WCH: Puerto Rico pull out a sensation in Pool D

As I wrote precisely one week ago, any team would be in trouble if they underestimate Puerto Rico. The Caribbeans enjoyed their most spectacular evening in Poland and scored a stunning 3-1 win over Italy, the disappointment of the World Championship.

The late Saturday match practically nailed the Italian coffin. The underperforming Mauro Berruto‘s side kind of reached the bottom and today will have to fight for their lives against the 2014 World League winners USA. With several changes in his usual roster, the bald specialist perhaps thought last night’s affair could be a good practice for his boys. Emanuele Birarelli was left on the bench, while Simone Buti did not make it to the match group at all. The young middle blockers Matteo Piano and Simone Anzani were granted court time instead. The game of the reigning European vice-champions was so scattered and chaotic that I am sure Italian critics have a lot to write about these days.

David Aleman made one change in comparison to the starting line-up he’s chosen in his last three encounters. The team captain Hector Soto, now an outside hitter, sat on the bench and Jackson Rivera, later to be one of Puerto Rico’s two best attackers against Squadra azzurra, played the whole four sets. Seizing an opportunity they had never experienced in Krakow this past week, the Central Americans played with passion and agression in the only match against a very demotivated opposition. Down 0-1 half an hour after the match started, a situation not unfamiliar for Aleman’s lads, who had still been looking for their first set in the tournament, the Puerto Ricans totally earned their comeback. Eventually they made fewer mistakes than Italy, whose superstar Ivan Zaytsev couldn’t shine and rescue his team from the ashes this time, and won three points. Thus, my choice for the game’s MVP, the athletic opposite Maurice Torres who finished with the remarkable 25 points and an attack efficiency of 51%, helped his land revenge the defeat to the same opponent at the 2010 World Championship namely in Italy. Back then Italy won 3-1, a game that was part of the tournament’s second round.

Italy’s head coach: “Puerto Rico had an outstanding performance, teaching us that when you trust in yourself, passion and will to win will make you win. They had an outstanding defence and were consistent throughout the match but that because they showed marveolus passion on the court. This is a double loss for me. It’s a huge defeat from a mentally point of view. We need to collect everything we have inside and put it against USA tomorrow.”

My pick for the game’s MVP – Maurice Torres (Puerto Rico)

Puerto Rico – Italy 3-1 (19-25, 25-19, 25-23, 25-22)

Puerto Rico: Goas 1, Jose Rivera 5, Muniz 6, Torres 27, Jackson Rivera 20, Mannix 9, Del Valle – libero, Ortiz
Italy: Baranowicz 2, Kovar 3, Piano 3, Zaytsev 15, Lanza 7, Anzani 6, Rossini – libero, Travica, Vettori 4, Parodi 10, Birarelli 6

The first game for the day sealed France’s relatively surprising, but totally deserved supremacy in Pool D. Very few had expected ten days ago that none of USA, Iran or Italy would top the standings with just one competition day left. Les Bleus are definitely a team worth cosidering when you scrutinize the 2014 World Championship participants, especially when we noticed how good they looked during the summer and in the pre-championship preparations. However, this French generation have always shown ups and downs in important tournaments, a factor that usually prevents them from making it among, let’s say, the big four. Well, with the exception of the unfinished job against Italy on the group’s second match day, Laurent Tillie and his “warriors” have completed an impressive run that might open their way, probably a bit unexpectedly, to Katowice and Lodz for the Final Six. The biggest obstacle they have to fear now is whether they can preserve this psychological and sports momentum for that long, namely the stick that has deterred the French wheel in so many tournaments.

Against USA it was again the usual weapons that decided the game in favour of the Europeans – amazing defensive skills and a good attack percentage, also in counter attack. Jenia Grebennikov, allegedly the best young libero in the world, as well as Kevin Tillie, coach Laurent’s son, were superb in defence and saved a lot of digs and opponents’ attacks. The score heroes for Les Bleus yesterday were the usual suspects, Earvin Ngapeth, whose head was focused only on his game this time, and my choice of MVP, Antonin Rouzier, with his stunning 59% attack percentage.

The match scenario for John Speraw was a very common one. Again problems with the choice for second outside hitter, the new start option Paul Lotman did not impress, unlike the game versus Puerto Rico, and the head coach had to use his second opposite, Carson Clark, in order to rotate Matthew Anderson back to his original position. Team USA have faced the exact same issue in all their matches so far, excluding the Puerto Rican walkover, and the bench could only stimulate some positive waves in the tournament opener against Belgium. Chances are USA might look fragile today in what appears as their most decisive game in Krakow so far. The way they start their games is often good and energetic, but it doesn’t take too long for the well-prepared coaches to exploit the American weaknesses in the sets to come afterwards. USA is surely in need of some urgent decisions or game changers against Italy, otherwise we might see one of the World Championship favourites catch an early flight home.

My pick for the game’s MVP – Antonin Rouzier (France)

USA – France 1-3 (25-19, 17-25, 15-25, 21-25)

USA: Christenson, Sander 14, Lee 5, Anderson 21, Lotman 4, Holt 8, E. Shoji – libero, K. Shoji, Smith 2, Clark 3
France: Toniutti 4, Ngapeth 15, Le Roux 8, Rouzier 23, Tillie 9, Le Goff 6, Grebennikov – libero, Sidibe, Marechal, Jaumel

The victorious opening set was the key for Iran’s third win at the 2014 World Championship. A hard-fought 25-23 opener saw Slobodan Kovac‘s side shake off from the initial stress that must’ve come to being after the 1-3 defeat to France on Friday. It was much easier from then on to control the game. The Red Dragons couldn’t cope with the Persian rhythm and lost the game in four sets, despite waking up in the third.

You know you are doing things right when the stats sheets confirm how good your team’s block was. 16 successful block attempts for Iran were accompanied with another impressive performance of my MVP choice, Seyed Mousavi who declined an offer from Pallavolo Modena in the Italian Serie A this season to stay at home in Iran.

Iran and Belgium are two teams that have something in common – they both often suffer from breaking their own game rhythm. The Asians can dominate a game easily and then at some point just yield to some unknown state of mental trance, resulting in losing the momentum and dropping sets. We take into consideration the fact that it is a tough group and winning 3-0 every single time is practically impossible against such opponents, but Iran seem to be taking part in longer games due to their inability to finish their job in style.

Similar things can be said about Belgium. The Europeans lack international experience and are not mentally prepared to go all the way from nearly grabbing a set to exploding in the next one. Against Iran they should’ve fought better in the second set. They only woke up in the third set, which was too little, too late, and the efforts of Sam Deroo, Belgian’s best player at this World Championship, and the substitute Gert van Walle did not suffice. Yet, thanks to the Italian fiasco, Dominic Baeyens will have another chance in a few hours to secure his nation with a second round spot. The opponent is a neighbour of theirs and a team that they beat both in the World Championship qualifiers in January and at the 2013 European Championship – the group leaders France.

My pick for the game’s MVP – Seyed Mousavi (Iran)

Belgium – Iran 1-3 (23-25, 15-25, 25-21, 20-25)

Belgium: Depestele 3, Deroo 15, Verhees 10, van den Dries 8, Verhanneman 8, van de Voorde 8, Derkoningen – libero, Coolman, Claes 1, van Walle 8, Valkiers
Iran: Marouf 6, Ghaemi 13, Mousavi 12, Ghafour 11, Mirzajanpour 13, Gholami 2, Zarif – libero, Mahmoudi 5, Ebadipour 3, Mahdavi, Tashakori 9

Standings:

Pos Team  SetsPoints ratio Points  1 France 11-5 1.058 10 2 Iran 10-7 1.054 8 3 USA 9-8 1.070 6 4 Italy 8-9 1.018 5 5 Belgium 7-9 0.949 4 6 Puerto Rico 3-10 0.831 3

 

Pictures: FIVB

Click Here: cheap Cowboys jersey

2015 Champions League Final Four to be held in BERLIN

What has been a far-fetched dream for the team of BERLIN Recycling Volleys some years ago, has evolved into a vision as time went by and eventually comes true now: The 2015 CEV DenizBank Volleyball Champions League FINAL FOUR will take place in Berlin from March 28-29 at Max-Schmeling-Halle – for the first time in its history on German ground. As host of the final round the club of Germany’s capital city is directly qualified for the tournament of the best European teams.  

“Today is a happy day for the German Volleyball sport. To host the world’s most elitist club competition in our country is a great honour for our club, but mainly a huge pleasure for all Volleyball fans in Germany”, was the first reaction of the BERLIN club president Kaweh Niroomand on the CEV decision. “Together with our fans we want to celebrate a giant volleyball party. This is, the best European teams and world’s greatest players come together at out ‘volleyball temple’”, says Matthias Klee, the organizing director who represented the club in Luxemburg this Thursday, delightedly. 

The competitive basis was laid by the six-fold German national champion with a confident 3-0 away win in LJUBLJANA this Tuesday claiming their spot in the Playoff 12. “We all were aware of the importance of this match and are happy to have withstood this pressure. Now we are looking forward to the FINAL FOUR as this event will be a milestone in every player’s career”, Scott Touzinsky, 2008 Olympic champion, said when informed in the CEV decision in Luxemburg. 

Which teams will make their way through to BERLIN will be decided by the following knock-out phase matches within the up-coming eight weeks. These are the Playoff 12 matches: 

VfB FRIEDRICHSHAFEN (GER) vs Asseco Resovia RZESZOW (POL)
Tomis CONSTANTA (ROU) vs Lokomotiv NOVOSIBIRSK (RUS)
JASTRZEBSKI Wegiel (POL) vs Sir Safety PERUGIA (ITA)
Cucine Lube TREIA (ITA) vs PGE Skra BELCHATOW (POL)
Copra Volley PIACENZA (ITA) vs Zenit KAZAN (RUS)
Halkbank ANKARA (TUR) vs Belogorie BELGOROD (RUS)

For those who cannot wait until the end of March, the club of BERLIN Recycling Volleys has just launched their official FINAL FOUR website www.berlin2015.br-volleys.de  on which Volleyball fans from Berlin, Germany and entire Europe can already grasp some FINAL FOUR atmosphere. Providing information on the tournament and a community to join by all volleyball enthusiasts also the Facebook fan page www.facebook.com/CLfinal4 was created and is online from now on!

 

BERLIN RECYCLING Volleys, the Bundesliga team of SCC BERLIN Volleyball

All important informations on the Final Four of the CEV Volleyball Champions League can be found on the following website www.berlin2015.br-volleys.de

 

 

 

Oklahoma Frosh German Fernandez Runs 3:56.50 Indoor Mile

Fernandez named Athlete of the Week

INDIANAPOLIS
– German Fernandez has been named USA Track & Field’s Athlete of
the Week after running the fastest ever indoor mile race by a junior
athlete at the Razorback Invitational Saturday in Fayetteville, Ark.
 
A
national high school record holder at 3,200m and two miles, Fernandez
won the men’s mile in 3 minutes, 56.50 seconds, surpassing the previous
world junior indoor best of 3:58.34 set by Kenya’s Boaz Lalang in 2008.

 
BEST MARKS WEEK ENDING JANUARY 25
 
MEN

 
60 – 6.62 Demi Omole (unat) – Hampton, VA 1/24
200 – 21.04 Rubin Williams (unat) – Albuquerque, NM 1/24
400 – 46.60 James Davis (unat) – Albuquerque, NM 1/24    

800 – 1:48.72 Jacob Hernandez (Texas) – College Station, TX 1/24
Mile – 3:56.50 German Fernandez (Oklahoma State) – Fayetteville, AR
1/24     World leader
3000 – 8:00.11 David Nightingale (Zap Fitness) – Boston, MA 1/24
5000 – 14:04.68 Nate Jenkins (Saucony) – Boston, MA 1/24
60H – 7.71 Myles Bradley (Stanford) – Albuquerque, NM 1/24 & Dexter
Faulk (Nike) – Ames, IA 1/24
HJ – 2.25/7-4.5 Jerome Miller (Georgia Tech) – Fayetteville, AR 1/23
PV – 5.82/19-1 Derek Miles (Nike) – Vermillion, SD 1/24     World leader
LJ – 7.89/25-10.75 Randall Flimmons (unat) – Hampton, VA 1/24
TJ – 16.39/53-9.25 Brandon Roulhac (Shore AC) – Gainesville, FL 1/24
SP – 21.47/70-5.25 Christian Cantwell (Nike) – Nordhausen, GER 1/23
 World leader
WT – 22.04/72-3.75 Walter Henning (LSU) – Baton Rouge, LA 1/23 & Jason
Lewis (Arizona State) – Flagstaff, AZ 1/23
Hept – 5,511 R.J. McGinnis (Minnesota) – Minneapolis, MN 1/24
 
WOMEN
 
60 – 7.21 Gloria Asumnu (adidas) – Fayetteville, AR 1/24
200 – 23.39 Porscha Lucas (Texas A&M) – College Station, TX 1/24
World leader
400 – 52.28 Nina Gilbert (unat) – Fayetteville, AR 1/24
800 – 2:05.51 Heather Dorniden (Minnesota) – Minneapolis, MN 1/24
Mile – 4:35.35 Sarah Bowman (Tennessee) – College Station, TX 1/24
3000 – 9:09.92OT Lisa Koll (Iowa State) – Ames, IA 1/24
5000 – 16:26.28 Samia Akbar (Reebok) – Boston, MA 1/23
60H – 8.07 Lolo Jones (Asics) – Baton Rouge, LA 1/23
HJ – 1.93/6-4 Sharon Day (Asics) – Fresno, CA 1/19
PV – 4.45/14-7.25 Lacy Janson (Nike) – Gainesville, FL 1/24
LJ – 6.63/21-9 Jeomi Maduka (Cornell) – Ithaca, NY 1/24
TJ – 13.09/42-11.5 Jeomi Maduka (Cornell) – Ithaca, NY 1/24
SP – 17.23/56-6.5 Liz Wanless (NYAC) – Bloomington, IN 1/23
WT – 22.03/72-3.5 Erin Gilreath (NYAC) – Bloomington, IN 1/24
Pent – 4,386 Liz Roehrig (unat) – Minneapolis, MN 1/23     World leader

Elsewhere, 2008 Olympian Derek Miles won the men’s pole vault
Saturday at the Graphic Edge Alumni Open in Vermillion, S.D., with a
world-leading clearance of 5.82 meters/19 feet 1 inch. Christian
Cantwell, the 2008 Olympic silver medalist, on Friday won the men’s
shot put with his world-leading toss of 21.47m/70-5.25 in Nordhausen,
Germany and Texas A&M’s Porscha Lucas was a double-winner Saturday
at the Texas vs. Texas A&M Dual meet, winning the women’s 200m in a
world-leading 23.39 and the 60m in 7.30.
 
Now in its eighth
year, USATF’s Athlete of the Week program is designed to recognize
outstanding performers at all levels of the sport. USATF names a new
honoree each week and features the athlete on the USATF website.
Selections are based on top performances and results from the previous
week.
 
2009 USATF Athlete of the Week Winners: January 6, Mason
Finley; January 13, Amber Campbell; January 20, Josh Cox; January 27,
German Fernandez.


About USA Track & Field

 
USA
Track & Field (USATF) is the National Governing Body for track and
field, long-distance running and race walking in the United States.
USATF encompasses the world’s oldest organized sports, some of the
most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and
junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult
runners in the United States.
 
For more information on USATF, visit
www.usatf.org

The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest Posts

sirgeorge

Latest posts by sirgeorge (see all)

Teen Phenom Cain Added to Star Studded Boston NBal GP – January 10, 2014

“Uptight” – ‘My Word’ column by Tom Derderian – January 6, 2014

Tolling the Bell for Sandy Hook, by Beth Shluger – January 6, 2014

2010 NER Pub Series Women’s Standings After 2 Races

To download an application to the Portland Trail to Ale 10K(5th race) and Paddy’s Shillelagh Shuffle(Finale), Click Here
Open Women (Top 50 Score)

1. Kristin Murphy, Newton, Ma             100
2. Megan Sowa, Boston, Ma                  97
3. Meaghan Scearbo, Wakefield, Ma     93
4. Susan MacLeod, Boston, Ma             90
5. Marge Bellisle, Warren, RI                86
6. Annalisa Pawlosky, Cambridge, Ma  79
7. Amy Pace, Brookline, Ma                  78
8. Andrea Leonard, Framingham, Ma    67
9. Sarah Phillips, Cambridge, Ma          64
10. Jacquelyn Cilley, Brookline, Ma      49
11. Holly Madden,                                 48
12. Kathryn Martin, Northport, NY      47
13. Jamie Brogioli, Boston, Ma            45
14. Cynthia Sculley                              44
15. Annalisa Powlosky                         43
15. Lynn Burns, Needham, Ma            43
17. Abigail Poni, Weston, Ma              42
18. Stacey Lane                                    41
19. Jen Gillingham                               40
19. Annie Sanders, JP, Ma                   40
21. Monica Eller, revere, Ma               39
22. Melinda Thompson, Ma                38
23. Sue Mcnatt                                    37
24. Liz Lennox                                    36
24. Lauren Resapep, Cambridge, Ma  36
25. Erin Delacy                                   35
26. Karen Driscoll                               34
26. Erin Wyner, Medford, Ma             34
28. Julie Vona                                      33
28. Andrea Garipay, Melrose, Ma       33
30. Jen Maguire                                   32
30. Julia Fahey, Watertown, Ma          32
32. Cathy Cagle                                   31
32. Chris Cuozzo, Woburn, Ma           31
34. Jean Harnedy                                 30
34. Kara Bobowich, N. Quincy, Ma    30
36. Denise Noland                               29
36. Diane McCarthy,                           29
38. Virginia Kulka                               28
39. Kathryn Keenan                             27
39. Lisa Yarussi, Mansfield, Ma           27
41. Molly Lunn                                     26
42. Heather Powderly                           25
42. Mary McGerty, Boston, Ma           25
44. Liz Morash                                     24
44. Shelby Williams, Brandon, FL      24
46. Nicole Graziano                             23
46. Karen Serafis, Medford, Ma,         23
47. Ginny Carlin                                  22
47. Liane Pancoast, Westford, Ma       22
48. Carol Lahiff                                    21
48. Ann Morrissey, Somerville, Ma     21
50. Jen Costa                                        20
50. Tracey Fenton, Dorchester, Ma      20
52. Susan Stirrat, Dorchester, Ma         19
52. Margaret Hayes                               19
54. Sarah Perefetuo,                              18
54. Emily Powers, JP, Ma                      18
56. Maureen Finaldi,                             17
56. Kate Webb, Arlington, Ma              17
58. Drusila Pratt,                                   16
58. Courtney O’Connor,                        16
60. Janet Kelly                                      15
60. Tessa Kramer, JP, Ma                      15
62. Karen Mangiacotti                           14
62. Kaitlyn O’Brien, Boston, Ma           14
64. Katie Bradley                                  13
64. Marie Chan, JP, Ma                         13
66. Sarah Drury                                      12
66. Lorna McPhee, Charlestown, Ma     12
68. Catherine Farrell                                11
68. Sandy Harte, Westwood, Ma             11
70. Michelle Robin                                   10
70. Heather Phalon, Dedham, Ma            10
72. Molly Crellin, Arlington, Ma             9
73. Christine Gruanata                             8
73. Jen Sarbacker, Roslindale, Ma           8
75. Rebecca Arnold                                  7
75. Beth O’Brien, Holliston, Ma               7
77. Carol Tierney                                      6
77. Denise Law, JP, Ma                             6
79. Maryellen Doran                                 5
79. Nicole Santerre, Brighton, Ma            5
81. Kelly Condon                                      4
81. Mary Kennedy, JP, Ma                        4
83. Kelly Fattman                                      3
83. Robyn Rubin, JP, Ma                           3
85. Christine Bradley                                 2
85. Katherine Bolles, Needham, Ma         2
87. Christine Bartlett                                1
87. Meredith Stoddard, Boston,  Ma        1

Women’s Masters: 40-49—Top 10 Score

1. Andrea Leonard,         19
2. Julie Vona,                  10
2. Jamie Brogioli,           10
4. Sue McNatt,                9
5. Cathy Cagle,               8
5. Karen Driscoll,           8
5. Lisa Yarussi,               8
8. Sandy Harte,               7
9. Katherine Bolles,        6
10. Denise Noland,         5
10. Jamie Henzy,             5
12. Virginia Kulka,          4
12. Rosalyn Adam,          4
14. Carol Lahiff,              3
15. Jen Costa,                  2
16. Maureen Finaldi,       1
16. Shannon McCarthy,  1

Women’s Seniors: 50-59—Top 8 Score

1. Marge Bellisle,       15
2. Ginny Carlin,         10
3. Kathryn Martin,       8
4. Drusila Pratt,            6
4. Liane Pancoast,        6
6. Susan Stirrat,            5
6. Jeannie Vieira,          5
6. Susan Maslowski,     5
9. Marianne Withington,   4
9. Kayleen Rosato,            4
11. Nora Shannon,             2
12. Janet Berg,                   1
12. Cathy Gibson,              1

Women’s Veterans: 60-60—Top 6 Score

1. Catherine Farrell,    11
2. Janet Kelly,             10
3. Leslie Walker,          5
4. Janet Cormier,          4
5. Charlene Gabriault,   3
5. Karin Oleski,             3
7. Regina Wright,          2
7. Ricia Gordon,            2
9. Mary Tyler,                1
9. Joanne Morris,           1

Publicians After the Fifth Race

Thanks to everyone who made it to Brewster on August 13th for the fifth race in the series. We will be putting in the jacket size order before Paddy’s Shillelagh Shuffle on October 16th, so please email us your preferred size asap. As always if your name does not appear in the 4/5 or 5/5 list contact us at nerunner@comcast.net.
 
 
Men Who Have Completed Five Races
 
 
1. Lee Danforth, Norwood   

2. Terry McNatt, Needham                       

3. Aaron Wright,Somerville

4. Gregory Picklesimer, Newton

5. Macdara Nash, Concord

6. Bobby Bligh, Wakefield

7. Robert Cipriano, Belmont

8. Stephen Shea, Hyde Park

9. Christopher Smith, Woburn

10. Peter Heslam, Newburyport

11. Paul Corcoran, Needham

12. Ken Warren, Wilmington

13. Brian McCarthy, East Bridgewater

14. Daniel Atkinson, Mansfield

15. David Wessman, Scituate

16. Kevin Guarnotta, Jamaica Plain

17. Terry Wnek, Holbrook

18. Richard Tabbut, Beverly

19. Paul Hammond, Lexington

20. Chris Diehl, Dedham

21. Steve Seaver, Cumberland, RI

22. Thomas Stracqualursi, Stoughton

23. Steve Houde, Medway

24. Chris Tannian, Wakefield

25. Benjamin Nosek, South Boston

26. David Pember, Medfield

27. Mark Young, North Attleboro

28. Tom Foltz, Stowe, Vt

29. Jeffrey Cahill, Mansfield

30. Steve Baranowski, Norwell

31. Timothy McLeod, East Weymouth

32. Peter Fopiano, Melrose

33. Ryan Hayman, Somerville

34. Dale Davis, Plymouth

35. Michael MacNeil, Melrose

36. Edward Dowling, Plymouth

37. Jim Cotter, Wakefield

38. David Chwalek, Concord

39. Paul Clark. Hanson

40. Luis F. Ortiz, Hyde Park

41. Patrick Ralph, Riverside, RI

42. Andy Roy, Waltham

43. Bob Murray, Scituate

44. Thomas Wurm Sudbury

45. Bruce Rogers, Winchester                          

46. Christopher Wargo, Wellesley

47. Robert (bob) Pacetti, Fitchburg

48. Bob Hillman, 

49. George Russo, Waltham

50. Michael Lodge, Cambridge

51. Christopher Schaffner, Acton

52. Steve Milt, Marshfield

53. Tim Morin, Arlington

54. Ted Tyler, Framingham
       55.  Mike Nixon, Gorham, Me

 

 

WOMEN AFTER FIVE EVENTS

 

55. Jennifer Rapaport, Melrose

56. Meaghan Scearbo, Wakefield

57. Eileen Cakouros, Milton

58. Liane Pancoast. Westford

59. Patty Foltz, Stowe, Vt

60. Carol Lahiff, Cambridge

61. Laurie Nicholas, Gorham, Me

62. Mariah Tinger, Somerville

63. Claire McManus, Jamaica Plain

64. Laureen Davis, Plymouth 

65. Marianne Withington, Plymouth

66. Emer O’Shea, West Newton

67. Kelly Fattman, Auburndale

68. Erin Lynch,Melrose

69. Catherine Farrell, Newton

70. Kate Maslowski, Billerica

71. Susan Maslowski, Lowell

72. Kathleen Carmody-Mourgis, Newton

73. Helen Garity, Newton

74. Sarah Phillips, Cambridge

75. Gwen Co-Wallis,

76. Christine Roy, Waltham

77. Christine Bartlett, Acton

78. Lori Fitzgerald, wilmington

79. Elizabeth Pacetti, Waltham

80. Michele Winkler-Gettings, Danvers,

81. Robin Shor, Jamaica

82. Karen Jew

83. Marcia Kittredge, Framingham

84. Michelle Guerriero, Wakefield

85. Michelle Almeida,

86. Laura Flynn,

87. Janet Qualter,

88. Kathy Paganis, Nashua, NH

89. Melissa Kipp, Quincy

90. Katherine Wurm, Sudbury

91. Stephanie Guerriero, Wakefield

92. Meghan McKinnon, Roslindale

93. Deborah Gregson, Hyde Park

94. Kerry Diehl, Dedham

95. Marge Bellisle, Warren, RI

96. Erica Shipow, Boston

97. Katherine Phillips, Medford

98. Sarah Deery, Boston

99. Ashley Gouthro, Quincy

100.                 Karen Sparacio, Malden

 

 

FOUR RACES

 

A= An Ra’s Mo’r

D= Doyles

E=Evans Run

M=McGuiggans

B=Brew Run

P=Paddy’s

 

101.              Brian Tinger, Somerville, A/D/E/B

102.              Jack Murphy, Waltham, A/D/E/B

103.              Mike Tatian, Natick, A/D/E/B

104.              Tommy Leedberg, Somerville, A/D/E/B

105.                 Ally Maslowski, Billerica, A/D/E/B

106.                 Audrey Kennedy, Quincy. A/D/E/B

107.              Joe O’Leary, Medford, A/D/M/B

108.              Mike Platt, Needham .D/E/M/B

109.              John Winters, Norton, A/D/M/B

110.              Bob McColgan, Dedham, A/D/M/B

111.              Jim McLaughlin, Sandwich, A/D/M/B

112.              Jim Henry, Norwood A/D/M/B

113.                 Christine Bradley, Norton, A/D/M/B

114.                 Katie Mahoney,South Boston, A/D/M/B

115.                 Sandra Debow, Jamaica Plain, A/D/M/B

116.                 Mary Tyler, Framingham, A/D/M/B

117.              Petra Platt, Needham, D/E/M/B

118.              Benedikt Bloomberg, A/E/M/B

119.              Thomas Vossen, Norwood, D/E/M/B

120.              Mark Reeder, Brighton, A/D/E/M

121.              John Ayers, Beverly, A/D/E/M

122.               Chris Spinney, Arlington, A/D/E/M

123.              Gordon MacFarland Arlington, A/D/E/M

124.              Theo Kindermans, Waltham, A/D/E/M

125.              Edward Carroll, Winthrop, A/D/E/M

126.              Michael Quinn, Arlington, A/D/E/M

127.           Kevin Gallerani, Uncasville, Ct , A/D/E/M

129.              Jimmy Fallon, Walpole, A/D/E/M

130.

Ritz Returning to Chicago – Ran 2:07:47 here in 2012


Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein Will Return to Site of Breakthrough Performance
for 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon

Top American to Headline Chicago’s Kick-Off to the Outdoor Running Season
at 2013 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K

CHICAGO – The Bank of America Chicago Marathon today announced that U.S.
Olympian Dathan Ritzenhein will return to the site of his breakthrough
performance by competing in the 36th annual event on October 13. Last
fall, the Midwest native thrilled his regional fan base by finishing as
the top American in Chicago and improving his marathon best by more than
two minutes. His decision to return is fueled by the desire to set his
sights even higher in 2013. Before culminating with the Chicago
Marathon, Ritzenhein will kick off his outdoor racing season at the 34th
Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K on April 7, marking his first
appearance at Chicago’s popular spring road race.

“After his breakthrough race last fall, it became a priority for us to
have Dathan back on the start line for the 2013 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon,” said Executive Race Director Carey Pinkowski. “It’s clear
that he has discovered a winning formula for the marathon and Chicago
fits into that plan. What I’m most excited about is now that Dathan has a
comfort level with the marathon distance and with our event, I think
you’re going to see a supremely confident and fit athlete mixing it up
with a world-class field on October 13.”

Ritzenhein is coming off a career year in 2012, highlighted by a
13th-place finish in the Olympic 10,000-meter final as a member of his
third Olympic team, and a ninth-place finish at the Bank of America
Chicago Marathon in a personal best 2:07:47, making him the
third-fastest American of all-time. Prior to Chicago, his previous
marathon best was 2:09:55 at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials. His 2013
season will mirror that of 2012 by skipping a spring marathon and
focusing his efforts on the outdoor track season and a bid to represent
Team USA at the 2013 World Track & Field Championships in Moscow,
Russia, before taking his speed to the flat and fast streets of Chicago.

To jumpstart his outdoor racing campaign, Ritzenhein will headline the
2013 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K, leading the way for 40,000
runners as they usher in spring in Chicago. Growing up less than 200
miles from Chicago in Rockford, Mich., he can appreciate what the
arrival of spring means to runners across the Midwest. The Shamrock
Shuffle will also serve as an opportunity for the Portland, Ore.-based
athlete to prepare for his fall marathon, as the course includes
segments of the Chicago Marathon route, including the start and finish
lines in Grant Park.

“After a huge breakthrough at last year’s race, I’m excited to come back
for the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon,” said Ritzenhein. “I
hope to continue the success I had last year with my eyes focused on the
podium. Dropping my PR down to 2:07:47 gives me the confidence now to
race with the best, and I can’t wait for the opportunity to do that on
October 13. I love racing in Chicago, and competing at the Bank of
America Shamrock Shuffle 8K this spring will give me another opportunity
to do that, and will be a great springboard to build momentum for the
Chicago Marathon. I’m looking forward to hitting the streets of Chicago
this year and to keep breaking down barriers.”

Registration for the 2013 Bank of America Chicago Marathon will open online at www.chicagomarathon.com
on Tuesday, February 19, at 12 noon (CST). The cost of entry is $175
for U.S. participants and $200 for participants outside of the U.S.
Registration will close when the 45,000-participant capacity is reached.

Registration for the 2013 Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K is currently open online at www.shamrockshuffle.com. The cost of entry is $45. Registration will close when the 40,000-participant capacity is reached.

About the Bank of America Chicago Marathon
In its 36th year and a member of the World Marathon Majors, the Bank of
America Chicago Marathon annually attracts 45,000 participants,
including a world-class elite runner and wheelchair athlete field, and
an estimated 1.7 million spectators. As a result of its national and
international draw, the iconic race assists in raising millions of
dollars for a variety of charitable causes while generating $219 million
in annual economic impact to its host city according to a report by the
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s Regional Economics
Applications Laboratory (R.E.A.L.). The 2013 Bank of America Chicago
Marathon will start and finish in Grant Park beginning at 7:30 a.m. on
Sunday, October 13. In advance of the race, a two-day Health &
Fitness Expo will be held at McCormick Place Convention Center on
Friday, October 11, and Saturday, October 12. For more information about
the event and how to get involved, go to www.chicagomarathon.com.

About the Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle 8K
Long recognized as an annual rite of spring and the kick-off to the
outdoor running season in Chicago, the 34th annual Bank of America
Shamrock Shuffle 8K takes runners on a scenic tour of downtown Chicago,
starting and finishing in Grant Park. New in 2013, the event will host
the USATF National Club Team 8 km Championships for elite-level
USATF-member running clubs from across the country. The race will begin
at 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, April 7, and will conclude with live music at
the traditional Post-Race Party in Grant Park. In advance of the event,
the two-day Bank of America Shamrock Shuffle Health & Fitness Expo
will take place at Navy Pier on Friday, April 5, and Saturday, April 6,
featuring more than 80 industry-related exhibitors. The Health &
Fitness Expo is free and open to the public. For more information about
the event and how to get involved, go to www.shamrockshuffle.com.

Visit the Bank of America newsroom for more Bank of America news.

The following two tabs change content below.BioLatest Posts

sirgeorge

Latest posts by sirgeorge (see all)

Teen Phenom Cain Added to Star Studded Boston NBal GP – January 10, 2014

“Uptight” – ‘My Word’ column by Tom Derderian – January 6, 2014

Tolling the Bell for Sandy Hook, by Beth Shluger – January 6, 2014

Vermont City Marathon Announces New Sponsor

RunVermont announces People’s United Bank as new Vermont City Marathon title sponsor

 

Burlington, Vermont (September 22, 2014)
– RunVermont is pleased to introduce People’s United Bank as the new
title sponsor for the Vermont City Marathon. Beginning today, the
marathon will be known as the People’s United Bank Vermont City
Marathon.

 

“RunVermont
is excited to be partnering with People’s United Bank as we look to the
future,” says RunVermont Board Chair Kevin Dwyer. “We think the
partnership is a strong fit with the marathon’s demographic footprint,
the shared commitment to community, and the enthusiasm to create a
healthy lifestyle. This partnership will leverage the network of
People’s United Bank throughout the northeast states and also bring the
awareness of the event to a new level within the region.”

 

“We
are thrilled to take on the role of title sponsor of the Vermont City
Marathon & Relay beginning in 2015. Through strong partnerships and
the hard work of the RunVT staff, this event has grown to be an
important milestone kicking off our Vermont summers,” said Michael
Seaver, Vermont President – People’s United Bank. “With our locations
throughout New England and New York, we hope to bring much more
regional awareness and growth to the marathon. “

 

The
partnership grew out of the marathon’s need to compete in an
ever-tightening market for “destination marathons” and People’s United
Bank’s position as a New England based institution.

 

“At
RunVermont, we see that market conditions and competitive influences
are offering today’s runners many more choices and we have to be
prepared to meet those challenges,” says Executive Director Peter
Delaney. “Consequently, our team opened our discussions up to potential
new sponsors, and in the final evaluation decided that a change would
provide new opportunities.”

 

According
to Running USA, the number of marathons in the United States grew from
300 in the year 2000 to more than 1100 in 2013. Vermont alone has seen
the number of marathons in state double from 2 to 4 since 2009.

 

“Marathons
have evolved, and staying ahead of the pack requires not only our
traditional approach to creating a great course with supportive
volunteers and spectators, but also new ways of targeting marketing and
race promotion,” says Delaney. “Beginning with our 2015 event, we think
people will begin to see how we’re strengthening the future of this
marathon and all of RunVermont’s events.”

 

In
2014, Vermont City Marathon attracted 3100 marathoners, 5100 relay
runners and more than 1700 volunteers to Burlington. The event is now
the centerpiece of a weekend that also includes the Sport & Fitness
Expo and the MVP Health Care Yam Scram Youth Running Festival. The
combination of all activities associated with the Vermont City Marathon
brings an estimated economic boost of $3.5M to the local economy every
year.

 

Based
in Connecticut, People’s United Bank is a subsidiary of People’s United
Financial, Inc., a diversified financial services company with $33
billion in assets. People’s United Bank, founded in 1842, is a premier,
community-based, regional bank in the Northeast offering commercial and
retail banking, as well as wealth management services through a network
of over 400 retail locations in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts,
Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine. Jack Barnes is
President and Chief Executive Officer of People’s United Bank. He is a
graduate of Northeastern University and received his MBA from the
University of Vermont.  Jack, among several other senior leaders reside
in Vermont.

 

RunVermont
is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization committed to the promotion of
running as a life-long activity through complementary programs that
celebrate the athletic spirit, are recognized nationally, and embrace
the Vermont community. In addition to its premier Memorial Day weekend
events, RunVermont presents the FirstRun Burlington 5k each January 1st;
the Half Unplugged half marathon in the spring; Ready, Set, Run spring
and summer youth running programs; and consulting, timing and race
services support for other Vermont running events.

 

Notable Upcoming Events & Dates From The B.A.A.

(Photo: BAA Half, Victah/PhotoRun)

As the B.A.A. looks at the upcoming year, we wanted to share some key dates.

Events:

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Global Running Day celebrated at Boston Marathon adidas Runbase

Global Running Day is a day for runners and non-runners everywhere to celebrate the joys of running. On June 7, a free afternoon run will be based out of Boston Marathon adidas RunBase.

Sunday, June 25, 2017   

Seventh annual B.A.A. 10K, presented by Brigham and Women’s Hospital (Boston Common, 8:00 a.m.)

A field of 10,000 entrants will be led by Meb Keflezighi for the second race of the 2017 B.A.A. Distance Medley, racing through Boston’s Back Bay before finishing at Boston Common.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Registration opens for the B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund

The third event of the B.A.A. Distance Medley will have a field size limit of 9,000 entrants.

Monday, September 11, 2017     

Registration opens for the 122nd Boston Marathon

Registration for the 2018 Boston Marathon will be held online on a rolling schedule, similar to past years, and will continue until Wednesday, September 20.

Sunday, October 8, 2017

The 15th annual B.A.A. Half Marathon, presented by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and the Jimmy Fund (Franklin Park, 8:00 a.m.)

Starting and finishing at Boston’s Franklin Park, the B.A.A. Half Marathon showcases the picturesque Emerald Necklace park system.

Community:

Saturday, September 9, 2017

B.A.A. sponsors the Road to Wellness 5K in Roxbury, MA.

The third annual Road to Wellness 5K Walk/Run is aimed at inspiring health through fitness and exercise while embracing Roxbury’s rich history, diverse culture, and strong community. 

Team B.A.A.:

Members of the B.A.A. High Performance Team continue to race across the country, focusing on both outdoor track and road racing. The team will compete at a plethora of races, including the USA National Track & Field Championships (June 22-25 in Sacramento), and the adidas Boost Boston Games (June 2 in Somerville and June 4 in Boston). Stay tuned to B.A.A. Twitter and Facebook pages for more details.

About the Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.):
Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock Financial. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. More than 60,000 runners will participate in B.A.A. events in 2017. The 122nd Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 16, 2018. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

King ‘Ches’ Doubles Down at New Balance Indoors, Simpson PRs

(NER Ed. note: homepage photo is of Saratoga Springs (NY) junior Kelsey Chmiel winning the Junior Girls Mile in 4:44.84, just off the meet record of 4:44.o8.)

SECOND DAY OF GLORY FOR CHESEREK IN BOSTON AT NEW BALANCE INDOOR GRAND PRIX
By David Monti, @d9monti
(c) 2018 Race Results Weekly, all rights reserved

2018 New Balance Indoor Grand Prix
Boston, Massachusetts February 10, 2017
Photo: [email protected]
victah1111@aol.com
631-291-3409
www.photorun.net

BOSTON (10-Feb) — Less than 24 hours after becoming only the second man in history to break 3:50 for the mile indoors, Edward Cheserek came roaring back with a decisive victory here at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in the 3000m. The 24 year-old Kenyan, who has lived and trained in the United States since he was in high school, ran a personal best 7:38.74 to defeat 2016 Olympic 5000m bronze medalist Hagos Gebrhiwet of Ethiopia by more than two seconds. That was the third-fastest time of the 2018 indoor season.

“It was a good weekend, not bad for me,” Cheserek said, keeping his cool as he spoke to reporters. “I just came here to try to enjoy the ride with these guys.” He continued: “I’m going to just go with the leaders. Whatever happens, happens.”

Halfway through the 15-lap race, Cheserek, Gebrhiwet and his Ethiopian compatriot Dejen Gebremeskel, the 2012 Olympic 5000m silver medalist, were well behind the leader, Adel Mechaal of Spain, last year’s European indoor 3000m champion. Mechaal was running alone with a four-second lead after pacemaker Jordan Mann had dropped out. Mechaal was on a fast pace, but was clearly working hard.

“I was trying to break 7:40,” an exhausted Mechaal told Race Results Weekly after the race.

But lap by lap, Mechaal’s lead eroded. The Spaniard started to labor, and Cheserek and Gebrhiwet passed him with about one lap to go. Gebremeskel was too far back to contend for the win and had to settle for third. It was just Cheserek and Gebrhiwet who were left to battle for victory. Cheserek had timed his move perfectly.

“I knew that guy (Mechaal) was keep looking back,” Cheserek said of the last laps of the race. “You know what? I think I have something left. Let me just save it for the last three laps.”

Leaving nothing to chance, Cheserek ran three sub-30-second laps to close the race, and the last one was a sizzling 27.53. Gebrhiwet gave chase, but there was no way he was going to catch the 3:49 miler who is undefeated this indoor season.

Cheserek, who has said previously that he would like to represent the USA, reiterated that he has no intention of representing Kenya in international competition, despite fast that the IAAF has temporarily frozen changes of allegiance. Arguably, he’s the best middle distance athlete in the world right now and he won’t be on the field of play at the IAAF World Indoor Championships next month. He said simply that running for Kenya was not a priority for him.

“For now, I’m just focusing as much as I can, and run as fast as I can,” said Cheserek who ran 100-mile weeks at high altitude in Flagstaff, Ariz., to get ready for this weekend’s races. “I’m not worried about other things like that. I’ll skip over that question.”

In the women’s 3000m, Jenny Simpson was able to prevail over both former University of Colorado teammate Emma Coburn and young Ethiopian Fotyen Tesfay with a well-timed last-lap surge. Simpson, who said that this would be her only indoor race this season, took the lead with about 300 meters remaining, then smoked the last lap in 29.86 seconds to clinch the win. Simpson clocked 8:40.31 to Tesfay’s 8:41.08. Coburn finished fourth in 8:43.57 behind Britain’s resurgent Steph Twell who got third in 8:41.94, a personal best and an IAAF World Championships qualifier (sub-8:50.00).

“This race today was just about winning,” Simpson told reporters. “Every single time we talked about strategy it was not about the splits, it was not about the clock. I’m pleasantly surprised with how well I felt at the end.”

Scotsman Chris O’Hare backed up his NYRR Wanamaker Mile win last Saturday in New York with another convincing victory here, winning the 1500m in a pending Scottish indoor record of 3:37.30. His Scottish teammate, Jake Wightman, gave a good chase in the last lap, but couldn’t catch O’Hare. Still, Wightman ran a very solid 3:37.43 and how has a qualifying time for the IAAF World Indoor Championships a week ahead of the U.K. Athletics Indoor Championships next weekend where the British team will be selected.

“We wanted to make sure we covered all the bases going into championships,” O’Hare explained. He added: “Today was just about making sure I was sharp enough.”

Jamaican steeplechaser Aisha Praught-Leer nearly stole the women’s 1500m. On the heels of her NYRR Millrose Games 3000m win a week ago, Praught-Leer was leading with 200 meters to go, but was passed by Ethiopia’s Dawit Seyaum, the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships 1500m silver medalist, who had better closing speed. Seyaum clocked 4:04.38 to Praught-Leer’s 4:04.95, a Jamaican indoor record.

“That’s PR for me,” said Praught-Leer, who was pleased with her time. “The training (with coach Joe Bosshard in Boulder, Colo.) is clearly working. We do so much strength stuff and occasionally we get on the track and do speed. It’s surprising what strength work can translate to.”

In the men’s 800m, Donavan Brazier benefited from both good pacemaking by Jamaica’s Sadiki White and ambitious front running by Boris Berian, the 2016 IAAF World Indoor Championships 800m gold medalist. The hot early pace set Brazier up for a sensational 1:45.11 victory, the third-fastest time ever by an American indoors and just 11/100ths of a second off of the USA indoor record of 1:45-flat set by Johnny Gray back in 1992. Berian, who missed all of last year with an Achilles injury, faded to seventh place in 1:50.17.

“When you’re in a race with Boris and all these competitive guys, a win’s going to come with a fast time,” the 20 year-old Brazier said. A reporter asked if he would buy Berian a beer, but Brazier reminded the reporter that he still wasn’t old enough to purchase alcohol in the state of Massachusetts.

Jenna Westaway of Canada was the surprise winner in the women’s four-lap contest, clocking a personal best 2:01.22 ahead of USA stars Raevyn Rogers (2:01.73) and Charlene Lipsey (2:02.05). Coached by Carlos Handler, Brenda Martinez’s husband, Westaway has likely locked in her team berth for the IAAF World Indoor Championships. She’s run under the championships qualifying standard of 2:02.00 twice this season.

“It was exactly as I had planned,” said Westaway softly so as not to disturb the women racing the 400m who were just getting settled in their blocks. “Definitely looked at the start list and there were some high-caliber names that I had seen for years at the top. I was definitely prepped for that.”

The New Balance Indoor Grand Prix was the fourth stop on the 2018 IAAF World Indoor Tour. Still remaining are the Copernicus Cup in Torun, Poland on February 15, and the Müller Indoor Grand Prix in Glasgow on February 25. The IAAF World Indoor Championships will be contested over four days, from March 1 – 4 in Birmingham, England.

5 big transport projects where Europe dropped the ball

A planned rail tunner linking Italy and Austria through the Brenner Pass has been fraught with delays | Christof Stache/AFP via Getty Images

5 big transport projects where Europe dropped the ball

An auditor’s report finds transport mega-projects are far behind schedule and way over budget.

By

Updated

It doesn’t matter if it’s railways, highways or waterways — when it comes to delivering mega-projects Europe is falling short.

Many of the bloc’s infrastructure initiatives are far behind schedule and way over budget, putting at risk plans to criss-cross Europe with shiny new high-speed railways and freight-bearing waterways by 2030, according to a European Court of Auditors report out Tuesday.

The report looked at eight big projects in 13 countries worth €54 billion of which €7.5 billion comes from Brussels. Six of the projects reviewed — which include everything from high-speed rail lines in the Baltics and Spain to new Romanian highways — are at serious risk of not being completed by 2030, the target for connecting national networks into European transport corridors, the auditors said.

“The Commission must play a stronger role otherwise we would have much more ineffective spending,” said Oskar Herics, the lead auditor.

The average delay across projects is a whopping 11 years, the auditors found. They laid the blame on differing national investment priorities and planning rules that don’t always line up with neighboring countries.

A hands-off approach from the European Commission makes that worse.

“Each of the countries is working in its own national bubble,” said Herics. “The Commission’s oversight … has weaknesses and is distant.”

To make sure money is being spent correctly, and things are on track, the Commission uses a band of former government ministers and MEPs as coordinators to check on projects. But beyond polite nudges, they are largely powerless despite the billions of euros flowing into projects from the EU’s budget.

Here are five projects where the auditors say Brussels dropped the ball:

1. Rail Baltica

A 900-kilometer railway through Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia should tick all the boxes. It’s a climate-friendly alternative to road transport, offering a European standard gauge railway to plug a peripheral region of the EU into its core network.

Yet it’s been dogged by squabbling over routing, funding and project management. The original budget of €4.6 billion is now €7 billion, and there are concerns that the projected number of passengers falls short of the EU’s benchmark.

“An assessment of the passenger traffic part of the Rail Baltica line shows that it is not economically sustainable,” said the report.

The plan was to open the connection by 2026, but EU officials concede that this timeline is now very ambitious. To get the project moving, three separate cost-benefit analyses were drafted, with each including a different traffic forecast, the auditors said.

2. Lyon-Turin TGV link

The cross-border railway connecting France and Italy — dubbed Trasporto Alta Velocità (TAV) — has been a political football in both countries. It includes 270 kilometers of track, but also a 57-kilometer tunnel, and is already 15 years delayed.

The problem is the economic rationale, the auditors say. Less than 3 million tons of rail freight are transported along the existing slow rail line but the forecast is for 24 million tons by 2035, Herics said.

To hit that target, both countries would also have to invest in “resolving bottlenecks and building missing links at corridor level,” the report said.

3. Seine-Scheldt waterway

The project is to upgrade a 1,100-kilometer inland waterway network around the basins of the Seine and Scheldt rivers in France and Belgium for use by larger vessels, and build a 107-kilometer canal connecting the two.

That’s good for low-carbon logistics as shifting more freight to canals takes trucks off roads. But the project is already delayed by 18 years. The Commission last year stepped in with a detailed timeline to advance the project, but auditors warn that it “stopped short of setting a precise milestone for the timely completion of the key missing waterway link to the port of Zeebrugge.”

The project had been justified on the premise that it would lead to a fourfold increase in traffic by 2060 compared with 2030. That will require a significant uptick in freight volumes, but “the statistics from the last decade do not suggest that this will occur,” the auditors warned.

4. Fehmarn Belt

The 19-kilometer submarine road and rail link between Rødby in Denmark and Puttgarden in Germany has faced strong objections from ferry companies operating on the route and from environmentalists. While competition concerns have been largely laid to rest, it remains unclear whether the project will be finished by 2028.

The auditors argue the Commission didn’t properly review Germany’s traffic forecast for its side of the connection, which will be much too low to make the project worth the investment. It also didn’t take into account the costs of noise pollution protection, which further raises the total investment.

5. Brenner Base Tunnel

The plan is to build a 64-kilometer railway tunnel between Austria and Italy to move passenger and freight traffic off the much-frequented Alpine pass by 2028. But although tensions have risen on Austrian efforts to thin truck traffic on the pass, the project looks set for big delays.

The German access lines to the tunnel could take until 2040-2050 to complete. “This would prevent the [project] from fully delivering its benefits for another 20 years,” the auditors warned. The report also noted that cross-border cooperation has been spotty on the project.

Germany, Italy, Austria and the EU “have not yet managed to complete a harmonized traffic study using consistent figures and methods” for the entire stretch between Munich and Verona and the countries have questioned each other’s forecasting methods, auditors said.

Authors:
Joshua Posaner 

and

Hanne Cokelaere 

Click Here: Cheap France Rugby Jersey