24th - 28th April
World Championship Updates
The Crucible Theatre in Sheffield, England, is currently entertaining the semi-finals of the World Snooker Championship 2023. Si Jiahui (CHN) is in a strong position against Luca Brecel (BEL) leading 14-9, while the contest between Mark Allen (NIR) and Mark Selby (ENG) is much closer at 6-7. The new champion will be crowned on Monday. Over to chess where Ian Nepomniachtchi and Ding Liren are locked at 6.5 each as everything now hangs on the 14th and final game of the FIDE World Championship Match 2023 in Astana, Kazakhstan. The champion could be decided over the weekend, but Monday is set aside should it be required.
England and France will play out the deciding match tomorrow to determine the champion of the Women's Six Nations. The defending champions are clear favourites playing in front of a home support at Twickenham Stadium. Both teams are unbeaten, but England lead France by one point on the table and also have a superior points difference. Formula One announced on Tuesday that the format for Sprint Races will change starting with the next race weekend at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix. The Sprint Race has been made independent of the grand prix and will have its own qualifying session.
Kenya have beaten the hosts India to win the International Roll Ball Federation World Cup. Roll ball is a team sport played indoors and the rules are similar to Handball. The biggest difference is that athletes wear rollerblades on the court. Michael Smith (ENG) secured his second nightly victory of the Professional Darts Corporation Premier League in Leeds on Thursday. Gerwyn Price (WAL) still leads the League Table on 33 points. The Rodos Palace Resort Hotel in Rhodes Island, Greece, hosted the FIDE World School Chess Championship, which also forms part of the 4th Rhodes Chess Festival. Twelve titles were decided with the full results here:
South Africa's 39-year-old Kirsten Neuschäfer made history on Thursday becoming the first female mariner to win the Golden Globe round-the-world race. Neuschäfer skippered her boat Minnehaha across the finish line on the French coast after 235 gruelling days conquering all three Capes and her 15 rivals. At the Golden Globe, entrants are not permitted any help or make use of modern navigational devices.
Daniel Sanders (AUS) won the overall bike category, while Yazeed Al Rajhi (SAU) secured the overall car victory in the Sonora Rally in Mexico, part of the 2R Rally-Raid World Championship.
Until next time, have a great weekend in sport.