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Hamaguchi Races To Double Victory

June 30th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Yamaha

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TOSHIYUKI Hamaguchi (pic) made up for lost ground with a double victory in Round Three of the Petronas FIM Asian Grand Prix at Sepang’s North Track yesterday.

Local ace Ahmad Fuad Baharudin was also a beneficiary of the outcome as his two second place finishes meant he took over the championship lead from compatriot Zamri Baba.

In Race One, the Babie’s Sports Racing’s Hamaguchi took full advantage of his pole position to lead from start to finish. The five-time champion chalked up a dominant ride, finishing 8.956 seconds ahead of Ahmad Fuad in Race One.

As for Race Two, which was red-flagged due to pouring rain after 20 laps, Hamaguchi was declared the winner ahead of Ahmad Fuad, based on the standings on Lap 19.

Indonesian pole sitter Owie Nurhuda of Suzuki Top-1 SHC Indoparts FDR Chia Felix continued his winning streak in the Underbone 115cc class.

Owie pipped local hope Mohd Iskandar Raduan to take victory in Race One, and then overcame the challenge of Edzuan Abdul Ghani to complete his double sweep in Race Two.

The next leg of the series will be held at the Johor Circuit on July 18-20.

Results — SuperSports 600, Race 1: 1 Toshiyuki Hamaguchi (Jpn) Babie’s Sports Racing 28:05.584s, 2 Ahmad Fuad Baharudin (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Malaysia 28:14.540s, 3 Azlan Shah Kamaruzaman (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Malaysia 28:15.970s; Race 2: 1 Toshiyuki Hamaguchi (Jpn) Babie’s Sports Racing 21:25.329s, 2 Ahmad Fuad Baharudin (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Yamaha Malaysia 21:26.276s, 3 Makoto Inagaki (Jpn) Babie’s Sports Racing 21:26.369s.

Underbone 115cc, Race 1: 1 Owie Nurhuda (Ina) Suzuki Top-1 SHC Indoparts FDR Chia Felix 20:14.230s, 2 Mohd Iskandar Raduan (Mas) Petronas Sprinta Raceline 20:14.299s, 3 Dedy Permadi (Ina) Suzuki IRC Umild AHRS 20:15.062s; Race 2: 1 Owie Nurhuda (Ina) Suzuki Top-1 SHC Indoparts FDR Chia Felix 20:19.305s, 2 Md Edzuan Abdul Gani (Mas) Motul YY Pang 20:19.350s, 3 Wahyu Widodo (Ina) Suzuki IRC Umild AHRS 20:19.396s.

 

New Straits Times

Cinta Vivian-Hamilton Putus

June 30th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Lewis Hamilton


HAMILTON keluar bersama Nicole di Hyade Park bagi menyambut ulang tahun kelahiran ke-90 Nelson Mandela pada Rabu lalu.

BEKAS Ratu Cantik Grenada, Vivian Burkhardt mendedahkan bahawa dia sudah memutuskan hubungan dengan pelumba kereta Formula Satu (F1), Lewis Hamilton.

Sebelum ini, Vivian yang berumur 22 tahun menganggap Hamilton merupakan lelaki impiannya selepas dia diundang dari Grenada ke rumah pelumba itu di Switzerland.

Gadis jelita itu juga kemudian menaiki jet peribadi Hamilton untuk pergi ke Festival Filem Cannes, Perancis dan berjalan di karpet merah dan menginap di Hotel Carlton.

Namun, seminggu kemudian, Hamilton meninggalkan dia dalam kekecewaan dengan meraikan kemenangan di Grand Prix Monaco dengan memeluk penyanyi pop terkenal, Nicole Scherzinger.

“Bagi saya, hubungan kami sudah berakhir. Jika dia mempunyai perasaan jujur, dia tidak melakukan perbuatan itu.

“Saya seperti kecewa,” katanya di mana luahannya itu disiarkan oleh sebuah akhbar semalam.

Vivian yang pernah mewakili Grenada dalam pertandingan Ratu Cantik Dunia pada tahun lalu itu juga mendedahkan kesedihan dan rahsia gaya hidup Hamilton.

Ketika Lewis yang berumur 23 tahun dan Nicole berusia 29 tahun keluar bersama pada Jumaat lalu, Vivian berkata: “Saya tidak percaya dia sudah melakukan perbuatan itu terhadap saya.”

“Selepas gambar kami disiarkan di Cannes, dunia dengan tiba-tiba mengetahui saya adalah kekasih Hamilton.

“Ibu saya yakin, dia merupakan lelaki untuk saya dan mempunyai impian untuk kami berkahwin.

“Bagaimanapun, beberapa hari selepas Hamilton tidur bersama saya, gambar dia (Hamilton) bermesra dengan Nicole di Monaco disiarkan.

“Saya berasa cukup kecewa.

Menurutnya, Hamilton seperti mempermainkan dirinya.

“Jika Nicole berpendapat, kehidupan dengan Lewis akan menyeronokkan, dia akan mendapat kejutan,” katanya.

Pelumba itu kini sedia untuk mengatasi bintang bola sepak dari England, David Beckham sebagai ahli sukan yang menerima bayaran paling mahal di dunia.

Hamilton mempunyai kontrak baru dengan pasukan McLaren yang bernilai ΰ65 juta (RM422 juta) dan mendapat ΰ10 juta (RM65 juta) dalam bentuk penajaan.

Vivian Burkhardt

Namun, Vivian yang merupakan pelajar perubatan bermata hijau memberitahu: “Di sebalik kekayaannya yang banyak, saya benci dengan gaya hidup dan berasa simpati terhadapnya.

“Di Switzerland, dia tidak mempunyai rakan, keluarga hanya ada flat empat bilik tidur yang mengagumkan di bahagian paling kaya di bandar raya tetapi ia cuma besar dan kosong.

“Ia merupakan satu tempat yang membosankan, dia hanya menghabiskan masanya dengan bermain permainan F1 PlayStation menerusi internet dengan adiknya, Nic yang berumur 15 tahun yang berada di England.

“Baki masa selebihnya, dia menghantar mesej kepada rakan-rakannya yang berada berbatu-batu jauhnya di seluruh dunia,” kata Vivian.

“Hamilton memberitahu saya bagaimana sukarnya tinggal di Geneva, Switzerland berseorangan.

“Dia menyatakan bahawa tidak ada apa yang boleh dilakukannya dan dia tidak mengenali sesiapa.

“Saya tahu dia bosan dan tidak gembira dan seperti mahu berpindah,” tambanhnya.

“Namun, dia tetap tinggal (di Geneva) kerana ia merupakan satu tempat dia tidak didekati atau dikenali.

“Dan pastinya, ia (Geneva) merupakan syurga cukai yang menyelamatkan dia berjuta-juta dolar,” katanya.

Mereka bertemu di Grenada pada Februari lalu ketika Hamilton diberikan satu anugerah.

Pelumba itu kemudian meminta nombor telefon dan mula menghantar mesej.

Pada pertemuan pertama, Hamilton memberitahu Vivian: ” Anda mempunyai mata yang tercantik pernah saya lihat.”

Menurut gadis itu, dia tetap tenang dan memberitahunya rancangannya mahu menjadi doktor dan kini sedang mengambil jurusan perubatan.

Selepas itu, Hamilton meninggalkan Grenada tetapi kerap menghantar mesej dan mengundangnya untuk menghadiri Festival Filem Cannes.

Selepas menghadiri festival itu, Vivian berlepas ke Geneva bersama Hamilton dan membawa ke apartmennya.

“Saya bertanya kepadanya jika terdapat kelab untuk dikunjungi. Namun, dia menyatakan hanya terdapat sebuah tetapi ia dipenuhi dengan remaja.

“Ketika masa lapangnya, Hamilton berlatih selama dua jam dan kemudian menghantar mesej untuk melapangkan fikirannya dan kemudian kembali bermain permainan online dengan Nic,” katanya.

“Hamilton membawa saya ke sebuah restoran India untuk makan malam. Saya minum wain tetapi dia tidak menyentuh sebarang minuman alkohol. Dia hanya minat makan kari ayam,” jelasnya.

Vivian berkata, ketika berada di Hotel Carlton, Perancis pada waktu malam, dia cuba mencium dirinya, tetapi saya mengelak dan dia melakukannya di pipi.

“Saya tahu dia sukakan saya dan saya sudah jatuh cinta kepadanya.

“Tetapi, saya mempunyai seorang kekasih dan tidak mahu tergesa-gesa melakukannya,” jelas Vivian.

Hamilton kemudian berasa kecewa dan dia beralih ke tempat lain di atas katil dan tidur.

Namun, Vivian terjaga kemudian dan mendengar Hamilton bercakap ketika tidur.

“Dia tidak bercakap mengenai saya atau hubungan kami. Dia bercakap mengenai F1. Dalam mimpinya itu, dia seolah-olah ditemu ramah mengenai satu perlumbaan.

“Saya tidak mengetahui sama ada dia menang tetapi dia kelihatan amat teruja.”

Walaupun dia kecewa, Hamilton membawanya keluar makan dan mereka kembali ke Geneva.

“Dan dia amat sedih apabila saya pulang dan meninggalkannya berseorangan di apartmennya.

“Ketika itu kami masih berkawan tetapi selepas apa yang berlaku antara dia dengan Nicole, hubungan itu sudah tidak ada lagi,” kata Vivian.

- Agensi

Kosmo

Football: Germany Warms Up For Euro Final

June 30th, 2008 by admin | No Comments | Filed in Volkswagen

BERLIN : Chanting “Deutschland, Deutschland!” and still hours from kickoff, throngs of flag-waving German football fans were warming up on Sunday for the grand finale of Euro 2008 of Germany versus Spain.

In Berlin crowds of fans with their faces painted in black, red and gold were heading in high spirits to the central “Fan Mile” where half a million spectators were expected to follow the match on large screens.

“I think Germany will win 3-1,” Mark, a 23-year-old insurance salesman who travelled almost 300 kilometres (190 miles) from Hamburg, predicted confidently with a beer in his hand and wearing a German flag as a cape.

The scene was similar in other towns and cities, with huge crowds expected at public viewing areas to watch the match beamed in from Vienna from 1845 GMT while tens of millions will be glued to their TVs at home.

Vendors have been doing a brisk trade in flags, facepaints and national football shirts in a country now much more comfortable with patriotism ever since the 2006 World Cup was held in Germany.

In all, 85 percent of the country’s 82 million population will follow the match, according to a survey in the Bild am Sonntag tabloid, bringing the country to a halt.

German automakers like Daimler, Volkswagen and Audi plan to shut down production during the game so that their workers can follow the match before the conveyor belts and Europe’s biggest economy grind back into action after the final whistle.

The country was however on tenterhooks on news that their talismanic captain Michael Ballack might not take to the field after hurting his leg in training at the team’s base in southern Switzerland.

Nevertheless, and despite the fact that Germany will have its work cut out to overcome an in-form Spanish side, 72 percent believe their side will win the “Wunder von Wien” (the Vienna wonder), according to Bild am Sonntag’s poll.

“Ballack injured!,” the top-selling paper’s front page screams. “But we are going to win the cup anyway!”

Only one in five took the more pessimistic view - including none other than Finance Minister Peer Steinbrueck who perhaps unwisely predicts a 3-1 hammering, the paper said. Eight percent were hedging their bets.

Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was shown literally jumping for joy in Basel when the winning goal against Turkey hit the back of the net on Wednesday, will watch the match in Vienna along with President Horst Koehler and other ministers.

Merkel became a regular in the stands during the World Cup. She has even taken to giving the players some motherly advice, and after the Turkey match gave an interview in the flash zone area usually reserved for players and managers.

Her spokesman had to keep the chancellor informed by text message of the score in the game against Portugal while she was tied up with more serious matters at an EU summit on June 19.

A parade has been organised in central Berlin for Monday for the players - even if they lose - and the city authorities have asked schools to give pupils the afternoon off so they can attend.

“It is very important for us that the team will be greeted by its supporters back in Germany. Berlin has become like a second home to us since the 2006 World Cup,” Loew said.

Only one in five German televisions were tuned into something else as almost 30 million viewers were glued to Wednesday’s semi-final thriller against Turkey, and Sunday’s final was not expected to be any less of a crowd-puller.

Offers attempting to tempt TV viewers away from the football include the Rowan Atkinson comedy “Johnny English” - dubbed into German - and a programme about real-life animal capers in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia,

And as always there is a “Schlager” show, that perennial prime-time institution devoted to swingalong oompah songs about falling in love, mountains and lederhosen.

“I am sure that our team is going to succeed,” President Koehler said in a column in the top-selling Bild newspaper on Sunday. “Our opponent is strong … but with the fire in their bellies the German team can beat them.”

- AFP /ls

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