EQUESTRIAN SPORT: It's been an up and down year for Jessica Kürten but the Cullybackey-born rider is seeing 2007 out on a winning note after landing Saturday night's feature class at the five-star show in Geneva on Castle Forbes Libertina, writes Margie McLoone.
Only Lady Georgina Forbes's 11-year-old mare and the Ludger Beerbaum-partnered Couleur Rubin left all the fences intact in the first round of this 1.60m jump-off class hosted by the International Jumping Riders' Club, of which Kürten is a committee member. Against the clock, Germany's Beerbaum lowered one pole and second place went to Switzerland's Beat Mandli who recorded a faster time on Ideo Du Thot.
Germany-based Kürten had earlier won the 1.50m jump-off class on the Belgian Warmblood Castle Forbes Vivaldi VH Costerveld, on which she had placed fifth in Thursday's 1.40m Derby, while she was also in the placings over the weekend on the 10-year-old Selle Francais bay Jipey Dark.
Yesterday, Beerbaum got his revenge on Kürten in the FEI Grand Prix with the eight-year-old All Inclusive NRW. Eleven combinations made it through to the jump-off of this World Cup 1.60m event with the 44-year-old German taking top points when his mount stopped the clock on 38.40.
Kürten, on Castle Forbes Libertina, and the winner's sister-in-law Meredith Michaels-Beerbaum with Shutterfly, shared second spot when breaking the beam on 38.45.
As a mark of respect to the late Tracy O'Brien, killed in a road traffic accident on Thursday, the show jumpers' award ball, scheduled for Saturday night, has been postponed until February 2nd. Married to international show jumper Capt David O'Brien, her funeral takes place at noon today in St Anne's Church, Portmarnock.
SPORTS AWARD:Boxer Joe Calzaghe won the BBC TV Sports Personality of the Year Award last night. Calzaghe topped a phone vote by viewers, with Formula One star Lewis Hamilton second and boxer Ricky Hatton third.
The other awards presented included the team of the year to the England rugby team who lost in the final of the World Cup to South Africa. Former England manager Bobby Robson picked up a lifetime achievement award; coach of the year went to Enzo Calzaghe, father of boxer Joe, and tennis star Roger Federer won the overseas personality title.
The Helen Rollason Award for achievement in the face of adversity went to South African runner Oscar Pistorious. The Young Sports Personality of the Year Award went to diver Tom Daley.
CYCLING: Following David O'Loughlin's new national record and seventh place in Friday's individual pursuit at the track World Cup in Beijing, he and three other riders set a new national mark in the team pursuit on Saturday, writes Shane Stokes.
Although the Irish riders were back in 17th place in qualifying, the four minutes 15.011 seconds clocked beat the old four minute 21 second record . The quartet of Paul Healion, Martyn Irvine, Dermot Nally and O'Loughlin will take encouragement from that, while aware they will need to raise their game considerably in the next two World Cup races if they are to qualify for the Olympic Games team pursuit.
As expected, the Britain team came out best in the 4,000 metre event.
Meanwhile Brian Kenneally had mixed fortunes in the scratch race, also being held in the Olympic velodrome. He showed good form early on, placing fifth behind Alexander Aeschbach (Switzerland) in heat two. Former FBD Insurance Rás race leader Mike Friedman was second.
The American then went on to win the final, while Kenneally was listed as a non-finisher.
MOTOR SPORT: Nico Rosberg has agreed a new two-year contract with Formula One team Williams, ending speculation he could move to McLaren as a replacement for Fernando Alonso. A Williams spokesman confirmed Rosberg's new deal would run up to the end of 2009.
McLaren have yet to announce a replacement for double champion Alonso, who left last month and is expected to re-join Renault, as team mate to 22-year-old Briton Hamilton.
Former champions Williams finished fourth in the constructors' championship this year after McLaren were stripped of all their points for a spying controversy.
