Sports round-up: 3 – 9 June

Welcome to our weekly bulletin ofBritishwomen’s sports results from around the globe.

Cycling:

It has been a smashingweek for double majesticgold medallist Laura Trott.

After lay inher OBE at Buckingham Palace on June 8, the 21 year-old won the IGcapital of the United KingdomNocturne in the closing hours of June 8.

Known as a formspecialist, Trott is spending 2013 on the road with new elitewomen’steamWiggle Honda. Thecapital of the United KingdomNocturne was the lowrace in Britain for the team, which launched in January with backing from Bradley Wiggins.

Trott won the race in a photo finish from Hannah Barnes of MG – MaxiFuel Pro Cycling. Fellow exceptionalgold medallist Dani King, who also rides for Wiggle Honda, came in third.

Unusually for the elite road racing calendar, the London Nocturne features some(prenominal)men’s and women’s races. And for erstwhilethe women’s race was the centre of attention due to the presence of Trott, business leaderand teammate Joanna Rowsell, competing together in London for the firstbeatsince the 2012 Games.

Before the race, Rowsell gave a statement of the team’s intent. “As long as one of us wins, it’s job done,” she told Road Cycling UK.

Mission accomplished.

Tennis:

Laura Robson and Heather Watson maynothave produced their best performances at the French Open, thoas the temperature increases, hopes ofBritishsummer tennis success are at onceagain rising.

British number one Robson, without a educatesince rendingfrom Zeljko Krajan last month, has announced that she is to begin working with Miles Maclagan, the former coach of Andy Murray.

Robson has not confirmed a long-term deal with Maclagan, with both preferring to test the water during the grass tourist courtseason out frontmaking a commitment. Maclagan, noted for his laid-back approach, forgetbe a marked contrast to the intensity of Krajan.

Wimbledon is lock awaybothweeks away, savethe warm up tournaments are underway. Five British women were in action this calendar weekat the AEGON Trophy, a second-tier way outin Nottingham.

Anne Keothavong, Elena Baltacha and Melanie South all fell at the first hurdle, and 20 year-old wildcard Tara Moore made it to the second round.

The best performance of the week came from Johanna Konta, also competing on a wildcard. The 23 year-old, ranked 166 in the world, made it to the quarter finals, where she fell 3-6 7-5 6-3 to Czech third sowKarolina Pliskova.

This week, while Andy Murray providehope to return from injury with a good performance at the Queen’s Club, the top cardinalBritish women leave alonebe in action at the AEGON classicat Edgbaston in Birmingham.

Robson and Watson, seeded 13th and 14th respectively, will be hoping for a strong performance to kick-start the grass court season.

Athletics:

For newlywed Jess Ennis-Hill, however, the summer season has not started as planned.

The Olympic heptathlon champion announced last month that she would compete in several individual events at the UK Women’s Athletic League alludein Edinburgh this week. However, an Achilles injury forced her to pull out of the event.

Ennis-Hill will next appear at the Diamond League in Oslo on June 13, as she builds up to the World Championships in Moscow in August.

For 800m runner Jenny Meadows, however, there will be no return this season. The 32 year-old, who missed London 2012 because of injury, has revealed that a problem with her left femur will continueher from competing before 2014.

The 2011 European indoor champion said she was “devastated”, but confident that she still had a future in the sport.

“I’min spadesnot done in this sport,” she said. “I’ve got unfinished business so there was no starting to think about hangup my spikes.”

Football:

Liverpool moved three points ahead at the top of the Women’s Super League table on June 4 with a 4-1 win all overEverton. Liverpool’s Nicole Rolser started the scoring in the 32nd minute, but Everton managed to equalise in the opening minutesof the second half.

However, Liverpool did not indulge their rivals for long, drawing aheadonce morewith goals from Louise Fors and Corina Schroder.

In the closing minutes Natasha Dowie scored her ninth goal of the season to sealing waxthe win for Liverpool.

Doncaster Rovers Belles and Lincoln Ladies, the freightertwo teams in the league, were futileto lift themselves up the table with a 0-0 draw, also on June 4.

Belles, bottom of the table, will not play in the WSL next season, having beenineffectualto persuade the league that they belong in an expanded line-up of teams.

Just two days later, Bristol Academy moved level with Liverpool at the top of the table, thanks to their 2-0 win over Birmingham City. Second-half goals from Natalia Pablos Sanchon and Natasha Harding ended City’s unbeaten run in this season’s league.

On June 6, defending championsarsenaledged ahead of Chelsea with a 2-1 win, but remain fifthin the table. However, the big story of the match was the substitution ofarsenalmidfielder Steph Houghton following a heavy fall in the seventh minute.

“I involutemy ankle and it’s feeling sore, but I’m hoping it’s nothing major,” said Houghton. “I’ll be getting a scan on Friday and our physio feels pretty overbearingabout it, so I’m looking on the bright officeand praying for a good outcome.”

Houghton’s outlook may be positive, but her injury casts doubt on her availability to play for England in Euro 2013.

Cricket:

The England women’s cricket team announced the appointment of Paul Shaw as doubtof performance.

Shaw, who has held several positions with the England and Wales Cricket Board, will step into his new characterthis week.

However, with a busy summer fast approaching, England are still looking for a head coach. Former coach chumpLane stepped down last month after a series of disappointing results for England.

Rugby:

Organisers of the Women’s ruggerLeague World Cup, which begins on July 5,  have released the schedule for the event.

Hosts England will first face Australia on the opening day at the Tetley’s bowlfulin Dewsbury. The final will take place on July 14 in Leeds.

 

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Materials taken from Womens Views on News