SPORTS DIGEST:MOTOR SPORT: Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher has cancelled plans for a temporary return to Formula One with Ferrari because of fitness concerns.
The 40-year-old was due to replace the injured Felipe Massa but with a neck injury sustained in a motorcycle accident earlier this year still causing him pain during testing, Ferrari have given the seat to experienced test driver Luca Badoer.
"I really tried everything to make that temporary comeback possible, however much to my regret it didn't work out," the German told his website (www.michael-schumacher.de).
"Unfortunately, we did not manage to get a grip on the pain in the neck which occurred after the private F1-day in Mugello (last week), even if medically or therapeutically we tried everything possible."
Schumacher had hoped to return for the Grand Prix on August 23rd while Massa continued his rehabilitation from a fractured skull.
Mortlock ruled out of Tri-Nations
RUGBY: Australia will be without captain Stirling Mortlock for the remainder of the Tri-Nations after it was confirmed he requires knee surgery.
Mortlock (32) tore the lateral cartilage in his left knee 30 minutes into the Wallabies’ 29-17 defeat to tournament front-runners South Africa last Saturday.
The ACT Brumbies centre will be sidelined for six weeks. Australia will also be without utility forward Peter Kimlin, who has a shoulder injury, for the remainder of the Tri-Nations.
RUGBY: An appeal hearing into the Harlequins fake injury case will be held in Glasgow on Monday, European Rugby Cup Ltd (ERC) have confirmed.
Winger Tom Williams has appealed against the severity of his 12-month suspension after being found guilty of fabricating a cut to his mouth during Quins’ Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leinster.
The ERC’s disciplinary officer Roger O’Connor has also lodged two appeals following the original disciplinary verdict.
ICAP Leopard first to reach Fastnet
SAILING: After a slow toil upwind, the leading boats reached the Fastnet Rock off west Cork yesterday though by sunset last night, fewer than 20 boats out of the 300-strong fleet had reached the lighthouse in the 608-mile race, reports David Branigan.
As expected, Mike Slade’s ICAP Leopard, the course record holder from 2007, reached the rock in the early hours of yesterday morning after more than 30 hours at sea.
However, the 100-footer was making slow progress to the finishing-line at Plymouth.
A clutch of Open 60-footers and similar sized competitors passed the Fastnet shortly after dawn while the first Irish competitor was 12 hours behind Leopard.
Mick Cotter’s 77-footer Whisper from Dun Laoghaire tacked to within a few miles of the Cork coastline before making a solitary rounding of the rock observed by a handful of small craft and a CNN television camera crew. Cotter’s team was faring well, especially against some of the more exotic racing boats.
Treacy's heroics remembered
ATHLETICS: Today being exactly 25 years since John Treacy (pictured) won his silver medal in the Olympic marathon in Los Angeles there is a fitting tribute going out on Waterford radio station WLR (10am).
“The Little Man With The Big Heart” traces Treacy’s career from his childhood running days around the fields of Villierstown up to his retirement in 1994.
There are several famous contributors to the one-hour documentary including Brendan Foster, Gerry Deegan, Tom O’Riordan, Jimmy Magee, Sonia O’Sullivan and Treacy himself.
Murray returns to winning ways
TENNIS: Andy Murray cruised to a 6-4, 6-2 win over Jeremy Chardy in the second round of the Rogers Cup in Montreal yesterday in his first match since losing to Andy Roddick in the Wimbledon semi-finals.
The world number three wrapped up victory in his first meeting with the Frenchman in one hour 34 minutes to set up a third-round match with Juan Carlos Ferrero or Gael Monfils.
Service breaks in the opening games of each set paved the way for the Scot, who could move up to second in the rankings, ahead of Raphael Nadal, if the Spaniard loses today and Murray makes the last four.
Murray did not have it all his own way as he faced, and saved, 10 break points – but crucially always looked in control on the key points. He is hoping for an extended run in Montreal as he steps up his preparations for the US Open.
