Monday, 27th February
Cape Town's Unique Formula E
One of the African continent's tourism jewels, Cape Town on Saturday hosted the 105th race in Formula E history and became the 31st unique venue a race has been held in. The FIA Formula E World Championship is currently in the ninth season adding a new fan base every year. South Africa is the 23rd country the motor sport has raced in. It is also the first time the organisers have ventured south of the Sahara. Previously Formula E raced in Africa five times with Marrakesh in Morocco the host, producing a different winner on each occasion Antonio Felix da Costa (POR) stormed from 11th position to take the chequered flag, moving himself to fourth position on the overall standings. Sacha Fenestraz (ARG/FRA) sealed his first pole and also drove Formula E's fastest-ever lap. Pascal Wehrlein (GER) is still the leader as the teams pack up and head to São Paulo for the next date on the calendar a month from now.
Remaining in Cape Town where Australia's Women made further history by beating South Africa to win their sixth ICC T20 World Cup and their third in a row. The final on Sunday was won and lost in the power play section where South Africa failed to capitalise. The champions won by 19 runs with both teams losing six wickets. South Africa made history by reaching their first final in all formats of the game. Two important women's football tournaments completed last week. England hosted and successfully defended the Arnold Clark Cup by defeating Belgium 6-1 in the final, while across the Atlantic USA also defended the SheBelieves Cup defeating Brazil 2-1. Mexico beat USA 3-1 to win the Concacaf Men's U17 Championship played in Guatemala City.
Five major FIS Ski & Snowboard World Championships are currently in progress. Freestyle skiers and snowboarders are currently in Bakuriani, Georgia. Starting with Snowboarding, Tsubaki Miki (JPN) and Oskar Kwiatkowski won the Parallel Giant Slalom. Julie Zogg (SUI) and Andreas Prommegger (AUT) are the Parallel Slalom champions, while the Parallel Slalom team gold was claimed by Italy 2. In Freestyle USA 1 claimed the Team Aerials. Fanyu Kong (CHN) and Noe Roth (SUI) are the Aerials champions, while on Saturday Perrine Laffont (FRA) and Mikael Kingsbury (CAN) won Moguls gold. On Sunday we had Ski Cross with medals going to Sandra Naeslund (SWE) and Simone Deromedis (ITA).
Planica in Slovenia is the location for the FIS Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, and Cross-Country World Championships. Starting with Ski Jumping, Katharina Althaus (GER) and Piotr Zyla (POL) claimed the HS100 gold, with Germany winning both Women's and Men's Team gold. In Cross-Country Jonna Sundling (SWE) and Johannes Hoesflot Klaebo (NOR) are the Sprint Final Classic champions. Ebba Andersson (SWE) won the 15 km Skiathlon Classic/Free, while the 30 km equivalent was claimed by Simen Hegstad Krueger (NOR). Sweden and Norway won the Women's and Men's Team Sprint Free. Nordic Combined started over the weekend. The Gundersen Normal Hill HS100/ 5 km and 10 km champions are Gyda Westvold Hansen (NOR) and Jarl Magnus Riiber (NOR), with the Team title going to Norway.
The World Surf League completed event 2 of the champions tour with back-to-back competitions on the Hawaiian island of O'ahu. Filipe Toledo (BRA) and Molly Picklum (AUS) took the top honours. Belgium has beaten South Africa 4-1 to win the 2023 IIHF Ice Hockey Women's World Championship Division II, Group B held in Cape Town. In darts Michael van Gerwen (NED) opened his account on the Cazoo Premier League night in Dublin on Thursday edging out Gerwyn Price (WAL) in the final. In the World Snooker Tour, Shaun Murphy (ENG) ended a three-year wait for a major trophy by claiming the Duelbits Players Championships held in Wolverhampton, England. On another world tour, on this occasion the Professional Squash Association, Tinne Gilis (BEL) and Victor Crouin (FRA) have won the Squash On Fire Open titles in Washington, D.C..
India topped the medals table in Cairo at the ISSF World Cup Pistol/Rifle. They were followed by Hungary and Italy. India achieved a medal haul of seven that includes four gold. The final round of the ATSX Ice Cross World Championship concluded in Soini in Finland on Friday. Local star Mirko Lahti won gold and became the Men's World Champion in the process. Veronika Windisch (AUT) is the Women's World Champion, with Linus Ollikainen (FIN) the Junior World Champion.
Spain has won their sixth Rugby Europe Women's Championship in a row, which concluded over the weekend. This has also been their 10th European title. In Six Nations and with two matches remaining, Ireland remain unbeaten standing five points clear on the table. New Zealand's men have further extended their lead on the overall standings of the HSBC World Rugby Sevens Series after beating Argentina by 22-12 in the final of the Los Angeles Sevens. They are now 21 points clear at the top with five rounds remaining. The next stop is Vancouver over the coming weekend.
Part of the UCI Women's WorldTour, Lotte Kopecky (BEL) claimed the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, a road cycling race in Belgium. The men's equivalent was won by Dylan van Baarle (NED). Over in the United Arab Emirates it was Remco Evenepoel (BEL) winning the UAE Tour, also part of the UCI WorldTour. In the only UCI ProSeries race of the week, Anthony Perez (FRA) won the Faun Drome Classic hosted in France. Jakarta opened the second season of the Tissot UCI Track Nations Cup. Full results can be found here: https://bit.ly/3IWBT1W
Ariana Sánchez Fallada and Paula Josemaría Martín claimed the Abu Dhabi Master 2023, part of the World Padel Tour. The men's final was claimed by Augustín Tapia and Arturo Coello Manso. Alvaro Bautista (ESP) completely dominated the opening round of the FIM Superbike World Championship in Phillip Island, Australia. Bautista won all three races over the weekend. Oulu in Finland was the final stop of the UIAA Ice Climbing European Cup. Virgile Devin (FRA) and Marianne van der Steen (NED) won Lead gold. Mississauga is a city right next to Toronto and was the focus of attention for the 2023 World Rowing Indoor Championships over the weekend. With over a hundred separate champions crowned, here are the full results: https://bit.ly/3Y3dxrB
Two FIS Alpine World Cup events took place last week. Sofia Goggia (ITA) won the Women's Downhill, while Super G was cancelled. Palisades Tahoe in California hosted the men's event. Marco Schwartz (AUT) won Giant Slalom, while Slalom was claimed by Alexander Steen Olsen (NOR). Winterberg hosted the final FIL Luge World Cup on artificial track for the season. Madeleine Egle (AUT) and Max Langenhan (GER) won the single seater titles. Selina Egle and Lara Michaela Kipp (AUT) won the Women's Doubles, while Tobias Wendl and Tobias Arlt (GER) continued their amazing run in the Men's Doubles. The Team Relay World Cup was won by Austria.
Mondo Duplantis, Sweden's sensational pole vaulter, cleared 6.22m to add one centimetre to his own world pole vault record at the All Star Perche in Clermont-Ferrand. Likina Amebaw (ETH) and Yann Schrub (FRA) won the Cross das Amendoeiras em Flor in Portugal, part of the 2023 World Athletics Cross Country Tour series. Amebaw defended her title, while Schrub became the first French winner of the competition. USA superstar and 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony has become a FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023 Global Ambassador.
Finally, Isle of Man have been bowled out for the lowest total in men's Twenty20 cricket history. Spain took 8.4 overs to dismiss their opponents for only 10 runs.
Until next time, have a great week in sport.