Sports

CNS): Teenage players from a long standing professional football club in Honduras will be sending a team to face the best the Cayman has to offer in two matches showcase matches this weekend. Officials from the West Bay Sports Foundation said they will be hosting the Under 15 youth football team from Club Social y Deportivo (CD Vida) based in La Ceiba, Honduras, on Saturday, October 20 and Sunday, October 21 in its efforts to improve youth football in the Cayman Islands. The Honduran teenagers will be pitted against a West Bay Select team and then Cayman’s Under 15 champions Academy SC.

(CUC-PFL): In almost perfect weather conditions, Sir John A Cumber Primary triumphed at the re-scheduled 2012/2013 CUC Primary Football League (PFL) Opening Rally this past Saturday at the hallowed T.E. McField Sports Complex (Annex Field) in George Town. Reaching their second final in consecutive years, the boys from the west claimed the first silverware of the young season by defeating Cayman Prep 3-2 in a dramatic penalty shootout. The final was a hard-fought encounter with most of the play taking place in midfield. Both defences were called into action many times throughout the game and each stood strong, repelling their opponents attacking forays with pinpoint tackles end excellent goalkeeping.

(CNS): Cayman’s footballing boss and CONCACAF president Jeffrey Webb has been hospitalized in London after falling ill on his way to the UK to speak at a conference, the sports news organisation ESPN has reported. Webb was due to speak at the Leaders in Football event at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea’s football ground in the British capital but the 48-year-old man was taken ill on his flight. Leaders in Football host David Davies told the opening session on Wednesday that the 48-year-old was unable to attend as he was unwell. Details of Webb's condition have not yet been revealed.

(CNS):  Some of the Cayman Islands Watercraft Association riders were given a warm welcome at Owen Roberts International Airport Monday night when they returned back home after a week-long competition participating in the Ijsba World Finals in Lake Havasu, Arizona. The crown came out to welcome Vanjae "VJ" Ramgeet, Jordan “JJ” McLean and Gary “GJ” Whittaker and their World Finals, support group after a very successful finals for Team Cayman. Roshad Goff the Cayman Islands Watercraft Association Expert Class Champion won the coveted world title in his division to win 1st overall Title in the Amateur Stock Class and 4th place in the Pro Stock Division.

(CNS): Local martial aarts expert Bob Daigle has been appointed the director of the World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts (WCMM) for the Caribbean. He will be managing the region's headquarters out of offices in the Cayman Islands. Daigle’s duties include appointments of WCMMA Directors for the 28 Island Nations that make up the Caribbean, helping them develop national World Cup teams, helping them prepare for competition, and also organizing WCMMA events themselves within the different countries of the Caribbean. "I met Bob at the inaugural WCMMA event on September 15th where we had a chance to chat, I'm thoroughly impressed with his work ethic, and his vision for growing the Nation vs Nation concept of the sports,” said WCMMA Commissioner Dan Severn in a release regarding Daigle’s appointment.

CUC- PFL): Torrential downpours, lightning and a flooded field hampered the completion of the 2012/2013 CUC PFL Opening Rally at the weekend. Although organisers were able to get through the first round games, play in the quarter finals had to be abandoned because of the severe weather conditions. The quarter finals, semi finals, third-placed game, final and trophy presentation have been rescheduled for Saturday, October 13 at 9am at the T.E McField Sports Complex (Annex Field) in George Town. With the first round games complete, the quarter finals see Cayman Prepup against NorthEast Schools, Red Bay  tackling St. Ignatius, 2011 runners-up Sir John A. Cumber facing Cayman International School and defending champions George Town squaring off against Grace Academy.

(CNS): The Cayman Islands will welcome 130 delegates from 32 countries from across the Caribbean and Central America later this month for executive and specialist meetings of the regional Olympic committees. The Central American and Caribbean Sports Organization (CACSO) and the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) will both have Executive Committee meetings, General Assemblies and other associated gatherings. Hosted by the Cayman Islands Olympic Committee (CIOC), government is the major sponsor via the ministry responsible for sports. The CIOC described the event as “an excellent example of the CIG and the CIOC working together for the benefit of sports.”

(CRFU): As the CRFU summer mixed touch rugby league, one of the most popular sporting leagues in the Cayman Islands, wound down, the 9th annual AR Scott 10s tournament kicked off on 1 September much to the joy of those Cayman Rugby members who have not enjoyed the sight of local full contact rugby since the John Gibson Hangover match which featured rugby great Shane Williams in June of this year. With the DHL Cayman Storm on tour in Jamaica only 3 teams took the field, the Krys Global Buccaneers, the John Doak Architecture Iguanas and the Queensgate Pigs Trotters. (Photos Caroline Deegan)

(CNS): One local student will be given a scholarship  to attend a local martial arts course after the first of what organisers hope will be seventeen corporate sponsors stepped up to the plate recently. The youngsters who will be chosen for the scholarships for the Purple Dragon Martial Arts programme come from all walks of life, some with mental, behavioural or physical challenges, some victims of broken or disadvantaged homes and some who would love to be a part of the dojo, but simply can’t afford to. The cost per student is $1,500 per year which includes tuition, full uniform, safety gear and “belt grading”, promotion through the ranks.

(CNS): George Town Primary schools’ football stars will be aiming to defend last year’s Opening Rally title as the 2012/2013 CUC Primary Football League season kicks-off this coming Saturday. The season’s opener takes place at the T.E. McField Sports Field at 9:00 am when the primary teams will compete for the first game title. It was only a year ago that George Town Primary edged Sir John A. Cumber Primary 1-0 in an exciting encounter to claim the Opening Rally, which marked the first of two titles for the boys from the capital, says Neil Murray from CUC the sponsors of the league.

CNS): The first-ever training course for Primary Football League for coaches, parents and volunteers took place recently as a first step on the road to re-launching the local grassroots football programme.  Jeffrey Webb, President of CIFA and the regional boss for the international footballing body FIFA said improving grass roots football was one of the main goals of the association. The course was sponsored CUC who also sponsor the Primary Football League. With the success of the course and the assistance of various associations, the PFL Committee now has plans for a referee and a first-aid course as they strive to improve youth football on and off the field.

(CISA): The 2012 J/22 World Championships took place this year in Crouesty Arzon Yacht Club in Brittany, France, from June 26-29 2012 and the Cayman team just missed out of the medals by finishing an impressive 4th place out of 24 boats. The Cayman Islands were represented by the team of Mike Farrington, Matt Diaz and Tomeaka McTaggart. With conditions ranging from wet and windy to light and fickle, the team’s abilities were tested for all weathers. After a relatively slow start and a few cancelled races due to lack of wind, Team ‘Just Leaving’ got a better understanding of the tidal waters and finished 2nd and 4th on day two of racing.

(CNS): He may not have won but Charles Whittaker certainly went down swinging, having put on an inspired performance against Philadelphia native Gabriel Rosado last night at the Sands Resort Casino in Bethlehem, PA. Whittaker took the opening round with his jab and movement, controlling the distance and picking his shots carefully. Rosado stepped on the gas in the second, showing more confidence against Whittaker's calm offensive to make a close round. The fight really started to heat up in the fourth, with the young contender cutting off the ring and slipping Whittaker’s jabs to land right hands. The cayman contender kept on the defensive looking to land at long range and hook his way off the ropes.

(RingTV): In an industry as unforgiving as boxing, one can still find plenty of nice people. Fringe junior middleweight contender Charles Whittaker and Main Events promoter Kathy Duva are two such folks. Unfortunately, outside of the ring, Whittaker might be a little too nice for his own good. The 38-year-old native of the Cayman Islands has taken the scenic route to finally being a step away from a major title shot, as he faces Duva’s charge Gabriel Rosado in the main event of NBC Sports Fight Night this Friday. For a fighter who has suffered a dozen losses, and fights in gyms in the Philippines and nightclubs in Delaware, an IBF title eliminator on national television would seem to be the jackpot. In financial terms though, that’s not the case.

CRFU): The fall of the first leaf from the tree, the migration of birds to warmer climes and the nights closing in are all signs that summer is coming to an end. Here in Cayman the end of summer can also be marked by the bonanza that is the Finals Day of the Summer Touch Rugby League. Hotter and sweatier than Lucifer’s armpit in a Hades heatwave, twenty-six teams turned out for the grand finals at the South Sound Rugby Ground in what has been one of the best touch rugby seasons ever. This summer has been a spectacular of sporting achievements and the Olympic Spirit of citius, altius, fortius was alive and well as players put their body, mind and soul into their team’s efforts.