Football / Malaysia Cup: Negri captain predicts cracking final

NS captain : shukor Adan 

NEGRI Sembilan captain Shukor Adan has no doubt Saturday's Malaysia Cup final against Terengganu represents a clash between the two best teams in the M-League.

The midfielder led Negri to their third consecutive final after a comprehensive 6-3 aggregate victory over T-Team in the semi-finals. Shukor scored Negri's winning goal with a superb header in their 2-1 win in the return leg in Paroi on Saturday.

"There is no doubt the two best teams have made it to the final. Terengganu are the ultimate. They are the best attacking team in the country," said the 32-year-old Shukor.

"But our football can be just as good. We have a lot of quality too. Both teams want to go forward and score goals, so I don't think anyone could ask for a bigger or better final."
Shukor has won the Malaysia Cup title three times -- twice with Selangor (2002, 2005) and the other with Negri (2009) - in six appearances.

In last year's final, Shukor, who was playing centre-back, made a costly error which allowed Kelantan captain Badhri Radzi to score his team's winning goal.

"It will be my seventh Malaysia Cup final appearance and I am determined to make it a happy outing. My most cherished moment was helping Negri end their 61-year drought in the 2009 final and I want to help them win the title once again," said the former international.

Shukor was handed the captain's armband at the beginning of the season following the departure of Rezal Zambery Yahya to Johor FC but it was an unhappy beginning for him as Negri were doing badly in the Super League due to injuries.

But the arrival of coach Azraai Khor Abdullah, who replaced Wan Jamak Wan Hasan, changed all that.

"We were down and out in the Super League as our key players were injured. But we managed to recover by putting our hearts into the game," added Shukor.

Swimming: Phelps in fine form

micheal phelps

BERLIN: US swim star Michael Phelps finished Berlin's World Cup short-course meet on Sunday with four victories in four world best times this year as the 14-time Olympic champion continued his preparations for London 2012.
Having won the 100m and 400m individual medley finals on Saturday, the 26-year-old added victory in the 200m IM and 200m backstroke on Sunday.

Phelps comfortably took the individual medley final in a time of 1:51.89s, then timed 1:50.34s to win the backstroke final by more than a second.

He declined to race in Sunday's 100m butterfly final having qualified second fastest from the heats, but Phelps looks a good prospect to add more Olympic titles in London to the eight he won at the 2008 Games and six in 2004.
The US star has repeatedly said he is happy with his form for next July's Olympic Games with the US trials set for June.

"I am quite happy with the way things are going, I was here to test myself and see how good I am at the moment," he said, looking relaxed and in the same top condition he showed in Beijing.

"I am in good shape and feel a lot stronger than I was a year ago. Now, it's a case of keeping the training going and putting the work in."

Phelps stayed away from the freestyle events, avoiding going head-to-head with Germany's Paul Biedermann, who dominated both the 200m and 400m freestyle here, also in world best times.

"He is one of the swimmers who makes me want to get into the water to compete against him," said Phelps of the German, who beat him in the 200m freestyle in Moscow last week.

"I have the greatest respect for Paul."

US teenager Melissa 'Missy' Franklin is proving she will be a name to look out for in London as the 16-year-old broke the 200m backstroke world record on Saturday.

This is the first time a record has been broken since the ban on high-tech swimsuits in 2009.

"I still can't believe it," said the teenager, who was mobbed for autographs by fans as she left the Berlin stadium.

"It is all so unbelievable, I didn't even know what the world record was before the race.

"These World Cup races are great fun and I am having the time of my life with this team."

She backed up her record with victory on Sunday in the 100m backstroke and 100m freestyle, when she beat reigning Olympic champion Britta Steffen, who finished third, and came close to Natalie Coughlin's US record of 51.88s.

But the teenager had to settle for second behind Britain's Francesca Halsall in the 100m IM.

Britta, who was racing in her home town, was overshadowed as the double Olympic champion finished second in Saturday's 50m freestyle final behind world champion Therese Alshammar and third in Sunday's 100m final.

"I am a very ambitious girl and therefore a bit disappointed," admitted the 27-year-old Britta.

"Maybe I should be happier with what I did here." -- AFP

Tennis: Maria looks for golden flourish

maria sharapova 

ISTANBUL: Maria Sharapova will crown one of tennis' most unlikely comebacks if she regains the title at the US$5 million (RM15.7 million) WTA Championships which starts today.
Maria has gradually worked her way back to World No 2 after an operation in 2008 on a rotator cuff, the kind of shoulder injury from which most players never fully recover.

Arguably the former Wimbledon, US Open, and Australian Open champion still isn't quite the player she was, but has nevertheless achieved her highest ranking in three years and qualified for the tour's climax for the first time since 2007.

There is even an outside chance of Maria regaining the World No 1 ranking, but she would have to win the WTA Championships title whilst Caroline Wozniacki did poorly.
"I just feel a sense of evolvement," said Maria. "You know, this year I feel like I've grown as a player and I've got better. It gives me a lot of confidence moving forward."

When Maria restarted her career in May 2009 after 10 months out she was only able to serve with a very limited action and was ranked down at 126.

She still does not have the range of overhead function she once had but makes up for some of the loss with better placement.

"I feel like my movement has definitely improved this year," she added. "I think that's because I played a lot of matches. That helps you."

Maria has also improved the angles, and changes of pace in her ground strokes with her new coach this year, Thomas Hogstedt, a Swede who has been a very rhythmic ground-stroker himself.

Despite all her setbacks Maria's profile has remained high enough for her to remain the highest paid female in sport, and last year she signed an eight-year contract with Nike, worth US$70 million, the most lucrative deal ever for a sportswoman.

She was also awarded the WTA Tour's fan favourite singles player, the WTA humanitarian of the year, the WTA most fashionable player (on court), WTA most fashionable player (off court), and even the WTA Tour player with the most dramatic expression.


And this year Maria has been named in Forbes magazine as one of the world's 100 most powerful celebrities.

Her comeback is another example of the extraordinary determination, courage, and adaptability which the Russian first showed when leaving home at the age of seven to build a career in what was then to her a very alien country, the United States.

Maria and Caroline will be joined at the Sinan Erdem Dome by three of the four grand slam winners this year -- Li Na, the French Open champion from China, Petra, the Wimbledon champion from the Czech republic, and Samantha Stosur, the US Open champion from Australia.

The other qualifiers, who compete in two round robin groups of four, are Vera Zvonareva, the former runner-up from Russia, Victoria Azarenka, the World No 3 from Belarus, and Agnieszka Radwanska of Poland who snatched the last place from Marion Bartoli of France only four days before the tournament. -- AFP

Mountain biking: Mission accomplished

Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad (left) and Human Voyage CEO Datuk Malik Mydin chat with BMC Racing and Sky Team riders after the Jamboree event on Sunday. — Bernama picture

logos picture

A BIGGER and better second edition of the Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge (LIMBC) has put Langkawi firmly on the road to being a world-class destination for the sport.The LIMBC, which has grown from two stages in the inaugural meet to five this year, attracted a much stronger field featuring four top 10 riders and despite the hot and humid conditions, managed to draw world praise from all competitors.

The race, which saw German World No 9 Karl Platt and Switzerland's World No 8 Nathalie Schneitter win the men's and women's overall titles respectively, was also intended by the organiser, Human Voyage Sdn Berhad, to be a much more serious event this year.

Entry to the race was limited to those holding valid UCI licences to ensure the competition met certain standards in an effort to help boost their hopes of hosting the 2013 International Cycling Union (UCI) World Cup and the 2015 World Championships.
Human Voyage chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin, whose company is preparing to bid for the two races, said he was confident Langkawi would be able to land the rights to host the two world-class cycling events.

"I am very happy that we have been able to meet all the targets we had set out to do this year," said Mydin.

"We wanted to have a more competitive event as we want the LIMBC to be known as a serious race with prestige in years to come and am glad that we are definitely making progress towards achieving that goal.

"At the moment we have not received the official (post race) report from UCI but the overall feedback from the riders has been very positive and I am confident we will be the first Asian country to host both the events as UCI is also keen to take the events out of Europe," added Abdul Malik.

World class road cyclists Chris Froome and Adam Blythe, who were invited as guest riders to the LIMBC, were also in full support of bringing the races to the mystical island.

"Langkawi has some of the best single-track courses in the world and with great infrastructure and organisation there is no reason why the World Cup and World Championships should not be brought here," said Froome, who achieved a surprise overall second place at the Vuelta a Espana last August.

Abdul Malik said he was looking to attract more spectators to the event next year but was not going to take the easy route to achieving that.

"We are looking to attract people who are fans of the sport and independently generate more income for the local tourism industry when things are slower on the island and have the race bring a more significant economical impact," he said.

"We also hope to make the island a destination for mountain bikers to come and train here as Langkawi has much to offer the riders but that is not our priority for the moment as we want to focus more on racing for the time being."

United still better than City – Mancini

MANCHESTER, England, Oct 24 (Reuters) – Manchester United are still better than neighbours City, Roberto Mancini said after his side thumped the champions 6-1 to go five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

 It will take City winning a first league title since 1968 to convince the Italian otherwise even if Sunday’s thrashing of their more decorated rivals had counterpart Alex Ferguson bemoaning “the worst result in my history”.

 “This is only one game,” Mancini told a news conference. “I think United is one yard above us still … we can change this only if we win (the title) in the end. After maybe it is different but now United is better than us.”

roberto mancini

Manchester United are still better than neighbours City, Roberto Mancini said after his side thumped the champions 6-1 to go five points clear at the top of the Premier League.

 Mancini’s men inflicted a first Old Trafford defeat on their hosts for 18 months, making a mockery of the glittering home record that formed the backbone of last season’s record 19th league title.

 Two goals apiece from Mario Balotelli and Edin Dzeko, as well as strikes from David Silva and Sergio Aguero, sent City on their way to a famous win as one of the most keenly awaited Manchester derbies in years lived up to its billing.

 City have now scored a massive 33 goals in nine league games as this season’s more attacking approach has paid off.

 Three of their strikers – Aguero, Dzeko and Balotelli – are among the league’s top five scorers and all owe much to the creative panache of fleet-footed Silva whose vision and distribution are at the heart of so many City chances.

 Mancini was full of admiration for United’s attempts to attack despite being down to 10 men for most of the second half following Jonny Evans’ dismissal – the very approach that angered Ferguson.

 “At times our full-backs were almost our wingers and we were playing almost two versus three at the back. That was suicide and crazy,” Ferguson said on the club website (www.manutd.com).

 “We just kept attacking. It’s alright playing with the history books but common sense has to come in at times. With the experience we had at the back, we should have realised that and settled for what we had when it went to 4-1.”

  TOO STRONG

 Ferguson was adamant the heavy defeat, which came after something of a lacklustre month following a blistering start to their title defence, would galvanise his team.

 “That kind of defeat will make an impact on the players,” he said. “There’s a lot of embarrassment in the dressing room and quite rightly so. Hopefully they’ll show that (reaction) next week.”

 Mancini said the thumping was unlikely to knock United’s confidence too much and emphasised that this was merely one win regardless of the number of goals.

 “I think the season will be very long, probably there will be four or five teams who can win the title,” said Mancini, who led City to their first major trophy in 35 years with victory in the FA Cup last season.

 “It’s important for our confidence, it’s important because we showed we are a good team.

 “United are too strong for this (letting it get to them). They know like me that it is only three points.”

 City lead the way with 25 points, with United five behind and third-placed Chelsea on 19 after the Londoners slipped up themselves in a 1-0 defeat at Queens Park Rangers.

Badminton / Danish Open: Chen Long overpowers Chong Wei again

China’s Wang Xiaoli (back) and Yu Yang won their sixth international title in eight years after beating Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei 22-20, 21-16 yesterday.

 dato' lee chong wei.

THE revenge that Lee Chong Wei was hoping for didn't materialise as Chen Long of China defeated the World No 1 again to clinch the Denmark Open in Odense yesterday.
Chen Long defeated Chong Wei 21-15, 21-18 in 45 minutes to complete a hat-trick of Super Series titles and also repeat his Japan Open victory over the Malaysian.

Chong Wei had made it clear that before leaving for Odense last week that his intention was not to keep winning every title but the build-up to the London Olympics next year.

National singles coach Tey Seu Bock, in a telephone interview from Odense, said he is not too worried about Chong Wei's second defeat to Chen Long.
"Chen Long uses the same strategy like Lin Dan and Chong Wei is not comfortable playing him at the moment. We have to do some homework and analyse a little bit more when we return to Kuala Lumpur," said Seu Bock.

"Chen Jin was under pressure early in the match but recovered fast.

"The preparation after Japan Open may not have been enough but we still have to play here as the Olympics qualifying points are important.

"The only concern for me is that Chong Wei shouldn't get injured and he has managed to avoid them so far.

"It is still a fine achievement to reach the final again. It is not easy to reach the final in every tournament and he will be aiming for that in the French open next week.

"Chong Wei could play Chen Long again in the semi-final stage and he will try to beat him in Paris."

In the men's doubles, Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae of South Korea stopped the Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng juggernaut when they secured a 21-16, 21-17 win for the title.

Jae Sung-Yong Dae also beat Cai Yun-Haifeng in the China Masters last month.

Results -- (All Finals)

Men's Singles: Chen Long (Chn) bt Lee Chong Wei (Mas) 21-15, 21-18.

Doubles: Jung Jae Sung-Lee Yong Dae (Kor) bt Cai Yun-Fu Haifeng (Chn) 21-16, 21-17.

Women's Singles: Wang Xin (Chn) bt Wang Yihan (Chn) 21-14, 23-21.

Doubles: Yu Yang-Wang Xiaoli (Chn) bt Tian Qing-Zhao Yunlei (Chn) 22-20, 21-16.

Mixed Doubles: Joachim Fischer Nielsen-Christinna Pedersen (Den) bt Xu Chen-Ma Jin (Chn) 22-20, 21-16.

MotoGP / Malaysian Grand Prix: Zulfahmi rides into history books

  Zulfahmi Khairuddin (inset) managed seventh place in the 125cc event yesterday



A PACKED Sepang circuit saw Maverick Vinales register his third 125cc victory, but they were on their feet celebrating what was the greatest achievement in Malaysian motorcycling when Mohd Zulfahmi Khairuddin passed the chequered flag in seventh place to send the 21st edition of the Shell Advance Malaysian Motorcycle Grand Prix into the history books.
A points scoring finish would have sufficed for 20-year-old Zulfahmi in his third attempt at pleasing the passionate home crowd who had waited 21 years for even a solitary point, but the tone had already been set for a much better outcome after the Banting-born AirAsia-SIC-Ajo Motorsport rider parked his Derbi 13th on the grid in 125cc qualifying on Saturday.

Off the blocks, Zulfahmi stormed into the top 10 and maintained his pace within the second batch of pace setters, then with five laps to go he was up to eighth and passed Ongetta-Centro Seta's Jakub Kornfeil for seventh as the crowd went wild.

"I was focused on my riding but each time I passed the grandstand, I could feel the crowd roar. That inspired me to stay on the limit," said Zulfahmi after the race.
The result moved him up to 17th in the 125cc championship standings with 30 points and he is now within two points off Simon Grotzkyj's 15th spot, the championship position which Zulfahmi has targeted.

"I started well today (yesterday) and pushed hard to stay in the top 10. In the last five laps I just stayed on the limit to distance myself from the chasing pack and pushed for better positions.

"I really didn't imagine this result, not even to be able to compete against riders like Danny Webb and Efren Vasquez, but I finished ahead of them today," added and elated Zulfahmi.

"Everything I had done to prepare for this weekend had been worth it. Everything I did this week was focused on this weekend. Even when there were some problems, like yesterday (Saturday) when there were some issues with the bike, I just maintained my focus and solved it.

"In the race, I just didn't think about whether there was anything wrong with the bike. Instead I was just so focused on pushing the bike till the end of the race."

Things are pointing to another year in the third tier of the World Motorcycle Championships, with the 125cc class to be replaced by the new four-stroke Moto3 machines next year and Zulfahmi feels it is something that will provide a level playing field and a chance for him to move up the ladder.

"It will be up to the sponsors, but for me, to be in my third year and on completely new machinery, it levels the playing field a bit.

"So, with the right support and the experience I've had in the 125cc class, I think we will be able to push for higher positions," said Zulfahmi, who calmly evaded questions of his ability to challenge for the Moto3 championship in his third year next year.

Malaysian MotoGP Wildcard Programme entry Mohd Farid Badrul Hisham finished the 125cc race in 24th position and his possible entry into the championship alongside Zulfahmi is also up for debate.

Rugby / World Cup: France give All Blacks almighty scare

France’s Imanol Harinordoquy reacts after losing the World Cup final to New Zealand in Auckland yesterday. The All Blacks won 8-7.

AUCKLAND: Hosts New Zealand just about held their collective nerve to edge France 8-7 and win the World Cup for the second time after a gap of 24 years at Eden Park yesterday.
This was not the coronation that had been predicted but ultimately a first-half try from prop Tony Woodcock and a penalty from fourth-choice flyhalf Stephen Donald proved enough to end the country's long wait for a second triumph after 1987.

"The people have been outstanding ... the people who have supported this team and have supported this World Cup -- I am so proud to be a New Zealander standing here," All Blacks coach Graham Henry said just before captain Richie McCaw lifted the Webb Ellis Cup.

"There was bit of turmoil up there... but reflect over the last seven weeks what these people have done throughout the country ... and Richie and the boys just hanging in there right through the match for 80 minutes to win this match is superb.
"As a day this is something we have dreamed of for a while -- we can rest in peace."

Having been written off by all but themselves, the French, led by Man-of-the-Match Thierry Dusautoir, answered the challenge of New Zealand's haka by advancing in an arrow formation before the game and gave the host nation an almighty scare during it. A converted try in the second half from Dusautoir had the French dreaming of a first World Cup win and the hosts fearing another failure at rugby's showpiece event against the team that were their nemesis in 1999 and 2007.

"It is a real pity, I am disappointed. But I am really proud of my boys and what they did in the World Cup," said Dusautoir.

"We lost two pool matches but we still managed this."

The All Blacks looked sharper and more powerful in the early exchanges as the French ran up blind alleys and were swallowed up by the swarming New Zealand defence.

Scrumhalf Piri Weepu had already missed a reasonably simple penalty when Woodcock opened the scoring in the 15th minute through a well-executed move straight off the training ground. Flanker Jerome Kaino leaped high at the back of an attacking lineout and knocked the ball straight down to Woodcock on his inside, and the prop only had to trundle a few metres through a huge hole in the defence to touch down.

Weepu missed the conversion but even another shanked penalty from the scrumhalf in the 26th minute did not look disastrous as the home side seemed well in control.

By the 34th minute both starting flyhalves were off the pitch, France's Morgan Parra departing courtesy of a knee to the head and Aaron Cruden succumbing to a knee injury. The All Blacks continued to look the more dangerous with the ball in hand but France's replacement stand off, Francois Trinh-Duc, sounded a warning with a failed dropped-goal attempt and a couple of breaks, one ended only by Weepu's tap tackle.

France scrum-half Dimitri Yachvili missed a difficult penalty early in the second half and Donald, who came on for Cruden for his first game of the tournament, put the All Blacks 8-0 ahead after 46 minutes.

The French came storming straight back, however, moving turnover ball deep into All Blacks territory before Dusautoir charged through a tackle and touched down on the cladding surrounding the post. Trinh-Duc added the extra points before Weepu's nightmare continued when he launched the kick-off straight into touch and was immediately summoned from the pitch.

France sensed an upset and the All Blacks were clearly rattled as white-shirted French runners charged time and again at their lines. In the 63rd minute, even the All Black scrum, which had dominated in the first half, was penalised for driving up but Trinh-Duc dragged his 47-metre penalty attempt wide.

France kept hold of the ball but as the New Zealanders grew more and more frustrated, the chants of "All Blacks! All Blacks!" from the 60,000 crowd grew louder and louder.

A turnover in the 77th minute was greeted as if it were a try and the match ended three minutes later when the French were penalised for offside, sending the host nation into raptures.

"I am so proud to represent this country," said All Blacks lock Brad Thorn, who at 36 was the oldest player to appear in a World Cup final. "I am so happy for all the kids, the mums and dads, all the elderly -- this is a big moment for our country." -- Reuters

Sea Games: Malaysia in ‘dangerous’ group Printed

MALAYSIA’S defence of the Sea Games football gold medal just got a little tougher after being drawn with hosts Indonesia and regional heavyweights Thailand yesterday.If that was not enough, the draw in Jakarta also served up a tantalising opening match against Causeway rivals Singapore on Nov 9 with Cambodia making up the five-team Group A.

ong kim swee

Coach Ong Kim Swee’s worst fears came true as the draw virtually put all the region’s top teams except for Vietnam in one group. Vietnam have an arguably easier draw with Laos, Myanmar, the Philippines, Timor Leste and Brunei in Group B.

“This is the Sea Games, anything can happen and we could get all the tough teams in the same group,” said Kim Swee.

To compound matters, the Sea Games squad were soundly beaten 3-1 by Uzbekistan in the VFF Cup Under-23 tournament in Hanoi yesterday through three second half goals.

Deputy Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim, however, said the draw should not matter as Malaysia would have to meet the strong teams eventually to retain the gold medal.

“I am confident we can get through the group stage if the team employ the right strategy. As the defending champions, it is the other teams who should fear us.

“There is no use saying we want to avoid this team or that and that only implies weakness on our part. I realise the pressure would be on us as defending champions but we must use that to our advantage,” said Razali after chairing a football development committee meeting in Bukit Jalil yesterday. — By Devinder Singh

India unveils F1 track

GREATER NOIDA (India): India on Tuesday unveiled a new US$400mil Formula One track two weeks before it hosts its first Grand Prix, promising to wipe away disappointing memories of last year’s Common­wealth Games.

Fears that the 5.14km circuit in Greater Noida on the outskirts of New Delhi would not be completely ready to host the race on Oct 30 were put to rest after a grand inauguration of the facility.

The Commonwealth Games, which were meant to showcase India’s status as an emerging global power, instead left memories of unfinished venues and massive budget overruns.

“The Commonwealth Games forced us to bow our heads in shame,” Manoj Gaur, chairman of race promoters, the private Jaypee group, said at a press conference.

“We took the Formula One project as a challenge. We decided that we will make the track so impressive that the shame of the Commonwealth Games will be forgotten and our pride will be restored in the world.”

The track, named the Buddh International Circuit, is part of an ambitious 1,000ha sports complex that will include a motor driving academy to be set up in collaboration with Mercedes-Benz.

The circuit has been designed by renowned German architect Hermann Tilke and boasts the fastest straight-line speed of any F1 track in the world.

Indian Formula One driver Narain Karthikeyan, a member of the Spanish Hispania team, showered praise on the facility.

“I have raced on all the major F1 tracks across the globe and I rate this track as one of the best in the world,” said Karthikeyan, who hopes to get a drive before the 100,000 fans who are expected to attend the race weekend.

The fans will also be treated to other entertainment, including first-ever performances in the country by US heavy metal outfit Metallica and pop sensation Lady Gaga.

“We are trying to make the race a unique experience for the fans,” said Gaur. “It is a question of India’s prestige in the world. We have tried to make a small contribution to ensure that this investment is fruitful for all.”

Gaur said tickets for the race were close to being sold out, except a few corporate boxes which range between 3.5 million rupees and 10 million rupees.

He also dismissed threats by some local groups of farmers to disrupt the race if their demands for better compensation in exchange for their acquired land were not met.

“We have worked here with complete co-operation from local people,” Gaur said. “We are more than hopeful of hosting a peaceful race. It will be 100 percent successful.” — AFP

notification : start from today , this is information blog for sports maybe .

the goal of enhancing many readers. in sports only. may be the words, athletes / active people in sports are less intelligent. just so, this blog is to improve reading in young people.besides that, accompanied by English blogging. 3 in 1.

shows that , the Japanese people is higher population in reading.
let's follow their steps! make our country same as their country .

by : ariff_cubeBLOG :D

Mountain biking: Dr Mahathir: Take the sport to world class level

FORMER prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad has backed Langkawi International Mountain Bike Challenge (LIMBC) organinsers Human Voyage Sdn Berhad efforts to bring the 2013 Mountain Bike World Cup and 2015 Mountain Bike World Championships to the resort island.
Dr Mahathir, who was speaking after flagging off the competitors for the 60.6km cross country marathon event at the Langkawi Sports Complex yesterday, said the sports governing body, International Cycling Union (UCI), has already recognised Langkawi as a top cycling race venue and urged the organisers to build on that reputation to take the sport on the island to world class level.

"This is a healthy development as with the two races being held here we will be able to see the world's best riders in action in at Langkawi and this will help turn the island Langkawi into one of the world's top mountain bike race venues," said Dr Mahathir.

"I feel the LIMBC and mountain bike racing can continue to thrive and develop here as long as there is someone who is interested and capable of managing the event," said the LIMBC patron.
Human Voyage chief executive officer Datuk Abdul Malik Mydin announced last Sunday that the LIMBC organisers are in the process of preparing bids to host the two events.

the blogger :DD

Rugby / World Cup: French pedigree can stop NZ

AUCKLAND: French rugby with its frequent brilliance, sporadic brutality and utter unpredictability has brought a romantic glow to the world game and complete misery to New Zealand at two World Cups.
On current form the All Blacks should romp home in Sunday's World Cup final against France at Eden Park. History since France upset the All Blacks 3-0 in their first post-World War Two test warns against undue optimism on behalf of the home side.

France defeated the All Blacks 43-31 after the most astonishing comeback in World Cup history in the 1999 semi-finals. Four years ago they prevailed 20-18 in the quarter-finals after they had been written off by most pundits before the match.

"They are just ruthless and punch above their weight," former New Zealand number eight Zinzan Brooke told Reuters this week. "They have the flair and the ability to break defensive lines."
Former England captain Will Carling said Wales, who were beaten by only a point by France in the quarter-finals despite playing for an hour with 14 men, had played "incredibly well" during the tournament.

"But if the All Blacks were playing Wales they would be more relaxed," he said.

"France are the one northern hemisphere side which has no issues playing against New Zealand and they can beat them.

"They are the one side that can humiliate you, if they are in the mood and you let them play they will rip you to pieces." Ian Borthwick, a New Zealand journalist who reports on rugby for French sports newspaper L'Equipe, said New Zealanders and Anglo-Saxons in general did not understand the French.

"The French are something exotic, the All Blacks are rational," he said.

"The French have got something the All Blacks can't control."

After the 1999 loss at Twickenhan the New Zealand stock market slumped, a university offered grief counselling to students and baggage handlers at Auckland airport wrote "Losers"

across the team's bags on their return.

New Zealand head coach Graham Henry, who was controversially reappointed along with his coaching team after the loss in Cardiff, said this week the 2007 match had been "bizarre".

"That game caused some people a lot of pain," he said.

"It was the most bizarre game that I have ever been involved in. But we won't define bizarre, not totally anyway, so there is a lot of history here." New Zealand backs coach Wayne Smith said his coaching philosophy had been influenced by the French approach during his time as a player and a coach in Italy.

"We come from a very analytical background, we teach the game analytically, whereas they are the other end of the spectrum -- movement on the field, game sense, playing with the ball and believing that you develop your skills and your technique through understanding the game," he said.

"That was a massive learning curve for me."

France were beaten by the All Blacks and Tonga in the pool stages then rallied to eliminate England in the quarter-finals before struggling against Wales.

There were reports of disarray in the camp and some provocative criticisms from coach Marc Lievremont before he announced a rapprochement with his players yesterday.

None of this will matter for a team who can play like clowns one week then like rugby gods the next.

"They have been winning ugly, but winning ugly is okay," Brooke said.

"They have shown glimpses and I think they are going to show a lot more.

"Can the French beat the All Blacks? Yeah, they can." -- Reuters

holiday with tourism students (PORT-D)

"searching experience is not in a place and a particular area only."

I am looking for experience with a friend who is not the same course and not the same idea...
I come as an accompanying my roomate at the beginning . Finally , close with his classmates . see ? : DD friendship .

Trip to Teluk Kemang is not for holiday trip . I mean, we went to complete their assignment . but , I just accompany my roommates to go there . I'm insurance student ! haha

The first experience,
 before I enter the classroom MGT417 (only UiTM students and lecturers only know) , My lecturer  have explained about globalization . but, the example given is sushi king. Bangladeshi workers cook sushi for malaysian people. Now, you understand what is globalization? but, for my own example , I want to give the another story . But, still about bangla . Same ethnic immigrants. haha! this case I rent one hotel at teluk kemang . Now a days , that bangla is the owner of the hotel (CHALA BEACH HOTEL) .. bestrange if this thing(bangla become the owner) 10 years ago . but now I'm used to like . let me tell you all one story . the owner of hotel that we want to rent . that foreign had made some silly mistakes maybe . or he want to cheat us maybe .? come on lerrr bro . we all IPT students kott . ok , try you all take a calculator and complete this solution . 60 + 120 =(equal to ????) . but , this bangla can solve it easier . he just say  RM220.you see? just say rm220 . wtf! what grade he was in primary schooll ? How can he be the owners ? ok. That was globalization example for me. :)

The second experience,
the CAR . on the way there ,  we have rent a car . The registration number is JDM ****. perghhhhhh I mind to telling you all . The car is the fastest car in the universe! (sigh) (just Joking) . self-understanding. Very difficult when want posted in gear. regretted rent. better drive own car , borrow car from my mom ... For your information , the price were too expensive . and not available for you all if want to rent it ..

This is the first time and this is also the last time I rent that car .


The third experience,
 banana boat. did you know what is that? There is the picture you watch later. My friend. was first feared with this challenge . lastly , when on the ways back to malacca , she always talk about banana boat. .have many reasons that she give for not to take this challenge in the beginning and she make an order for not drop us to beach . But , me with my roommate plans with the boatdriver to drop us. hehe! make a evil work .. I also want to ride again one days . hope to ride it again . But , its good if I can bring her to here . 

yahooooooo. hope can ride with her .. 


just this I can remember ..


other destinations that we go:
-ostrich farm,,
-lighthouse,,
-blue lagoon ...


.. after this post , Maybe I want to make a post about lighthouse . all lighthouse in MALAYSIA . maybe .. In our country , there are many lighthouse ..... want to know ????? TO-BE-CONTINUED >>>>>>>>>>


that's all from ariff_cubeBLOG :)

what's your opinion about holidays ! YA-HA!

Hye everyone:)

sincerely from me ...
My post today.. I want to talk about the weekend. hehe....
the title like student primary school right?
for myself is, I think meaning of holidays can be divided into two. Correct ?

First: -
If said about holidays, I guess you all think of the fun right?
Second: -
But, for IPT students like me, this is veryVERYveryVERYveryVERYY boring.
Here I give the reasons why holidays for IPT students it was not enjoyable? : -

i) Unable to go to class. this is serious: PPPP
ii) When it is holidays, means , student never write anythings right ?
iii) Cannot meet a classmate who live far away (I mean their home near the campus area)
iv) Like me, I did not apply any loans . Actually , I had apply the loans . But , not passed . So , your holidays are not worth it if there is no money on your pocket .
v) What do you think they went sightseeing there if no transport? better spell on home . right ?
vi) aweksssszzz, you can go walking if there is no awek ? (my gf at UM ler.) miss u dear ..


* Do not believe the point at the top. I had bluffed. ya-ha!

p / s: simple post from me. as may be aware, I am new to blogger ....

about ME :)

 this Is me . new blogger. he was hated blogger in the past. but, familiarized with the blog lately.

 when I was a child, I would like to become a footballer.. hehe
but , the highest participation was a college player

 I like to be a stunt man . but I fear a high

 corporate part of my ambition.

 nothing to say :PP

 this is what I like to play when stress in study ..
want to fight?

name: Ariff asyraff

age while writing this entry: 19 years 103 days

* Only the introduction session. just to share with blogger friends .

hope will give guidance..