Surfing: The executive of the Irish Surfing Association (ISA) has agreed to call an extraordinary general meeting for June at which the executive will resolve not to proceed with Ireland's bid to host the World Surfing Games in 2004.
The decision was made during last weekend's National Championships. Debate over the bid has split the surfing fraternity, and the executive believe that it could be extremely damaging to the ISA in the long term to continue with the bid. ISA president Brian Britton has resigned over the issue, and a statement from the ISA executive and officials expressed their unanimous regret at his resignation.
Britton, however, made it clear in his resignation statement that the World Surfing Games were something he personally supported and championed.
Tennis: Ireland's tennis team should qualify for Group One Fed Cup play-offs in Antalya, Turkey this week, reports Pat Roche.
If current ITF rankings count for much Ireland look virtually certain to be one of the four pool winners which would be sufficient to advance. They open their bid against Latvia today and face Malta tomorrow. The main threat to Pete Lowther's team are fifth seeded Georgia on Thursday.
Kelly Liggan and Yvonne Doyle open today against Latvian 17year-old prospects Kathna Bandere and Liona Giberte.
Cycling: Olympian Tarja Owens recorded one of her best ever performances in mountainbike competition when she finished 35th in the second round of the Tissot UCI World Cup in Sarentino, Italy reports Shane Stokes.
Owens had looked set for a top 25 placing but was knocked from her bike by another competitor.
Fellow Olympian Robin Seymour was forced to drop out of the men's race after lying 54th of 160 starters. Seymour had a rear wheel puncture, then after using his sole spare tube, suffered a front flat. In the supporting Masters event for competitors over 30, Aidan McDonald finished fifth in the M2 class and ninth overall, while Rocky Mountain team rider Mark Kenny was a good 15th.
Meanwhile, Tommy Evans finished fourth on the second stage of the Tour of Correze.
Boxing: World heavyweight champion Hasim Rahman will fight Denmark's Brian Nielsen in August at Beijing, China, with the winner set for a unification showdown against Evander Holyfield or John Ruiz in Nigeria.
Don King, who signed the 28year-old American last week, confirmed the bouts yesterday after Rahman signed a deal guaranteeing his next two fights will be with King.
Rugby: The death has taken place suddenly of Charlie Verso, whose association with the Palmerston club (now De La Salle Palmerston) extended over 60 years. He was 77.
His death came just a a few hours after he had learned with great delight that DLSP had beaten Lansdowne in the AIB League last Saturday and thus maintained their first division status.
A fine scrumhalf and an extremely personable man, he represented Leinster at senior level, against Cardiff in 1947. He had joined the Palmerston club as a 17-year-old immediately after leaving school. He served the club with great dedication and commitment in the ensuing years in diverse capacities.
A former captain of the club, he twice served as president. He also represented Palmerston for three years on the executive committee of the Leinster Branch and acted as a Leinster selector at underage levels. He was also involved in the coaching of the youth section of the club. After retiring as a player he took up refereeing.
The news of his death was received with immense regret by the many friends he had in rugby and golf and sincere sympathy is extended to his wife Gaye, and sons Ken, Derek and Trevor.
