At 27, Lindsey is the youngest woman to reach 50 World Cup victories. Only Annemarie Moser-Pröll of Austria, with 62, and Switzerland’s Vreni Scheider, with 55, have more.  Of her 50 World Cup victories, 25 have been downhills.

Lindsey now has 1350 points for the season, a whopping 482-point lead over Tina Maze of Slovenia. Höfl-Riesch stands third with 746.Lindsey leads the downhill points tally as well, by 230.  The next event: a super-G, on Sunday, still in Garmisch. Lindsey leads the super-G standings this season, too.

2012, Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany, FIS World Cup Alpine Skiing, Vonn (USA) finishes the Downhill with a final time of 1:44.86, beating second place Nadja Kamar by .41 seconds.

(Watch the full event at UniversalSports.com)

Lindsey Van

Salt Lake City, Utah — Ski jumping hits the big screen Friday, Feb. 10 with the World Premiere of the new documentary feature film “Ready To Fly,” which tells the powerful true story of women ski jumpers and their allies who fight to be included in the Olympic Winter Games.

The film kicks off the Cultural Olympiad celebrations of the 10th anniversary of the Salt Lake Games and will enjoy a two-week run in the six Larry H. Miller Megaplex Theatres in Utah. Additional special screenings are slated for Logan, Ogden, and Park City (see details below).

“Ready To Fly” follows 2009 World Champion Lindsey Van and her Women’s Ski Jumping USA teammates Jessica Jerome, Alissa Johnson, Sarah Hendrickson, Abby Hughes and others as the film tells a tale of an unlikely group of heroes that triumphs over massive obstacles to achieve a dream and change the world for other women athletes.

“I hope this film inspires anyone who comes up against the toughest of challenges to keep fighting for what they believe in and to never, never give up,” said writer/director Bill Kerig, who also wrote and directed the hit Showtime documentary “The Edge of Never,” a father/son story set in the world of big-mountain skiing.

Kerig and his team started filming Van and the ski jumpers nearly two years ago, traveling across the globe capturing the extreme highs and lows of this dramatic story. They also collected hundreds of hours of historical footage to cover the 17 years chronicled in the film.

Diana Nyad, marathon swimmer and NPR contributor, who has come up against her own seemingly insurmountable odds, narrates “Ready To Fly.” The Salt Lake Tribune calls the film “…a tribute to the human spirit.”

“We have a wonderful opportunity through this inspiring film to share our story with the world and continue to push for equality in ski jumping at the Olympic level and equality for women in sport,” said WSJ-USA President Deedee Corradini, also featured in the film. Part of the proceeds raised from the film will be donated to WSJ-USA.

The filmmakers are negotiating a national television broadcast and are planning a select-city national theatrical and film festival tour in the late summer and fall. “Ready To Fly” DVDs are available for pre-order at www.ReadyToFlyFilm.com.

UTAH SCREENINGS

Writer/Director Bill Kerig

(for full details go to www.ReadyToFlyFilm.com.)

Friday Feb. 10, 2012
Event: UTAH PREMIERE

Venue: Gateway Theaters, invite only

February 10-24, 2012
Event: UTAH LIMITED THEATRICAL
Venues: LHM Megaplex Theatres (five times a day)

Thursday Feb. 16, 2012, 7:00 p.m.
Event: UTAH FILM CENTER PRESENTS READY TO FLY – OGDEN, UTAH

Venue: Pleasant Valley Library

Sunday, Feb. 19 & Monday, Feb. 20, 7:00 p.m.

Event: PARK CITY, UTAH SCREENING
Ready To Fly screening each night followed by a Q&A session with Writer/Director/Producer Bill Kerig and members of the U.S. Women’s Ski Jumping Team. Includes special giveaways.
Venue: Egyptian Theater

Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, 7:00 p.m.

Event: UTAH FILM CENTER PRESENTS READY TO FLY – LOGAN, UTAH
Venue: Taggart Auditorium at Utah State University

Women’s Ski Jumping USA is the primary support group for the VISA Women’s Ski Jumping Team and aims to foster development level athletes throughout the U.S. WSJ-USA, a 501c3 foundation, also advocates for equality for women and girls in sports.

This above section contains unedited press releases distributed by Women’s Ski Jumping USA.

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10/26/10

VIDEO: U.S WOMEN’S SKI JUMPING EVENT IN NYC

New York-based photographer Jamie Clyde (photo left) artistically photographed members of the U.S. team, organized and sponsored a special gallery auction and fundraiser for the team on Oct. 21, 2010 in Brooklyn, New York. The event was supported by Women’s Ski Jumping USA, a 501c3 foundation, based in Park City, Utah.

Money raised from the benefit will pay for the women’s coach, travel expenses for international competitions, training, equipment and junior developmental programs for young girls. The U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association doesn’t financially support the team.

According to Women’s Ski Jumping President Deedee Corradini, it cost about $200,000 per year to run the Women’s Ski Jumping program.  Most of it goes to the athletes for training, traveling and equipment, and a “smaller portion” of it for summer programs and administrative purposes.

“We are in constant fundraising mode” Corradini said during a teleconference.  ”It’s a terrible struggle for us,” she continued “but we are committed, these women deserve this.”  Corradini also noted that fundraising will be much easier when Women’s Ski Jumping is “formally in the Olympics.”  That decision will come after the 2011 World Championships in Oslo, Norway, in February.

Members of The Women's Ski Jumping Team (William Thomas)

For More Photos from this event, Click Here (Flickr)

Eight more members of US Olympic Team – Sailing Announced

An additional eight members of the US Olympic Team – Sailing have been selected. Athletes competing in 49er, Star, Women’s 470, Men’s RS:X, and Laser

Zach Railey receives Golden Torch Award from sister Paige Railey during Rolex Miami OCR 2012

The following US Sailing Team AlphaGraphics athletes earned their positions at the 2012 Summer Olympic Games, which will be sailed in Weymouth, UK.

Laser Radial - Paige Railey (Clearwater, Fla.)

Women’s 470 - Amanda Clark (Shelter Island, N.Y.) and Sarah Lihan (Fort Lauderdale, Fla.)
Women’s RSX – Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md.)*

Finn – Zach Railey (Clearwater, Fla.)
Men’s 470 – Stuart McNay (Boston, Mass.) and Graham Biehl (San Diego, Calif.)
Laser -Rob Crane (Darien, Conn.)
Men’s RSX – Bob Willis (Chicago, Ill.)
49er – Erik Storck (Huntington, N.Y.) and Trevor Moore (Naples, Fla./Pomfret, Vt.)
Star – Mark Mendelblatt (Miami, Fla.) and Brian Fatih (Miami, Fla.)

*Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md.) earned a nomination in the women’s windsurfer (RS:X), pending both US Olympic Committee approval and qualification of the USA in the RS:X. As the USA did not qualify at the ISAF Worlds, the final opportunity will be the 2012 RS:X World Championship, March 20-29,2012 in Cadiz, Spain. The Paralympic Sailing team will be selected and announced at US SAILING’s Rolex Miami OCR January 23-28, 2012 and the US Women’s Match Racing Team will be determined next May 4-7 in Weymouth, UK.

List courtesy of PR Web

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First members 2012 US Olympic Sailing Team Announced

01/30/12

Amanda Clark and Sarah Lihan (USA)

The 2011-2012 ISAF Sailing World Cup Standings are starting to take shape after Sail Melbourne and US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR, the opening two regattas in the seven series World Cup.

China’s Lijia Xu

China’s Lijia Xu has had the perfect start to her World Cup campaign winning Laser Radial gold at Sail Melbourne and the Rolex Miami OCR. With back to back victories she comfortably leads the Standings and is six points ahead of Alison Young (GBR) who has finished fourth at both World Cup regattas.

Laser Radial silver medallist at Sail Melbourne, Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) has fallen one place following her 13th place in Miami. 2010-2011 Sailing World Cup Laser Radial Champion Marit Bouwmeester (NED) is fourth, trailing Xu by 15 points.

Americans Amanda Clark and Sarah Lihan lead the Women’s 470 on 34 points with Germany’s Kathrin Kadelbach and Friedrike Belcher second on 29 points and Rolex Miami OCR winners, Lisa Westerhof and Lobke Berkhout (NED), in third on 20 points.

In the Women’s RS:X, Demita Vega (MEX) and Jessica Crisp (AUS) are tied on 20 points with one regatta win each to their name and America’s Farrah Hall is tied on 19 points with Bryony Shaw (GBR).  There was no Star and Women’s Match Racing competition at Sail Melbourne so sailors got their campaign underway at the Rolex Miami OCR.

The third ISAF Sailing World Cup Regatta, Trofeo S.A.R. Princess Sofia MAPFRE, in Palma, Spain, takes place from 31 March to 7 April.

Farrah Hall - RS-X (USA)

Demita Vega De Lille - RS-X (MEX)

Excerpts courtesy of ISAF

Final round highlights of the 2012 NSW Womens Open at Oatlands Golf Club

Ko was born in South Korea, and moved to New Zealand with her family when she was six years old. She had hit balls in Korea on practice ranges, but took up the game in earnest upon arriving in her new home. Within a few years, she became one of the top junior golfers in New Zealand.  She is currently the top-ranked woman amateur golf player in the world.

01/28/12

Lijia Xu -Gold Medalist - Laser Radial

In the lightest breezes yet over six days of sailing on Biscayne Bay, ten Olympic classes racing in US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR still managed to put on quite a show as they competed in their final medal races to determine gold, silver and bronze winners.  Following the same format as the 2012 London Olympics and Paralympics, the event also hosted three Paralympic classes (which determined medal winners yesterday) and a total of 529 sailors from 41 countries.

Lijia Xu, China’s Laser Radial Olympic Bronze Medalist from 2008 and a 2006 World Champion, won the gold here after finishing eighth today to Marit Bouwmeester’s (NED) ninth, which was good for silver.

“It was very competitive,” said Xu, who positioned herself as close as possible to Bouwmeester today in order to control her. “We have the medalists from the 2011 World Championships in Perth and many other good sailors from all around the world.”  The Perth champions are Bouwmeester, Belgium’s Evi Van Acker, and the USA’s Paige Railey, and while Van Acker finished fourth today to take the bronze medal, Railey won the race.  “Weymouth (where the Olympic Sailing Regatta will take place) could be light to medium breeze, so it is good practice,” added Xu.

To secure the gold in 470 Women’s, Lisa Westerhof/Lobke Berkhout (NED), who are two-time World Champions and heading to the Olympic Games, had to make top-six in today’s medal race and ended up taking third. “It was very tricky and very light,” said Westerhof, adding that waves from spectator boats sometimes stopped them in their tracks.  After day two, Westerhof/Berkhout had jumped ahead of Great Britain’s Hannah Mills and Saskia Clarke, who took the silver today after finishing fourth.  “The British spilled some points on one day, and we kept sailing very strong,” said Westerhof.  The bronze was won by Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth (GBR) after they won today’s race.

Lisa Westerhof & Lobke Berkhout (NED) - Gold - Women's 470

Lucy Macgregor/Annie Lush/ Kate Macgregor (GBR) won the gold medal in Women’s Match Racing with a 3-1 win over Olivia Price/Nina Curtis/Lucinda Whitty (AUS), who had to settle for silver after their fates were sealed in the final match of their first-to-three flight.   The race looked to be going the Aussies’ way when GBR lagged as much as 12 boat lengths behind during the first lap of the twice-around course.  Their momentum was halted, however, on the second upwind leg when they hit some major waves and tried to tack with too little speed while GBR closed the gap.  Back in the game, GBR sailed to a lead that exchanged mouse for cat, and with plenty of further batting around, proved that match racing is one of the most exciting Olympic disciplines to watch.

Taking bronze in the Petit Finals after battling with Australia’s Olivia Price/Nina Curtis/Lucinda Whitty was the USA’s Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.)/Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami, Fla.)/Alana O’Reilly (Charleston, S.C.).

Demita Vega De Lille (MEX) : RS-X Women

Demita Vega De Lille (MEX) considers her gold medal here in RS:X Women’s another notch in the harness she wears while pursuing her Olympic dreams.“This event will not give me any points for the Olympic Games, but it is very good for me for the training,” said Vega De Lille, who has not yet made her country’s Olympic Team.  “I am very happy to be here, and I hope to qualify in Spain at the World Championships.”

Taking the silver was Farrah Hall (USA), who has won the right among fellow teammates to go to the Olympic Games but has yet to qualify her country, while winning bronze was Dominique Vallee (CAN).

Laser Radial (60 boats) – 10 races + Medal Race
Gold: Lijia Xu (CHN) 5, [35], 2, 1, 6, 2, 1, 2, 5, 2, 16 (42)
Silver: Marit Bouwmeester (NED) 1, 2, 1, 5, [9], 6, 7, 3, 2, 5, 18 (50)
Bronze: Evi Van Acker (BEL) 4, [18], 10, 2, 10, 9, 2, 1, 1, 6, 8 (53)

470 Women (15 boats) – 10 races + Medal Race
Gold:Lisa Westerhof/Lobke Berkhout (NED) 2, 3, 5, [OCS], 2, 1, 5, 4, 1, 1,
6 (30)
Silver:Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark (GBR) 1, 1, 1, 7, 4, 7, [OCS], 2, 6, 7, 8
(44)
Bronze:Sophie Weguelin/Sophie Ainsworth (GBR) 4, 10, 2, 4, 3, 6, [OCS], 9,
7, 6, 2 (53)

RS: X Women (12 boats) – 10 races + Medal Race
Gold:Demita Vega De Lille (MEX)  1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, [3], 1, 1, 4 (16)
Silver:Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md., USA) 2, 1, 6, 6, [OCS], 2, 1, 4, 2, 3,
10 (37)
Bronze:Dominique Vallee (CAN) 5, 5, 2, 3, 2, 5, 6, [7], 5, 5, 2 (40)

Women’s Match Racing
Gold:Lucy Macgregor/Annie Lush/ Kate Macgregor (GBR)
Silver:Olivia Price/Nina Curtis/Lucinda Whitty (AUS)
Bronze:Sally Barkow (Nashotah, WI., USA)/ Alana O’Reilly (Charleston SC,
USA)/ Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami Beach FL, USA) (USA)

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01/27/12

SALLY BARKOW/ELIZABETH KRATZIG-BURNHAM/ALANA O'REILLY (USA)

In Women’s Match Racing, Australia’s Olivia Price/Nina Curtis/Lucinda Whitty were the first to advance to tomorrow’s finals after they defeated Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.)/Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami, Fla.)/Alana O’Reilly (Charleston, S.C.) 3–1 in today’s first semifinals match. Then in the second match, Lucy Macgregor/Annie Lush/ Kate Macgregor (GBR), like they did yesterday, became entangled in a do-or-die match to advance to the finals. They prevailed against Silja Lehtinen/Silja Kanerva/Mikaela Wulff (FIN) winning the fifth race in the first-to-three flight.

Tomorrow the Macgregor team will face the young Australian team in the finals while the Finns will tip off with USA in the Petit Finals for bronze.

The only sailor here with a perfect score, Nick Dempsey (GBR) has won nine of his ten races on the RS:X windsurfing course and discarded an OCS (“on the course side” at the start) in race three as his worst finish. “Everything is going pretty well,” said Dempsey, who has already qualified for the Olympic Games. “I’m really here for a training regatta, really trying to make the most of the light winds.”

Other sailors maintaining their leads from yesterday and seemingly favored for tomorrow’s top-ten medal races were Nico Karth/Nikolaus Resch (AUT) in 49ers, Lijia Xu (CHN) in Laser Radial, Mathew Belcher/Malcolm Page (AUS) in 470 Men, Lisa Westerhof/Lobke Berkhout (NED) in 470 Women, Zach Railey (USA) in Finn, Nick Dempsey (GBR) in RS:X Men and Demita Vega De Lille (MEX) in RS:X Women

Women’s Match Racing
Semi Final
Olivia Price/Nina Curtis/Lucinda Whitty (AUS) defeats Sally Barkow
(Nashotah, WI., USA)/ Alana O’Reilly (Charleston SC, USA)/ Elizabeth
Kratzig-Burnham (Miami Beach FL, USA); 3-1

Semi Final
Lucy Macgregor/Annie Lush/ Kate Macgregor (GBR) defeats Silja
Lehtinen/Silja Kanerva/Mikaela Wulff (FIN); 3-2

Laser Radial (60 boats) – 10 races
1. Lijia Xu (CHN) 5, [35], 2, 1, 6, 2, 1, 2, 5, 2 (26)
2. Marit Bouwmeester (NED) 1, 2, 1, 5, [9], 6, 7, 3, 2, 5 (32)
3. Evi Van Acker (BEL) 4, [18], 10, 2, 10, 9, 2, 1, 1, 6 (45)

470 Women (15 boats) – 10 races
1. Lisa Westerhof/Lobke Berkhout (NED) 2, 3, 5, [OCS], 2, 1, 5, 4, 1, 1
(24)
2. Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark (GBR) 1, 1, 1, 7, 4, 7, [OCS], 2, 6, 7 (36)
3. Maria Fernanda Sesto/Consuelo Monsegur (ARG) 3, 7, 8, [11], 1, 9, 2, 1,
4, 3 (38)

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01/26/12

Down to the Wire

01/26/12

WOMEN'S MATCH RACING: NNA TUNNICLIFFE/MOLLY O'BRYAN/DEBBIE CAPOZZI (USA) (Photo By: Rolex / Daniel Forster)

In Women’s Match Racing, Sally Barkow (Nashotah, Wis.), who sails with Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami, Fla.) and Alana O’Reilly (Charleston, S.C.), was the first to advance to the semifinals today after 24 teams, split into Groups A and B, completed their single elimination quarterfinal rounds. (Group B had to finished their second of two round-robin series this morning to determine the top-four teams that would progress to today’s semifinals with the top four from Group A, who were named yesterday.)

Barkow and crew, who had only lost one match in the 11-race series that led up to today, lost no matches in their first-to-three-race quarterfinals flight against Tamara Echegoyen/Angela Pumariega/Sofia Toro (ESP).  Similarly, no matches were lost by Australia’s Olivia Price/Nina Curtis/Lucinda Whitty and Finland’s Silja Lehtinen/Silja Kanerva/Mikaela Wulff, and with all three teams secured with berths in tomorrow’s four-team semifinals, all attention was turned to the last flight of the day between the USA’s Anna Tunnicliffe (Plantation, Fla.)/Molly O’Bryan Vandemoer (Stanford, Calif.)/Debbie Capozzi (Bayport, N.Y.) and Great Britain’s Lucy Macgregor/Annie Lush/Kate Macgregor.  There could not have been a better match made in heaven, since both teams were medalists (USA gold, GBR silver) at the recent ISAF Worlds in Perth.

This time, it was Macgregor’s team that toppled Tunnicliffe’s, but only after the former trailed 2-1, then “stayed alive” by winning the third match for a tied score of 2-2, and then won the final race that was needed to decide who advanced.

“We didn’t start out with a brilliant regatta,” said Macgregor’s crew Annie Lush after racing today.  “We haven’t been winning everything straight out, and we’ve also made a lot of mistakes, but it has been good to learn from, and it’s really nice to get through the quarter-finals.  It is always a massive sign of relief because it’s such a big cut, and everyone racing in the quarters is good.  Anna Tunnicliffe is the World Champion, and we met her in the quarters.  It’s a really tough stage and a relief to get through it. “

IN FIRST PLACE, DAY FOUR, LIJIA XU (CHN), LASER RADIAL (Photo By: Rolex / Daniel Forster)

US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR, established in 1990, is open to boats competing in events chosen for the Olympic and Paralympic Sailing Competitions. The 10 Olympic classes for 2012 are: Laser Radial (women), Laser (men), Finn (men), Men’s RS:X, Women’s RS:X, 49er (men), Men’s 470, Women’s 470, Star (men) and Elliot 6m (women). The three Paralympic classes are: 2.4mR (open), SKUD (mixed) and Sonar (mixed).

For fleet racing in the Olympic classes, the Rolex Miami OCR consists of a five-day opening series (Monday – Friday) and a double-point medal race (Saturday). The top 10 finishers in the opening series of each class will advance to the medal race. For match racing (Elliott 6m), which makes its debut in the 2012 Olympic Games, the regatta will consist of an opening series, a knockout series, and a sail-off for boats not advancing to the knockout series.  Competitors in the Paralympic classes have five days of fleet racing (Monday-Friday) and no medal race.

Medals will be awarded to the top three boats in each Olympic and Paralympic class on Saturday, January 28.

US SAILING’s 2012 Rolex Miami OCR

Top-three Finishes in each discipline

Day 4

Laser Radial (60 boats) – 8 races
1.Lijia Xu (CHN) 5, [35], 2, 1, 6, 2, 1, 2 (19)
2.Marit Bouwmeester (NED) 1, 2, 1, 5, [9], 6, 7, 3 (25)
3.Evi Van Acker (BEL) 4, [18], 10, 2, 10, 9, 2, 1 (38)

470 Women (15 boats) – 8 races
1. Lisa Westerhof/Lobke Berkhout (NED) 2, 3, 5, [OCS], 2, 1, 5, 4 (22)
2. Hannah Mills/Saskia Clark (GBR) 1, 1, 1, 7, 4, 7, [OCS], 2 (23)
3. Maria Fernanda Sesto/Consuelo Monsegur (ARG) 3, 7, 8, [11], 1, 9, 2, 1
(31)

RS: X Women (12 boats) – 6 races
1. Demita Vega De Lille (MEX)  1, 2, 1, 2, 1, 1, 2, [3] (10)
2. Carolina Mendelblatt (POR) 3, 3, [OCS], 4, 3, 3, 4, 1 (21)
3. Farrah Hall (Annapolis, Md., USA)  2, 1, 6, 6, [OCS], 2, 1, 4 (22)

Women’s Match Racing
TOP FOUR ADVANCING TO SEMIFINALS
Sally Barkow (Nashotah, WI., USA)/ Alana O’Reilly (Charleston SC, USA)/
Elizabeth Kratzig-Burnham (Miami Beach FL, USA) 3 wins- 0 losses
Silja Lehtinen/Silja Kanerva/Mikaela Wulff (FIN) 3 wins- 0 losses
Olivia Price/Nina Curtis/Lucinda Whitty (AUS) 3 wins- 0 losses
Lucy Macgregor/Annie Lush/ Kate Macgregor (GBR) 3 wins- 2 losses

****************************************************************************

Women's Match Racing - Team Tunnicliffe - gold - Daniel Carson

The ISAF Sailing World Cup resumes on 22 January 2012 when US Sailing’s Rolex Miami OCR returns to the waters of Biscayne Bay.

The second of seven ISAF Sailing World Cup regattas, the Rolex Miami OCR will bring together some of the world’s best sailors in all of the Olympic events for the first time since the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships.

Twenty five Women’s Match Racing Crews will start their Sailing World Cup campaign in Miami, after the competition was not featured in Melbourne. Nine of the World’s top ten Women’s Match Racers will compete as they look to get their campaign off to a good start.

World #1, Anna Tunnicliffe (USA), will be the skipper to beat in Miami after her dominating performance at the Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships. The ISAF Rolex World Sailor of the Year crushed Lucy Macgregor 4-0 in the final of the competition to claim the Women’s Match Racing gold.

Tunnicliffe’s rivals for the American Match Racing Olympic spot Sally Barkow, Stephanie Roble and Genevieve Tulloch will all sail in Miami ahead of their qualification event at Weymouth and Portland, Great Britain from 4-9 May 2012.

Australia’s Olivia Price and Nicky Souter will continue their battle for Australian Olympic selection after very little separated them at Perth 2011.

Immediately after the Rolex Miami OCR the 2012 Women’s Match Racing International Country Olympic Qualifying Regatta takes place on Biscayne Bay. Crews from Argentina, Brazil, Canada, China, Spain, Finland, Germany and Slovenia will get valuable competitive action time to prepare for the regatta where three places are up for grabs.

In the Laser Radial Lijia Xu (CHN) will look to continue her good start to her Sailing World Cup campaign after victory at Sail Melbourne. The World #42 won Sail Melbourne after a dominating display following seven top three finishes during the regatta in the competitive 25-boat fleet. But the 2008 Olympic bronze medallist and former Laser Radial World Champion will find Miami a harder nut to crack with 59 sailors registered to compete.

Among the fleet is World #1 Evi Van Acker (BEL), Perth 2011 ISAF Sailing World Championships Laser Radial gold medallist Marit Bouwmeester and Perth 2011 bronze medallist and winner of the 2011 Rolex Miami OCR Paige Railey (USA).

Bouwmeester is going for a third consecutive ISAF Sailing World Cup title after a six point victory over Veronika Fenclova (CZE) in 2009-2010 and a one point win over Van Acker in 2010-2011. But after one regatta Bouwmeester sits in 15th position with Xu leading the way followed by Tuula Tenkanen (FIN) and Krystal Weir (AUS).

With 81 entries the Laser fleet is the largest at the Rolex Miami OCR. World #4 Bruno Fontes (BRA) is the highest ranked sailor competing World #5 Julio Alsogaray (ARG) and Beijing Olympic gold medallist Paul Goodison (GBR) set to join him on the starting line.

In the Men’s RS:X 14 sailors will compete for ISAF Sailing World Cup points with last year’s World Cup runner up Nick Dempsey (GBR) set to line up. And in the Women’s fleet, 13 windsurfers will compete.

The Finn, Star, Men’s 470, Women’s 470 and 49er preview will be released on Wednesday.

For more information on the ISAF Sailing World Cup click here.

NEW YORK — Lolo Jones made a successful return after an injury-plagued 2011 season.  As Jones began a comeback from back surgery, which ended her season following last year’s 2011 USA Outdoor Championships, she ran the fastest time in the world since 2008 to win the Visa Women’s 50m hurdles in 6.78 seconds. Jones, the two-time defending World Indoor champion, outran a field that included Tiffany Porter of Great Britain and American Kellie Wells, who finished second and third, respectively.  “I had not raced in so long,” the two-time World Indoor Champion said after the race.  “The question was, ‘how was I going to react?’ This year I have just been working on my core strength and speed. I didn’t even know what the world record was. I knew that I had to go out there and just run. It felt good. What I learned from the Olympics last year is that anything can happen.”

Veronica Campbell-Brown got off to a quick start in the Harris  women’s 50m dash and the rest of the field was unable to touch her as she recorded the fastest 50m time in the world since 2000. Campbell-Brown won in 6.08, with Jessica Young second in 6.20 and Glroia Asumnu third in 6.22.

Brenda Martinez may not have entered the Chase Women’s mile as the favorite, but that did not stop her from storming past the field to take the win in 4:34.62. Sarah Vaughn finished three seconds back in 4:37.12, and Anna Pierce took third in 4:39.97.

In the Women’s 500 yards, Keshia Baker claimed first in her first race as a professional. Baker finished in 1:03.74, while Fawn Dorr took the runner-up spot in 1:04.35.

In the Harris Women’s 800m, Fantu Magiso of Ethiopia won the race with ease in a time of 2:07.54. High school senior Ajeé Wilson surged ahead through the final curve to move from last place to take the runner-up spot in a field of professionals. Wilson’s time was 2:09.09.  “It was very exciting.”  Wilson said after the race.  “Honestly I was kind of nervous coming into this race knowing everyone was faster than me and had run faster times. But I was also excited because I knew if they were running faster than me, they would pull me to a better time.”

In the women’s pole vault, Jillian Schwartz, Janice Keppler and Becky Holliday cleared the first two heights. At the third height of 4.52m/14-10, only Schwartz was successful as she cleared the bar on her second attempt to claim the win. Keppler and Holliday were unable to clear the bar and took second and third, respectively. Jenn Suhr passed and waited to come in at 4.52m/14-10, but missed on all three attempts.

Veronica Campbell-Brown U.S. Open post-race interview from Women’s Sports & Ent. Network on Vimeo.

Pre-U.S Open Press Conference

American hurdler Dawn Harper along with Jamaican sprinters Veronica Campbell-Brown, Asafa Powell and Nesta Carter answered questions regarding Saturday’s U.S. Open at Madison Square Garden. Below are excerpts from the press conference. For more information on the U.S. Open please see www.usopen.usatf.org.

Dawn Harper

The 2008 Olympic 100m hurdles gold medalist will compete in the 50m hurdles at the Garden. Also scheduled to compete in the race is Kellie Wells (USA), Lolo Jones (USA), Tiffany Porter (GBR), Nia Ali (USA) and Ginnie Crawford (USA).

Dawn Harper (USA) & Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM)

On Indoor competition

“It has been four years since the last time I ran indoors. My coach wanted me to focus on my start during the indoor season. We are really focusing on some things with that.”

On winning a bronze medal at the 2011 World Outdoor Championships and her training group

“I was glad to come home with the bronze. We have a great training group. (Coach) Bobby Kersee is very intense at track practice. But it has been a very good group. We are going to do some good things. Coach Kersee is intense especially on those days that are going to be long.”

On coming back from knee surgery

“I still do rehab for it. Once we realized (my knee) was okay, it was all mental from there. I remember warming up before the race and I just came down on it wrong. From then it has been more mental but I’m pretty much over it now.”

On the pressure of defending her Olympic gold medal

“First of all I am blessed to have reigning in front of it. If I didn’t have that that means I didn’t win. I like the pressure that comes with it. The 100 meter hurdlers give you nothing. You know whoever finishes first went through blood, sweat and tears to win. I am very happy to be defending my title. You are an Olympic champion. Sometimes you have to take a step back and don’t put so much pressure on yourself. You have to know who you are and go back to those childhood days when you enjoyed it.”

On running the 50m hurdles

“It is very important for this race to see where I am at. I normally rev up after three hurdles. It’s going to be good when the gun goes off.”

Veronica Campbell-Brown

The two-time defending Olympic gold medalist in the 200m, Campbell-Brown will race the 50m against Bianca Knight (USA), Alexandria Anderson (USA), Tehesia Harrigan (IVB), Jessica Young (USA) and Gloria Asumnu (NGR).

On the possibility on becoming the first athlete to ever win three Olympic gold medals in the 200m

“To be able to win three gold medals would be a great accomplishment for me. I am blessed to have won twice. To think I could become the first person in history to win three is special. The objective is to stay healthy.”

On the start in the 50m and running indoors

“It’s always a pleasure to be here. I have never run the 50 meters before. When you come to these short races you have to get a good start.”

On her training

“I am smarter with my training. I don’t feel a day older and I have motivation to work hard. I want to keep my “A” game.”

On the difficulty of making the Jamaican Olympic team and the popularity of the sport

“It’s not going to be easy. The harder it is the harder I have worked. Jamaicans love the sport. We have the biggest high school championship. Running in Jamaica is very popular. Kids are involved in track and field at a young age. I was involved at age eight or nine.”

Powerhouse, full fields announced for U.S. Open

Dawn Harper (USA) - Image via Wikipedia

Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM) - Image via Wikipedia

NEW YORK – Madison Square Garden will host perhaps the best and deepest fields it has seen in several years as the 2012 Olympic track & field season kicks off in earnest with the U.S. Open Track & Field event on Saturday, January 28.

Stars such as David Oliver, Veronica Campbell-Brown, Asafa Powell, Jesse Williams, Nesta Carter, Christian Cantwell, Adam Nelson, Dawn Harper, Kellie Wells, Tiffany Ofili Porter, and Jenn Suhr all have been announced previously.

The inaugural edition of the U.S. Open is the first event of USATF’s Visa Championships Series and will be held in the newly renovated Garden. The first major professional meet in the United States to kick-off the 2012 Olympic year, it will be broadcast on Sunday, January 29, from 7-9 p.m. on ESPN2.

More fireworks in sprints, hurdles

The defending World Indoor champion, Campbell-Brown will have her hands full in the Women’s 50 meters with reigning U.S. indoor champion Alexandria Anderson and Bianca Knight, who led off Team USA’s gold-medal winning 4×100m relay at the 2011 World Outdoor Championships.

Other top athletes announced Wednesday include World Junior champion and 2011 USATF Youth Athlete of the Year Ajee Wilson in the women’s 800 meters, Anna Pierce in the women’s mile, Ginnie Crawford in the women’s 50m hurdles, Greg Nixon in the men’s 500 and Monica Hargrove in the women’s 500 yards. A student at the Neptune Academy of Allied Health and Science -  Monmouth, N.J., Wilson looks to follow in the Madison Square Garden footsteps of a fellow Jersey Girl, the legendary Joetta Clark-Diggs, whose high school records Wilson broke in 2011.

Women’s Events

Lolo Jones - Image via Wikipedia

50 meters: Bianca Knight (USA), Veronica Campbell-Brown (JAM), Alexandria Anderson (USA), Tehesia Harrigan (IVB), Jessica Young (USA), Gloria Asumnu (NGR)

500 yards: Monica Hargrove (USA), Jasmine Chaney (USA), Keshia Baker (USA), Davita Prendergast (JAM)

800 meters: Ajee Wilson (USA), Fantu Magiso (ETH), Jessica Smith (CAN)

Mile: Anna Pierce (USA), Stephanie Garcia (USA), Lauren Hagans (USA), Brenda Martinez (USA)

50-meter hurdles: Kellie Wells (USA), Lolo Jones (USA), Dawn Harper (USA), Tiffany Porter (GBR), Nia Ali (USA), Ginnie Crawford (USA)

Pole Vault: Jenn Suhr (USA), Becky Holliday (USA), Jillian Schwartz (ISR), Lacy Jansen (USA), Mary Saxer (USA), Janice Keppler (USA)

courtesy ustaf.org press release

Jones back on top at U.S. Open

1/28/2012

NEW YORK — Lolo Jones made a successful return after an injury-plagued 2011 season and Jamaica’s Asafa Powell ran the fastest 50-meter time in the world since 2005 en route to winning Athlete of the Meet honors Saturday at the U.S. Open presented by Harris at Madison Square Garden. The two wins electrified a crowd of 5,844 as the Visa Championships Series officially kicked off for the 2012 indoor season.

As Jones began a comeback from back surgery, which ended her season following last year’s 2011 USA Outdoor Championships, she ran the fastest time in the world since 2008 to win the Visa women’s 50m hurdles in 6.78 seconds. Jones, the two-time defending World Indoor champion, outran a field that included Tiffany Porter of Great Britain and American Kellie Wells, who finished second and third, respectively.

“I had not raced in so long. The question was, ‘how was I going to react?’ This year I have just been working on my core strength and speed. I didn’t even know what the world record was. I knew that I had to go out there and just run. It felt good. What I learned from the Olympics last year is that anything can happen.”

excerpts courtesy usatf.org

In Other Lolo News – Jones featured in February issue of Outside Magazine

Hurdler Lolo Jones takes you through a day of training and her drive to get what she has been working so hard to gain for

Image via Wikipedia

12 years.

Iowa’s Olympic hopeful Lolo Jones. Lolo grew up in Des Moines and is the 2008 World Indoor Champion and USA Indoor Champion. She is a participant in the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

Related articles

• TRACK & FIELD: Powerhouse, full fields announced for U.S. Open (wsenetwork.com)

2012, Vancouver, Canada, FIFA Olympic Women’s Soccer Trials, Costa Rica applied some early pressure, but is wasn’t enough as Team USA is confirmed for the Olympics winning 3-0.

Carli Lloyd - Image via Wikipedia

The U.S. WNT advances to its fifth straight Olympic Games after defeating Costa Rica 3-0 in the first semifinal of the CONCACAF Women’s Olympic Qualifying tournament.  Tobin Heath, Carli Lloyd and Alex Morgan each scored a goal.  The USA improves to 4-0-0 on the year, outscoring its opponents by a 34-0 margin.

Alex Morgan - Image via Wikipedia

Sarah Burke Dies at 29

Canadian freeskier Sarah Burke, a four-time Winter X Games champion, died Thursday from injuries she suffered during a Jan. 10 training run. She was 29.  Burke was a four-time Winter X Games gold medalist, and won the world championship in the halfpipe in 2005. She successfully lobbied the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to have the event added to the Olympic program for the 2014 Winter Olympics. She was considered a medal favourite in the event.

“Female athletes everywhere owe a debt of gratitude to Sarah’s passionate trailblazing efforts over the last 15 years. As the first competitive female freeskier, she successfully lobbied the Winter X Games to include women in freeskiing events on equal standing. It is because of Sarah’s efforts that female winter athletes are some of the only athletes in the world to receive equal prize purses to that of men.”

courtesy of www.giveforward.com/sarahburke – a fund to honor Sarah Burke. This fund will be used for Sarah’s outstanding medical costs and related expenses.

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Freestyle Skier Sarah Burke suffers severe head injury

Canadian freestyle skier Sarah Burke was in critical condition Thursday after undergoing a successful operation to repair a torn vertebral artery that had caused bleeding to her brain.  Burke, 29, sustained “serious injuries” after an accident Tuesday in which she crashed on a half-pipe ramp in Park City, Utah.

“With injuries of this type, we need to observe the course of her brain function before making definitive pronouncements about Sarah’s prognosis for recovery,” Dr. William Couldwell, the neurosurgeon at the University of Utah who performed Burke’s surgery, said in a press release from Burke’s publicist. “Our Neuro Critical Care team will be monitoring her condition and response continuously over the coming hours and days.”

Burke, who is not only one of the best female skiers in the world but a red carpet regular and fashion plate who was once named one of FHM’s 100 sexiest women alive, hit her head after a faulty landing while on a training run in the Eagle Superpipe at Park City Mountain Resort.

During the accident, Burke injured a vertebral artery, a set of major arteries in the neck which supply blood to the brain, and resulted in an intracranial hemorrhage, according to a release from her publicist. Disrupting the blood flow to the brain can result in brain damage or death depending on the severity of the case, the Associated Press reported.  Read more here.

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• Sarah Burke’s injuries not disclosed by hospital (sports.nationalpost.com)
• Skier Sarah Burke Still Comatose After Surgery (people.com)
• Canadian skier Sarah Burke remains in critical condition after surgery (sports.nationalpost.com)
• Canadian Sarah Burke remains in coma after skiing accident (cbc.ca)
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Winter X Games Europe 2011 – Sarah Burke Wins Ski Women’s Superpipe Gold