Ten things to know from last week. August 9-15, 2022 included: the new Formula E Champion, Record-breaking Chess, Freestyle football, etc.
Five things to know from last week |
- Electric. Stoffel Vandoorne (BEL, Mercedes) won his first Formula E World Championship after finishing 5th and 2nd in the season finale in Seoul. Mitch Evans (NZL, Jaguar) and Edoardo Mortara (CHE, DS Techeetah) won each of the two races but they were only able to finish 2nd and 3rd in the standings. In motos, Tim Gajser (SVN) secured his fourth Motocross World Championship title in the main category even though he only finished 7th in both races at Lommel BEL), and with four doubleheaders to go. He has won 13 races so far in the season. Also in the dirt, Donny Schatz (USA) won the Sprint Car Knoxville Nationals for an 11th time, while in World Rallycross, Johan Kristoffersson (SWE) opened the season with another win, extending his record. In ATVs, Chad Wienen (USA) won a record-extending ninth AMA ATV Motocross Championship with a win and third place in the season Finale at Loretta Lynn’s in Tennessee, USA. With one race to go, Joel Hetrick (USA) was the leader with a 10 points advantage but a puncture in the first race ruined his chances even with a win in the second race.
- A chaotic playoff. Will Zalatoris (USA) won his first PGA tournament at the FedEx St. Jude Invitational in a chaotic fashion, as he almost put his shot in the water in the third playoff hole but it barely stayed in the rock wall next to the water hazard. Sepp Straka (AUT) did put it into the water and had to play from the back greenside bunker, while Zalatris opted for the drop zone, from where he shot it once more and then a putt to seal the win in the penultimate tournament of the season. In Europe, the DP World Tour and the LPGA and European Tours shared the course at the ISPS Handa World Invitational. Ewen Ferguson (SCO) won his second DP World Tour tournament while Maja Stark (SWE) secured an LPGA card with her women’s win.
- Record number of countries. The 44th Chess Olympiad featured a record number of countries both on the Open (188) and Women’s side (162). Uzbekistan won its first medal in the event by winning the Open tournament with eight wins and three draws as the only undefeated team in the tournament, beating Armenia-who they also defeated in the tournament- in the break-even, while Ukraine won their second Women’s tournament.
- Second Muay Thai tragedy. Muay Thai suffered a second death within a few weeks, as Petchkeng Kaiyanghadao (THA, née Kittichai Chaengkha) -a former Champion of the Toyota Marathon tournament- died after an injury sustained in a fight in Malaysia, three weeks after Panphet Phadungchai (THA, née Sarayut Klinming), a 2019 Amateur World Champion, also succumbed to injuries sustained in the ring in Thailand, prompting criticism regarding the ringside safety on the ring.
- Esports. Team BDS (CHE) and its all-French lineup are the new Rocket League World Champions after beating G2 Esports (DEU) in the RLCS Championship Final. In Norway, Trackmania had the Arctic Gaming Experience won by Thomas “Pac” Cole (ENG), while World Champion Carl-Antoni ”Carl Jr.” Cloutier ‘(CAN) finished third. Smash held its SmashCon, where Angel “Onin” Mireles (USA) -unknown to the Smash world last year- won in Ultimate beating Enrique “Maister” Hernández Solís (MEX). Wide favorite Leonardo “MkLeo” López Pérez (MEX) lost in quarterfinals but at least won the Doubles tournament alongside Pau “Sisqui” Caire (ESP). “Prince” (JPN) won the Smash 64 Combo Contest for a fourth year in a row with very creative tricks, including a kill with an inert character and multiple bounces with items. Joseph “Mango” Marquez (USA) won in Meelee, which he has dominated for years.
- The Vos. Marianne Vos (NED), perhaps the greatest women’s cyclist of all time, proved in the Tour de France Femmes that she is still in top form and can beat anyone, any day. The Tour of Scandinavia was another proof, as she won four out of six stages. The Tour was won by Danish National Champion and Tour de France Femmes stage winner, Cecilie Uttrup Ludwig. This came a few days after Vos was disqualified from the Postnord Vårgårda WestSweden because she had her forearms in the handlebars for a few seconds, right before she was about to receive the prize for winning the race for a second time.
- Freestyle football. Erlend Fagerli (NOR) won the Super Ball Freestyle Football World Championship for the fifth time in the last seven editions -more than anyone else-, which added to his three wins at the Red Bull Street Style making him the best of all time in this sport that has had global competitions since 2008. Aguska Mnich (POL) repeated her women’s title, winning for a record fourth time.
- Equestrian Worlds. Sanne Voets and Demantur RS2 N.O.P. (NED) won all three gold medals available in the Para Dressage Grade IV at the World Equestrian Championships, winning the Individual championship grade IV, the Individual freestyle grade IV, and the Team para-dressage, repeating the success from four years ago and adding to the sole gold medal she won in 2014 when the then Class III was first featured. She also has three gold medals in her class, making her the best ever in this category. Charlotte Fry and Glamourdale (ENG, GBR) won the two individual dressage golds with a stunning performance, while Denmark beat Great Britain for the team gold medal. Also impressive was Michèle George with Best of 8 (BEL) with her two gold medals in Grade V, and local Katrine Kristensen with Goerklintgaards Quater (DNK) with two upset gold medals over historic Lee Pearson (ENG). Henrik von Eckermann and King Edward (SWE) won an impressive gold medal as the only combo without penalty points. Sweden also won the gold in Team Jumping, with only four points between them. Sweden had never won a World gold in Jumping…
- Who is the home hero? Paola Longoria (MEX), the multiple Racquetball World Champion, hon her Paola Longoria Experience Tournament, an LPRT Grand Slam tournament at home in Aguascalientes México, extending her Grand Slam titles record. Some people were supporting her opponent, up-and coming Montserrat Mejía (MEX), who was her finals rival and beat her along her usual partner Alexandra Herrera (MEX), while Paola partnered her usual teammate, Samantha Salas (MEX).
- Joyride return. Whistler received the usual several competitions of the Crankworx World Tour, including the Red Bull Joyride -perhaps the foremost slopestyle Mountain Bike competiiton in the world-, after a three-year absence. Local legend, Brandon Semenuk (CAN), helped create the course that was best fominated by Emil Johansson (SWE), who has now won eight slopestyle Crankworx tournaments in a row. There were several competitions. Australia dominated the women’s Downhill with Tracey Hannah (AUS) taking the win while another Aussie, Troy Brosnan, won the men’s Downhill at Whistler for a sixth time. Tomas Lemoine (FRA) won the men’s Speed & Style and was 3rd in Slopestyle, where he was the first to go over a huge ramp and landing it. Jordy Scott (USA) won the women’s competition and she also finished 2nd in Dual Slalom -so she now leads the overall standings-, where local Vaea Verbeeck (CAN) beat her. Bernard Kerr (ENG) won the Men’s side. The Pump Track competitions were won by Caroline Buchanan (AUS) and Adrien Loren (FRA).