Times wires
Friday, February 18, 2011
Autos
f1 Boss: hope Bahrain unrest stops
LONDON — Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone hopes the deadly anti-government unrest in Bahrain "all blows away" so the season-opening Grand Prix can be run as scheduled. Ecclestone said Friday that a decision on the March 13 race will be made next week. The race could be the first canceled in F1 history.
"Our people there say, 'It's quiet, no problems,' " Ecclestone told the BBC. "I'm more hopeful (Friday). I hope we don't have to do anything, that things carry on as normal. Let's hope this all blows away."
In Bahrain, soldiers fired tear gas and shot heavy weapons into the air as thousands of marchers defied a government ban and streamed toward the landmark square that had been the symbolic center of the uprising against the gulf nation's leaders.
driver improving: Officials in a hospital near Genoa, Italy, said injured F1 driver Robert Kubica left the intensive care unit and was in satisfactory condition. He crashed while competing in a rally in Italy on Feb. 6 and has had several surgeries.
colleges
Woman gets 7-plus years in Pitino case
A woman was sentenced to more than seven years in prison for threatening to reveal a sexual tryst with Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino unless he paid her millions in cash, luxury cars and a house.
Karen Cunagin Sypher cried and gave a short, incoherent statement during the hearing in Louisville before being sentenced to 87 months.
A jury convicted Sypher in August of extortion, lying to the FBI and retaliation against a witness for actions stemming from a one-night stand she and Pitino had in an Italian restaurant in 2003.
Her attorney, David Nolan, said he would appeal. Pitino had no comment.
lacrosse: The University of Tampa hired Rory Whipple, Division II's winningest coach, as its first men's coach. He was previously the coach at Florida Southern in Lakeland.
et cetera
Cycling: In his first race since escaping a doping ban, Alberto Contador moved into position to win Portugal's Tour of the Algarve for the third straight time.
Tennis: Caroline Wozniacki regained the No. 1 women's ranking after beating Shahar Peer to reach the semifinals of the Dubai Championships. … Andy Roddick beat Lleyton Hewitt 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 to advance to the semifinals of the Regions Morgan Keegan Championships in Memphis. Tampa resident Mardy Fish advanced with a 6-3, 6-4 win over defending champ Sam Querrey.
winter sports: Ted Ligety gave the United States its first gold medal of the Alpine skiing world championships, winning the giant slalom at Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany. … Americans Meryl Davis and Charlie White won the Four Continents ice dancing title at Taipei, Taiwan. In pairs, China's Pang Qing and Tong Jian won, and Amanda Evora and Mark Ladwig, who train at the Ellenton Ice and Sports Complex in Manatee County, were sixth.
Times wires