Canada loses to Japan at softball World Cup finals, will face Netherlands for bronze

CASTIONS DI STRADA, ITALY – Kyoko Ishikawa’s two-run single highlighted Japan’s five-run fourth inning in a 7-2 win over Canada on Friday at the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals. Canada finished the Super Round at 1-2 and will face the Netherlands for the bronze medal on Saturday, while Japan plays the top-ranked United States for gold. Hotaru Tsukamotom and Ayana Karoji also drove in two runs for world No. 3 Japan, while Yume Kiriishi also had an RBI. Canada's Larissa Franklin hits a two-run single during second inning playoff action against Brazil at the Softball Americas Olympic Qualifier tournament […]

Sports minister Qualtrough announces new Ministerial Athlete Advisory Committee

OTTAWA - Sports minister Carla Qualtrough announced Friday a group of 14 Canadian athletes who will form a Ministerial Athlete Advisory Committee.

Gymnast Ellie Black of Halifax, who's heading to her fourth Olympics this summer in Paris, and Canadian women's soccer team defender Vanessa Gilles of Ottawa are among the athletes who were selected after an open call for applications.

The goal of the committee is for athletes to have a dedicated platform to share their perspectives with the Canadian government.

The committee will provide guidance on topics including safe sport, governance and accountability, the Canadian Sport Policy and federal funding.

Alabama names Bryant-Denny Stadium field after Nick Saban

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama football teams will soon be playing on Saban Field.

University trustees approved a resolution naming the field at Bryant-Denny Stadium after former coach Nick Saban on Friday. Saban, who now works for ESPN and holds an office at the stadium, retired from coaching in January after leading Alabama to six national championships in 17 seasons.

“This is a very special honor,” Saban said after watching the trustees meeting via Zoom with his wife, Terry. "I don't think there could be anything that honors the hard work and the example that we tried to set for our community, our university and our program and all the players in it as to what you all have decided to do here today."

“Terry and I certainly have the utmost gratitude for this great legacy-type of award by naming the field for us. I can't tell you how honored and how much appreciation we have for that. This naming is representative of what a lot of people contributed to.”

Pogacar closing in on third Tour de France title after dominant win in the Alps

ISOLA 2000, FRANCE - As the finish line approached, Tadej Pogacar looked over his shoulder and saw an empty road.

Moments later, he was a giant step closer to clinching a third Tour de France title by winning another tough mountain stage on Friday. Pogacar pulled away from Jonas Vingegaard to be 5 minutes, 3 seconds ahead of his main rival with two days left.

“Now I have a good lead,” Pogacar said. "I will do the last two days of the Tour on the roads where I have trained my entire professional career.”

The Slovenian looks almost certain to reclaim the Tour crown from Vingegaard, the two-time defending champion from Denmark, and in doing so secure the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France double.

Winnipeg teen makes Ultimate Frisbee squad

Kale Peterson thought an opportunity like this was unreachable. Good thing he has a knack for making tough grabs.

Sk8 Skates helping local community learn skateboarding for free

Whether you’re just starting, have a few skills under your belt, a kid, or an adult — Sk8 Skates is helping the Winnipeg community learn the sport of skateboarding, free of charge.

Even on a cloudy, rainy Tuesday afternoon, the Forks Plaza Skatepark was filled with kids of all ages, skating, scootering and listening intently to the older instructors who were there ready to share their tips and tricks.

Free skateboard lessons are being offered at The Forks from noon to 2 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday, until Aug. 16. These sessions are open to skaters of all ages and skill levels, providing an excellent opportunity for both beginners and experienced skateboarders to learn from four talented instructors.

Tuesday was the busiest day so far since the opening on July 3, according to Erik Penton, one of the instructors who has been teaching skateboarding for seven years and skating himself for 15. Although the lessons are quite popular with the kids, Penton said that they have had a handful of adults come out to learn as well.

St. Charles golfer adds second junior women’s title to resume; Gross claims junior men’s crown

Addison Kartusch’s summer is unfolding exactly how she envisioned it.

The St. Charles teen found herself in the winner’s circle again on Friday after a 4-over par 76 performance in sweltering conditions at Niakwa that sealed the deal on her second junior women’s provincial championship and third win of the year.

Kartusch opened her campaign on the provincial circuit with a win at Golf Manitoba’s match play event — for the third time in the last four years — and continued her strong play at the women’s amateur championship in Minnedosa last weekend.

She’s the first female since Kaitlin Troop in 2006 to win the women’s amateur and junior championship in the same season, and the first woman to ever win the match play, amateur and junior in the same summer.

Manitobans crucial to Canada’s success

Eric Loeppky and Luke Herr will be Olympic rookies in Paris but their roles on Canada’s men’s volleyball team couldn’t be more crucial.

Herr, a 29-year-old Winnipegger, is the team’s starting setter while the 25-year-old Loeppky, a Steinbach product, will be a focal point of attack as one of the world’s top left sides as ninth-ranked Canada chases a medal in France.

Loeppky credits the influence of coach Tuomas Sammelvuo, hired in 2023 to replace Ben Josephson, as a key factor in Canada’s recent rise.

The 48-year-old Finn represented his country at a high level and guided Russia to a silver medal at the 2021 Olympics.

Gross, Kartusch on verge of claiming provincial junior golf crowns

It’s going to take a special effort to catch Zostrianos Gross.

The Shilo teen got into red figures again on Thursday, carding a 1-under par 71 to take a commanding six-shot lead into the final round of Golf Manitoba’s junior men’s provincial championship, set for Friday at Niakwa.

Terence Rafferty of Winnipeg has the best shot at catching the leader, sitting alone in second at 2-over par on the tournament. Payne Wood is in third at 3-over par.

After firing a 3-under 69 on the strength of a pair of birdies and two eagles in Wednesday’s opening round, Gross kept his foot on the gas, draining four birdies in a six-hole stretch on Day 2.

Foursome of PWHL goalies train young female netminders from across Canada

Is Manitoba the cradle of female goaltenders?

You could make a pretty solid argument for that title judging by the assembled talent at the Hockey For All Centre Wednesday morning.

All told, there were four homegrown Professional Women’s Hockey League puckstoppers serving as instructors at the KC Elite Goaltendering Camp.

The star cast included: Brandon’s Kristen Campbell, the camp’s founder and a finalist for PWHL goaltender of the year after her rookie pro season in Toronto; Elm Creek’s Corinne Schroeder (PWHL New York); NCAA Women’s Frozen Four MVP Raygan Kirk of Ste. Anne (drafted last month by PWHL Toronto) and Winnipegger Logan Angers, who recently inked a free agent deal with PWHL Ottawa.

High school volleyball star combines skill with incredible mind for game

Young athletes are often graded on raw ability.

It’s an easy evaluation and, in Kai Toney’s case, a gross oversimplification.

The 16-year-old Winnipegger, who enters Grade 12 this fall at Daniel McIntyre Collegiate, is already a dominant high school volleyball player.

The 6-3, 170-pound left side is an exceptional leaper with a powerful right-handed attack.

Philipsen finally triumphs in sprint finish on Stage 10 of Tour de France

SAINT-AMAND-MONTROND, France (AP) — Jasper Philipsen edged a thrilling sprint to win his first stage of this Tour de France on Tuesday after finishing runner-up twice last week. Biniam Girmay, winner of two stages already, was runner-up a second time, and Pascal Ackermann was third. The overall leaders stayed the same. Tadej Pogacar retained the yellow jersey with the same 33 second gap on Remco Evenepoel and more than a minute on two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard. Belgium's Jasper Philipsen celebrates winning the tenth stage of the Tour de France cycling race over 187.3 kilometers (116.4 miles) with start in […]

Manitoba climbs to top of dodgeball mountain

Ontario is no longer on top of the podium at the Canadian National Dodgeball Championships — thanks to New Era, a Manitoban men’s dodgeball team. New Era, co-captained by Nick Grenier, owner of Dodgeball Winnipeg, was formed four years ago. After years of training and close finishes, New Era made sure Manitoba was the first team outside of Ontario to place first at nationals, beating B.C’s Hard as Foam team last weekend. Supplied National men’s dodgeball champions New Era. New Era has come close before, taking home silver in 2023 in Montreal and bronze in 2022 in Edmonton. This year […]

Dutch sprinter Groenewegen wins Tour de France Stage 6 in a photo finish

DIJON, France (AP) — Dutch champion Dylan Groenewegen won the sixth stage of the Tour de France after a mass sprint that was decided in a photo finish on Thursday.

Tadej Pogacar kept the yellow jersey after a nervous day on the bike amid crosswinds.

Groenewegen earned a sixth career stage victory at cycling's biggest race ahead of Biniam Girmay, the Stage 3 winner, and Fernando Gaviria, the Stage 3 runner-up. Jasper Philipsen was initially the runner-up for a second straight stage but was relegated for an irregular sprint.

“I actually don’t know what happened but I was first,” Groenewegen said.

Eritrea’s Biniam Girmay becomes the first Black rider to win a Tour de France stage

TURIN, Italy (AP) — Eritrea's Biniam Girmay became the first Black rider to win a Tour de France stage on Monday.

Girmay said his sprint win in the mostly flat third leg was “for all Africans.”

“We must be proud now. We are really part of the big races,” he said. “Now it’s our moment. It’s our time.”

Before the podium celebration, Girmay went over and greeted Eritrean fans waving their country’s green, red and blue flag.