■ Rally
Loeb leads after Day 2
World champion Sebastian Loeb of France, driving a Citroen, posted the fastest time on the longest stage to lead the Rally of New Zealand by 53.8 seconds after the second day yesterday. Loeb won four of six stages and broke the record for the 31.73km Bull Stage by 56.9 seconds to extend his lead over the Peugeot of Finland's Marcus Gronholm. Loeb raced through the second of two circuits of the Bull Stage in 18 minutes, 58.7 seconds to smash the stage record set last year by Gronholm. The stage win helped Loeb extend his 23-second overnight advantage from Gronholm and put the rally in safe keeping with six stages left on the final day. Loeb won the first two of yesterday's six stages by 4.3 and 0.7 seconds from Petter Solberg of Norway, driving a Subaru, to expand his 23.1-second overnight lead. Solberg won the next two stages.
■ Rugby
Italy fires John Kirwan
New Zealander John Kirwan was dismissed as coach of Italy on Friday after failing to win a match in the Six Nations championship. Kirwan, an All Black great and World Cup winner, had a contract through to the end of the 2007 World Cup. Italian Rugby Federation president Giancarlo Dondi did not immediately name Kirwan's replacement, but published reports suggested former France coach Pierre Berbizier was in talks with the federation. Kirwan replaced another former All Black, Brad Johnstone, as Italy coach in April 2002 and built up the side. He helped Italy win two matches at the 2003 World Cup for the first time, then to a best finish of fifth in the 2004 Six Nations. But it lost every match in this year's tournament, when Kirwan's stated aim was for two wins, including a first away from home. Federation members openly criticized Kirwan after the championship.
■ Athletics
Islamic Games begin
The first Islamic Games started in the holy city of Mecca on Friday in an Olympics-style tournament aimed at showing Muslim athletic prowess, with over 6,000 sportsmen -- but no women -- from 55 countries. The tournament, dubbed the Islamic Olympic Games, will be held in four Saudi cities -- Mecca, Medina, Jiddah and Taif -- and brings together members of sports unions affiliated to the Organization of Islamic Conference. The conservative kingdom bars women from practicing sports, even in schools. Prince Abdel Majid Bin Abdel Aziz, the prince of Mecca, opened the games on Friday in a ceremony that featured more than 2,600 students at the King Abdul Aziz Stadium in Mecca. Competitions began yesterday. The tournament, which Saudi officials boast is the second-largest sports gathering after the Olympics, ends on April 20.
■ Cricket
Scott Mason dies
Scott Mason, a 28-year-old former cricketer with Tasmania state, died yesterday from heart complications, a Tasmanian Cricket Official said. Mason sat out the entire 2004-2005 season after undergoing open-heart surgery in October and spent nine weeks in hospital last year. The left-handed opener played 28 first-class matches for Tasmania.
RSS