Typical British Summer
 British summer time lived up to its reputation this weekend in Silverstone, as the heavens opened over the Northamptonshire circuit. In a race which saw seven retirements and numerous spins, it was Vodafone McLaren-Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton who drove through the incessant spray to win his first home Grand Prix in front of a capacity crowd, ahead of Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber F1 Team) and Rubens Barrichello (Honda Racing). After an eventful race over 60 laps (308.355 kms) in changeable weather conditions, he lapped all but two drivers and came home 68.5sec ahead of Nick Heidfeld (BMW Sauber) in second place. Lewis’s team mate Heikki Kovalainen, who had started from his first ever Formula 1 pole position, ended up fifth. Both drivers were on two-stop strategies. Halfway through the championship, after nine out of 18 Grands Prix, Lewis is back in the lead with 48 points; he is tied on points with Ferrari drivers Felipe Massa and Kimi Räikkönen. Heikki is sixth overall with 24 points. “This was the toughest race, but also one of the best ones I have ever driven. It was so extreme and slippery out there, very similar to the Japanese Grand Prix in Fuji last year.  I had troubles with my visor and tried to clean it a couple of times. I thank my team for a great job; they did fantastic work and we always made the right decisions with the tyres in the difficult conditions. When I came round the last time, I saw the crowd standing up and I prayed: ‘Just finish, just finish.’ It was a very emotional moment to win my home grand prix and I want to dedicate this victory to my family. As everybody knows I had some troubles over the past few weeks and they have been always there for me and supported me. To pull on another Vodafone McLaren Mercedes rocket red victory T-shirt feels awesome" Lewis said at the press conference. The fastest lap of the race was awarded to defending World Champion Kimi Räikkönen and his fourth place finish was enough to bring him to the head of the Drivers’ table. Fortune did not smile on team-mate Felipe Massa; an unhappy three days for the Brazilian saw his weekend end outside the points. Hamilton comes from ten points behind to share a three-way tie with Räikkönen and Massa. At this mid-way point of the season the three drivers have scored 48 points apiece in the FIA Formula One Drivers’ World Championship, with Robert Kubica (BMW Sauber F1 Team) standing just two points behind. Scuderia Ferrari maintains the lead of the FIA Formula One Constructors’ World Championship on 96 points to the BMW Sauber F1 Team’s 82. Next race Hockenheim - Germany on 20th July 2008.
Levante Golf Society
(Sponsored by Speedbird Boat Share and Charter)
Friday 11 July 2008, Bonalba Golf & Spa Club
Weather conditions for today’s competition at Bonalba Golf & Spa Club are best described as hot, humid, cloudless and with little breeze. Thankfully, everybody was in a buggy, which took some of the sting out of the conditions, and, it is understood, the usual walkers amongst the Society were more than grateful to be driven around the course! The golf course itself was in excellent condition with the ball running long and the greens, described by the Vice Captain as ‘tricky’, being somewhat slower than usual, perhaps as a result of being a little ‘woolly’
Today, there was a concerted effort to speed-up play and the subsequent handing-in and checking of scorecards. Amongst the initiatives taken were the appointment of a ‘team’ captain for each flight of players whose responsibility included ensuring cards were handed to the Competitions Member before players went to their cars with their clubs followed by the usual shower, changing of clothes, having a beer, chat and whatever else they usual manage to achieve before assembling for the results and prize giving. Moreover, we managed to get 2 flights of 4 players away from the 10th tee simultaneously, for which we are grateful to Richard Davies of Bonalba, and this alone helped to reduce our overall time at the course and clubhouse by nearly an hour! We believe that getting a bunch of Society golfers away on a two-tee start not only reduces the time spent at a course but also frees up that course much quicker for the benefit of home members and other visitors. Some courses readily accommodate such two-tee starts and we are hopeful that other courses will also adopt this order of play.
The excellent conditions of the course were reflected in some really good scores today. In Division 1 Terry Collins had a cracker of a day coming home to win with 41 pts from Martin Gates and Peter Hunt who both had 39 pts; Peter once more lost on count back! Frank Carroll won Division 2 with 40 pts whilst Neville Allen (38 pts) was second and Roger G Miller came third (34 pts). The winner amongst our guests was Kellie Robinson who had a really excellent 38 pts on this, her first visit, to Bonalba. Nearest the Pin, at the 4th, was Neville Allen, who was out in the first group and who had to sweat on the result for the rest of the day! Unusually, there were no twos, although Peter Hunt had three opportunities during a round in which he was level par after nine holes, and the pot proceeds go into the Charity Fund. As a result of today’s competition there are a number of large-scale handicap chops! Terry Collins is reduced to 17.5 together with Martin Gates (10.1), Peter Hunt (12.3), Frank Carroll (21.1) and Neville Allen (22.5). Player of the Year standings show Martin Gates out front with 48 pts followed by Lee Underdown (39 pts), Peter Hunt (35 pts) Terry Collins (34 pts) and Bob Edwards (30 pts).
Our next meeting is Friday 25 July 2008 at Alicante Golf course. Please note first tee is 12 noon and players are asked to be at the clubhouse for 11.15 am for administration purposes. There are a still a few places left should you wish to play at Alicante; please contact the Competitions Member.
Photograph of Levante Golf Society prize winners 11 July 2008:
Left to right:
Frank Carroll, Martin Gates, Peter Hunt, Kellie Robinson, Terry Collins, Roger G Miller & Neville Allen
www.spanishfootballsports.blogspot.com
U/19 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIPS 2008: BAD START FOR SPAIN
The U/19 European Championships in the Czech Rep. got under way with GERMANY defeating two time Champions SPAIN 2-1 in the opening game of Group A (other teams Hungary & Bulgaria) with Spain’s only goal from ALBA. The Germans out played Spain with a better organized team in defense & strength. The Spaniards controlled the ball but were frustrated by the "German Wall". After the "Seniors" won the Euro Nations Cup with sublime Football, everyone is expecting the Spanish U/19 to do the same & that is difficult to repeat, putting some pressure on the boys.
NEWS FROM ENGLAND which has been picked up by local Sports paper "Marca" inform that FC BARCELONA has offered English Premier League Club ARSENAL 20M€ plus SAMUEL ETO´O for its forward EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR. New Barça coach Guardiola insists in the signing of the Arsenal player. The difficulties so far with negotiations is that Arsenal has priced Adebayor at 44M€, while Barça´s offer was only 30M€ The inclusion of Samuel Eto´o in the deal may soften the Arsenal posture & accelerate proceedings. Stay tuned! RONALDINHO CLOSER TO MANCHESTER CITY? Brazilian RONALDINHO is angry with FC BARCELONA after the Club announced that they will not allow him to participate in the Olympics. In fact, the player is waiting to see if he can close a deal with a Club that is not Barça to finally leave his personal "nightmare". Ronaldinho has announced that he will not show up for Barça pre-season which begins tomorrow & the Club has said that they will fine him. Not a good relationship at all, as new Barça coach Guardiola commented in his official presentation that he does not count on Ronaldinho for the new season. Solution for everyone? Get out as soon as possible, & at the same time Barça get back some cash in the transfer. There are two Clubs that maybe the new home of the Brazilian: AC MILAN or MANCHESTER CITY, the latter is the more active & is willing to pay the price that Barcelona are looking for. The Italian team talks a lot, complains about the high price but does little to really ensure they get Ronaldinho over to Italy. News from Spanish paper "El Mundo" says that FC Barcelona has convinced Ronaldinho to fly to Barcelona on Monday to close his transfer. Manchester City are in pole position and willing to pay the 30M€ that Barça has requesed. If this is the case, not only will Manchester City fans be celebrating but also the discos & pubs of Manchester as the "Brazilian Party Animal" hits town.
ATLETICO DE MADRID TRANSFER NEWS 2008: THE NEW SQUAD BUILT WITH 5 NEW FACES
ATLETICO DE MADRID has virtually sealed the makeup of its new team for 2008/2009 after presenting its 5th signing to the media. Czech International defender Tomas Ujfalusi posed for the media in his new kit, after leaving Italian team Fiorentina. Dutch International defender Heitinga, midfielder Assuncao, French International goalkeeper Coupet & French forward Sinama have all been presented to the media as new members of Atletico. Atletico has strengthened all its lines in order to make a competitive team for this years "Liga" & more importantly, its Champions League participation. GETAFE TRANSFER NEWS 2008
Two exciting new faces at GETAFE for season 2008/2009 are being announced, ROBERTO SOLDADO & the Turk IBRAHIM KAS. According to "AS" REAL MADRID will transfer its forward Soldado to Getafe for 8M€. The Real forward is a proven goal scorer as he demonstrated while on loan at Osasuna, but he has not had many chances of playing last season after being recalled, due to Real Madrid´s powerful forward line. The player has rejected offers from Greek Clubs Panathinaikos & Olympiakos to be able to stay in Spain with his newborn daughter. The Getafe deal is perfect for the player, personally as much as
professionally.
Staying at GETAFE, the Madrid team has strengthened its defensive line with the incorporation of Turkish International & BESIKTAS player IBRAHIM KAS.
In his official presentation to the Spanish media the player was very happy to be in Spain, after his Turkish teammate & Villareal star Nihat recommended that he make the career move.
SPANISH FOOTBALL TRANSFER NEWS 2008: VILLA, HLEB, LUIS GARCIA & VAN DER VAART
SFS has posted this news before, LIVERPOOL FC has VALENCIA CF & Spanish International forward DAVID VILLA on their agenda. Liverpool FC coach Rafa Benitez has admitted publicly that Villa is an objective & would be ideal to form up with Torres in the forward line. The idea is good, but it will be difficult to get Villa out of Valencia. Apart from his 40M€ price tag, his Club has announced that they count on the player for next season According to Sports daily "Sport", FC BARCELONA has sealed a deal with ARSENAL for the transfer of midfielder ALEXANDER HLEB. At a cost of 15M€ + incentives that take it to a total of
18M€.
ESPANYOL forward LUIS GARCIA has slipped from the grasp of Benfica & has been signed by English Premier League Club TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR. According to local source, "Marca", the deal was closed last week in a Madrid restaurant at a cost of 12M€
L`EQUIPE PUTS FERNANDO TORRES & IKER CASILLAS AS FAVOURITES FOR THE GOLDEN BALL
According to French Football Magazine "L´Equipe" Spanish Football players FERNANDO TORRES & IKER CASILLAS are firm favorites for this years FRANCE FOOTBALL GOLDEN BALL AWARD ( Best World Player for 2007/2008). This is an important announcement, as "L`Equipe" belongs to the same publishing house as "France Football" & is seen as an important & reliable source. "L´Equipe" go as far as to mention their Top 5 players, & in the order they believe is most accurate: Fernando Torres; C.Ronaldo; Iker Casillas; Andrei Arshavin & Leo Messi. The fact that Torres has scored 33 goals last season in all competitions & winning the European Nations Cup with Spain (with the winning goal) has catapulted Fernando Torres as Golden Ball favourite for 2008. "L´
Equipe" also state that Cristiano Ronaldo was disappointing & was not up to the level expected from him at Euro 2008 & that has affected his chances
of winning the prize. SFS feels that this is pure speculation & that the first months of the new season will determine who finally wins. SFS puts its bets on Cristiano
Ronaldo, especially if he signs for Real Madrid which will launch himself into Media & Superstar status.
ATLETICO DE MADRID GO FOR VAN DE VAART
RAFAEL VAN DE VAART 25 year old HAMBURG midfielder is the player chosen by ATLETICO DE MADRID to put the "icing on the cake" for its 2008/2009 season. The player has signed with Hamburg until 2010 but has a contract clause that lets him free in 2009, forcing his Club to consider offers & allow
the player to go if he if wants. Atletico admits that they are in contact with the Club & have put up a 15M€ offer. Now it´s the push & pull part of negotiations that
will finally tell us if Atletico can count on this young & talented player.
ROBINHO FLIRTING WITH CHELSEA FC
Spanish sports daily, "Marca", has revealed that Wegner Ribeiro, representative of REAL MADRID Brazilian player ROBINHO, travelled to London to meet with CHELSEA FC. New Chelsea coach Scolari has solicited Robinho to form part of his new squad. However, Real Madrid has said that they count on the player for next season & will not hear consider anything less then 36M€. Smells like Robinho could be playing with both sides. His strategy maybe to forced Real Madrid to better his contract or avoid being used in the Cristiano Ronaldo transfer talks with Manchester United. Either way, Robinho is playing a dangerous game, Real don´t like it & may take the money if it is enough. Stay tuned!
SPORT BITES
Anichebe off to Olympics
Everton will be without Victor Anichebe in August as he heads off to South Korea with the Nigerian Olympic squad. The striker is in a 26-man provisional squad that will compete in the Games at Beijing. Nigeria will play their first match against Netherlands on 7 August and if they make the final on 23 August, Anichebe will miss the first two games of the new Premier League season. Anichebe, 20, debuted for the Nigerian side was in March when he scored to help them reach the Olympics with a 3-0 win over South Africa.
Gooch says Flintoff will replace Collingwood
Cricket legend Graham Gooch has told BBC Radio 5 Live that Andrew Flintoff is just what England need to beat South Africa after drawing the first Test at Lords.
"He is a class cricketer and gives England something they haven't got, his return will lift the side," said Gooch. "He's an iconic sort of cricketer and I believe Paul Collingwood will have to make way." The Lancashire all-rounder has returned to the England squad having proved his fitness following ankle surgery and, more recently, a side strain. The 30-year-old all-rounder will return to the England side to face South Africa at Headingley in the second Test and give the England the edge over the tourists.
Radcliffe in race to be fit
Paula Radcliffe as admitted that she faces a "race against time" to be fit for the Beijing Olympics in August. The 34-year-old met with UK Athletics officials and under went tests at the British Olympic Medical Institute in Northwick Park, London last week. The marathon world record holder returned to the French Pyrenees to continue high-intensity training at her base in Font Romeu. "I'm going back to continue my training - but yes, it is going to be a race against time," Radcliffe said.
Radcliffe’s Olympic hopes are threatened by a stress fracture in her left thigh which was diagnosed in May. Radcliffe could leave it as late as the night before the race on 17 August to decide if she is fit enough to run.
Ryder Cup doubt for Donald
Luke Donald is a major doubt for the Ryder Cup in September after he pulled out of this weekend's Open at Royal Birkdale with a wrist injury. According to Nick Faldo “it will be tough for the 30-year-old to recover in time.” "He would need to be a pick and to pick a man who is injured would be a tough call," Faldo told BBC Radio 5 Live. "I need to talk to him in a month's time to get an honest opinion." Donald has not played since the US Open at Torrey Pines last month and has slipped down Europe's Ryder Cup rankings.
Arthur's title up for grabs
Nicky Cook will challenge Alex Arthur for his WBO super-featherweight crown after Scott Harrison pulled out of the bout two years ago. The 28 year old said that he would finally realize his world title dream and make Arthur pay for the misery Harrison caused by pulling out with just 48 hours notice. "What happened against Harrison was a nightmare," said Cook. "Arthur is going to pay for all the grief he caused me." The Dagenham fighter added: "I may not have been able to knock out Harrison, but what better way to make up for things than by stopping the man who has replaced him at the top of the tree in Scotland? "I'll rip his title away from him in what will be a classic England v Scotland match-up."
Alcalalí Angling Club – 13th June, 4th & 11th July 2008
Alcalali Angling Club members have seen the weather improving over the last few weeks but one thing remains the same - ‘Mr Consistency’, Siggy Grabow has won the last three matches on different zones on the Rio Jucar fishing his favoured method feeder on the bottom. Another member showing that he can compete on any stretch of water is Roger Ackers who has made second spot his own in the same matches! They have clearly formed Anglo-German cartel!
Weights so far this season have been generally lower, largely due to the movement of fish to other zones to replenish stocks depleted by pollution and theft of fish by eastern Europeans stocking their freezers. Tony Fowler has enjoyed fishing the whip on B and C zones, catching about 16kg of small 4 to 6 inch carp, evidently recently stocked and looking healthy so far, a good sign for the future of the competition stretch, although whether club members live long enough to benefit remains to be seen. Weights from ‘the boats section’, zone E1, continue to hold up better than most with Siggy taking 84.1kg to win and good weights through the field. The match on zone F1 saw Siggy netting 75kg while on the section above the iron bridge he only needed 31.5kg to complete his hat trick. Weights might be low compared to previous years but as Allan Wilson demonstrates by averaging 44.8kg while taking 4th spot each match during his last visit, everyone is enjoying their day and the challenge presented by the cartel.
Anyone interested in joining the club should contact Allan in the UK on 01903 774243 or by email -
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.
Drivers' championship 2008
| Name
| Car
| Nat
| Points
| 1 Lewis Hamilton
| McLaren-Mercedes
| GB
| 48
| 2 Felipe Massa
| Ferrari
| Brz
| 48
| 3 Kimi Raikkonen
| Ferrari
| Fin
| 48
| 4 Robert Kubica
| BMW Sauber
| Pol
| 46
| 5 Nick Heidfeld
| BMW Sauber
| Ger
| 36
| 6 Heikki Kovalainen
| McLaren-Mercedes
| Fin
| 24
| 7 Jarno Trulli
| Toyota
| Ita
| 20
| 8 Mark Webber
| Red Bull-Renault
| Aus
| 18
| 9 Fernando Alonso
| Renault
| Spa
| 13
| 10 Rubens Barrichello
| Honda
| Brz
| 11
| 11 Nico Rosberg
| Williams-Toyota
| Ger
| 8
| 12 Kazuki Nakajima
| Williams-Toyota
| Jpn
| 8
| 13 David Coulthard
| Red Bull-Renault
| GB
| 6
| 14 Sebastian Vettel
| Toro Rosso-Ferrari
| Ger
| 5
| 15 Timo Glock
| Toyota
| Ger
| 5
| 16 Jenson Button
| Honda
| GB
| 3
| 17 Nelson Piquet Jr
| Renault
| Brz
| 2
| 18 Sebastien Bourdais
| Toro Rosso-Ferrari
| Fra
| 2
| 19 Giancarlo Fisichella
| Force India-Ferrari
| Ita
| 0
| 19 Adrian Sutil
| Force India-Ferrari
| Ger
| 0
| 19 Anthony Davidson*
| Super Aguri-Honda
| GB
| 0
| 19 Takuma Sato*
| Super Aguri-Honda
| Jpn
| 0
|
Constructors' championship 2008
| Team
| Points
| | | | 1 Ferrari
| 96
| 2 BMW Sauber
| 82
| 3 McLaren-Mercedes
| 72
| 4 Toyota
| 25
| 5 Red Bull-Renault
| 24
| 6 Williams-Toyota
| 16
| 7 Renault
| 15
| 8 Honda
| 14
| 9 Toro Rosso-Ferrari
| 7
| 10 Force-India Ferrari
| 0
| 11 Super Aguri-Honda*
| 0
|
|
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