Sports

Steel Snake boat (Chundan Vallam) from Kerala enters Guinness book of world records

webmaster — Sat, 27 Sep 2008 07:15:40 -0500

A Steel snake boat from Kerala has made its way to the Guinness Book of world records for carrying 141 people on board. The 'Aries Punnamada Urukku Chundan' has broken the existing record of carrying 118 persons on board by taking 141 people, including 136 rowers and 5 helmsmen.

'Chundan' has been certified as the largest canoe crew by the Guinness World records authority, S K Sohan Roy, CEO of Aries Marine, the largest ship design and consultancy firm in the Middle East, claimed. It also holds the record of being the longest steel snake boat certified by the Limca Book of Records.

The innovative steel snake boat is based on the scientific design using the famous 'Autoship' software. Measuring 143.25 feet in length , 5.74 feet in breadth and 8 tonnes in weight, the boat is completely made of steel. However, such boats are generally made up of wood.

The steel snake boat also participated in Nehru Trophy race, 2008, in the Alapuzha backwaters for the very first time with women crew members.

2008 China Beijing Olympic Events

webmaster — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 10:16:51 -0500

Watch 2008 China Beijing Olympic Events

56th edition of Nehru Trophy boat race 2008

webmaster — Sat, 09 Aug 2008 13:59:58 -0500

Karichal Chundan' snake boat of Kollam Jesus Boat Club lifted the coveted Nehru Trophy in the boat race held at Punnamada lake here on Saturday. Thousands of people including a large number of foreign tourists witnessed the 56th edition of Nehru Trophy boat race here. The Nehru Trophy Boat Race on the Punnamada lake in Alappuzha is one of the most popular boat races in Kerala.

The shores of the Punnamada lake teem with throngs of humanity during the race. It is estimated that almost 2 lakh people from India and abroad reach the place to witness this unique event.

It is held on the second Saturday of the month of August every year. The history of the race is connected with Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru’s visit to Alappuzha in 1952. It was in honour of Nehru that the first race was conducted. Back in Delhi, Nehru donated a silver trophy for the winners of this highly competitive race.

The major attraction of the regatta is the pageantry of Chundan Vallams (Snake Boats). It is quite awesome to see these 100 feet long boats slicing through the water. Other types of boats that participate in various events in the race are Churulan Vallam, Iruttu Kuthi Vallam, Odi Vallam, Veppu Vallam and Kochu Vallam.

Angel Boat club's 'Cheruthana chundan' came second followed by 'Payippad chundan' of Kumarakom boat club. Nearly 60 boats of different varieties including 16 snake boats participated in the race.

In the women's section, the boat rowed by six foreign tourist women led by British national Juile Ammer won the first prize.The boat was owned by Vembanad Vanitha Boat Club.

Beijing Olympic opening ceremonies rehearsal leaked

jimmy elias — Sat, 02 Aug 2008 15:17:57 -0500

Opening ceremonies kick off for real next Friday, August 8th. A South Korean television crew filmed a rehearsal of the show earlier this week at the massive Bird’s Nest national stadium, leaking the first video from a show so closely guarded that practice sessions have been protected by three rings of checkpoints. Cast and crew were required to sign confidentiality agreements.

The video shows giant whales, an illuminated globe and a cast of thousands. The video of the top secret Olympic ceremony is upsetting Chinese organizers. They went through a lot of trouble making sure details were not leaked, even making to 10,000 plus performers sign confidentiality agreements.

The ceremony is said to have a futuristic theme, and is directed by Oscar nominee Zhang Yimou. It will include Chinese history and have fireworks and opera. The short video shows an enormous red globe in the centre of the stadium with hundreds of people waving red flags, beating drums, and multicolored figures floating through the air. But the lighting of the Olympic torch was not filmed. The speculation is that it will be performed by a flying dragon or a phoenix.

In an embarrassing breach of security, journalists from Seoul Broadcasting System walked into the Bird’s Nest national stadium and filmed rehearsals for the ceremony, which will be attended by world leaders, including President Bush, next Friday. The SBS network says they recorded the event lawfully. “We went, and nobody stopped us. So we just shot.”

Despite the mildness of the public reaction, staff of the organising committee appeared to have been working behind the scenes to remove the footage. Within a few hours it had been taken off sina.com, a popular Chinese web portal, as well as YouTube, which displayed the message: “This video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by a third party.”

Fedor Emelianenko vs Tim Sylvia heavyweight championship fight

jimmy elias — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 13:47:07 -0500

As it began, the main mixed martial arts event in front of an announced crowd of 13,998 at the Honda Center between heavyweights Fedor Emelianenko 6-foot-1, 230 pounds and Tim Sylvia two-time former Ultimate Fighting Championship champ at Affliction Banned ended almost as soon as it started.

Despite his reach advantage, Sylvia missed short on a couple of punches. Emelianenko wasted no time and returned fire. The Russian delivered a powerful and speedy combination of rights and lefts that stunned and quickly knocked down Sylvia, who is eight inches taller and 33 pounds heavier. There were at least four blows that landed flush, the most decisive of them being a left hand and a right uppercut that snapped the big man's head back.

Thirty-six seconds into the much-anticipated and much-hyped fight, Sylvia tapped out and with his easy victory, Emelianenko captured the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts heavyweight championship.

Congress floats national sports forum

jimmy elias — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 20:44:46 -0500

Congress in Kerala floated a new organisation, national sports forum, 'Desiya Kayika Vedi', to encourage budding sports talent in the state. This was purely for sports and had nothing to do with politics, Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly Oomen Chandy said inaugurating the forum.

Sports and arts clubs would be started in each grama panchayat under this forum, he said.

Chandy also handed over a five sovereign gold medal, which had been promised to fast bowler S Sreesanth for his contributions to cricket. The cricketer's parents-- K Santakumaran Nair and Savitri Devi accepted the medal on his behalf.

KPCC President, Ramesh Chennithala, delivered the keynote address at the meeting.

Padmini Thomas, Asiad medalist, will be the forum president.

Athlete Shiny Wilson and her husband Wilson Cherian were among those who were present.

Mumbai cops to Cheerleaders - perform but no vulgarity

jimmy elias — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:17:49 -0500

Cheerleaders will not be banned during IPL cricket matches in Mumbai but they may have to shed their skimpy outfits with police today warning of action against the organisers if their shows are found to be vulgar.

As the police cleared the air on whether the scantily-clad cheergirls will be allowed to perform in a Navi Mumbai stadium on April 27 by imposing some conditions, the 'ban cheerleaders' chant grew loud with West Bengal joining Maharashtra in targeting the dancing beauties.

Senior BJP leader Venkaiah Naidu also joined the chorus of protests saying the dance was a "distraction and nonsense" as a debate raged over whether US-style cheerleaders had a role during cricket matches in the country.

"The girls are merely artistes who perform as per the instructions of organisers," Navi Mumbai Police Commissioner Ramrao Wagh said, adding that a performance license has been granted to the organisers of the match between Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers to be held at Nerul's D Y Patil stadium.

In the event of the cheerleaders indulging in obscenity, Wagh said, the "license holders" (the organisers) will be prosecuted under various provisions of the Bombay Police Act for indecency in a public place and breach of license terms.

Wagh said the show should not be vulgar or obscene nor offend the dignity of women. He however said there have been no instructions from the government.

West Bengal Sports Minister Subash Chakravarty said the cheerleaders had no role and were out of context during sporting encounters and there was no need to import Western culture. Chakravarty, who was supported by PWD Minister Kshiti Goswami(RSP and Water Investigation Minister Nandgopal Bhttacharya(CPI), said he will take up the issue with Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya.

Olympic torch arrived in Japan

jimmy elias — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 08:01:48 -0500

The Olympic torch today arrived in Japan on the latest leg of a worldwide relay hit by protests. The chartered Beijing Olympic plane, emblazoned with the slogan "Journey of Harmony," flew into Tokyo's Haneda airport at 0230 IST (2100 GMT Thursday) welcomed by some 30 people holding Chinese and Japanese flags.

The torch tomorrow will head on to the central mountain town of Nagano, the site of the 1998 Winter Olympics.

"I am confident that the Beijing Olympics torch relay will be a success," Cui Tiankai, China's ambassador to Japan, said at the airport.

Japan has pledged tight security for the relay, where both Chinese residents and supporters of greater freedoms in Tibet plan to demonstrate.

A revered seventh-century Buddhist temple last week backed out of plans to be the starting point for the relay due to concerns about China's crackdown in predominantly Buddhist Tibet.

Earlier legs of the torch relay have been hit by protests, particularly London and Paris where chaotic scenes enraged the Chinese public.

The torch came to Japan from Canberra, where thousands of Chinese supporters took to the streets and Australian security tussled with Chinese torch escorts.

Tendulkar celebrates birthday with teammates

jimmy elias — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:53:22 -0500

A quiet but warm celebration marked Sachin Tendulkar's 35th birthday as the master batsman cut the cake surrounded by his cheerful Mumbai Indians team-mates at a city hotel here today. As Tendulkar cut the rectangular-shaped cake which had the logo of Mumbai Indians, he was joined by two other Mumbai Indians players, Luke Ronchi and Vikrant Yeligati, who had a delayed celebration after their birthday clashed with the team's match against Chennai Super Kings yesterday.

New Zealander Ronchi turned 27, while Yeligati celebrated his 23rd birthday.

Tendulkar admitted missing his family on the occasion and said, "I wish I could celebrate my birthday with my wife and children, but that is not so. They are joining me at Mohali tomorrow." Asked what was the best gift he got today, Tendulkar said, "The wishes of my fans and teammates is the best gift I have received today. I hope I will perform better this year." After cutting the cake, Tendulkar gave the first piece to Ronchi and then offered a piece to cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle, who is also part of the Mumbai Indians think-tank.

On Tendulkar's insistence, the cake was distributed to every person present at the party, including the media members.

George Fernandes, Arundhati Roy to take part in parallel relay

midhun jimmy — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 11:01:37 -0500

leader George Fernandes and author Arundhati Roy will join hundreds of Tibetans in a torch relay parallel to the Olympic flame run here on Thursday. The five-kilometre parallel relay will begin from Rajghat, the memorial of Mahatma Gandhi, and end at Jantar Mantar with the organisers expecting participation of about 5,000 people.

Apart from Fernandes and Roy, senior politicians like Yashwant Sinha, Jaya Jaitley and activists Vandana Shiva and Swami Agnivesh are likely to join the relay, organisers claimed. "The official relay has little spirit of Olympics as it is being organised under extreme security.

So we decided to live up to the original spirit of Olympics and organise a parallel run," Tseten Norbu, spokesperson of Tibetan Solidarity Committee, which is organising the protest here, told PTI. The relay is planned as a non-violent protest against Chinese "aggression" in their homeland and fight for their rights, he said.

When the relay reaches Jantar Mantar, he said, the protesters will turn the area into a "Little Tibet" by putting up tents, replicas of yaks and flowers and have religious congregation. "Through this, we will create a little Tibet in the heart of the city," Norbu claimed.

Meanwhile, 27 Tibetans managed to take out their own "torch relay" on the route of the Olympic flame run here this afternoon before entering into a minor clash with police as they attempted to douse the flame.