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Eugene Run Out in Red Stripe Debut
(12 October 2000) - Middle order batsman John Eugene had some bad luck Thursday as the Windward Islands began their Red Stripe Bowl 2000 campaign in Zone B of the regional limited overs tournament. Chasing a target of 225 against Guyana at Ronald Webster Park in Anguilla, the Windwards never looked like coming to grips with the varied bowling attack that included young spinner Mahendra Nagamotoo and veteran Carl Hooper, returning to regional action after a year off.
The Windwards were eventually skittled out for 104, with Junior Murray contributing 22. As for John, the thirty-year-old who re-established just about every batting record in local cricket this year was run out for 4 against Guyana.
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The Lustre of Lester
 (8 October 2000) - World Boxing Federation middleweight champion Lester Jacobs touched down in St. Lucia last weekend, with a huge smile and his son in tow. The 38-year-old immediately embraced his Soufriere roots, draping his European and world titles over an old lady whom he said was like a mother to him.
Jacobs also announced his plans for the future. "I'll be back here after I defend my title in late November, and I'm looking forward to taking with local officials to see how I can help the development of boxing in St. Lucia; I've seen some of our boxers [last year at the OECS championships] and I think they have a great deal of potential." Aside from being a (very) active boxer a decade after he began his professional career - 24 wins, no losses, 12 knockouts - Lester is also a promoter in Great Britain, a role he thinks he can replicate on the domestic scene.
There's still some fight left in him, though. It was a dogfight 8 September at the Novotel Arena in London. Lester, behind on points against champion Delroy Leslie, pummeled the young man into submission in the eighth of ten scheduled rounds, opening a cut that forced the referee to stop the contest.
"I'm also hoping to defend my title successfully a couple of times, and if I accomplish that, I can try for a unification bout against the IBF champion." He's remarkably well-spoken, articulate (and handsome) for a boxer, but when you remember how few fights he's had, it makes sense. Lester points out that his father encouraged him to take up boxing as a boy in Peckham, but the young man Lester never took the sport seriously. "Actually, I have some advice for young boxers in St. Lucia," he says. "You CAN do well internationally, but only if you treat the sport seriously. Approach it with discipline, with a sense of commitment, and you'll be rewarded." Lester Jacobs knows a thing or two about rewards; he's receiving his right now.
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More Success For Local Golfers
(9 October 2000) - Eugene Edwin, Terry Verdant and Collins Choulotte were solid for St. Lucia in the Eastern Caribbean Golf Association championships played last weekend in Guadeloupe, helping St. Lucia's men's team to a first place finish in net scoring and second gross. Verdant and Choulotte each shot a net score fo 144 for third and fourth positions, with Canis Louis and Edwin also in the top ten. Edwin shot 75 and 77 to end third in individual gross competition. Verdant was 10th, Louis 11th and Cliff Alcide 16th. Choulotte and Ames Amos ended well outside the top twenty.
Timothy Augustin won the senior men's competition with a second round score of 69 and 144 overall. He led St. Lucia to first place in the seniors' team competition (net scoring). Brad Paul was 6th and John Wright 10th. Trevor Cozier was the other St. Lucian senior, and he ended 20th.
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October Tennis Ends At Club
(12 October 2000) - Jessica Atkinson and Solange Cooper provided the fireworks in the Cable & Wireless October Open of tennis, the 14-year-old Atkinson winning a scrappy encounter 6-4 6-3 and taking top spot in the national women's rankings. Atkinson vaulted eight places and supplanted Amanda Greenidge in the process. Cooper also made it into the top five, coming in at number four.
Among the men, David Dauvergne disposed of Steven Marcelle 6-1 6-1 in semifinal action, before beating Jonathan Jn Baptiste 6-1 6-2 in a lacklustre encounter. Seeding held true, as these were the two top-ranked players coming in, and Dauvergne has yet to lose this year. On his way to the finals, Dauvergne beat Johnny Easter 7-5 6-0 in the quarterfinal round.
Dauvergne and Davis Cup player Jn Baptiste are still the top two men in local tennis, with Jn Baptiste's semifinals opponent and primary school classmate Cameron Moffat in at number three. SLTA president Johnny Easter is fourth, followed by Davis Cup captain Trevor Hunte and SLTA public relations officer Christopher Hunte (no relation). Christopher is up two spots from number eight. Also up (the biggest mover) is the boy known as the giant-killer. Alberton Richelieu Jr. The young quarter-finalist leapt into the top ten, in at number eight from thirteen.
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FC Bid For Roots Alley
(11 October 2000) - It's been a decade since VSADC made it into the quarterfinals of the CONCACAF club championships, and since then no St. Lucian team has been entered for regional competition. 1999 double champions Roots Alley Ballers of Vieux Fort will change that in a few weeks; appropriate, as the club celebrates its 15th anniversary.
Roots Alley have been nominated by the St. Lucia Football Association to participate in this year's Football Confederation club championships. To help them prepare for the challenge, manager Philip Philip says certain changes needed to be made, the main one being the addition of Emmanuel Bellasse to the technical staff.
"We're strong in midfield," says Bellasse, who welcomed the return of Emerson "Ti-Loy" Jn Marie, leading domestic scorer in 1999 and reigning footballer of the year. Bellasse, though, had some concerns after his first two workouts with Roots Alley. "We're a bit loose in defense, as we saw early in the season when the guys were struggling in the Premier League. We also need to work on finishing and conditioning." Goal-scoring had been a big problem for Roots Alley during the early part of the 2000 season, when they lost games by margins like 1-0 and 2-1.
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Four Medals For Lucian Karatekas
(9 October 2000) - St. Lucia's Shotokan Karate Association despatched a team to St. George's last weekend for a fourteen-team tournament commemorating the fifth anniversary of Grenada's Shotokan Karate Association. Eleven members of the SLSKA took part in that competition; four returned with medals.
1999 Karateka of the Year, Patrick Edward won the senior men's kumite, a division in which Tiberchus Eristhee was third. Thomas Samuel won the intermediate men's kumite and Dean Avril was second in boys' individual kumite. The St. Lucian group was also second in the team kumite competition.
SLSKA has a new executive, a six-member interim team entrusted with restoring the organisation's operational capacity. Samuel, standby president, vice-president Michael Burke, secretary Damian Combie, chairman Edward and assistant secretary/treasurer Eva Williams are in office until 31 January 2001. Their initial mandate includes embarking on a public relations and recruitment campaign, preparing for election of officers and re-establishing karate in schools. A good fist step will be the opening of a new branch at the Sportivo Fitness Centre in Rodney Heights. The branch will be open as of this week.
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Lucian Team Third in Miami Netball
(10 October 2000) - The Challengers Netball Club was in Miami last weekend, taking part in the Islanders' 10th Anniversary Netball Tournament. The team included Maureen Daniel, Catherine Leonce, Debra Gregg, Beverly James, Jacinta Charles, Stephanie Biroo, Nita Lewis, Amanda Biroo and Carol Whilby Maxwell.
Challengers were third overall, winning their group but losing to the second placed team in the other group. Challengers picked up a trophy and a monetary prize for their weekend's work. Daniel and Leonce were second in the team shooting competition, and Daniel second in the individual shooting competition.
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Actie, St. Ange Do Distance Well
(9 October 2000) - Two runners from the Roadbusters Club were in Martinique last weekend for an 8km road race. Juliana Actie clocked 1:08:23 to end second among the women. Wayne "Ali" st. Ange improved on his time and position from last year, but he still ended only eleventh. His time, 53:36, left him well behind second-placed Pamenos Ballantyne, the only other runner from the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States. Ballantyne, from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, contested the men's marathon at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia just a week before, ending31st.
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Football Celebrates Fair Play Day
(7 October 2000) - A full schedule of football at the Dames playing field in Vieux Fort will mark World Fair Play Day on 22 October. Fair Play Day was introduced in 1997 by world governing body FIFA, demonstrating recognition of and respect for the game.
Helenites will meet Athletico in a women's match, with Anse la Raye and Mabouya in an under-seventeen fixture. Micoud and Dennery will play an under-twenty game, and 1999 double champions Roots Alley Ballers will close the day's proceedings with a matchup against Rovers United of Mabouya Valley.
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See John Run
(13 October 2000) - John Didier, a 38-year-old runner from Choiseul, will be contesting the Chicago Marathon 23 October. He's due to leave the island Tuesday for the Windy City, where he's hoping to clock a career-best time.
Last November, in the New York City Marathon, John clocked 2:48 on a hilly course, but he says conditions in Chicago will be much better for him, and he's hoping he can run much faster than he ever has.
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