June 27, 2008 - The number three seed, Maria Sharapova, was stunned in the second round of Wimbledon, 6-2, 6-4,  by little known compatriot Alla Kudryavtseva. The dramatic upset by a 154th-ranked player marked Sharapova’s earliest exit from a Grand Slam tournament since her first full season on tour in 2003.

Like Sharapova, Kudryavtseva is a Russian blonde in her early twenties with a two-handed backhand. But unlike Sharapova, one of the world’s most recognizable and bankable athletes, Kudryavtseva is not a household name and her career earnings are less than a quarter of what Sharapova earned just this year.

The Australian Open that Sharapova won in such convincing fashion back in January was of no help to her as she tried and failed to control her powerful shots. Her game was littered by double faults and unforced errors.

On paper, it seemed inconceivable that Kudryavtseva could beat the three-time Grand Slam winner and reigning Australian Open champion — especially at the tournament where Sharapova made her major breakthrough four years ago.

Kudryavtseva, who was born in Moscow and now lives in Miami, lost in the first round at Wimbledon to eventual champion Venus Williams last year.

In their only previous meeting, at the French Open last year, Sharapova easily beat Kudryavtseva 6-1, 6-4.  But this match was a completely different story.  Later, Sharapova was brutally honest in her assessment of how she lost to her unheralded compatriot, “She just did everything better than I did”.

So Kudryavtseva, now part of Wimbledon folklore, moves on after the second round as does Ana Ivanovic, Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Amelie Mauresmo and Jelena Jankovic. 

Filed under: News Bytes, Tennis by jane
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June 26, 2008 - Via RizzoSports comes a great interview with California’s Jessica Hardy who has a chance to be a shining star for the U.S. Swim Team at the Summer Olympics.

1. Jessica, first off how did you get involved and when did you start swimming?
My mom would take my younger sister and I to my gated community’s swimming pool when I was around 7 years old, when I noticed a team would come in the afternoons and I immediately asked my mom if I “could go beat them.” I guess my competitive nature started young.

2. Do you have a meet-day or pre-race routine?
I usually like to grab a cup of coffee on the way to a meet, so that I can drink it while I stretch and listen to music. I generally do the same warm up before every meet, and do a lot of socializing before my race… so I guess that is as close to a routine as you can get.

3. What events will you swim, or hope to swim at the Olympics?
Hope to swim the 100 breaststroke and the 50 and 100 freestyle.

4. What event is your favorite to swim?
The 50 breaststroke! Too bad it’s not an Olympic event

5. During the final 25 meters can you hear the crowd or sense your position?
I can hear the crowd and sense my position pretty much during the entire race. I feed off of energy so I really like loud crowds; however, I have to remind myself to not pay attention to where others are and focus on myself.

6. You’re an attractive blonde from SoCal, competing in one of the Olympics’ marquee events. You could be the center of attention in August. – Are you ready that?
I’d love it! I am obviously focusing more on my performances at this point, but any attention would be an honor!

7. With that said, do you feel the extra pressure or think about the opportunities that could come along with winning Olympic medals?
No. I have a performance-based contract with some of my sponsors, where the better I do, or the more medals I win, the more I get paid….which could lead to anxiety. The way I handle it is to honestly block all of that out while I am training and competing. I think about what’s to come after I finish my races and only assess what it means then.

8. What do you enjoy doing when you’re not swimming?
I am very easy going. I really like am happy doing almost anything as long as it’s in the sun. I love the beach and spending time doing water activities. Also enjoy shopping and fine dining, what girl doesn’t! I’d be happy doing anything as long as I’m with my family or friends.

9. Ok, final question – If, hopefully when, you win a Gold Medal how will you celebrate?
I’ll worry about that after it hopefully happens! I don’t think I’ll have a problem celebrating, though!

Follow-Up: Jessica also swims for the University of California Berkeley, where she is a stand-out athlete. Every Olympics the USA seems to have a break out star in the pool, if Jessica can bring home gold, she surely will be one of the most popular athletes in any event. Most of the swimming events take place during the first week of the Games, so be sure to look for Jessica.

More at RizzoSports

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Profiles, Swim by admin
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June 24, 2008 - U.S. Women’s National Team head coach Pia Sundhage has named the 18-player roster for the 2008 Olympic Team. Sundhage made her final selections after the USA’s 1-0 victory over Canada in the 2008 Peace Queen Cup championship game on June 21 in Suwon, South Korea.

Nine players on the roster were members of the U.S. team that won the gold medal four years ago in Athens, Greece, including team co-captains Christie Rampone and Kate Markgraf, who will both be participating in their third Olympic Games.

The U.S. will open play at the 2008 Olympics on Aug. 6 against Norway. The U.S. will then face Japan on Aug. 9 before finishing Group G play against New Zealand on Aug. 12.

To see the roster and short bios of the players, go to ussoccer.com

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Int'l Soccer by jane
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June 24, 2008 - Jill Kintner thought her Olympic dream ended four weeks ago, when she was writhing in the dirt, screaming in agony after re-injuring her chronically right knee in a training crash.

She felt no pain Saturday.

By finishing sixth at the BMX world championships in Taiyuan, China, the 26-year-old from Seattle earned enough points to barely edge Arielle Martin of Pleasant Grove, Utah, in USA Cycling’s year long battle for the lone automatic women’s BMX berth into this summer’s Beijing Olympics.

“I didn’t even know it was possible,” Kintner said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press on Saturday from Taiyuan. “For it to come down like this, I don’t know what to think. There had to be some higher forces working for me.”

However, the day will likely be remembered as bittersweet for the American women, most of whom struggled Saturday. Although the official rankings have not yet been confirmed by the International Cycling Union, calculations by USA Cycling show they will have only one women’s start position in the Beijing Games – meaning while Kintner races for Olympic gold, her close friend Martin will be watching.

(more…)

Filed under: BMX, Beijing Summer Games 2008, General by Valerie
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June 24, 2008 - Summer is here. The sun is scorching and the temperature is climbing. How can you beat the heat this softball season? Check out seven ways to block the burn. 

• 1. No Run Sunscreen - Use a stick or spray sunscreen on your face instead of a cream to block harmful rays from ruining your skin and to avoid sunscreen from running into your eyes. (Editors Note: Also check out our own Xtreme Screen (R) Sun Defense - greaseless, water-resistant and fragrance-free)
• 2. Glare Beware -  Eye black strips block sun glare from messing with your game. Try the strips instead of the grease to avoid a mess.
• 3. Hats On - A visor or hat not only blocks the sun from beating on your face, but it also absorbs sweat from rolling into your eyes.
• 4. Under Armor - Developed by a college football player, Under Armor uses advanced technology to keep athletes cool and dry by keeping sweat off your skin. 
• 5. H2O - Yes, a water bottle is essential when it’s hot, but the right water bottle is key. Choose a water bottle that will keep your drink cool for hours at a time. The Polar Bottle is one that gets good ratings.
• 6. Pack a Rag - Toss a rag or towel in your bag. When you’re sizzling, try this. Dip the rag in cool water and place it behind your neck. Instant relief.
• 7. Attention Catchers - Since catchers wear the most gear, you must pay special attention to the heat. In between innings, cool off with water, a cold rag, and find some shade. Also, take off your equipment when you can so you don’t over heat. 

 What do you do to stay cool? 

Filed under: Health, Softball by keri mikulski
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June 23, 2008 -  High scores and great performances by Shawn Johnson of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Nastia Liukin of Parker, Texas earned both guaranteed spots on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Women’s Gymnastics Team  following the conclusion of the competition at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials.

It was the moment of a lifetime for each of them. The friendly rivals, considered by many the world’s two best gymnasts, exchanged a heartfelt embrace. They’d done it. They’re officially on their way to the Beijing Olympics.

Now the fight is on for the remaining four spots on the team. Four gymnasts and three alternates will be chosen after a final selection camp at the Karolyi ranch July 16-20. Ten additional women were chosen  for the camp from the 19 competing at the trials including: Chellsie Memmel, Samanta Peszek, Jana Bieger, Chelsea Davis, Ivana Hong, Mattie Larson, Corrie Lothrop, Alicia Sacramone, Bridget Sloan and Shayla Worley.

Many believe Alicia Sacramone and Chellsie Memmel are a lock but who else will be heading to Beijing in August? While waiting to find out, check out Shawn Johnson’s floor routine from the Team Trials.

Filed under: Beijing Summer Games 2008, Gymnastics by jane
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June 21, 2008 - The United States won the Peace Queen Cup tournament Saturday, beating Canada 1-0 on a 92nd-minute goal by Angela Hucles.

Goalkeeper Hope Solo made two game-preserving saves at the end of the match for the American women, who tuned up for the Beijing Olympics by winning their fourth tournament of the year. The Olympic roster will be announced Monday.

“I think this is great preparation,” Hucles said. “This tournament has been high-quality games against top-level opponents.”

With the game seemingly headed to extra time, a Canadian defender committed a foul 35 yards from the goal. Noticing Lauren Cheney open inside the penalty area, Hucles quickly took the free kick, which caught goalkeeper Erin McLeod off-balance as Cheney distracted her. McLeod got a piece of the ball, but it skidded past her right leg and under her arms before rolling into the net.

Filed under: Int'l Soccer by admin
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June 20, 2008 - Good news! There is still room available in The Women’s Wilderness Institute upcoming Colorado fly-fishing trips. If you’ve never been fly-fishing, or don’t even know what it is, now’s your time to learn. Considered a sport or a hobby by some, and an art form by others, fly-fishing is a method that uses an almost feather-light fly as a lure. Rather than rely on the weight of the lure, fly-fishing relies on delicate casting of the line to attract the fish.

The Women’s Wilderness fly-fishing trips are designed for girls and women of all ages: mothers, daughters, sisters, aunts, are all welcome. Everyone can get together and enjoy the beauty of fly-fishing. The trip ranges from advanced to beginning fly fishers. This allows the more advanced fisherwomen to help and support the less inexperienced women.

During the trip, participants learn basic fly fishing technique, language, and ethics. There are three different trips: A one day trip on July 13 and another on July 21 in the beautiful Boulder area of Colorado, and a three day trip from August 8-10 in Snowy Range, Wyoming.. The one-day trips are just 100.00 dollars and include lunch and fly fishing gear. The three-day trip is a little more expensive at 425.00 per woman, but is totally worth it.

Marketing director Wendy Wray says, “Fly fishing combines art, science, and the outdoors. It is a great way to appreciate the outdoors because it combines beautiful scenery and interaction with the fish. The trip is strictly catch and release. It is a wonderful opportunity to get to know ones surroundings and to see the wilderness in a whole new way. Fly-fishing is a lot of fun and it is a very graceful artistic sport. It is to see the fish’s behavior and be able to return it to its natural environment.”

Grace, beauty, outdoor scenery, cool water, interaction with nature, and lunch? If that doesn’t make you want to go fly-fishing, I don’t know what will. Cast away…

Filed under: Fishing, Travel by amo
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June 20, 2008 - Early dawn. Late sunset. Long day. Short night. For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the June solstice marks the longest day of the year.

It’s your signal to celebrate the first day of summer. South of the equator, winter begins. Thanks to Leap Day this year, the 2008 solstice is the earliest solstice since 1896. 

For us in the modern world, the solstice is a time to recall the reverence and understanding that early people had for the sky. Some 5,000 years ago, people placed huge stones in a circle on a broad plain in what’s now England and aligned them with the June solstice sunrise. If you’ve studied your history, you know this is Stonehenge.

These days, we’re not nearly as philosophical. To celebrate the first day of summer, you may want to just hit the beach. Today is International Surfing Day.  If shredding on dry land is more your style, tommorrow is Go Skateboarding Day. Either way, it’s a great excuse to get out and ride.

And if balancing on a board just isn’t your thing, there are lots of other events to celebrate the solstice and beginning of summer. Take advantage of the long days, beautiful sunrises and sunsets, and get out and play!

Filed under: General by jane
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June 19, 2008 - We’ve been writing a lot about Converse lately, partly because they’re celebrating their 100th birthday, and partly because we just love them.

If you haven’t already, check out Converse’s latest campaign, entitled “Three Artists, One Song“, a collaborative song called “My Drive Thru” by Julian Casablancas (The Strokes), Santogold, and Pharrell Williams (N.E.R.D.) which is receiving significant blog coverage. It’s a great execution of the Mix-Mash Macro trend.

The song is currently available for free download at Converse.com, and will be pushed through print, online and outdoor advertising channels. This hundred year-old company is certainly getting it’s groove on.

Filed under: Entertainment, Fashion by jane
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