A round-up of today's other stories in brief
Cammas first home to Lorient
SAILING:Barely five days after departing Lisbon for the 2,000-mile penultimate stage of the Volvo Ocean Race, skipper Franck Cammas and the Groupama 4 team won the gale-lashed leg into their home-port of Lorient yesterday morning.
Earlier, Iker Martinez’ Spanish entry Telefonica recovered from a broken rudder and stormed back to the front of the fleet at an average speed of 27 knots.
However, as winds exceeded gale force in seas of five metres, the Spanish boat gybed pitch-poled and their replacement rudder then broke, forcing Martinez to slow and drop towards the back of the fleet.
Cammas opened up ground on the chasing pack steadily and booked a third leg win for the race that matches Telefonica’s record so far.
American Ken Read on Puma was beaten for second place in the leg by Chris Nicholson on Camper but still moves into second overall as the Spaniards slip towards falling from the podium for the whole race. Groupama now holds a 23-point lead.
– DAVID BRANIGAN
Puspure moves into Munich semi-finals
ROWING:Ireland's Sanita Puspure, in her first competitive race since she qualified for the Olympic Games, moved directly into today's semi-finals of the women's single scull at the World Cup regatta in Munich in Germany yesterday. The first two places were the crucial ones and Puspure held off Germany's Peggy Waleska to secure second behind the impressive winner, Fie Udby Erichsen of Denmark.
Ireland’s Claire Lambe did not make the A/B semi-finals of the lightweight single scull. She finished third in her heat and in her repechage, where second would have sufficed, she was outsprinted by Zsuzsanna Hajdu in the final 500 metres, and again finished third.
The Ireland Adaptive Four had a finished fifth in their repechage, but only four qualify for the A final.
Canoeing: Ireland’s Ciarán Heurteau and Eoin Rheinisch both qualified for the K1 semi-finals at the Canoe Slalom World Cup in Pau in France yesterday. Heurteau placed 13th in the heats and Rheinisch placed 32nd of the 40 qualifiers.
– LIAM GORMAN
Laudrup vows to keep on playing it the Swansea way
Michael Laudrup has vowed Swansea will continue to play their traditional passing game under his leadership.
The former Denmark international was yesterday named as successor to Brendan Rodgers, who joined Liverpool earlier this month, penning a two-year contract.
Laudrup, 47, won five Spanish league titles with Barcelona and Real Madrid in the early 1990s and the creative midfielder was one of the players of his generation.
He intends to continue a philosophy of slick play which helped keep the Welsh club up after what was their first taste of the Premier League.
"Everyone knows the style of football Swansea play and it suits my way of thinking," Laudrup said on the club's website, www.swanseacity.net.
“I have spoken to the chairman and I am very pleased to sign for Swansea City.
“It is going to be a new experience for me and I am really looking forward to it.
“I have spoken to many people about Swansea and watched a number of their games on DVD - with many more to watch.”
Thornton moves into contention in Saint-Omer open
GOLF:European Tour: Simon Thornton put himself into contention in the Saint-Omer Open with a two under par 69, second round.
The Co Down-based 35-year-old said his score, which leaves him four shots off the lead held by Korean Sihwan Kim after a wet and blustery second day, was testament to his touch around the greens.
Thornton’s compatriot Colm Moriarty impressed in the first round with a three under par 68, but signed for a 77 yesterday which leaves him in a tie for 45th place on four over.
Seniors: Adrian Morrow remained well in the hunt for the European seniors title in Achenseeto, Austria, yesterday being just one stroke off the pace after a two over par 73 to add to an opening 70.
Halle exit cuts short Nadal's preparations for Wimbledon
ATP Halle Open: Rafa Nadals preparations for Wimbledon were cut short when he was knocked out yesterday by defending champion Philipp Kohlschreiber, while Roger Federer was taken to three sets by Milos Raonic in their quarter-final.
Kohlschreiber triumphed 6-3 6-4, four days after Nadal won a record seventh French Open title at Roland Garros. It was the first time the German had beaten Nadal after eight previous defeats, although this was their first meeting on grass.
Federer was taken to the wire by big-serving Canadian Raonic, losing the first set before coming through 6-7 6-4 7-6. Raonic served 25 aces but that was not enough to halt the Swisss march into the last four where he will face Mikhail Youzhny, who beat Radek Stepanek 6-4 4-6 6-4.
Queen’s Tournament: Grigor Dimitrov wept with joy as he reached his first ATP Tour semi-final after beating ninth seed Kevin Anderson at the AEGON Championships.
Dimitrov withstood serves of up to 135mph from the big South African to record a 4-6 6-4 6-3 win at Queen’s this evening.
