Category Archives: Sports

Rally keeps racing buffs on their toes

Sports

Mysore:
Hundreds of bike and car enthusiasts on Sunday morning flocked to Roost Hotel off in Mysore-Hunsur Road to witness Rally de Mysore, a time speed-and-distance (TSD) motorsport rally.

SP R Dileep flagged off the rally, organized by Kodava Samaja Cultural and Sports Club (KSCS), amid fanfare, excitement and, of course, revving engines. Fifty-four teams on 40 cars and 14 motorbikes took part in the TSD rally spread over 10 hours. The 140-km rally covered Bilikere, KR Nagar and other places on the outskirts of Mysore. Besides 15 teams from Mysore, there were those from Coimbatore, Erode, and Bangalore too.

The revving of engines an hour before the commencement of the rally set the mood, while the spectators enjoyed watching customized cars, jeeps and bikes warming up for the big day. Each team had a rider/ driver and a navigator.

Speaking about the rally, organizer B Rathan Ponnappa said it comprised three classes in four-wheeler category — professional and novice classes and general category in bike class. “It’s a first-of-its kind of rally aimed at providing a platform for amateur racing youths,” he added.

Twenty-year-old S S B Arjun, who took part in the bike category, was all charged up for Rally de Mysore in the wee hours itself. He has participated in five rallies elsewhere, but was thrilled to take part in the first-ever rally of Mysore. “The roads and landscapes on the city’s outskirts are perfect for rally,” he opined.

Another participant, A Nagarjun, said the craze for wheels in on the rise among the city’s youths.

“This is an opportunity to test their capabilities, skills and to learn from noted racers. Instead of doing wheeling and speeding on public roads, race enthusiasts should participate in such events,” said the 23-year-old final year engineering student. Noted racers Satish Gopal Krishnan, Karthik Maruthi, Johnson and others took part in the rally.

Lohith Urs, international rally expert and in charge of the event, said TSD is a type of motor rally usually conducted on public roads, but at times, the track includes off-road too. “The main aspect of TSD rallies is to maintain precise time, average speeds on various segments on pre-defined rally route,” he said, adding: “Mysore is a hub for racers and rally buffs. This kind of rallies nurtures the basic skills of young aspirants.”

“TSD rally is not about speed, but it’s about timing, so navigator plays a vital role in this rally,” said Urs.

source: http://www.timesofindia.indiatimes.com / Home> City> Mysore / by Pavan M.V. / TNN / April 02nd, 2012

National – level ‘Rally De Mysore’ on Apr.1

Sports


Caption: Kodava Samaja Cultural & Sports Club President M.M. Karumbaiah addressing a press meet at Patrakartara Bhavan this morning. Others seen are (from left) ace racer Lohit Urs, Club Treasurer P. Raja Poovaiah, Vice-President M.M. Kuttappa and Hon. Secretary B. Rathan Ponnappa.

Mysore, Mar. 28
Rally De Mysore, a national level bikes and cars rally, will be held in city on Apr. 1, under the joint auspices of Kodava Samaja Cultural & Sports Club (KSC&SC), Mysore and Indian Motor Sports Club (IMSC).

Mysore’s ace racer Lohit Urs, who is in-charge of the rally, provided details about the rally at a press conference held at the Patrakartara Bhavan today.

The event is run in accordance with Federation of Motor Sports Clubs of India (FMSCI) which is the governing body for Motor-sports in India.

The event will start from The Roost hotel on Hunsur Road in Mysore at 9 am on Sunday (Apr. 1) and conclude in the same place by 6 pm, said KSC&SC President Mechanda M. Karumbaiah, adding that Police Superintendent R. Dilip will flag off the rally.

City Police Commissioner K.L. Sudheer will give away prizes during the valedictory function to be held at the same venue in the evening.

The rally will cover a distance of 140 km around Mysore and pass through interior roads near Yelwal, Bilikere, K.R. Nagar and Hunsur. The main sponsors are Graviti 9.

The rally is run on Time Speed Distance (TSD) format. In this event, the main focus is on navigation rather than speed. The competitors are given the route map and the speed at which they should cover the distance.

source: http://www.StarofMysore.com / General News / March 28th, 2012

Team Coorg for UTSC Gulf Cup in Dubai

Nri's / Pio's, Sports

Muscat:
Team Coorg Muscat will take part in the forthcoming United Thallasery Sports Club-organised UTSC Gulf Cup hockey tournament to be held in Dubai on March 30.
The regional hockey tournament have seen representation from GCC states like Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait and the UAE and this time around it is expected to bigger.

Team Coorg Muscat, who were the runners-up last year, are full of confidence to finish on top this time around, and team manager Kuttapa thanked the UTSC for inviting them again.

“We are a well-knit team and we are looking forward to win the title this time,” said Kuttapa.

Team Coorg have been involved in promotion of hockey in various levels among the expatriates and the group has also won appreciation from the hockey-loving citizens of Oman for providing them the opportunity to play the game round the year.
Former national coach of India and Oman will lead a strong Team Coorg this time as player-cum-coach, but missing from the line-up will be their senior playing member Devayya.

source: http://www.main.omanobserver.com / Oman Daily Observer / Tuesday, March 27th, 2012

The inspiration behind the team is the hockey veteran S A S Naqvi.

Storming the male bastion

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Records, All, Sports


Amidst 22 rugged, sweaty and volatile men, a lone woman stands tall, not much in height, but solid in stature.

The soft-spoken and bubbly Pachimanda Shivappa Anupama is transformed into a tough, assertive ‘whistle blower’ when she dons the role of an umpire on the hockey turf.

Taking a path seldom travelled by women, some eight years ago, Anupama became the first woman hockey umpire from Karnataka and from then on she has carried on, without as much as a second thought.

Though fully realising that the job isn’t lucrative, Anupama has stuck to her task due to sheer passion and dedication.

Although she’s missed out on a London call for the Summer Olympics, she’s not disheartened. Even as she gears up for the four-nation women’s tournament in New Zealand next month, Anupama admitted officiating in the Olympics remains her long cherished dream, which she is confident of achieving sooner than later.

“The fact that I’m not going to be in London for the Olympics hurts, but that does not mean I’m sitting and sulking, instead I’m working harder to get to my dream destination, which is the quadrennial extravaganza,” asserted the 30-year-old Kodava lass.

Surviving in a stream, which is pre-dominantly a men’s arena, Anupama, over the years, has earned respect and appreciation from players and officials for her unstinted efforts.

Ask her if she is intimidated by male players while officiating, and the answer is a vehement, “No! Once I’m on the turf it does not matter to me whether I’m covering a men’s or a women’s match. I’m there to do my job and I do it sincerely.

Although men’s matches do tend to get violent, thankfully, I haven’t officiated such matches,” said Anupama who is also the only women’s hockey umpire from the country to have officiated in more than 50 international tournaments.

A couple of years ago, when Anupama, who was struggling to hold a job, settled down as a housewife, many thought she would bid adieu to her dreams. But the spunky woman proved such thoughts were ill-founded.

“I’m blessed to have a family which is very co-operative. Before marriage, my parents supported me, and now I have the unconditional backing of my husband Mandanna Mundanda, so there is no question of quitting. When I quit, I have to be an Olympian (umpire) and I won’t settle for anything less,” signed off Anupama.

Way to go girl!

source: http://www.DeccanChronicle.com / Home> Tabloid> Bengaluru/ Dc / March 22nd, 2012

I am taking one match at a time, says Robin Uthappa

Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports

I am taking one match at a time: Uthappa
Mumbai:
Comeback man Robin Uthappa believes he has learned a lot during his absence from the Indian team`s ranks and said that he was not looking too far ahead in his on-off international career.

“I enjoy playing cricket. It feels good to be back in the side after the one-off game against England in October, to be back in the midst of things. I am taking it one game at a time. It`s a great opportunity and am looking forward to it,” said the 26-year-old hard-hitting batsman about his recall to the national team led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Uthappa is the only change in the Asia Cup squad led by Dhoni at Dhaka in place of Sachin Tendulkar for the one-off T20 International against South Africa to be played at Johannesburg on March 30.

“It`s a one-way journey where you learn a lot along the way. I certainly have had a lot of learning, am looking forward to playing international cricket again,” said the batsman who has kept wickets in junior cricket.

“It requires a lot of hard work (to make a comeback). You need to learn and understand about yourself a little more. Need to know what works for you and trust your instinct and routine so much more, back yourself so much more,” he said.

“I was a very raw player when I played initially for the country (in 2006 when he made his ODI debut against England at Indore). Domestic cricket has been a big boon for me. Even IPL has been great, a place where I have learnt a lot about myself, what works for me as an individual, as a batsman as an athlete. That has been the learning for me over the last three years,” he added.

Uthappa, here to lead Karnataka in the domestic T20 championship for the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, said he had learned a lot about batting from the retired Rahul Dravid, with whom he had shared the dressing room a lot when playing Ranji Trophy.

“It`s a void not many people can fill. Rahul was an institution … his dedication, hard work, the way he played, the way he handled himself, the kind of cricketer he was. As a person who has watched him from close quarters … I played with him from a very young age 17 or 18 and played more with him in the last 8-9 years … watching him in itself is a learning.”

“We have played lot of Ranji Trophy cricket together over the last 4-5 years. I had so much to learn from him during that time and having his inoputs and having him around with us was a big plus. We certainly are going to miss him a lot. I learned more about batting from him.”

Effusive in praise of another senior batsman Sachin Tendulkar, Uthappa said no one barring the maestro could have achieved the landmark of 100 international centuries.

“If one man could do it, it could be only him. I don`t think there will be another person who will achieve that milestone. `Paaji` obviously has etched himself in the history books in many ways. This is another record he has created. To me he does not break records, just creates them nowadays.”

He also wished Yuvraj Singh, his Pune Warriors teammate and captain, a speedy recovery from his illness.

“I would like Yuvi to come back in the best of health. Besides playing cricket there are other things that are more important in life. At the end of the day this is just a game, but his health is more important. I wish him a speedy recovery. Just to be back in top health would be priority.”

“To me as a friend, as a colleague and as someone who has played with him…to see him come out of that ailment hale and hearty, to have him alive and kicking … would be more than anything else.”

Yuvraj has undergone chemotherapy for a rare germ cell cancer in the USA.
 
(Agencies)
source: http://www.post.jagran.com / Home> Sports News / March 22nd, 2012

Percept Talent on a spree of signing talents, hires Pooja Batra & Payal Rohatgi

Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Famous Personalities of Kodagu / Coorg, Sports, Uncategorized


Percept Talent – The celebrity management division of Percept Limited has recently signed talents from various genres ranging from Bollywood to Wrestling to Squash. The newly signed talents are Pooja Batra – renowned Bollywood actress & former Miss India Asia-Pacific, Sangram Singh – India’s only Professional Wrestler having represented India in multiple fights, Joshna Chinappa – India’s leading squash player and Payal Rohatgi of the latest reality show – Survivor India fame. The tenure of the contact was signed.

Speaking about the newly signed talents, Joji George, CEO, Percept Sports & Entertainment said, “We are extremely pleased to have these names associated with us. We at Percept Talent will help provide assistance to our talents in flourishing in their respective career graphs. We welcome them on board and hope for a long fruitful association.”

Pooja Batra : At a young age, she started modeling as a part-time job. She was best known for her Liril soap commercial. She was the first Indian face to launch and be a spokesperson for Head and Shoulders in India. As a model she has participated in over 250 events and ad campaigns. She shot to fame when she was crowned Miss India Asia-Pacific in 1993. She has played the lead role in over 20 films. The first film she signed was Virasat in 1997. She worked in over 22 films including Haseena Maan Jayegi, Dil Ne Phir Yaad Kiya and Kahin Pyaar Na Ho Jaaye. After shifting her base to Los Angeles for over 5 years now, Pooja plans to re-initiate her presence in Indian entertainment market. After a series of discussions; Pooja has signed exclusively with Percept Talent to manage her endorsement, television content creation, appearances and performances in India.

Sangram Singh : A Professional Wrestler from India and a Gold Medallist in the Commonwealth Wrestling Championship held in South Africa; Sangram Singh came to spotlight after his stint at latest reality show Survivor India. Sangram is a true showcase of what determination can enable one to do; as he was wheel-chair ridden for around a decade post which his grit and determination took him to this stage where he is among the world’s most well known professional wrestlers. After evaluating multiple talent management organizations, he chose to sign exclusively with Percept talent as he was convinced that PTM could add significant value in his overall career growth.

Joshna Chinappa : Joshna is one of the leading squash players of India and was the first Indian player to have won the British Squash Championship in 2003. Joshna is the face of leading brands like Nike, Gold Gym, the 3c company etc and is a perfect mix of athletic composure and earthy model like looks. Joshna’s international ranking has always been high and is expected to reach below 20 in a 2-3 year horizon – a feat never achieved by any Indian. Her association with Percept Talent was established when Percept Talent signed the 3c deal with her earlier this year. After evaluating the planning and the professional handling of her work, she was visibly happy to associate herself with Percept as an exclusive talent.

Payal Rohatgi: Actress Payal Rohatgi who has recently featured in the latest high TRP garnering reality show, Survivor India; signed exclusively with Percept talent. She had shown interest in Percept Talent due to her prior association with the company.

Percept Talent’s immense knowledge, understanding and in-depth perceptive will certainly assist these talents in representing the brand values to a wide set of audiences.

source: http://www.MediaNewsLine.com / by Swati Arya / Thursday, March 22nd, 2012

Gurbaj to lead

Sports

Midfielder Gurbaj Singh will lead the Indian hockey team in a tri-nation tournament, involving host Pakistan and Malaysia, to be held in Lahore from April 9 to 13.

The team: Goalkeepers: P.T. Rao, Nanak Singh; Defenders: Rupinderpal Singh, Harbir Singh, Amit Rohidas; Midfielders: Gurbaj Singh (captain), Manpreet Singh (vice-captain), Kothajit Singh, Gurmail Singh; M.B. Aiyappa, S.K. Uthappa, Dharamvir Singh, Nithin Thimmaiah; Forwards: Chinglinsana Singh, Akashdeep Singh, Pradhan Somanna, P.L. Thimmanna, M.G. Poonacha; Standbys: Rahul Shilpkar (defender), Stanley Victor Minz, Rocky Lochab (midfielders), Mandeep Singh (forward); Officials: Mohammad Riaz (coach), B.J. Kariappa (coach).

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Sport / New Delhi, March 20th, 2012

‘Sports has not been encouraged’

Sports

Research is vital in every field. Research should be carried out in the field of sports to get evolve new things, said Veteran sports journalist M A Ponnappa.

Speaking at a seminar on sports organised by Mangalore University, department of physical education and Virajpet Kaveri College, he said dependence on foreigners in Indian sports arena is not a good development. He said quality education is essential for the trainers.

“We have failed in identifying the talents. Sports has not received enough encouragement,” he added. Ponnappa was honoured by handing over Kodava peta and Odi Kathi. Kaveri Educational Institutions Director Swathi Bopanna, College principal Dr S Poovamma and others were present. The seminar was attended by 126 delegates.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Virajpet, DHNS / March 20th, 2012

Quad biking catches up

Sports

Kodagu welcomes travellers with its lush green coffee estates, with the smell of fresh berries wafting in the air, often bewitches visitors with its serene beauty.

Water gushes out here and there, sometimes a small stream, sometimes a flow that can severe ties of a particular civilisation with rest of the world.

Now, the district can boast of becoming a paradise for adventure enthusiasts as an entrepreneur has introduced quad biking in the natural terrains of coffee estates.

The quad bikes are vehicles with four wheels and powered by a 250cc engine. Adventure enthusiasts can take a ride at Juegos, located near Kedakal village in Suntikoppa on the Mysore-Madikeri state highway.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Juegos proprietor Cariappa K C said enthusiasts can ride the quad bikes on a two-and-half kilometre natural terrain inside their estate, where they grow coffee, pepper, areca and ginger.

Having introduced quad biking about a year back, Cariappa said the game has slowly gained popularity among the people. “With a huge young crowd frequently visiting Kodagu, quad biking has gained popularity among them.

It’s not only people from other places, but even youth from Madikeri are trying the game,” adds Pooja, Cariappa’s wife.

While the game can be tried out in any season, Cariappa feels maximum fun would be during monsoon when the terrain gets slushy and gives the riders the best thrill. While guides are available for helping newbies get familiar with the quad bike, Pooja said that they wouldn’t interfere with the ride. Mentioning that he started the game only out of passion, Cariappa said, “We haven’t altered the terrain inside the estate. People trying the bike can also have a look at a variety of crops grown at the estate.”

“We have also planned to start fishing at the estate. Visitors will be provided with fishing rods and other necessary equipment,” says Pooja. She said they aim to introduce outdoor activities in the region through their venture.

source: http://www.DeccanHerald.com / Home> District / Suntikoppa (Kodagu District), DHNS, Manish / March 19th, 2012

Get groomed in golf

Sports


Proud to participate: At the golf competition
Here’s good news for young golfers.

It was not just participation for the 70 junior golfers, including a few girls, in the age group of eight to 16 years in the third annual junior golf tournament held at the Coorg Golf Links (CGL) at Bittangala, near Virajpet, in Kodagu district recently, but a vital exposure for preparing themselves for higher levels of the event.

The students drawn from different schools in the district displayed their skills to win individual and team events.

Sathwik Muddaiah won the individual event while Nihal Thimmaiah secured the runner-up spot. Coorg Public School, Gonikoppa, won the team event while Karumbaiah’s Academy for Learning and Sports (KALS), Gonikoppa, finished as the first runners up and SMS, Virajpet, as the second runners up.The coordinator of the event, Sunil Muddaiah says that golf would be popularised in Kodagu by involving school children. The children needed to develop a flair for the game first, gain adequate exposure to move into the next level.

Dr. Muddaiah, who is also the Managing Trustee of the Coorg Instiute of Dental Sciences, Virajpet.

K.K Aiyapa, patron of the CGL, gave them tips to hone their skills. Mr. Aiyapa and K.S. Uthaiah, secretary of the CGL, gave away the trophies.

CLASSES

He said that golf coaching camp would be conducted for the juniors at the CGL during April and May. Contact: CGL, Bittangala: 9448546072 and 08274-256252.

source: http://www.TheHindu.com / Life & Style / Kids / by Jeevan Chinnappa / March 12th, 2012