bits and pieces

 

 bits and pieces

Stolbova, Klimov come out of shadows with pairs gold

BARCELONA: Russia’s Ksenia Stolbova and Fedor Klimov finally came out of the shadows to claim pairs gold with a flawless display in the ISU Grand Prix Final of figure skating on Friday.

Stolbova, 23, and Klimov, 25, have often settled for second with silver medals at the last two European championships, the Sochi Olympics and world championships in 2014.

The Russian pair also finished second last season in the Grand Prix Final in Barcelona behind Canadians Meagan Duhamel and Eric Radford.

But skating to Danny Elfman’s ‘Man and Shadow’ they pulled out the biggest free skate of their careers, scoring a new personal best 154.60 points for an overall total of 229.44 to take their first major title ahead of the Canadian world champions.

“We are very happy that we finally managed to skate clean this season and did all the elements for the first time in competition and we are very happy with this medal,” said Klimov.

The Moscow-based pair did not include a quadruple throw in their routine like their rivals but a triple toe-triple toe-double toe combination, triple twist, throw triple Salchow and flip were enough.

“In this competition it was enough to do a clean programme with good jumps but in future I think we need to do more high level elements like a quad throw,” Klimov said.

 

Feng elated with Dubai triple win

DUBAI: China’s Feng Shanshan became the most successful player in the 10-year history of the Dubai Ladies Masters on Saturday when she won the tournament for the third time with a record margin of 12 shots.

The Chinese world number six, who was the highest-ranked player in the field, closed with a bogey-free six-under par 66 to complete the double of winning the season-ending championship and the Order of Merit on the Ladies European Tour.

Feng finished on 21-under par 267, while Thailand’s Thidapa Suwannapura (73) was the runner-up at nine-under par 279.

In the process, Feng overtook ladies golf legend Annika Sorenstam’s tally of two Dubai Ladies Masters wins, as well as her record of the biggest winning margin, which was six shots in the inaugural event in 2006.

England’s Melissa Reid, who started the tournament with a 75, closed with a 69 to finish alone in third place at 280, while Thailand’s Pornanong Phatlum (69), Germany’s Caroline Masson (70) and France’s Jade Schaeffer (71) were tied fourth at 281.

 

Smith to sit out BBL to rest knee, hip injuries

HOBART, Australia: Skipper Steve Smith has knee and hip problems arising from the win over West Indies, but said on Saturday he will be fit for the next Test in Melbourne starting on Boxing Day.

Smith will sit out the opening two Big Bash League Twenty20 games for the Sydney Sixers next week as a precaution as Australia face almost a fortnight’s break before the second Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

“I am experiencing a little bit of knee pain I had before the first Test (against New Zealand) in Brisbane,” Smith told reporters after his team’s innings and 212-run win over the West Indies in three days,” he added.

 

Gabriel heads home as WI ponder Hobart humiliation

HOBART, Australia: West Indies captain Jason Holder said the tourists would need a big step up in performance for their second clash with Australia in Melbourne later this month after suffering their fifth heaviest ever test defeat on Saturday.

They will have to do it without Shannon Gabriel, however, as the pace bowler will be sent home after suffering an ankle injury which prevented him from taking any part in the last two days of the match.

A replacement has not been decided upon. The innings and 212-run loss was a sixth straight test defeat for West Indies after they lost both matches in a home series against Australians earlier this year and were swept 2-0 in Sri Lanka in October.

It was the dispiriting manner of the crushing Hobart defeat, however, that will hurt Caribbean cricket fans most.