Clive Rose/Getty Images

Greece competes in the Team Free routine preliminaries at the 2012 European Synchronized Swimming Championships at the Pieter van den Hoogenband Swim Stadium on May 25, in Eindhoven, Netherlands. Greece placed fifth in the May 25 preliminaries.

(Dennis Grombkowski/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Mario Stevens of Germany falls off his horse, Quin Air, while competing in the second qualification round of the DKB Riders Tour competition. The crash happened on the second of the German Jumping & Dressage Grand Prix 2012 at Klein Flottbek on May 18, in Hamburg, Germany.

Oscar Pistorius is scheduled to run in at least four events before June 30 in an effort to qualify for the London Summer Olympics. (Richard Huggard/Gallo Images/Getty Images)

Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius plans to race at the Adidas Grand Prix in New York City next month in order to qualify for South Africa’s Olympic team (as opposed to the Paralympics), according to a report by The Associated Press.

Pistorius is a four-time Paralympic gold medalist who races with carbon-fiber blades for legs.

This year’s meet is scheduled for June 9 at Randall’s Island. Pistorius also plans to run in the Prefontaine Classic on June 2 in Eugene, Ore.

Pistorius, who had both legs amputated below the knees as an 11-month-old, must run the 400m in 45.30 seconds or faster once more between now and June 30 to be eligible for selection for a trip to the London 2012 Olympics.

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Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez took the Stage 10 win and the race lead in the Giro d’Italia. (Katushateam.com)

Katusha’s Joaquim Rodriguez showed his climbing strength on the torturous double uphill finish of Stage 10 of the Giro d’Italia, attacking in the final few hundred meters to take both the stage win and the leader’s pink jersey.

Rabobank’s Thomas Slagter made a huge effort, leading much of the first climb and much of the second, while Katusha’s Daniel Moreno led Rodriguez up the second ascent, with Garmin’s Ryder Hesjedal and Sky’s Sergio Henao near the front.

Slagter attacked halfway up the final climb, with Rodriguez and NetApp’s Bartosz Huzarski in tow. Three hundred meters out, Rodriguez made his move, dropping Slagter while Movistar’s Giovanni Visconti made a late charge to take third.

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Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat (L) represented the United States in the 5000m run in Beijing in 2008. (Fabrice Coffrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Welcome to the world of the athlete -- each one different and each unique. Just as every sport tells a different story and demands different skills, so each of the athletes require their own individual pre-competition training.

The infrastructure that prepares athletes for the Olympic and Paralympic Games is crucial to each competitor and their dreams of success. Whether they compete as individuals, or participate in team events (or both) the preparation for competition is as much an individual process as it is team strategy.
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In the months leading up to the Beijing Games in 2008 the Organizing Committee for the London Games provided the National Olympic Committees with details of 639 training facilities that would be made available to athletes competing in 2012: twenty–six sports in total for the Olympics and 14 for the Paralympics.

At that time not all the venues for the events were confirmed but the big picture was pretty obvious: In the build-up to the Games, locate facilities that have easy access to the Olympic Village and minimize travel times. Over 600 facilities from across the UK appeared in the London 2012 Pre-Games Training Camp Guide in 2008. The Guide was circulated to all National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and National Paralympic Committees (NPCs). These organizations used the detailed information to decide where to base their various training facilities by sport or by groups of similar sport.

And let’s not forget the body of ‘helpers’ from coaches, trainers, physiotherapists, sports science experts, equipment, caterers, administrators and much more -- each playing a crucial role in the process of honing elite athletes into perfect competition specimens.

In addition, the decision to base teams in the United Kingdom to prepare and acclimatize for London 2012 has been sweetened by the London Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) amounting to potential financial awards of up to £25,000 (about $40,000) to NOCs/NPCs.

The Olympic Games is the largest and most complex of sporting events across the globe – compare it to the FIFA World Cup, its main competitor in terms of ‘greatest show on earth’ category with a mere sixty-four events and a handful of competition venues – usually nine or ten. Yet, curiously enough, the Olympic and Paralympic Games’ ‘back office’ rarely publish the details of these venues. Instead, behind the scenes of this mega event is a virtual encyclopedia of information handed down from one host city to the next to ensure that the Games continue to improve their logistical and organizational operations which in turn results in the best competition ‘ever’.

Instead, behind the scenes of the great spectacle of the Games, athletes prepare to compete for the highly-valued podium places. This window of opportunity which provides more than two hundred countries with a chance to medal offers a number of business opportunities and they are not just an array of corporate entertainment events and Olympic/Paralympic merchandise. It is the Training Camps that equip these elite athletes with the resources to compete for their sport’s greatest prize.

These facilities covering the 36 sports/disciplines vary in number. Whereas athletics offered the widest selection of facilities -- 136 in total, canoe-slalom at the bottom of the list has a choice of just three venues. The objective of this information was to ensure that as the lights came down on the Beijing Games all eyes turned to London and its preparation for 2012.

While some countries have deep financial pockets, others do not. Only the better-funded nations have the resource to back up the LOCOG training camp options by negotiating additional exclusive deals.

According to James Templeton who manages world record holder, Kenyan middle distance runner David Rudisha and as well as American (and former Kenyan) middle and long distance runner Bernard Kipchirchir Lagat, “these gold medals athletes are experts in dealing with a variety of climates and particularly with outdoor events they adapt quickly to any set of circumstances. They are experienced professionals who are focused entirely on their performance and their ‘potential’ for winning one or more medals.”

An opportunity for the locals to better understand some of the more unusual/exotic sports comes in the form of test events in the build-up to the Games. This begs the question of how many members of the sports industry holding Olympic and Paralympic tickets are familiar with the points system for competitions like judo or the classification system assigned to Paralympic cyclists? And from the athletes’ perspective, what percentage of viewers/spectators either know or can appreciate the requirements for each sport on any particular day of Games competition?

Of course, there are always unexpected events that change plans but the operating machine behind the planning of the Games remain flexible and versatile as in 2008 when the equestrian events were moved from China to Hong Kong due to a SARS outbreak.

Darryll Adler is a London-based sports journalist who has written for such media outlets as SportBusiness International, Business Travel Executive, Stadia Magazine, PanStadia, shortsandsports.com and Wired.

This is part one of a two-part series. The second part will appear in next week’s edition.

The Epoch Times publishes in 35 countries and in 19 languages. Subscribe to our e-newsletter.

(Alexandra Beier/Getty Images)

Mario Gomez of FC Bayern Muenchen signs and then poses in front of an outdoor 3-D drawing of himself in Munich, Germany, Tuesday, May 8. The painting is owned by German sports clothing manufacturing company Puma. The phrase “Geballte Leidenschaft” which is written on the drawn-in rock at the bottom of the painting, translates roughly to “Concentrated Passion.”

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"I'll Have Another", ridden by Mario Gutierrez, edges out Bodemeister, (right) to win the 138th Kentucky Derby. (Mark Abraham/AFP/GettyImages)

The Kentucky Derby, also well known as “The Fastest Two Minutes in Sport,” yielded one of the most unexpected wins in the derby’s over 100-year history. 

‘I’ll Have Another’, a horse with a price tag of just $11,000 and ridden by a rookie jockey Mario Gutierrez, 25, stormed home ahead of favorite Bodemiester to win the 2012 prize at Churchill Downs.

“He’s an amazing horse. I kept telling everybody, from the first time I met him, I knew he was the one. I knew he was good,” Gutierrez said of his horse, “I’ll Have Another”, in an interview with the Associated Press.

The colt started out of gate in 19th position, but Gutierrez bided his time waiting for the right moment in the midfield to start putting on the heat in the final furlong. Favorite Bodemeister set a blistering pace from the start, running the first quarter of a mile in 22 1/5 seconds, a half mile in 45 1/5 seconds and tearing through three-quarters of a mile in 1:09 4/5 seconds, but his strong pace turned out to be his downfall when the horse tired in the final furlong.

Gutierrez, now the 42nd jockey to win his debut derby said to reporters after the race: “I know my horse was reaching every step of the way. I wasn’t going to stop riding until I got past the wire.” 

“[E]ven if they allowed me to pick from the whole rest of the field, I would have stayed with him, 100 percent, no doubt about it.”

(L-R) Floyd Mayweather Jr.throws a right to Miguel Cotto during the WBA boxing fight on May 5th. (Getty Images Sport)

The much anticipated WBA welterweight bout between Floyd Mayweather Jr and Miguel Cotto at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, turned out to be another exciting boxing match, but at the end of it, Mayweather kept his unbroken streak and even challenged another former contender Manny Pacquiao to a new match.

Mayweather, who held a 42-0 (wins vs losses) record before the match, put his reputation on the line as he went up against Cotto, a WBA Super welterweight champion who holds a 37-2 record himself. Mayweather, who is closely followed and watched as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world, was pushed to his limits for the first time in recent boxing history. Miguel Cotto, a four-time world champion in three weight divisions, used the ropes well and took the fight straight to Mayweather. By round twelve, the crowd was heavily in favor of Cotto and cheered his every strike.

The match was closely fought, with momentum going back and forth between the two fighters. During the 11th round, Miguel Cotto started to get tired and was slowing down visibly. Mayweather, who weathered the initial fireworks of Cotto during the first few rounds, started landing more punches and only needed to survive during the final round -- which he did.

The decision from the four judges, when it came in, was a expected one: unanimous victory going to Floyd Mayweather, 117-111,117-111,118-110 thus taking his game record to 43-0. Even though Cotto gave Mayweather one of the toughest fights of his career, in the end, he became just another name on the long list of Mayweather’s defeated opponents.

Floyd Mayweather called on Manny Pacquio, another accomplished boxer, after the Cotto fight on Twitter, saying “Manny Pacquiao I’m calling you out let’s fight May 5th and give the world what they want to see.”

This file photo shows the start of the 115th Boston Marathon in Hopkinton, Massachusetts in 2011. The 2012 Boston Marathon happens on April 16, 2012. (Elsa/Getty Images)

The 2012 Boston Marathon starts Monday, April 16th and Boston residents and the rest of the United States will be paying close attention to the competitive race.

2011 winner Geoffrey Mutai and 2010 winner Robert Kiprono Cheruiyot are among those participating in the event. Mutai is one of the favorites to win the marathon after his record breaking runs in the 2011 Boston Marathon as well as the 2011 New York City Marathon. But observers of Cheruiyot’s performance in 2011 would probably say that past form doesn’t count for much in this high energy sport. Cheryuiot held the record for the fastest marathon ever in 2010 when he won The Boston Marathon with a time of 2:05:52, but finished a disappointing 6th in 2011.

The women’s race may be another thrilling affair this year. Last year’s exciting finale had the top three separated by just six seconds, something almost unheard of in marathon events. Caroline Kilel, Desiree Davila and Sharon Cherop, the top three from last year, are all participating this year and are the front-runners for this year’s marathon.

The 2012 Boston marathon is also going to see significantly higher temperatures than last year’s race. With the temperatures expected to be close to 70 degrees, The Boston Athletic Association’s Director Pierre D’Hemecourt, at a press briefing, implored athletes to take care and not risk running if they had any recent illness. He also warned the participants to be vigilant about the various symptoms of heat stroke including dizziness, nausea, confusion and fatigue. “This is not the day to be running your personal best,” D’Hemecourt warned at the press briefing.

The organisers are taking no chances and have boosted supplies of water and ice and have also increased the number of ambulances and medical sweep buses. Entrants have also been provided with the option of postponing their entry -- which is highly sought after and very competitive -- to next year’s race by the organizers.

(Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)

Victoria Pendleton (R) of Great Britain crashed and fell to the floor after clashing arms with Australia’s Anna Meares April 6 at 2012 UCI Track Cycling World Championships at Hisense Arena in Melbourne, Australia. The drama unfolded on day three of the Womens Sprint Semifinals and despite floor burns on her right shoulder, elbow, and hip, Pendleton got up and won the final two races of the best-of-three to advance to the finals.

Flying start … ‘Genuine Risk’ (foreground) took an early lead in the Rolex China Sea Race 2012. The 90-foot maxi is seen here after crossing the start line in Victoria Harbour, offshore from the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, on Wednesday afternoon, April 4.( Sung Bilung/The Epoch Times)

Shortly after noon on April 4, 26 boats set sail from outside the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club, Victoria Harbour, in fine weather competing in the Rolex China Sea Race 2012.

Recognised as Asia’s premier Category 1 Offshore race, many who were there said that it was the most exciting start to the event that they had seen. Impressive given that this year the China Sea Race celebrates its 50th Anniversary.

With wind gusting at around 17 knots at the start, one maxi and a mixture of 50 to 35 footers departed for the approximately 570 nautical mile journey to Subic Bay, Philippines, that takes up to four days.

There was quite a bit of excitement early on.
Maxi Genuine Risk tacked toward the north shore, but made a spectacular turn. On the return tack she was very close to some of the following craft, requiring some good sailing to negotiate a narrow path through them.

Going on to take an early lead, Genuine Risk is the yacht expected to cross the finish line first to win line honors.

Skipper and owner of the 2004-built Genuine Risk Geoff Hill has had first-hand experience of the race since 2004 and is confident his 90 footer will win line honors—especially since another maxi, Nicorette, withdrew.

Although acknowledging the other competitors, Hill regards the sea and weather as his main adversary. Easily outclassing the other boats, such optimism is understandable as maxis are built to race for line honours.

Racing for line honours … The deck of ‘Genuine Risk’ at the start of the Rolex China Sea Race 2012, April 4.(Bill Cox/The Epoch Times)

“I regard the Rolex China Sea Race as one of the true offshore blue water classics, and I have done most in the same category such as the Newport to Bermuda race because, unlike the Sydney to Hobart, you are genuinely offshore for most of the race,” said Hill in a media release.

“I also enjoy the fact that it’s a very tactical race and, therefore, you really need to get your navigation correct … particularly in the Philippines sector.

“My major competition will be firstly, as they always are, the sea and the weather as they will determine who wins the race. Having said this, the Rolex China Sea Race can often be a small boat race and on handicap there are plenty of contenders, ranging of course from Neil Pryde who has had a lock on first place with Hi Fi to Anthony Root on Red Kite II, who has also been very successful.

“On handicap, you can never leave out Nick Burns and Fred Kinmonth’s EFG Bank Mandrake. As for first across the line …”

While Genuine Risk quickly opened up a wide gap, also with a good start was defending champion Neil Pryde and his team on the aforementioned Hi Fi; they are expected to win on handicap or corrected time.
Pryde, though confident, knows that the challenges they face mean that winning is not a foregone conclusion.

“There’s something about the Rolex China Sea Race that continues to fascinate me,” he said in a press release leading up to the race. “The challenging conditions that develop as the race crosses the South China Sea make this race one of the tactically most interesting ocean races in the world and a real test for navigators and their weather skills.”

For some the main focus may be to race for the line or to simply finish. For others it may be more of a romantic idealism of ocean racing that drives these sailors – as skippers and owners Peter Churchouse, of Moonblue 2, and Dean Chisolm, of Darling, explain in the press release.

“Offshore racing is unique,” said Chisolm. “There is a lot of preparation for Cat 1 racing, but it’s all worthwhile out at sea – Dolphins alongside at dusk are captivating and steering at night, under the stars, on long ocean waves, with the spinnaker up is magic.”

As the sun set yesterday, Genuine Risk was some 13 nautical miles ahead of the chasing group of three led by Hi Fi then Freefire and Jelik 5.

(Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Five competitors jump into the water during the 2012 Toughmudder on March 31 in Phillip Island, Australia. The Toughmudder competition consists of an obstacle course that takes roughly two and a half hours to complete and consists of some 28 obstacles. Among them are the mud pits, going through electrical wires, sliding down hills, and jumping into freezing water. Participants can enter as individuals or in teams.

Wilt Chamberlain still holds the NBA record for most points in a game with 100 in 1962. WEN ROBERTS/AFP/GETTY IMAGES

Mohammad El Akkari led Moutahed to a 173–141 victory over Bejjeh by scoring 113 points in a Division A game in a Lebanese basketball league on Tuesday, according to a report on fibaasia.net.

The triple-digit scoring output is the first instance of a player scoring more than 100 points in an official game played in any of the leagues in FIBA Asia National Federations.

Akkari, a 27-year-old guard was averaging just 7.6 points per game in the 23 games he’d played up until Tuesday. After Tuesday’s historic performance his average is now 12.0 points per game.

Akkari hit 32 of 59 3-pointers and 40 of 69 overall from the field, but just one free throw.

The Basque Tour is a six-stage race with five stages of hill-climbing and a final time trial. The first stage featured seven climbs to weed out the sprinters, but the final flattish ten kilometers set up a bunch sprint among the strongest climbers.

Garmin-Barracuda had the longest lead-out train for Fabian Wegmann, but Liguigas, with Daniele Ratto, came up to challenge in the final 500 meters. In the last 100 meters Wout Pouls of Vacansoleil snuck past on the right of Wegmann, but the race went to Movistar’s Jose Joaquin Rojas who launched a perfectly timed burst along the right barrier in the last 50 meters to beat the others at the line by half a length

“When we entered the final straight I saw a small gap on the right side I could barely pass through. I thought: ‘I’ll either get past or crash’. I didn’t care about crashing, because we take so many risks on the road that danger comes from everywhere, but everything turned out well.,” Rojas told velonation.com.

“I wasn’t expecting to race here because I had suffered a serious crash last week at Gent-Wevelgem,” Rojas said. “I still have much pain in my back and was really doubtful about taking the start or not. Eventually we decided to come here, especially as a preparation before next week to help Alejandro [Valverde] in the Ardennes, and look what happened. When you don’t expect it, you win.”

The race opened with an attack by Davide Mucelli (Utensilnord Named) and David De La Fuente (Caja Rural) which stayed away the base of the final climb, 15.7 km from the finish. A crash on the climb right behind the leaders shook things up, but the field together until two riders, Daniel Navarro (Saxo Bank) and Oliver Zaugg (RadioShack-Nissan) took a shot 5.5 km out. This pair lasted for just over a kilometer before they were caught, setting up the jostle for control for the final sprint.

Stages Three and Four feature hilltop finishes; Stage Five should be another bunch sprint (or a breakaway) and the time trial holds three healthy hills; two right at the beginning and the last two km from the finish.

British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) shakes hands with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge (R) during a meeting in central London March 28. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images)

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge is impressed with London’s preparations for the 2012 Olympics, according to a report on BBC’s website.

Rogge and IOC delegates were on-site as part of a three-day visit and heaped praise on Prime Minister David Cameron and the city’s preparations in advance of the July 27 start.

“London has raised the bar on how to deliver a lasting legacy,” said Rogge, according to the report.

Said Cameron about the city’s schedule, “I believe the message is clear: London will be ready, on time and on budget.”

British Prime Minister David Cameron (L) shakes hands with International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge (R) during a meeting in central London March 28. (Miguel Medina/AFP/Getty Images)

International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge is impressed with London’s preparations for the 2012 Olympics, according to a report on BBC’s website.

Rogge and IOC delegates were on-site as part of a three-day visit and heaped praise on Prime Minister David Cameron and the city’s preparations in advance of the July 27 start.

“London has raised the bar on how to deliver a lasting legacy,” said Rogge, according to the report.

Said Cameron about the city’s schedule, “I believe the message is clear: London will be ready, on time and on budget.”

A performer falls with a bicycle after riding it off the 10-meter diving platform on day two of the FINA/Midea Diving World Series 2012 on Friday, March 24, at the National Aquatics Center in Beijing, China. China’s Bo Qui won the men’s 10-meter platform competition while fellow countryman Ruolin Chen won the women’s 10-meter platform competition. (Feng Li/Getty Images)

Dwight Howard (L) and Kobe Bryant (R) were both former McDonald's All Americans in high school before starring in the NBA. Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Monday marked the 35th annual McDonald’s All-American festivities for the top boys and girls high school basketball players.

The top talent is chosen from all over the nation. A good amount of the participants have already chosen which college they will take their talents to for the 2012-13 season, while others have yet to finalize their decision.

The festivities include a three-point contest for the boys and girls where the winners of the two battle each for the ultimate champion.

A skills challenge for both boys and girls is another competition followed by a dunk contest.

The main event and conclusion of the All-American extravaganza is the games.

One game features the top 24 girls in the nation as the East team battles the West team. The other game showcases the top 24 boys. On the boys side, three of the players are headed to the same college, N.C. State. Many eyes will be watching Rodney Purvis, Tyler Lewis and T.J. Warren and how they impact the Wolfpack’s program.

Rasheed Sulaimon, who is headed to Duke, won the three-point shootout crown. He was nearly topped by future UConn star Morgan Tuck who won the 3-point shootout on the girls’ side. Jordan Jones, headed to Texas A&M, won the skills challenge for the girls and Tyler Lewis was the boys winner.

The dunk contest featured three girls competing this year. 5’9” Brittney Sykes (Syracuse bound), 6’2” Alexis Prince (Baylor bound), and 6’3” Breanna Stewart (Connecticut bound). Breanna was the only girl to actually complete a dunk, allowing her to advance to the final round.

David Mitchell is a freelance sports journalist who focuses on football and basketball. You can follow him on twitter @dee_mitch.

(Christof Koepsel/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Teemu Pukki (L) of Schalke goes airborne to celebrate the first goal of the match against Hamburg, just five minutes into the contest held at Veltins Arena on March 11, in Gelsenkirchen, Germany. Schalke would go on to win 3–1 with all four goals coming in the first half. The win for Schalke moved it to within a point of third-placed Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, which is Germany’s primary football competition.

It was confirmed that Canadian skier Nik Zoricic died last Saturday after suffering severe head injuries after a fall in Grindelwald, Switzerland. (Francis Bompard/Agence Zoom/Getty Images)

“It was with great sadness we learned that Canada lost a member of its sport community today. On behalf of the Canadian Olympic Committee, I extend heartfelt condolences to the friends, family and teammates of Nik Zoricic, as well as to all those at Alpine Canada. Nik was an inspiring example of the passion in sport so important to our national pride and identity. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and everyone in the ski and sport community during this difficult time.” Marcel Aubut, President, Canadian Olympic Committee

Warming up before the show classes begins. (Cheryl Casati/The Epoch Times)

The intelligence, elegance and beauty of the Arabian horse belies it’s history as a war horse. Arabians are the horse of the desert Bedouin, the Arabian Horse Registry offers this quote, “An Arabian will take care of its owner as no other horse will, for it has not only been raised to physical perfection, but has been instilled with a spirit of loyalty unparalleled by that of any other breed.”

There are numerous legends about the beginnings of the Arabian horse, they differ slightly, but all agree on one thing, the Arabian horse was formed by the Divine with magic and gifted to the people of the desert. The mares were considered to make the best, most courageous war horses, and lived directly in the tents of their Bedouin owners. They started keeping the lineage of each horse over 4,500 years ago, as an oral tradition.

Today,the horses are no longer used for war, but are accomplished sport horses. However they are still cherished, especially in horse shows today such as the annual Arabian Horse International Show.

An annual event, the Arabian Horse International Show season started off this year with a bang in January with the AJMAN 2012 Arabian Horse Show. Ajman Stud was founded in 2002, by Sheikh Ammar Bin Humaid Al Nuaimi, Crown Prince of Ajman, whose passion and dedication for the Arabian horse began as a child. The equestrian facility is built in traditional Arabic style and is about 30 kilometers from the city of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates, according to HH Ammar’s website.

The gala presentation offered not only the classes for the elite Arabian horses, but an entertainment production extravaganza. The judges for the show included Khalifa Salem Alforah/ UAE and Dr. Mohammed Machmoun/ Marocco;HH Sheikh Abdelaziz bin Humaid Al Nuaimi; and Abdel Raouf Abbas & Abdul Mohsen Al Jabri, both from Egypt.

57th Annual Scottsdale Arabian Show

The first Scottsdale Arabian Horse Show was back in 1955. Held on the grounds of the prestigious Arizona Biltmore Hotel, it had just 50 entries. Today the show has grown to international proportions, with people coming from all over the United States, Canada, Qatar, the AJMAN Stud from UAE, Australia and many other countries.

Approximately 2,000 entries were on the showgrounds for the 10 days (February 16-26) of the event this year. A win at Scottsdale speaks to the world of the excellence of the farm and can bring prosperity to the winners. These well-bred Arabian horses often cost into the millions of dollars.

Wishes for Wildlife with a wildlife ambassador Redtail Hawk. (Cheryl Casati/The Epoch Times)

This year, the show grounds offered a varied and spectacular group of over 300 vendors featuring gourmet eateries, wine tasting, lobster, diamonds, exquisite jewelery, world famous artists and more to delight the audience between their favorite show classes.

Among the unique items on display were hand-tooled (made and decorated by hand) saddles, which are a traditional art and a rarity, costing well over $6,000. There are also the show saddles for Western Pleasure and Equitation which are adorned with sterling silver. In addition, custom-made furniture as well as horse vans (fit for a king) are available on the show grounds.

Each barn has their own guest area, which includes lounges for potential clients, old friends, and of course a place for owners and trainers to relax in. Attention to detail is evident with these show structures. Some bring their own sod and plants, and everyone brings comfortable, elegant furniture, while others have custom made, hand-carved bars and stools to provide lovely places for people to meet with them to discuss business or entertain old friends. They must begin setting up in the week before the horse show opens.

Continued on next page: The show classes …

Claude Rivoire throws his boule. (Myriam Moran copyright 2012)

It is a game of ‘boules.’ Roman invaders of France played something like it but it wasn’t until 1907 in La Ciotat in the south of France that two brothers, Ernest and Joseph Pitiot organized the formal sport.

Proprietors of a café in La Ciotat, the brothers sought diversion for their customers. The name derived from the Occitan provencal dialect “pes tancats” or “pe tanca.” The sport is also attributed to Jules Hugues, a man with painful rheumatism, also from La Ciotat.

The Occitan word means feet together. It is said that Hugues first traced a circle in the dirt, threw out a cork and threw the boule at it. From its humble origins in La Ciotat, pétanque has become a worldwide sport practiced by millions.

Everywhere French people of the Occitan went, they brought their ‘boules.’ Today local, regional and world championships are organized and the game has a formal structure and governing body.

The play is simple enough. The art of pétanque requires a lifetime to master. Individuals can play or teams of two, four, and six can be organized. Each player has three boules, hollow metal balls that can weigh from 650 to 800 grams. The small ‘boules’ are from 70 to 80 millimeters in diameter. They are pitched underhand, grasped in a down turned fist.

Play begins after a coin toss. The winner starts by marking a half-circle on the ground. Players must throw from behind the circle with both feet on the ground. The first player tosses out a “cochonet.” Literally the word means “little pig.”

In English it is called a “jack.” The cochonet is thrown from 6 to 10 meters from the inscribed circle. The cochonet is usually a small wooden ball but it can be of colored plastic.

The object of the game is to get closest to the cochonet at the same time depriving opponents of their position near the small target ball. “There are ‘pointeurs’ and ‘tireurs,’” Claude Rivoire explained. “A pointeur, or pointer, tries to get the boule closest to the cochonet. The tireur, or shooter, throws at the opponent’s boule to knock them away from the target.”

Rivoire is a native of Paris who now lives part of the year in Prades in the south of France not far from Perpignan. His winters are spent in Boynton Beach, Florida. “He was lost without his pétanque,” his fiancee Suzie Vitart said. “I had to order special boules by mail. Don’t laugh they cost $80.”

Suzie enjoys a “partie de pétanque” as much as Claude does and they are regulars at the “piste” or “terrain” in Delray Beach, Florida.

The winner is declared when a score is made. One point is given for each boule closest to the cochonet, closer than the best placed opponent’s boule.

“C’est un jeu tout terrain,” Claude smiled. It is an all terrain game. Pétanque can be played on any terrain or piste. The game is not usually played on groomed courts like its cousin bocci, rather in parks, parking lots, grass and rough fields.

“C’est mieux si…” Claude explained that it is better to organize the game where the court is even without sand or grass that hampers the roll of the boule. In theory, and often in practice, pétanque can be played anywhere.

International competitions are organized and in France the Federation Francaise de Pétanque et Jeu Provencal (FFPJP) has 400,000 licensed players. “You only have to be licensed if you want to compete,” Claude explained.

There is the Federation of Pétanque USA that issues memberships and organizes competitions and tournaments as well as local organizations like the South Florida Pétanque Club, Inc. and Boca Pétanque of Boca Raton.

“I won $7 on Wednesday,” Claude said proudly. Since it cost him $5 to enter the Delray Beach competition it was winning the game and not the money that authored his pride in sportsmanship.

Players in competition take the game seriously. There are petty squabbles and arguments. Tape measures and calipers come out and closeness to the cochonet is often disputed by millimeters. There are Wednesday and Sunday games at the piste near the Morikami Museum.

Like most French sports, it is interrupted by lunch. “We prepare a wonderful picnic and eat at tables by the courts,” Suzie said. She was preparing charcuterie and fruit salad in her kitchen in Boynton Beach.

Suzie wears white gloves when she pitches her boules, a finesse sometimes affected, but certainly not by serious male participants.

After lunch competitions continue until winners reign victorious. Local champions go on to regional competitions and can qualify for international play. The first world championship began in 1959. World competitions have been organized in Pattaya, Thailand in 2007, Faro, Grenoble, and Monaco.

Pétanque is a game of all ages, played enthusiastically by men and women. The first team to reach 13 points is the winner. On occasion, when a team wins 13–0, the expression “Mettre Fanny” is used. That originated in the Café Gand-Lemps in France.

It was before the First World War. Fanny was a waitress at the café. Legend is that Fanny let losers kiss her, especially those that were bested 13–0. When the town’s mayor lost his game without making a single point he demanded his “recompense,” a kiss on Fanny’s cheek.

The legend remains to this day that Fanny took the opportunity to jump on a chair, pull down her skirt and offered her bare bottom to the mayor to kiss. Which he did on both cheeks in the French manner.

The legend is continued with graphic posters of Fanny in many bistros in France, bare cheeks at the ready for losers to kiss. Indeed the pétanquers still insist that a loser of 13–0 requires a “Fanny paie a boire.” Drinks for all paid by the “Fanny.”

“I didn’t want to lose him to pétanque. He doesn’t speak English so I drove him. I got bored sitting in the car reading. So I began to play. I like it,” Suzie laughed. With a teammate Suzie actually bested Claude 13–0, it is said, making him a Fanny.

For more information go to www.pétanque-america.com.

John Christopher Fine is the author of 24 books. His articles appear in magazines and newspapers around the US and in Europe.

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Skier David Wise goes upside down while competing in the men’s freeskiing halfpipe final during the U.S. Snowboarding and Freeskiing Grand Prix at Mammoth Mountain on March 4, in Mammoth, Calif. After crashing on his first run Wise scored a 94.4 to win the event, his third straight victory. Said Wise afterward, according to usfreeskiing.com, “Going into my second run I was like ‘Hey you know what? This is just another run. You’ve done a million of these and all you have to do it get out there and land on your feet.’ That’s all that really matters.”

Fauja Singh at the Khalsa Sports Club presentation last Saturday Feb 4. (Bill Cox/The Epoch Times)

Fauja Singh, the renowned Punjabi marathon runner, finished the 10,000 meter race event in the Standard Chartered Hong Kong Marathon 2012 in an extraordinary 1 hour and 34 minutes, just 4 minutes outside his planned schedule.

This may not seem so remarkable when compared to Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele’s world record time of 26:17.53 set in 2005, but Singh is 100-years-old after all.

Looking surprisingly young and active, he never seemed to tire. When it gets tough in a race, Fauja Singh said: “I ask God for assistance.”

When asked why not enter the marathon event (which included junior, senior, masters 1 and masters 2 categories), his coach replied: “I thought the Hong Kong marathon course was too difficult, a lot of the race is on highway and I was concerned that he might not be able to receive medical attention quickly enough should he have a problem. Also, the Hong Kong Marathon has time limits which might have been too demanding.”

Having raced in numerous marathons, half marathons and 10,000 meter events, his most notable race was when he won the Toronto marathon of 2003 in a record breaking time of 5 hours 40 minutes.

In Hong Kong for seven days (three each side the event), the world record holder for the majority of running distances from 100 meters upwards at his age, undertook a number of public appearances. Two such appearances were to be introduced to the Khalsa Hockey Academy, which trains young men between the ages of 8 and 18, and to receive plaques from the Punjab Youth Club at the Sikh Temple in Wan Chai—both organizations help the youngsters grow up to be responsible citizens and to guide them in their personal development.

His next event is the London Marathon when he will be 101 years old, which if successful, will be another record. After London, he will run several marathons in Europe and one in Mauritius before retiring on a high prior to the London Olympics.

(Nicky Loh/Getty Images)

Mohamad Bin Mohd Asri of Malaysia serves to Thailand in the men’s finals match of the ISTAF Super Series in Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia on Feb. 26. ISTAF (International Sepak Takraw Federation) is the governing body for international play in the sport of Sepak Takraw, which is also referred to as kick volleyball. Sepak Takraw is different from volleyball in its use of a rattan ball and only allowing players (three to a team) to use their feet, knees, chests, and heads to kick the ball.

Canada’s Chris Del Bosco (C) flies to the finish line ahead of fellow countryman Brady Leman (R) and Switzerland’s Amin Niederer (L) win the Men’s Sprint U.S. Grand Prix Ski Cross Finals Saturday at The Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, Utah. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

 Del Bosco is actually a Colorado native and holds dual citizenship in the United States and Canada. The 29-year-old is fresh off winning gold in the Men’s Skier X finals at the X Games.

Jerome Singleton was given the nickname 'fastest amputee on the planet' in 2011 after knocking off reigning champion Oscar Pistorius in the men's 100m (T44) at the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships. (Harry How/Getty Images)

When U.K. commercial broadcaster, Channel 4 aired highlights of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in New Zealand in early 2011 it sent out a message to the hosts of the London 2012 Paralympic Games—filling a stadium with paralympic sports fans (in this case QEII (ANZ) Stadium with a maximum capacity of around 60,000) is a tough nut to crack.

While the competition for the fastest 100 meters is closely contested by South African, Oscar Pistorius and American, Jerome Singleton and it is just as exciting as the current and frequent showdowns between Tyson Gay and Usain Bolt—Pistorius and Singleton are unlikely to claim the emotive title of fastest man on earth.

Despite the fact that the achievements of athletes with a disability continue to amaze and impress, why is disability sport not given the recognition it deserves?

The stats speak volumes: Whereas, U.K. host broadcaster, the BBC paid many millions for TV/online rights for the Olympics coverage across the 17 days of live action, the BBC was easily out-bid by the U.K. commercial Channel 4. C4 paid around 10 million pounds (around $16 million); twice as much as the BBC’s offer, with a commitment to 150 hours of coverage over the 12-day event starting on August 29.

However, Channel 4’s financial investment is a step in the right direction.

Following Athens 2004’s total production budget of 2.3 million euros ($3 million) and the all-inclusive package for Beijing 2008, which totaled $9 million the upward investment trend is looking good.

But compare it with a proposed package of U.S. rights covering the next four summer and winter Olympics through 2020 with a total rights fee in excess of $4 billion and you can begin to see the difference.

Deborah Poulton, Channel 4 sports editor, Paralympics 2012 wants to raise awareness of Paralympic sport and Paralympians by making the British viewing public the best informed and most engaged in the world. “Bringing about a fundamental and permanent shift in perceptions of disability in the U.K., we want our viewers to appreciate the elite ability of our Paralympians, and to see beyond the disability.”

In 2010, working with partners including Sunset and Vine and IMG, alongside Boomerang plc, Channel 4 produced and aired a 10 part program, “That Paralympic Show” together with a documentary series profiling Team Great Britain’s Paralympic contenders.

Chris Holmes who represents the Paralympics within the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games is confident that the event will be a great success. And Channel 4’s programming, which has trailblazed the coordinated campaign of education and awareness, has done its job.

A combination of exceptionally high demand for Olympic tickets and their lack of availability has motivated Londoners to purchase any ticket—be it Olympic or Paralympic, just so they can experience the games.

According to Holmes, “The integration of the Olympics and Paralympics under a single organizing committee has had benefits across the board; including internal efficiencies, which provide an effective commercial model. Cross-media campaigns with “lighthouse moments” are necessary to effect change and break the mold of current perceptions of disability sport.”

With over 2 million…

Diver Jonathan Paredes of Mexico competes in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series qualifier at Riverside Oaks Golf Resort in Sydney, Australia. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images)

In all 15 divers competed for four spots in the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series 2012. The four who qualified for the World Series were David Colturi (USA), Blake Aldridge (Great Britain), Steven LoBue (USA), and Jorge Ferzuli (Mexico). Paredes finished 11th.

Shaun White does a backside air during practice on Jan. 29 for the men’s snowboard superpipe elimination at the X Games 2012 at Buttermilk Mountain. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

White won the men’s snowboard superpipe finals—his fifth consecutive gold medal—on Sunday with the first perfect score in Winter X Games history. The feat came thanks to White’s latest trick, a frontside double cork 1260.

An unidentified surfer is thrown from his board during day three of the National Surfing Championships at Piha Beach in Auckland, New Zealand. (Sandra Mu/Getty Images)

The Hyundai National Surfing Championships were first held in 1963 in Mount Maunganui with only three divisions. Today there are 25 divisions over several disciplines. The 2012 edition will crown New Zealand’s 500th national champion. Veteran Kiwi surfer Michael Fitzharris described the event in a YouTube video on Surf.co.nz.com, “Nationals are about who lasts the longest and trying to stay fresh. You are surfing maybe three or four different days in three or four different types of conditions.” Fitzharris won the Over 40 Men’s Longboard division. 

Simon Dumont competes in the Skiing Superpipe during the X Games 2010. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The 2012 Winter X Games get underway in Aspen Colorado on Thursday, turning the quiet Buttermilk Ski Resort into the extreme snowsport capital of the world.

This year’s Men’s Ski Slopestyle contest will take place on under the lights, a first in WX history. The field is stacked, but if the Dew Tour is any indication, Tom Wallisch may bring home his first WX gold.

The Snowboard Big Air is always jaw-dropping. After watching Torstein Horgmo nail the first in-competition triple flip last year, this event is not to be missed.

Snowboarder X will be without the sport’s household name, Lindsay Jacobellis, who tore her ACL in practice Wed. The injury dashed her chance at a five-peat, but the show must go on.

Shaun White, the face of US snowboarding, will take to the super pipe on Sunday night. Louri Podladtchikov has the tricks to dash White’s dream of a fifth gold medal in a row, but can he land it?

This year’s event will have a sober note, as it is without competitor Sarah Burke. The X Games champion and freeskiing pioneer will be remembered in a tribute during the weekend.

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Sarah Burke performs a trick on the halfpipe in La Plagne, France in March of 2011. She passed away on Thursday leaving behind her husband, Rory Bushfield, who is also an extreme skier. (Christophe Pallot/Agency Zoom/Getty Images)

The ski world lost an ambassador of the sport on Thursday with the passing of freeskier Sarah Burke. The four-time X Games gold medalist died of complications from a head injury she sustained during a training run on January 10 at Park City Mountain Resort. She was 29 years old.

Burke suffered a ruptured vertebral artery in her brain after hitting her head in a fall. She was rushed to University of Utah hospital, where she remained in a coma until her passing at 9:22 a.m. on Thursday.

Her family will adhere to Burke’s wishes and donate her organs and tissue, according to Deseret News in Utah.

“What defines Sarah now is what has always defined her,” Canadian Freestyle Ski Association CEO Peter Judge told the Deseret News. “She was always very gregarious, very outgoing and popular with those around her. She is very giving in terms of her time, especially in the sport.”

Burke, the daughter of ski racers, was a pioneer in women’s freeskiing. She competed against men early in her career when there were no women’s events. Burke longed for equality in her beloved sport, sending emails to ESPN and X Games to get women included in their lineup. She was successful and dominated the halfpipe event, winning six gold medals.

Sarah Burke on the podium in March of 2011. (Jean-Pierre Clatot/AFP/Getty Images)

Burke also lobbied heavily to have women’s freeskiing added to the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. In April, when the IOC announced the addition of her sport, she said it was a dream come true. Unfortunatly she was never able to live her dream of winning a gold medal for her home country of Canada.

Word of her passing spread quickly through the tight-knit freeskiing community and support poured in via social media. Trennon Paynter, the Canadian Ski Halfpipe Team head coach tweeted, “She is in every snowflake, every ray of sunshine, every breeze. More than ever, now and always, I #BelieveInSarah.”

The US Ski team showed their support as well, tweeting, “As athletes we will remember you as a great friend and pioneer who took your sport to new heights.”

The website www.giveforward.com/sarahburke was set up by Michael Spencer and is accepting donations to help raise money for Burke’s medical bills and other related expenses. You can share your support on a Facebook page set up in her honor.

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Didier Cuche announced he will retire from competitive skiing at the end of this season. (Alexis Boichard/Agence Zoom)

Four-time downhill World Cup titleholder Didier Cuche announced he will retire at the end of the season on Thursday, according to the AP.

The 37-year-old Swiss ski legend is still in the hunt for the title this season, the fifth of his career, which would match the career title record.

“Today marks a very emotional moment for me,” Cuche said according to AP. “An important milestone in my career and in my life … I am convinced this is the right moment to retire.”

Cuche began his downhill career in 1993, but he did not win his first crystal globe until age 32. He became the oldest racer to win a men’s World Cup race at Kitzbuehel in 2011, the stage he chose to make his retirement announcement.

Sarah Burke, seen here after winning the gold medal in the Women's Skiing Superpipe at Winter X Games 13, is in critical condition after a fall during training Jan. 10. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Canadian National Halfpipe Team member Sarah Burke was injured in a halfpipe training incident in Park City, Utah, Tuesday, according to a report on fisfreestyle.com. As of Wednesday evening Sarah was listed in critical condition in the hospital’s Neuro Critical Care Unit.

“Sarah sustained serious injuries and remains intubated and sedated in critical condition,” said Safdar Ansari, M.D., a neurointensivist with University of Utah Health Care, according to the report.

The 28-year-old Burke, from Squamish, British Columbia, fell during a training session at a personally sponsored event and was airlifted to a hospital in Salt Lake City.

“This is an extremely unfortunate situation and we are awaiting further word on Sarah’s condition,” said Canadian Freestyle CEO Peter Judge.

A skier enjoys a powder day at Grand Targhee Resort in Wyoming. (Courtesy of Grand Targhee Resort)

For snow-hungry skiers and riders, the 2011–12 season has been rough, as resorts from coast to coast struggle with the lack of natural snowfall. Grand Targhee Resort, located in Teton Valley, Wyo., is one of the few resorts to boast a fully open mountain. To keep a positive outlook on the season, they are offering a free day of skiing for anyone who bought a season pass to any resort in the United States or Canada.

“We hope that everyone gets to enjoy great skiing soon, but while they are not, we wanted to make sure we had the opportunity to share the abundance of natural snowfall that we had,” Ken Rider, director of marketing and sales for Grand Targee Resort said.

Skiers and riders with a valid season pass at their local mountain will earn one free ski pass for every day of lodging booked at Grand Targee.

The resort has done some promotion like this before with sister resorts such as Crested Butte and Monarch, but not on this large of a scale. With the undesirable conditions stretching nationwide, they decided to expand on the concept and see what happened.

“We have gotten a great response so far. People are calling from all over, especially parts of the country that don’t have good snow right now,” Rider said.

With the La Nina just beginning to kick in, weather patterns are shifting, but the overall consensus is that this ski season will be nowhere near last year’s record-setting totals. The Northwest might prove to be the only exception. “We are going to see a lot of precipitation and snowfall in the Pacific Northwest. Everywhere to the south will be dry,” Leslie Wanek, western regional meteorologist for NOAA, said two weeks ago.

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British National Freestyle Jet Ski Champion Jack Moule performs a stunt during The London Boat Show in London, England on January 6. (Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images)

Moule, who is only 17 years old, has been wowing audiences for years. He started riding jet skis at age 12. A short 18 months later, at 14, Moule became the youngest UK Jetski Freestyle Champion, winning both the professional and amateur contests. Moule participates in The International Jet Sports Boating Association (IJSBA) Freestyle racing. In this discipline, riders must make difficult and creative moves in a two minute run, showing the judges just how skillfully they can maneuver their craft. The ISJBA also has closed course, slalom, endurance, and drag racing.

An employee watches snow cannons blow snow on the slopes in Romeu, France at the start of the 2006-2007 ski season, the last time warm temperatures wrecked havoc on ski resorts worldwide. (Raymond Roig/AFP/Getty Images)

The ski season might have gotten off to a slow start with unseasonably warm temperatures and a lack of snow, but the buzz of the snowmaking guns are back thanks to the dip in temperatures Wednesday night.

Local ski resort Hunter Mountain, the self-proclaimed “snowmaking capital of the world,” reported “the best conditions of the season so far,” according to Jessica Pezak, marketing and communications manager.

The lack of natural snowfall has not hurt Hunter Mountain, but the warmer temperatures have put a dent in the number of days they can make snow. “I think we would make more [snow] in past years in December because we would have had more cold weather, but we have almost 30 trails open so we are pretty happy,” Pezak reported.

Nearby Belleayre Mountain also had luck with the colder weather, “Last night was probably one of the better nights,” according to Tony Lanza, superintendent of the mountain. He reported five lifts operational and about a dozen trails open.

After a great start to last season, not only locally, but for much of the country’s ski resorts, skiers and riders are disappointed with the sluggish start. Meteorologists blame the conditions on a combination of factors.

“We can break it down to a strong ridge of high pressure off the West Coast. It takes the weather systems that develop over the Pacific and shoots them up north to Alaska, or south to southern California, Arizona, or New Mexico,” said Leslie Wanek, western regional meteorologist.

Snow reports in New Mexico and southeast Colorado confirm Wanek’s claim. Wolf Creek in Colorado reports 200 inches of total snow this season and Sandia Peak in New Mexico reports 83 inches. Yet the resorts being blocked by the high pressure, such as the nearby New York resorts, are taking some early hits.

Wanek pointed out that once la Nina kicks in at the first of the year the patterns will shift and those receiving a lot of snow now will be dryer. She predicts the Pacific Northwest is the place to be. The fate of the New York area resorts is still in the air.

Kimberly McMahon, Meteorologist for Albany Forecast was not optimistic for an above average year. “We are in a La Nina Pattern and that does tend to mean warmer temps for the East.” La Nina, however, is not always cut and dry. “Last year was a La Nina year and it was a great year. But other years were not so great.”

The powder-hounds will need patience this season, but if the temperatures stay cold, resorts with excellent snow-making capabilities should do just fine.

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Jonathon Seed, joint master and huntsman with the Avon Vale Hunt, leads the hounds and fellow riders for their traditional Boxing Day hunt on Dec. 26, in Lacock, England.  (Matt Cardy/Getty Images)

Boxing Day hunts, an English tradition, took on a new look six years ago when hunting with dogs was banned in England and Wales. The hounds are allowed to chase a scent, but cannot kill anything, leading some hunts to put down an artificial scent for them to follow. The ban did not deter people from participating in this year’s celebration, as over 300 hunts took place throughout the country with an estimated 300,000 people riding or following along.

Four snowboarders get some air on a jump in the quarter finals of the men’s team snowboardcross at the LG Snowboard FIS World Cup on Dec. 17, in Telluride, Colo. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Snowboardcross made its Olympic debut in 2006 in Torino, Italy, and was popular enough to bring back during the Vancouver games in 2010. The course is filled with jumps, winding curves, and gates. Each rider gets a timed solo run before the field is divided into heats of four. They must navigate the narrow course all the while jockeying for position with their competitors. Races are action packed and unpredictable—just ask 2006 silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis.

Army Cadets celebrate a first-half touchdown against the Navy Midshipmen by doing pushups in the stands of FedEx Field on Dec. 10 in Landover, MD.  (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The time honored tradition takes place every time the Black Knights score. A plebe (military speak for freshman) is hoisted above his fellow cadets’ heads and does one pushup for each point scored. During Saturday’s 112th Army versus Navy game, the plebes did 21 pushups, however it was not enough as Navy beat their rivals 27-21. The Navy victory was the 10th win in a row over the Black Knights, a win witnessed by the commander in chief, President Obama.

Lindsey Vonn catches air on the way to her fourth victory in a row on the World Cup circuit. (Don Emmert/AFP/Getty Images)

This week’s World Cup ski race was not supposed to be in Lindsey Vonn’s home state of Colorado, but the Olympic gold medalist used it to her advantage on Wednesday, as she claimed victory in the Super G race at Beaver Creek.

“Ever since I moved out here as a kid and was a course slipper at the ’99 World Championships, I’ve always wanted to race here at home,” Vonn told Onthesnow.com. “Of the 46 wins that I have so far, this is probably the most special.”

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Lisa Czechowski of the USA defends a shot during the International Goalball Tournament in London, England, on Dec. 3. (Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Goalball is a sport for the visually impaired that dates back to 1946. Austrian Hanz Lorenzen and German Sepp Reindle invented the sport to help rehabilitate blind war veterans. Three players on each squad must wear eyeshades so there is equal impairment. The object is to toss the ball into the opponent’s goal with the opposing team using their body to block the shot. The ball is equipped with bells inside so that the players can hear the ball. Goalball will be played during the London 2012 Paralympic Games.

The snow is scarce at Les Crosets ski resort in Switzerland on November 17. The dry fall has left many resorts in Europe scrambling to make snow or delay opening. {Fabrice Cofrini/AFP/Getty Images)

Europeans may be basking in the warm temperatures and dry conditions this fall has brought, but ski resorts such as the famed Val d’Isere in France are scrambling to open without snow. The bare mountains in the Alps have forced one World Cup race to move stateside and more schedule changes could come if the snow does not start to fall.

Beaver Creek, a ski resort in Eagle County, Colo., was chosen to host the World Cup race next week in lieu of the dry Val d’Isere. The Colorado resort was already set up for its Birds of Prey World Cup circuit event, which was conducting training runs on Wednesday. Coupled with the fact that it already had organizing in place made it an easy decision to move the race to Beaver Creek over other Colorado ski resorts.

“It’s a whole lot easier to extend a venue that is already up and running as opposed to telling someone that they have a week or less to prepare for a World Cup ladies Super G and a few men’s races,” said John Dakin, vice president of communications for Vail Valley Foundation, the organizing body for World Cup racing at Beaver Creek.

Speculation had been mounting for a few weeks about a delayed start to the World Cup season. Dakin said that Vail Valley Foundation had been in communication for a week about moving the event. When asked about more races moving to Beaver Creek this year he replied, “Not at this point in time. Obviously the weather can change in Europe and it is too early to start shifting the entire season around.”

The Birds of Prey World Cup races will wrap up on Sunday. The relocated World Cup race will start on Tuesday, Dec. 6, with the Men’s Giant Slalom. The ladies Super G will run on Wednesday, Dec. 7, and the Men’s slalom will run on Thursday, Dec. 8.

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A ski jumper takes flight during the large hill team ski jumping event at the FIS World Cup Nordic Opening 2011 on Nov. 27 in Kuusamo, Finland. There was concern that ski jumping events would have to be postponed due to unseasonably warm weather in Europe, however only preseason workouts were affected. The season opening event has been held at Kuusamo since 2002, despite being a notoriously windy mountain. The wind canceled events on Saturday, but the event went on Sunday in snowy conditions. The Austrians claimed the top three spots in the individual jump and took the team gold as well. (Alexander Hassenstein/Bongarts/Getty Images)

Anyavarin Supateeralert of Thailand competes in the women's rhythmic gymnastics on day eight of the 2011 Southeast Asian Games on Nov. 18 in Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia. Rhythmic gymnasts have strength, power, flexibility, agility, dexterity, and endurance. Participants will master the use of a rope, hoop, clubs, ribbon, or (as shown here) a ball. The ball is thrown and caught, balanced on their hands, or rolled on the floor to program music, displaying both grace and elegance. There are also group performances where teams of five use two apparatus, working together as a unit. The 1984 games in Los Angeles was the first time rhythmic gymnastics was added as a medal sport in the Olympics.(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Members of the US Ski team prepare to take some runs at Copper Mountain’s new Speed Center in Colorado. (Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

The U.S. Ski Team unveiled their new Speed Center at Copper Mountain Colorado on Tuesday, allowing for team members to train at the only full-length downhill facility in the world this early in the season.

USSA President and CEO Bill Marolt said on the team’s website, “The U.S. Ski Team Speed Center at Copper provides an immediate boost to our alpine programs. This is a game-changing partnership and a legacy project that provides World Cup caliber speed training for all levels – from elite athletes to club programs -- in a safe and access controlled environment.”

Skiers typically cannot find places to run full length practice runs prior to the season, which begins at the end of November. Getting their legs in shape earlier could lead to faster times and more medals for the team.

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(Matt King/Getty Images)

Hafzanizam Bakhori of Malaysia tries desperately to hang on during a men’s sport climbing event at the Southeast Asian Games in Palembang, Sumatra, Indonesia on Nov. 12. In this discipline, bouldering, the competitor attempts to climb short, technical routes (boulders) without a rope but mats below for protection. The number of boulders they reach, combined with the number of times it took to reach them determines a competitor’s points. While people have been climbing since birth, sport climbing has only been an organized sport since The International Federation of Sport Climbing was founded in January of 2007. Sport climbing is on the shortlist for the 2020 Olympic Games.

Fred Gietz, a McGill chaser, throws the quaffel trying to score in a Quidditch match at the Canadian Cup. (Alain Desroches)

If you are venturing to Randall’s Island this Saturday and happen to see a character wearing yellow with a tennis ball in a sock hanging out of the back of their shorts running around, don’t worry – he’s just the snitch. No, he won’t be telling on you, but trying to avoid the seeker on a broom.

If you were thinking Harry Potter, you are on the right track, but it’s not from the novel or the movies. Instead it is the scene from the action that will be taking place on Saturday during the Sixth Annual Quidditch World Cup.

Marc Randolf, seeker for the Ball State quidditch team, chases after the snitch on the second day of the International Quidditch Association's 2011 Midwest Cup held in Fishers, Ind. on October 9. (Jerry Wang/QuidditchPhotos.com)

Bringing Quidditch from the magical pages of the Harry Potter books to something “muggles” could play was the brain child of game creator Xander Manshel of Middlebury College in Vermont. He wanted to “create a magical game without magic” and only made a few modifications to keep the rules as close to the game fans had grown to love through the books and movies.

The basic rules are still the same: three chasers, three beaters, one keeper and one seeker. The quaffle is a slightly deflated volleyball and the bludgers are dodgeballs.

Everyone has to ride a broom, with most players choosing to use the authentic looking Scarlet Falcon handmade by Alivan’s Brooms.

Unlike the “Harry Potter” movies and books, the snitch is human. The snitch has virtually no rules and is not limited to the field of play. The snitch is the only player without a broom and often uses his wit more than athletic ability to escape the seeker.

Benjamin Carlisle, a graduate student at McGill University is a beater on the school’s team, but has played snitch for other teams. As a snitch, he once got in a car, drove up to the field, honked and then drove away, returning after a few minutes.

A Growing Sport

In just six short years, Quidditch has taken college campuses by storm, growing exponentially each year. This year’s Quidditch World Cup will feature 100 teams with 2,000 athletes from 22 states and 4 nations, all competing for the coveted World Cup Trophy and a year’s worth of bragging rights.

“Even though it is this brand new sport, it kind of comes with its own culture, which I find fascinating,” Carlisle said. Dressing up is common and one of the seven “Harry Potter” books is never far from the sideline.

New Yorkers can watch Quidditch matches all weekend on Randall’s Island for as little as $4.99. Winter Schwaid-Lindner, volunteer coordinator for the International Quidditch Association pointed out, “for the price of lunch, they can get 12 hours of entertainment and fun! What’s there to debate about?!”

With additional reporting by Zack Stieber

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Paula Radcliffe wears a shirt supporting #HISTORYSTANDS, her now-successful campaign for the IAAF to reinstate her 2003 marathon World Record title. (Ian Walton/Getty Images for Nike)

The International Association of Athletic Federations has reversed an August ruling stripping British runner Paula Radcliffe of her world record marathon time of 2:15.25, earned in the 2003 London Marathon. The record was reduced to “World Best” status briefly because the London race combined male and female runners. Many believe that women run faster when paced by the generally quicker male runners.

IIAF changed its ruling on the first day of its three-day 2011 convention in Monaco, Monte Carlo on Wednesday.

“The record will stay. Nobody will cancel the record of Paula. Her record will never be diminished,” IAAF council member Helmut Digel told The Associated Press.

Racliffe also holds the second fastest time for the 26.2-mile race at 2:17:18, set in a women’s-only race run in 2005.

Patrick Makau of Kenya holds the current men’s record of 2:03:38.

Joe Frazier sets up Muhammad Ali for his famous “sledgehammer” during their 1974 fight at Madison Square Garden in New York. (Allsport UK/Allsport)

Iconic boxer Joe Frazier beat “The Greatest,” but could not beat his biggest foe – liver cancer. Frazier lost his short battle with cancer on Monday night, dying at the age of 67.

Frazier and his left hook became boxing lore after he took down Muhammad Ali in the 15th round at Madison Square Garden in March of 1971, a fight billed “The Fight of the Century.”

“I will always remember Joe with respect and admiration,” Ali said in a statement on AP. “My sympathy goes out to his family and loved ones.”

Manny Pacquiao, who was in Las Vegas to promote his upcoming fight with Juan Manuel Marquez, said, “Boxing lost a great champion, and the sport lost a great ambassador.”