It was minus 5 degrees from where Neal Wilkins gave me a call earlier this week.
Neal regularly appears on Sky channels in the UK, along with Racing UK, and has a wealth of contacts in the racing industry there having been on the racecourse for more than 40 years.
For the past 10 years he has been PR manager for international bookmakers Victor Chandler which means he's well across all sports.
Given that there's no racing, his tips will be confined to the football. To make it a bit more exciting for us, he's concentrated on the televised games.
Tip 1: It's top versus bottom in Saturday's 12.45pm (UK time) kick off when Chelsea look sure to justify odds of 4/11 against struggling Hull who are on offer at 7/1 with Victor Chandler despite enjoying home advantage.
Tip 2: On Sunday I believe West Ham will build on their spirited Cup performance against Arsenal last Sunday and reward backers at 4/5 in their home match to Wolves who have only scored 8 goals on their travels this season.
Tip 3: Finally, the draw at 5/2 looks the call when Liverpool entertain a resurgent Spurs at An field. Liverpool have been far from convincing this season and look vulnerable at set pieces.
As we did last year, we'll be taking our guest tips in full faith. But given it's the first week of the year, and that we cashed out for Christmas, we'll start from scratch with a token $100 account.
We'll all up 10% on Neal's first two tips, Chelsea into West Ham. That would return about 3/2 ($2.50)
And we'll put 10% on the draw at An field.
Good luck!
* Please note, this site is designed for entertainment purposes. Check the gambling laws in your state or country before placing bets of any kind. And bet only what you can afford to lose.
Showing posts with label free sports tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label free sports tips. Show all posts
Friday, January 8, 2010
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Year's Resolutions
We don't usually follow the crowd, but it's probably timely to let you know what Aussiepunt has in store for 2010:
1. Although based in Australia, it is our mission to cover global sports, and this year there will be plenty. The Winter Olympics kicks off in February and our collaboration with www.winterolympicsformguide.com promises to be a terrific one. Then comes the Soccer World Cup. The Commonwealth Games might not interest our North American friends, but where there's an opportunity to find a winner, that's where our main interest lies.
2. More form guides: One of our most well read types of article in 2009 was the form guides we produced for certain events, some of them a little obscure such as the World Series of Poker final table. We'll be looking at ways to keep bringing these to you free of charge. While other sites are for fun, we insist we're here for the fun of it.
3. Celebrity Tipster Friday: We had plenty of success thanks to help from our celebrity tipsters in 2009. Your bankroll, if you followed our punting advice, would have trebled in two months! And while that died off a little towards the end of the year, we'll be endeavouring to bring some of the world's leading punters to the hot seat every Friday, starting with some English Premier League tips next week.
4. News: We're on the media lists of the world's leading bookmakers and sportsbooks. When they've got something to say, we'll let you know.
5. Theories, advice and tips: We're not always right with our betting strategy, but we like to think we're more right than most. Whatever the synopsis, at least we've got the courage to air it for all to see.
6. Keep up to date: If you want up-to-the-minute updates from our blog, follow us at Twitter @globalpunt ... at last count, about 1600 people already were.
7. Free site: We don't charge for any of our information. And we like to be open about what we do. The only way we make money is from the occasional referral to betfair or other reputable sportsbook (see the ads at the right of the page), or the few cents we get if you click on one of the Google ads on this page. For about $1 a day, it's hardly a living, but it's subtle motivation. Well, we did say we did it for the love of it.
8. Interaction: Please, if you've got something to say or share, don't hesitate to add it to the site. We're open to criticism, and we love a chat.
With that promise (you might call it a new year's resolution of sorts), Aussiepunt wishes all readers a happy and prosperous 2010 - we'll certainly be doing our best to help you keep it that way!
1. Although based in Australia, it is our mission to cover global sports, and this year there will be plenty. The Winter Olympics kicks off in February and our collaboration with www.winterolympicsformguide.com promises to be a terrific one. Then comes the Soccer World Cup. The Commonwealth Games might not interest our North American friends, but where there's an opportunity to find a winner, that's where our main interest lies.
2. More form guides: One of our most well read types of article in 2009 was the form guides we produced for certain events, some of them a little obscure such as the World Series of Poker final table. We'll be looking at ways to keep bringing these to you free of charge. While other sites are for fun, we insist we're here for the fun of it.
3. Celebrity Tipster Friday: We had plenty of success thanks to help from our celebrity tipsters in 2009. Your bankroll, if you followed our punting advice, would have trebled in two months! And while that died off a little towards the end of the year, we'll be endeavouring to bring some of the world's leading punters to the hot seat every Friday, starting with some English Premier League tips next week.
4. News: We're on the media lists of the world's leading bookmakers and sportsbooks. When they've got something to say, we'll let you know.
5. Theories, advice and tips: We're not always right with our betting strategy, but we like to think we're more right than most. Whatever the synopsis, at least we've got the courage to air it for all to see.
6. Keep up to date: If you want up-to-the-minute updates from our blog, follow us at Twitter @globalpunt ... at last count, about 1600 people already were.
7. Free site: We don't charge for any of our information. And we like to be open about what we do. The only way we make money is from the occasional referral to betfair or other reputable sportsbook (see the ads at the right of the page), or the few cents we get if you click on one of the Google ads on this page. For about $1 a day, it's hardly a living, but it's subtle motivation. Well, we did say we did it for the love of it.
8. Interaction: Please, if you've got something to say or share, don't hesitate to add it to the site. We're open to criticism, and we love a chat.
With that promise (you might call it a new year's resolution of sorts), Aussiepunt wishes all readers a happy and prosperous 2010 - we'll certainly be doing our best to help you keep it that way!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Who will win the Winter Olympics figure skating ?
This is a free sample form guide leading up to the Winter Olympics. It comes from the member site, www.winterolympicsformguide.com, and is a great look at who is in real contention for a medal in Vancouver.
Men's Figure Skating (Winter Olympics 2010) form guide:
The men's event is not quite as clear cut as the women's, but like all of the ice skating events, there are stand-out performers.
And we know that realistically, of the 30 skaters, not all of them have the high level of skill which will be required to pick up a medal. So, here we'll focus on those who do have a chance, look at their recent performances, and hone in on which events will provide us key indicators of form leading up the Games.
The program will kick off on Day 5 of the Olympics with the short program, followed by the main event long program on February 18 (day 7). Skaters who can land the most difficult tricks with the highest elegance and grace will be judged the winner in what seems on the surface to be a complex system.
Many might think the men's event will be a two-man race between the first American in 13 years to be crowned world champion Evan Lysacek and comeback king Evgeni Plushenko from Russia (I can hear the Rocky theme playing already), but there are others in the hunt, such as local hero Patrick Chan.
Let's take a little look at it in perspective. Lysacek achieved his world title with a score of 242.23. Plushenko's first and only performance in his comeback so far on October 24 yielded him a score of 240.65 after missing a landing in the short program. That's how close things are set to be. And don't forget Japanese skater Nobunari Oda who started his 2009/10 Grand Prix season campaign with a 242.53 score in the Trophee Eric Bompard in France.
Keep in mind the game of wits being played in the lead-up to the Games. Normally, all the top skaters would compete in all events of the Grand Prix. But note that on no occasion have the top 3 come head to head. It seems this is a game of tactics as much as it is a game of skill.
Brace yourselves, this will be terrific. It's far too early to make a call yet, but let's make a bold early prediction that the Canadian will start favourite, followed by the Russian and the American, with the Japanese pushing for a medal.
Evan Lysacek (USA)
It's been a long time since the United States figured highly in the men's division, and 13 years since they had a world champion. That was until Lysacek hit the scene and was last year crowned the world's best. Yet, while he was the most consistent skater and managed to put all his components together when it counted, in the World Championships, he was not as dominant as his female equal. He placed 2nd in the Four Continents and three 3rds in Grand Prix events before finishing strongly with victory in the worlds and World Team Trophy in Tokyo.
Form:
November 12: Grand Prix Net Skate America, 1st
October 29: Grand Prix Cup of China, 2nd
March 29: World Figure Skating Championships, 1st
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 2nd
January 25: US Figure Skating Championships, 3rd
November 2, 2008: Skate Canada International, 3rd
October 26, 2008: Skate America, 3rd
Patrick Chan (Canada)
When Chan steps onto the rink to perform his short program in February, he will be 19 years and 48 days old, carrying the hopes of the local Canadian crowd with every jump, spin, and landing. But he's been doing it on the senior circuit now for three years and has some of the best scores in the world, including a 249.19 which won him the Four Continents event where he beat Lysacek by 7.25 points. A leg injury unfortunately prevented him from competing in the Rostelecom Cup in October against Plushenko. And he has only recently returned to the ice with a less-than-Chan-like performance. As fitness returns, expect him to shine.
Form:
November 19: Skate Canada International, 6th
March 29: World Figure Skating Championships, 2nd
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 1st
January 18: Canadian Figure Skating Championships, 1st
December 14, 2008: Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, 5th
November 16, 2008: Trophee Eric Bompard, 1st
November 2, 2008: Skate Canada International, 1st
Evgeni Plushenko (Russia)
The heads of international skaters would have secretly hung low when they heard the Turin Olympic champion Plushenko was planning a return. Still only 26, he had planned to retire from the sport as a young man to follow professional ambition. But on October 24, he emerged for his long program at the Rostelecom Cup, a Grand Prix event. Worse news for his opponents was that he was able to stick a quadruple-triple toeloop combination, triple axel, triple axel-double toeloop, triple loop, flip, double axel and triple lutz. Sounds fancy, and it is, rating among the highest point range when it comes to degree of difficulty. Even worse, he plans to add another quad to his program later in the season. With a score of 240.65, he blitzed the rest of the field. He won't be anywhere to be seen on world rankings, but that counts for nothing when it comes to winning a gold medal. It might have been a shock for some to see him return to international competitive skating, but he'll be a white hot favourite when it comes time to hit the ice in February.
Form:
October 24: ISU Grand Prix, Rostelecom Cup: 1st
Nobunari Oda (Japan)
Oda might be considered to be the bad boy of international ice skating, having gone through a Japanese Skating Federation ban after a drink driving arrest in 2007. He has also had a questionable state of mind, pulling out of the Japanese Championships late 2007 due to "mental stress". But, now at 22 years of age, that seems to be behind him, last season winning the NHK Trophy and two other events which do not count towards Grand Prix final calculation. Despite not qualifying for the Grand Prix Final, he did register a 7th at the World Championships and 4th at the Four Continents amid the world's best company. He proved that this season he's ready to take the extra step by winning the first major event of the season, the Trophee Eric Bompard event in France. If nothing else, Oda has a colourful heritage - he's the 17th direct descendant of a daimyo during Japan's Sengoku period. But perhaps some of the rebel remains, having been known to do exhibition routines to Motley Crew and Red Hot Chili Peppers numbers. Whether he can compete to the standard of Chan and company remains to be seen, but two wins on the Grand Prix circuit, one of them against Lysacek, is a promising start.
Form:
October 29: Grand Prix Cup of China, 1st
October 18: Trophee Eric Bompard 1st
March 29: World Championships, 7th
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 4th
November 30, 2008: NHK Trophy, 1st
October 17, 2008: Karl Schafer Memorial, 1st
September 28, 2008: Nebelhorn Trophy, 1st
Thomas Verner (Czech Republic)
At 23, the Czech is in his prime as a skater, but it is unlikely he'll be able to push for gold at the Olympics. A repeat of his best performance, at the 2008 Europeans, could see him push for a medal, but he seems a couple of tricks short of making a true impact. Now for the positives. With a 4th in both the Worlds and Grand Prix Final, it would seem logical to suggest he's close to a podium finish. At last year's Europeans, he skated his best short program ever and looked well placed to medal, but made mistakes in the long program. He finished 6th. He has, however, started this season on a positive note, second in the Trophee Eric Bompard Grand Prix event, and winner of the Ice Challenge where he was clearly the highest-credentialled skater.
Form
November 12: Skate America, 5th
November 1: Ice Challenge, Austria, 1st
October 18: Trophee Eric Bompard, 2nd
March 29: World Championships, 4th
January 25: European Championships, 6th
December 14, 2008: Grand Prix Final, 4th
November 22, 2008: Cup of Russia, 2nd
November 9, 2008: Cup of China, 3rd
October 17, 2008: Karl Schafer Memorial, 3rd
September 28, 2008: Nebelhorn Trophy, 4th
Brian Joubert (France)
The 2007 World Champion has the program and the scores to match it with the best if he can reproduce his form of nearly three years ago. He has some of the best jumps in the business and consistently lands quads, something which will be required to medal at the Olympics. Despite finishing 4th at Eric Bompard in October behind other Vancouver hopefuls, at his absolute best, he is the best chance to upset the favourites - as he showed with his bronze medal at the 2009 Worlds, and his gold at the Europeans against elite competition. If there is to be someone to create an upset in the field, Joubert is likely to be the one, but recent form suggests he is not the same skater of old.
Form
November 8: NHK Trophy, Japan, 1st
October 18: Trophee Eric Bompard, 4th
March 29: World Championships, 3rd
January 25: European Championships, 1st
November 16, 2008: Trophee Eric Bompard, 4th
November 22, 2008: Cup of Russia, 1st
Takahiko Kozuka (Japan)
Kozuka is a rising star of the skating rink. He turns 21 on the second last day of the Games, February 27, and will be hoping to celebrate in style with an unexpected medal. To do so, one would think he'll need to improve on his current personal best by at least 10-15 points which is a huge leap in class at this level. But it's difficult to ignore his 2009 results, most notably Skate America, an event he won, beating Evan Lysacek. Given that he is a young figure skater on the rise, it will be worth keeping an eye on his 2010 season results. It is also worth heeding his 2009 season results which, for a skater of his age, were outstanding. They included the World Cup victory at Skate America and three other podium finishes. He started this season with a second in the Cup of Russia. For trivia buffs, his father skated in the 1968 Olympics.
Form
November 8: NHK Trophy, Japan, 7th
October 25: Cup of Russia, 2nd
March 29: World Championships, 6th
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 3rd
December 14, 2008: Grand Prix Final, 2nd
November 16, 2008: Trophee Eric Bompard, 2nd
October 26, 2008: Skate America, 1st
Others to watch
Kevin Van der Perren (Belgium)
The 27-year-old last season continued to perform personal bests, which enabled him to pick up a bronze medal at the Europeans. But he is still at least 20 points behind the best skaters of the competition. He finished 14th in the Worlds and, despite being six-time Belgian national champion and international standard skater, is unlikely to contest the medals.
Artem Borodulin (Russia)
If he skates, Borodulin will be one of the youngest skaters in the competition. At just 20, he is another fast on the rise, consistently appearing on the podium at Junior Grand Prix events. He demanded notice in September when he finished with a bronze medal in elite competition at the Cup of Russia. His best scores, however, are some distance behind those which will be required to medal in Vancouver.
Johnny Weir (USA)
It would be negligent to totally discount the three-time US National champion totally from contention, but it would be unlikely for him to be standing on the podium at the Vancouver presentation ceremony. The 25-year-old had his best international season in 2008 when he finished with bronze medals at both the Worlds and the Grand Prix Final. While his flamboyance is adored by many who follow figure skating (he owns a couple of chihuahuas, does tremendous amounts of work for charity, and has a hand in fashion design), his scores will likely need to lift beyond his personal best to medal. Based on 2009 performances, however, it is possible. He was second in both the NHK Trophy and Skate America last season and this year finished 4th at the Cup of Russia, his only skate for this season's campaign.
Samuel Contesti (Italy)
Despite being 26, the Italian is a figure skater on the rise, and one who could spring an upset in Vancouver. He finished 5th at the Worlds with a personal best ICU score of 226.97 which is about 10 points below what we can expect medalists to achieve at the Games. He also finished 2nd at the European Championships. He started this season with a 4th place finish at the Cup of China. He's one whose form needs to be watched closely in other events leading up to the Games.
Denis Ten (Kazakhstan)
And we thought 20 was young. This guy will be 18 when he hits the ice in Vancouver. He is the first Kazakh skater to win an ICU competition. He is a native Russian speaker, but of partial Korean descent. His personal best scores are some distance from those who will be contesting the medals, but he is a youngster on the rise and well worth watching. Last year, he finished 8th in the Worlds and 9th at the Four Continents.
Brandon Mroz (USA)
It remains to be seen whether the 19-year-old American will get a favourable nod from the selectors to skate. But he is another of the juniors making waves in senior ranks, finishing 9th at the Worlds and 8th at the Four Continents last year, along with a 5th in the Trophee Eric Bompard and 7th at Skate Canada. He also finished 2nd at the US Championships which will do him no harm.
Jeremy Abbott (USA)
With skaters of class ranked above him in the US, Abbott was given a chance to shine at Skate Canada, and took it. He won the event. Coupled with the fact that three of the most dominant figure skaters in the world absent and the other recovering from injury, along with results in other events, it would be fair to suggest the Olympic task is beyond him. But it is the Olympics, where anything can happen.
Men's Figure Skating (Winter Olympics 2010) form guide:
The men's event is not quite as clear cut as the women's, but like all of the ice skating events, there are stand-out performers.
And we know that realistically, of the 30 skaters, not all of them have the high level of skill which will be required to pick up a medal. So, here we'll focus on those who do have a chance, look at their recent performances, and hone in on which events will provide us key indicators of form leading up the Games.
The program will kick off on Day 5 of the Olympics with the short program, followed by the main event long program on February 18 (day 7). Skaters who can land the most difficult tricks with the highest elegance and grace will be judged the winner in what seems on the surface to be a complex system.
Many might think the men's event will be a two-man race between the first American in 13 years to be crowned world champion Evan Lysacek and comeback king Evgeni Plushenko from Russia (I can hear the Rocky theme playing already), but there are others in the hunt, such as local hero Patrick Chan.
Let's take a little look at it in perspective. Lysacek achieved his world title with a score of 242.23. Plushenko's first and only performance in his comeback so far on October 24 yielded him a score of 240.65 after missing a landing in the short program. That's how close things are set to be. And don't forget Japanese skater Nobunari Oda who started his 2009/10 Grand Prix season campaign with a 242.53 score in the Trophee Eric Bompard in France.
Keep in mind the game of wits being played in the lead-up to the Games. Normally, all the top skaters would compete in all events of the Grand Prix. But note that on no occasion have the top 3 come head to head. It seems this is a game of tactics as much as it is a game of skill.
Brace yourselves, this will be terrific. It's far too early to make a call yet, but let's make a bold early prediction that the Canadian will start favourite, followed by the Russian and the American, with the Japanese pushing for a medal.
Evan Lysacek (USA)
It's been a long time since the United States figured highly in the men's division, and 13 years since they had a world champion. That was until Lysacek hit the scene and was last year crowned the world's best. Yet, while he was the most consistent skater and managed to put all his components together when it counted, in the World Championships, he was not as dominant as his female equal. He placed 2nd in the Four Continents and three 3rds in Grand Prix events before finishing strongly with victory in the worlds and World Team Trophy in Tokyo.
Form:
November 12: Grand Prix Net Skate America, 1st
October 29: Grand Prix Cup of China, 2nd
March 29: World Figure Skating Championships, 1st
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 2nd
January 25: US Figure Skating Championships, 3rd
November 2, 2008: Skate Canada International, 3rd
October 26, 2008: Skate America, 3rd
Patrick Chan (Canada)
When Chan steps onto the rink to perform his short program in February, he will be 19 years and 48 days old, carrying the hopes of the local Canadian crowd with every jump, spin, and landing. But he's been doing it on the senior circuit now for three years and has some of the best scores in the world, including a 249.19 which won him the Four Continents event where he beat Lysacek by 7.25 points. A leg injury unfortunately prevented him from competing in the Rostelecom Cup in October against Plushenko. And he has only recently returned to the ice with a less-than-Chan-like performance. As fitness returns, expect him to shine.
Form:
November 19: Skate Canada International, 6th
March 29: World Figure Skating Championships, 2nd
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 1st
January 18: Canadian Figure Skating Championships, 1st
December 14, 2008: Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final, 5th
November 16, 2008: Trophee Eric Bompard, 1st
November 2, 2008: Skate Canada International, 1st
Evgeni Plushenko (Russia)
The heads of international skaters would have secretly hung low when they heard the Turin Olympic champion Plushenko was planning a return. Still only 26, he had planned to retire from the sport as a young man to follow professional ambition. But on October 24, he emerged for his long program at the Rostelecom Cup, a Grand Prix event. Worse news for his opponents was that he was able to stick a quadruple-triple toeloop combination, triple axel, triple axel-double toeloop, triple loop, flip, double axel and triple lutz. Sounds fancy, and it is, rating among the highest point range when it comes to degree of difficulty. Even worse, he plans to add another quad to his program later in the season. With a score of 240.65, he blitzed the rest of the field. He won't be anywhere to be seen on world rankings, but that counts for nothing when it comes to winning a gold medal. It might have been a shock for some to see him return to international competitive skating, but he'll be a white hot favourite when it comes time to hit the ice in February.
Form:
October 24: ISU Grand Prix, Rostelecom Cup: 1st
Nobunari Oda (Japan)
Oda might be considered to be the bad boy of international ice skating, having gone through a Japanese Skating Federation ban after a drink driving arrest in 2007. He has also had a questionable state of mind, pulling out of the Japanese Championships late 2007 due to "mental stress". But, now at 22 years of age, that seems to be behind him, last season winning the NHK Trophy and two other events which do not count towards Grand Prix final calculation. Despite not qualifying for the Grand Prix Final, he did register a 7th at the World Championships and 4th at the Four Continents amid the world's best company. He proved that this season he's ready to take the extra step by winning the first major event of the season, the Trophee Eric Bompard event in France. If nothing else, Oda has a colourful heritage - he's the 17th direct descendant of a daimyo during Japan's Sengoku period. But perhaps some of the rebel remains, having been known to do exhibition routines to Motley Crew and Red Hot Chili Peppers numbers. Whether he can compete to the standard of Chan and company remains to be seen, but two wins on the Grand Prix circuit, one of them against Lysacek, is a promising start.
Form:
October 29: Grand Prix Cup of China, 1st
October 18: Trophee Eric Bompard 1st
March 29: World Championships, 7th
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 4th
November 30, 2008: NHK Trophy, 1st
October 17, 2008: Karl Schafer Memorial, 1st
September 28, 2008: Nebelhorn Trophy, 1st
Thomas Verner (Czech Republic)
At 23, the Czech is in his prime as a skater, but it is unlikely he'll be able to push for gold at the Olympics. A repeat of his best performance, at the 2008 Europeans, could see him push for a medal, but he seems a couple of tricks short of making a true impact. Now for the positives. With a 4th in both the Worlds and Grand Prix Final, it would seem logical to suggest he's close to a podium finish. At last year's Europeans, he skated his best short program ever and looked well placed to medal, but made mistakes in the long program. He finished 6th. He has, however, started this season on a positive note, second in the Trophee Eric Bompard Grand Prix event, and winner of the Ice Challenge where he was clearly the highest-credentialled skater.
Form
November 12: Skate America, 5th
November 1: Ice Challenge, Austria, 1st
October 18: Trophee Eric Bompard, 2nd
March 29: World Championships, 4th
January 25: European Championships, 6th
December 14, 2008: Grand Prix Final, 4th
November 22, 2008: Cup of Russia, 2nd
November 9, 2008: Cup of China, 3rd
October 17, 2008: Karl Schafer Memorial, 3rd
September 28, 2008: Nebelhorn Trophy, 4th
Brian Joubert (France)
The 2007 World Champion has the program and the scores to match it with the best if he can reproduce his form of nearly three years ago. He has some of the best jumps in the business and consistently lands quads, something which will be required to medal at the Olympics. Despite finishing 4th at Eric Bompard in October behind other Vancouver hopefuls, at his absolute best, he is the best chance to upset the favourites - as he showed with his bronze medal at the 2009 Worlds, and his gold at the Europeans against elite competition. If there is to be someone to create an upset in the field, Joubert is likely to be the one, but recent form suggests he is not the same skater of old.
Form
November 8: NHK Trophy, Japan, 1st
October 18: Trophee Eric Bompard, 4th
March 29: World Championships, 3rd
January 25: European Championships, 1st
November 16, 2008: Trophee Eric Bompard, 4th
November 22, 2008: Cup of Russia, 1st
Takahiko Kozuka (Japan)
Kozuka is a rising star of the skating rink. He turns 21 on the second last day of the Games, February 27, and will be hoping to celebrate in style with an unexpected medal. To do so, one would think he'll need to improve on his current personal best by at least 10-15 points which is a huge leap in class at this level. But it's difficult to ignore his 2009 results, most notably Skate America, an event he won, beating Evan Lysacek. Given that he is a young figure skater on the rise, it will be worth keeping an eye on his 2010 season results. It is also worth heeding his 2009 season results which, for a skater of his age, were outstanding. They included the World Cup victory at Skate America and three other podium finishes. He started this season with a second in the Cup of Russia. For trivia buffs, his father skated in the 1968 Olympics.
Form
November 8: NHK Trophy, Japan, 7th
October 25: Cup of Russia, 2nd
March 29: World Championships, 6th
February 8: Four Continents Championships, 3rd
December 14, 2008: Grand Prix Final, 2nd
November 16, 2008: Trophee Eric Bompard, 2nd
October 26, 2008: Skate America, 1st
Others to watch
Kevin Van der Perren (Belgium)
The 27-year-old last season continued to perform personal bests, which enabled him to pick up a bronze medal at the Europeans. But he is still at least 20 points behind the best skaters of the competition. He finished 14th in the Worlds and, despite being six-time Belgian national champion and international standard skater, is unlikely to contest the medals.
Artem Borodulin (Russia)
If he skates, Borodulin will be one of the youngest skaters in the competition. At just 20, he is another fast on the rise, consistently appearing on the podium at Junior Grand Prix events. He demanded notice in September when he finished with a bronze medal in elite competition at the Cup of Russia. His best scores, however, are some distance behind those which will be required to medal in Vancouver.
Johnny Weir (USA)
It would be negligent to totally discount the three-time US National champion totally from contention, but it would be unlikely for him to be standing on the podium at the Vancouver presentation ceremony. The 25-year-old had his best international season in 2008 when he finished with bronze medals at both the Worlds and the Grand Prix Final. While his flamboyance is adored by many who follow figure skating (he owns a couple of chihuahuas, does tremendous amounts of work for charity, and has a hand in fashion design), his scores will likely need to lift beyond his personal best to medal. Based on 2009 performances, however, it is possible. He was second in both the NHK Trophy and Skate America last season and this year finished 4th at the Cup of Russia, his only skate for this season's campaign.
Samuel Contesti (Italy)
Despite being 26, the Italian is a figure skater on the rise, and one who could spring an upset in Vancouver. He finished 5th at the Worlds with a personal best ICU score of 226.97 which is about 10 points below what we can expect medalists to achieve at the Games. He also finished 2nd at the European Championships. He started this season with a 4th place finish at the Cup of China. He's one whose form needs to be watched closely in other events leading up to the Games.
Denis Ten (Kazakhstan)
And we thought 20 was young. This guy will be 18 when he hits the ice in Vancouver. He is the first Kazakh skater to win an ICU competition. He is a native Russian speaker, but of partial Korean descent. His personal best scores are some distance from those who will be contesting the medals, but he is a youngster on the rise and well worth watching. Last year, he finished 8th in the Worlds and 9th at the Four Continents.
Brandon Mroz (USA)
It remains to be seen whether the 19-year-old American will get a favourable nod from the selectors to skate. But he is another of the juniors making waves in senior ranks, finishing 9th at the Worlds and 8th at the Four Continents last year, along with a 5th in the Trophee Eric Bompard and 7th at Skate Canada. He also finished 2nd at the US Championships which will do him no harm.
Jeremy Abbott (USA)
With skaters of class ranked above him in the US, Abbott was given a chance to shine at Skate Canada, and took it. He won the event. Coupled with the fact that three of the most dominant figure skaters in the world absent and the other recovering from injury, along with results in other events, it would be fair to suggest the Olympic task is beyond him. But it is the Olympics, where anything can happen.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Australian of the Year set to be Jon Dee
Seems Australian punters think political correctness will win out at the announcement of the top prize for 2010. The statement is from Sportingbet:
Bookmakers have installed Planet Ark founder Jon Dee as a $2.50 favourite to be named Australian Of The Year 2010.
Sportingbet Australia CE Michael Sullivan said the recycling champion looked the standout amongst a quality field of nominees.
“Jon Dee has been a champion of the environment, not just in Australia but Worldwide,” said Sullivan.
“Given the focus that is currently on environmental issues and the great work he has done, he looks very hard to beat for this honour.”
Others in betting contention include Mental Health expert Patrick McGorry ($4.00) and Alzheimer’s researcher Ralph Martins ($5.50).
2010 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Sportingbet Australia Market
Jon Dee (NSW) Environmental Campaigner 2.50
Patrick McGorry (Vic) Mental Health 4.00
Ralph Martins (WA) Alzheimers Expert 5.50
Julian Burton (SA) Charity Founder 5.50
Bruce Englefield (Tas) Tasmanian Devil Advocate 7.50
Warwick Thornton (NT) Filmmaker 14.00
Patricia Easteal (ACT) Human Rights Advocate 17.00
Chris Sarra (Qld) Indigenous Educator 17.00
Bookmakers have installed Planet Ark founder Jon Dee as a $2.50 favourite to be named Australian Of The Year 2010.
Sportingbet Australia CE Michael Sullivan said the recycling champion looked the standout amongst a quality field of nominees.
“Jon Dee has been a champion of the environment, not just in Australia but Worldwide,” said Sullivan.
“Given the focus that is currently on environmental issues and the great work he has done, he looks very hard to beat for this honour.”
Others in betting contention include Mental Health expert Patrick McGorry ($4.00) and Alzheimer’s researcher Ralph Martins ($5.50).
2010 AUSTRALIAN OF THE YEAR
Sportingbet Australia Market
Jon Dee (NSW) Environmental Campaigner 2.50
Patrick McGorry (Vic) Mental Health 4.00
Ralph Martins (WA) Alzheimers Expert 5.50
Julian Burton (SA) Charity Founder 5.50
Bruce Englefield (Tas) Tasmanian Devil Advocate 7.50
Warwick Thornton (NT) Filmmaker 14.00
Patricia Easteal (ACT) Human Rights Advocate 17.00
Chris Sarra (Qld) Indigenous Educator 17.00
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
Roy Jones Jnr a good chance to knock out Danny Green
I watched a documentary about the two fighters last night and you'd have to say Jones Jnr is a class above Green. If parochial bets are keeping the odds out somewhat, a Jones Jnr KO might offer good value.
Here's what one of the bookies has to say:
The heavy support for American Roy Jones Jnr to score a knockout victory over Danny Green continued overnight at Sportingbet Australia.
Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said some big overnight bets had forced the price of a Jones knockout in from $3.35 to $2.75.
“We thought the Jones knockout support would end with yesterday’s $10,000 at $3.50,” said Sullivan.
“But another client had a further $10,000 at $3.35 and followed up with $5000 at $3.00 as soon as the price shortened further.
“Still, with Green never been knocked out in his career, we’re more than happy to accommodate the punters.”
Jones is still a dominant $1.30 favourite to win the fight with punters uninterested in backing Green at $3.50.
Here's what one of the bookies has to say:
The heavy support for American Roy Jones Jnr to score a knockout victory over Danny Green continued overnight at Sportingbet Australia.
Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said some big overnight bets had forced the price of a Jones knockout in from $3.35 to $2.75.
“We thought the Jones knockout support would end with yesterday’s $10,000 at $3.50,” said Sullivan.
“But another client had a further $10,000 at $3.35 and followed up with $5000 at $3.00 as soon as the price shortened further.
“Still, with Green never been knocked out in his career, we’re more than happy to accommodate the punters.”
Jones is still a dominant $1.30 favourite to win the fight with punters uninterested in backing Green at $3.50.
Tuesday, December 1, 2009
Roy Jones Jnr to knock out Danny Green
A points decision is still the favoured result, in the favour of Roy Jones Jnr, but punters seem keen to bet he'll knock out his Australian opponent tomorrow night.
Jones has been backed from $3.50 to $3.35 with Sportingbet Australia to knock out Danny Green.
Sportingbet CEO Michael Sullivan said one punter had placed $10,000 on a Jones knockout victory at $3.50.
“It’s a very confident bet to say Green will have the lights turned off for the first time in his career,” said Sullivan.
“A Jones win by knockout has clearly been the most popular option with punters with plenty of other good sized bets placed on top of the $25,000 to $10,000.”
Jones is a hot $1.33 favourite to win the fight at Sportingbet with Green a $3.30 outsider.
Jones has been backed from $3.50 to $3.35 with Sportingbet Australia to knock out Danny Green.
Sportingbet CEO Michael Sullivan said one punter had placed $10,000 on a Jones knockout victory at $3.50.
“It’s a very confident bet to say Green will have the lights turned off for the first time in his career,” said Sullivan.
“A Jones win by knockout has clearly been the most popular option with punters with plenty of other good sized bets placed on top of the $25,000 to $10,000.”
Jones is a hot $1.33 favourite to win the fight at Sportingbet with Green a $3.30 outsider.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Aussie odds plummet for first cricket test
The West Indies odds of causing an unlikely upset in the first Test at the Gabba next week have blown further following Chris Gayle’s departure for family reasons.
The Windies were already $10 outsiders for the match but have blown further to $11 at Sportingbet Australia while their odds of drawing the match have also drifted from $3.75 to $4.25.
Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said it was nearly impossible to see the West Indies causing an upset without their captain who looks an unlikely starter.
“Chris Gayle was their one real X Factor who could produce an innings that could turn the game,” Sullivan said.
“He could score a ton very quickly and his bowling will also be missed.
“With Gayle in the side, you could see them being competitive in games if he, Sarwan and Chanderpaul all fired but without him it looks like only weather could get in the Aussies way.”
Australia shortened from $1.40 to $1.35 for the opening Test and are red hot $1.22 favourites for the series at Sportingbet.
Australia vs West Indies - Test Series Winner
Australia 1.22
Drawn Series 5.00
West Indies 17.00
1st Test - Australia vs West Indies
Australia 1.35
Draw 4.25
West Indies 11.00
The Windies were already $10 outsiders for the match but have blown further to $11 at Sportingbet Australia while their odds of drawing the match have also drifted from $3.75 to $4.25.
Sportingbet Australia CEO Michael Sullivan said it was nearly impossible to see the West Indies causing an upset without their captain who looks an unlikely starter.
“Chris Gayle was their one real X Factor who could produce an innings that could turn the game,” Sullivan said.
“He could score a ton very quickly and his bowling will also be missed.
“With Gayle in the side, you could see them being competitive in games if he, Sarwan and Chanderpaul all fired but without him it looks like only weather could get in the Aussies way.”
Australia shortened from $1.40 to $1.35 for the opening Test and are red hot $1.22 favourites for the series at Sportingbet.
Australia vs West Indies - Test Series Winner
Australia 1.22
Drawn Series 5.00
West Indies 17.00
1st Test - Australia vs West Indies
Australia 1.35
Draw 4.25
West Indies 11.00
Friday, November 6, 2009
Free sports tips for November 7 and 8
Here's some thoughts about the weekend. Feel free to chime in.
Punters seem keen on Number 5, Gold Salute in the 5th at Flemington tomorrow. There will also be plenty of money floating around for the Patinack Classic, the last big race of the Spring season. And a fair chunk of it will be on the "people's horse", Apache Cat. Look for it to finish late.
Here's something different: A dog. We haven't touched the dish lickers, but Race 4 at Wentworth Park seems to have a special. It's No 2, Amity Bale.
I'm not as bullish as some on Casey Stoner to win the Moto GP. I think after Valentino Rossi made certain of the world championship crown, he'll now be keen to lash out on the Valencia track.
I think India will be a fair thing to beat Australia in the next one dayer to take the series to a decider. And Chelsea at better than even money seem like fair odds to beat Manchester United. Keep in mind though, that this will take on derby proportions, and they often end up in a draw.
Punters seem keen on Number 5, Gold Salute in the 5th at Flemington tomorrow. There will also be plenty of money floating around for the Patinack Classic, the last big race of the Spring season. And a fair chunk of it will be on the "people's horse", Apache Cat. Look for it to finish late.
Here's something different: A dog. We haven't touched the dish lickers, but Race 4 at Wentworth Park seems to have a special. It's No 2, Amity Bale.
I'm not as bullish as some on Casey Stoner to win the Moto GP. I think after Valentino Rossi made certain of the world championship crown, he'll now be keen to lash out on the Valencia track.
I think India will be a fair thing to beat Australia in the next one dayer to take the series to a decider. And Chelsea at better than even money seem like fair odds to beat Manchester United. Keep in mind though, that this will take on derby proportions, and they often end up in a draw.
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