hot seat for the ensuing second round. Bandaranaike Gampaha top the Brazilian striker's career. dent, Suresh Subramaniam at the March 29 AGM. (Files) Earlier, in the Two-day The 31-year-old Ronaldo, a three- year ending weeks of rivalry Championship, Thurstan and Prince of Group ‘E’ between two interested parties at I’ve got consent from the entire interim administration to run Sri Wales were the front runners for the An unbeaten 57 in 35 balls by time FIFA player of the year, ruptured a the SLTA. ex-co to take over the presidency Lanka’s tennis if Bogollagama championship with each having the Mayura Prasad helped Bandaranaike tendon in his left knee while playing for Bogollagama, though, told once again, mainly to avoid an has been asked to step down as a same number of outright victories but College, Gampaha, record a nine wicket AC Milan last month and doctors say he ‘The Island’ on Sunday (16), that impending clash. It was Maxwell result of a national team selec- Thurstan recorded an outright victory victory over Harischandra College, may be sidelined for about eight he handed over nominations for de Silva who was to contest tion dispute ahead of next over Cambrians to break the tie and Negombo and finish top in Group ‘E’ as months. the post of president this year. Janaka (Bogollagama) before we month’s Davis Cup, to be held in cement their position as the front run- they completed their first round match- "Ronaldo already proved in 2002 ner. es unbeaten. that he can overcome very difficult situ- “I’ve handed over my nomination came to an amicable solution on Iran. Thurstan reduced Joseph Vas for the presidency. I still don’t March 6. Janaka informed me “I’ve advised Dr. Maiya College to 64 with skipper Umesh Prasad’s unbeaten knock included ations," the retired French playmaker know whether anyone else is con- only yesterday (Sunday), that I Gunasekara to check the lists of Karunaratne impressing with a five four sixes and four fours. The match said. "He sustained an injury in the testing,” said Bogollagama. “I could come in as chairman of the affiliated clubs of each sport, wicket haul. Chasing the target, they was played as a 40 over affair due to the other knee and recovered to be the top don’t now see any necessity to selectors this year. He has decid- including tennis, before their achieved it for the loss of one wicket in late arrival of Harischandra MV. World Cup scorer, that's why he is step down from my post when my ed to contest the presidency, on respective AGMs, to be held 7.4 overs. Karunaratne stroked an Scores: called 'the Phenomenon."' committee has endorsed me for Saturday. That is indirectly asking before the end of this month. I unbeaten 41. Harischandra MV 111 all out in 37.2 overs Ronaldo had to deal with a serious another one year period,” added me to step down (from the presi- heard that there are some clubs Scores: (N. Dananjaya 23; Pavithra Vithanage right knee injury eight years ago, but Bogollagama referring to the SLTA dency). It’s sad that such under- which exist only for name’s sake. Joseph Vaz 64 all out in 25.4 overs (Sineth 4/09, Mayura Prdasad 2/06) returned to lead Brazil to its fifth title Gen. Committee decision taken hand manipulations take place in That are not in accordance with Kalhara 12, Shalaka Rangajeewa 2/10, Bandaranaike 112 for 1 in 11 overs in 2002 with eight goals, including both on February 28 to carry on with Sri Lanka tennis,” said the sports constitution. If any dis- Umesh Karunaratne 5/22) (Mayura Prasad 57 n.o, Pavithra Vithanage in the final against Germany. him as president, this year too. Subramaniam, who stepped crepancy is found, I’ll take steps Thurstan 68 for 1 in 7.4 overs (Umesh 38) "I believe he can do it again," Nominations for this year’s AGM down from the top seat last year to allow the existing committees Zidane said. "Like a lot of people who closed last Saturday (15). after being in office for five con- to continue till new dates are likes soccer, I'm hoping he is able to Meanwhile Maj. Gen. Seevali secutive years. announced for new AGMs,” return." Wanigasekera and Maxwell de Meanwhile, Sports and explained the minister. Woods stays perfect On Saturday, Pele said he doubted Silva, two vice presidents of the Public Recreation Minister A bitter row over control of Ronaldo will ever fully recover from the present committee, are reportedly Gamini Lokuge told ‘The Island’ tennis came to the fore last ORLANDO, Florida (AP) - Tiger Woods outlasted 45-year-old Bart knee injury. Woods made a 25-foot birdie putt on contesting, from two rival parties, Monday that he was going to February following a dispute Bryant and won with a birdie putt on "Pele doesn't think so, but I do," the final hole Sunday to win the for the post of Gen. Secretary of summon the SLTA Gen. between Artha Hewacottege, one the final hole for the first time in Zidane said. Arnold Palmer Invitational by one the SLTA. Committee, along with the com- of the Davis Cup players this year, seven years. He turned and slammed The former French midfielder, who shot, extending his U.S. tour winning Subramaniam meanwhile, mittees of some other sports, for and the national selection com- his cap to the ground, letting out a scored twice in the 1998 World Cup final streak to five and keeping intact a said he felt sad about what has a meeting on Wednesday (19). mittee, over the selection of the roar to celebrate his 64th career vic- in which France beat Brazil 3-0, also perfect season in golf. finally transpired. “It’s not that Lokuge said on March 11 that he Sri Lanka team for this year’s tory, tying Ben Hogan for third-most will participate of a charity match In his biggest challenge since this I’m contesting anyone this time. was contemplating appointing an Davis Cup. in the U.S. tour's history. while in Brazil. streak began seven months ago,