Verstappen's record-breaking season, a video game move, and actual video games in competition, etc.
- Winningest season. Max Verstappen (NED, Red Bull) frustrated the plans his teammate Sergio Pérez’s (MEX) plan to win the Mexican Grand Prix, by taking a dominant win at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez, ahead of Lewis Hamilton (ENG, Mercedes) and Pérez. This was the 14th win of the season, a record in Formula 1. Another driver that clinched a dominant season was Shane van Gisbergen (NZL), who won both races in Surfer’s Paradise, after also winning the Bathurst 1000. This was his 21st win of the Eason, another record in a single season, He clinched the Championship. In Spain, the Circuit Paul Ricard hosted the largest edition of the FIA World Motorsport Games. Italy topped the medal table with three gold medals and a silver, ahead of Frances’s 3 sole golds. In the desert, Štefan Svitko (SVK, KTM) won the Africa Eco Race in motos and in general, and Philippe Gosselin/Christophe Crespo (FRA, Optimus MD) won in cars.
- A video game move. So much motorsport! In the US, NASCAR defined its four drivers that will contend for the Championship in Phoenix. The fourth driver through was Ross CHastain (USA), who pulled a video game move by riding the outside wall of the Martinsville oval, passing five cars on the last lap. Other drivers that clinched the Championship include Erica Enders (USA) -who won her fifth NHRA Pro Stock championship by taking the win in Las Vegas, her tenth win in the season, and Johan Kristoffersson (SWE) secured his fifth World Rallycross Championship in a row -the first in the electric era-, after winning the second race in Spain.
- Actual video games. Tundra Esports (ENG) won the DOTA 2’s largest tournament, The International, beating Team Secret (EUR) 3-0 in the final in Singapore, and won over 8 million USD in the process. They are the ninth winner in ten editions of the tournament. This weekend also featured the final rounds of the Age of Empires’ Red Bull Wololo. The highly competitive tournament in Age of Empires II saw Roberto “TaToH” Jiménez (ESP), beating Kai “Liereyy” Kallinger (AUT), who had beaten Ørjan “TheViper” Larsen (NOR). Alexis “MarineLorD” Eusebio (FRA) won in Age of Empires IV, and Nguyễn “Chim Sẻ Đi Nắng” Bình won the all-Vietnamese Age of Empires I tournament.
- Triathlon and Triathle. The Ironman 70.3 World Championships saw Olympic Triathlon Champion Kristian Blummenfelt (NOR) win the men’s division after a third place in the full distance event a few weeks ago. Another Olympian, Taylor Knibb (USA), won the Women’s division. Super League Triathlon concluded its season in Neom, Saudi Arabia, Hayden Wilde (NZL) won the Championship, while Matt Hauser (AUS) won the race. Georgia Taylor-Brown (ENG) won the women’s race and Championship. Triathle -which combines swimming, shooting and running- also held its World Championships sanctioned by the UIPM. Ieva Serapinaite (LTU), a world-class Modern Pentathlete, won the women’s Triathle, and Lea Fernandez (FRA) won the Women’s Biathle (swin and run). Ayan Beisenbayev (KAZ) won both competition in the men’s division.
- Another Finale. LIV Golf concluded its maiden season with the Team Finale in Miami. 4 Aces won the first Team Championship, with US Americans Dustin Johnson, Talor Gooch, Patrick Reed and Pat Perez. Johnson had already clinched the individual title. In the PGA, Seamus Power (IRL) won the Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
- Basque Pelota. The Mexican Frontenis team keeps dominating at the World Championship. They have won every single gold medal at the tournament since its first appearance in 1990, meaning they have been the Champion team for 32 years. Within these timeframe, Paulina Castillo has been World Champion since 2002, and has also been World Champion in Pelota Goma, and multiple World Cup Champion. Spain topped the medals table at the Basque Pelota World Championships in Biarritz, with 9 gold medals, ahead of France’s 5, Mexico’s 3 and Argentina’s 1. France won the individual and pairs Trinquet main nue , Spain and the United States pulled the upset and sent Mexico to bronze in Men’s Frontenis for the first time, Spain took the first gold in Men’s Frontball, and Mexico won the first gold in Women’s Frontball, as well as the first ever gold in 36 meters main nue, with David Álvarez beating professional Retegi (ESP).
- World Skate Games. Yi-Fan Chen (TWN) won a record-extending sixth World Title in Men’s Inline Artistic Skating, by taking gold at the 2022 World Skate Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. There were other standout performances at the start of the Games, including the seventh consecutive gold medal in Senior Pair Artistic Roller Skating by Rebecca Tarlazzi and Luca Lucaroni (ITA), who scored a highest of all time score of 242.35 points
- Undisputed Taylor. Katie Taylor (IRL) continues to extend her legacy as one of the best female boxers ever, with another defense of her fully unified Lightweight world title, against Karen Elizabeth Carabajal (ARG), at Arena Wembley in London. It was not the only women’s world title fight. An Argentinian won, as Clara Lescurat beat Naylea Gil Sanabia (MEX) for the WBA World Super Fly title. Also a Mexican had the edge off an Argentinian, as Arely Abigail Muciño (MEX) beat Leonela Paola Yúdica (ARG) in Argentina for the Women’s International Boxing Federation Women’s World Flyweight Title. It was a good fight.
