Grassmarket

Has turned into a big story here in ! Opponents react! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11987195/Leading-British-ultra-marathon-runner-47-disqualified-race-using-CAR.html Cheat defends herself! https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11989925/I-massive-error-says-ultra-marathon-runner-disqualified-using-car.htmlhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11989925/I-massive-error-says-ultra-marathon-runner-disqualified-using-car.html

Well, this is an odd one. A top Scottish ultra-marathon runner has been disqualified from a race for using a car during part of the route. Joasia Zakrzewski finished third in the 2023 GB Ultras Manchester to Liverpool 50-mile race - but is thought to have travelled by car for 2.5 miles. The 47-year-old GP, from Dumfries, is understood to have been tracked on GPX mapping data covering a mile of the race in just one minute 40 seconds. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65314241https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-65314241

Hey, today’s stage of the Tour of the Alps ended at the Ritten Arena outdoor Speed Skating rink! Actually…..riders were not very happy with it, leaders narrowly escaped a big pile-up at the entrance from the main road. No Zambonis involved.

Yeah, but they do have the power to bankrupt international sports governing bodies with lawsuits. Which is why it’s already impossible to enforce proper doping bans, for example.

Government determined to destroy women’s sports. Part 2. Judge Bans US Powerlifting from operating in Minnesota because of their protection of women athletes. Ramsey County Judge Patrick Diamond Orders USA Powerlifting to cease operations in Minnesota - USA Powerlifting

Government determined to destroy women’s sports. Part 1. Pres Biden will veto any bill protecting women's sports from male athletes. https://mickhartley.typepad.com/blog/2023/04/not-protecting-womens-sport.html

Sure, it’s not uncommon for road 10k & marathon courses to miscalculate a changed corner or so, but 1500m in a 10K race is pretty extreme. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/65295443

Not the first person to make that mistake!

Phew Pidcock holds on for the Podium. Best result for since the Golden Age.

And with 28km to go, the inevitable happens……

Rainy day for our annual visit to the most famous Greek Restaurant in the . Ladies up first. And Debbie Vollering wins the coveted “Your body weight in cheap pils!” prize.

Lose to https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/tennis/65282128 OTOH, we might be playing next time. For all the Marbles.

This doesn’t seem wise. The Ukrainian government has barred its national sports teams from competing at international events which also include athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus. https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/04/15/ukraine-bans-national-sports-teams-participating-in-events-with-russians/

Certain amount of symmetry to the Day 1 results…. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/diving/65272655

Well-trodden path from speed skating to cycling of course, but not everyone does it this way. Romanian-Canadian Olympic speed skater Alexandra Ianculescu has taken her career in a different direction, joining OnlyFans to support her bid for an appearance at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Ianculescu competed at the 2018 Winter Olympics for Romania and has since set her sights on Paris 2024 as a cyclist with Canada - and has joined the platform mainly utilized by sex workers - though it is used for other purposes - to help fund her dreams. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/othersports/article-11960651/Olympian-Alexandra-Ianculescu-turns-OnlyFans-survive-help-achieve-Paris-2024-dreams.html#comments

Marking the traditional beginning of the British Summer Sports season, the Hallaton & Medbourne bottle*-kicking competition. There’s also a pie comes into it at some point. No gouging allowed. *In fact, it’s an old word meaning a barrel. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11960069/Villages-war-annual-bottle-kicking-battle-hundreds-turn-Easter-Monday-tradition.html

“How can I tell these bald old geezers they’re too old to play at this level anymore?”

That’s it - 9 3 after 8 & the Canadians offer the handshakes. Not much went right today. Aww, Hammy McMillan gets a big hug from his Dad , World Champ in 1999.

Mojos are definitely not working - 6 1 after five. Another Gushue overthrow. Much better skip stones for Gushue 6-3.

Early mistake from Gushue with an over-heavy draw gives a 4-0 advantage! Scots 2 & 3 continue to keep the pressure on, Gushue forced into a single and to give up the hammer 4-1.

Will be out for a few weeks under the new concussion protocols, I think.

Oooof. vdP millimetres from a close encounter with a big yellow lump of concrete.

Degenkolb appealing to the refs, I’m sure.

Just looked it up - 400m Final, World Champs 1993.

Derek Gee in one of the most spectacular equipment failures since 400m hurdler Quincy Watts’ shoes fell apart mid-race.