Ten things to know from what happened in the world of sport. August 10-16, 2021. Gerd Müller, Motorsport, Horses, Fights without blows...
  1. Der Bomber der Nation. Gerd Müller (DEU) passed away, aged 75. He scored 365 goals in the Bundesliga, more than anyone else. He also holds the records for most braces, hat tricks and top scorer crowns (7), and for a while he was the player with most FIFA World Cup goals – he is third now, with 14. He won the 1974 World Cup, scoring the winning goal. In the 1971-72 Bundesliga season he scored a total of 40 goals. No one else had matched it until Robert Lewandowski (POL) this year.
  2. De Vryes World Electric Champion! Nyck de Vries (NED, Mercedes) won the first Formula E title as an FIA World Championship, with two wins in the 2020-21 season. Lucas Di Grassi (BRA, Audi ABT) and Norman Nato (FRA, Venturi) won the final races of the season at Tempelhof Airport, Berlin. In Belgium, Thierry Neuville and Martijn Wydaeghe (BEL, Hyundai) took a home win at the Ypres Rally Belgium, in what is their first win of the season. Sébastien Ogier and Julien Ingrassia (FRA, Toyota) were just 5h but comfortably lead. In IndyCar, Will Power (AUS) took his first win of the season, to become the 9th winner in 12 races. Championship leader Álex Palou (ESP, Ganassi) retired, allowing Patricio O’Ward (MEX, McLaren) to move closer.
  3. A winning gamble. Brad Binder (ZAF, KTM) took a fantastic win at the Austrian Motorcycling Grand Prix -KTM’s backyard-, as he decided not to pit for wet tires as the rain began to pour down, and he held on until the end. Valentino Rossi (ITA, Yamaha) took the same gamble and finished 8th, in an eventful week where he announced he will retire at the end of the season and where another Yamaha rider, Maverick Viñales (ESP), was suspended for sabotage after he tried to blow his engine the previous week, after his calls for the team to get him a new one. In Speedway GP, World Champion Bartosz Zmarzlik (POL) won his fourth race in the last 5 Grands Prix.
  4. Pedersen wins in London. Tokyo 2020 Olympic gold and silver medalist, Jesper Pedersen (SWE), extended his lead in the Longines Global Champions Tour after winning the London round. He also finished second in another 5 star event, behind Christian Ahlmann (DEU), who also won the Global Champions League event with Max Kühner (DEU), as the Shanghai Swans. In Horse racing, Frankie Dettori (ITA) won his 6th Prix Jacques Le Marois, now a joint-record. He repeated the win riding Palace Pier (ENG). 
  5. The fight without blows. Guillermo Rigondeaux (CUB) allowed his style to dictate the pace of his World Boxing Organization World Bantamweight Title against John Riel Casimero (FIL). This meant there were barely any punches landed throughout the fight, with estimates of less than 50 for each of them throughout the whole fight, a record for Compubox. Casimero got the Split Decision, probably because he tried to engage a bit more and landed a bit more punches.In the same card, the World Boxing Association Interim World Bantam Title fight between Gary Antonio Russell (USA) Emmanuel Rodríguez (PUR) lasted for a few second and was ruled a No-Contest after an accidental headbutt by Russell. In another card, this time Joshua Franco (USA) got a far win in a World Boxing Association World Super Fly Title rematch against Andrew Moloney (AUS), who was denied from the title last time due to a disputable No Contest.
  6. ‘Super’ Champions. UEFA Champions League winners Chelsea (ENG) had to go to the penalties to beat second-tier UEFA Europa League winners Villarreal (ESP) to win the UEFA Super Cup, by 1-1, in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Eight of the last ten Super Cups have been won by the Champions League winners.
  7. The Force. 72 year-old John Force extended his record for most NHRA event wins, reaching 154 with his Funny Car triumph in the Heartland Motorsports Park for the Menards NHRA Nationals. He had an extra reason to celebrate his 800th start -also a record- as his daughter Brittany won the Top Fuel class event.
  8. Down under, in México. Gilmore extended her record for most World Surfing League Women’s Tour (Shortboard) events by taking her 32nd win, this time in the WSL’s comeback to México, in Barra la Cruz, Oaxaca. It was an All-Aussie affair, as rookie Jack Robinson took his maiden win in the Men’s Division.
  9. Kyle Larson’s season. Larson (USA) has had a great year and this week was no exception. He first won a World of Outlaws Sprint Car feature race in Knoxville, en route to winning the 60th Knoxville Nationals, arguably the most prestigious sprint car race in the world. He then returned to his NASCAR Cup duties and finished 3rd at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Road Course, which helps him keep the lead in the series. This race was the first Cup victory by A.J. Allmendinger (USA), who is only racing road courses in the series this year.
  10. ‘Local’ win. The Rolex Fastnet Race, first held in 1925, changed its usual Isle of Wight – Plymouth (ENG) course to Isle of Wight – Cherbourg (FRA) and it turned out that Thomas Kneen (ENG) -who would watch the race as a child from Plymouth- was the first British Owner to win this sailing race since 2011. He sailed Sunrise.