Ellison favors Hawaii for America’s Cup
SAN DIEGO — Software billionaire Larry Ellison says in a book excerpt that he’d like to have the next America’s Cup in Hawaii, although his sailing team CEO says officials are still in the process of picking a venue.
According to an excerpt posted on the San Francisco Chronicle’s website Monday, Ellison’s vision is for the 35th America’s Cup match to be sailed off Honolulu following a series of eliminations around the world.
“That’s the plan, anyway,” Ellison is quoted as saying in the excerpt from the paperback edition of “The Billionaire and the Mechanic” by Chronicle writer Julian Guthrie.
Russell Coutts, CEO of America’s Cup champion Oracle Team USA, tells The Associated Press via email that while Hawaii is being considered, “I can honestly say there are no favorites at this stage.”
NHL game called off when player collapses
DALLAS — The game between Dallas and the Columbus Blue Jackets was postponed by the NHL on Monday night after Stars forward Rich Peverley collapsed on the bench during the first period.
Play was halted 6:23 in as Peverley was quickly carried from the bench. A public address announcement was made several minutes later that the 31-year-old Peverley was conscious and taken to a hospital.
“We treated (Peverley) for a cardiac event successfully,” Dr. Gil Salazar said. “As soon as we treated him, he regained consciousness. He was able to tell me where he was.”
There was no immediate announcement of when the game would be made up. Columbus was leading 1-0.
The Stars conveyed the message to the Blue Jackets that they weren’t up for finishing the game on Monday.
“They’re shaken and they want to reschedule. We understand that,” John Davidson, the Blue Jackets president of hockey operations, told Fox Sports Ohio. “They were shaken to the core.”
Peverley missed the preseason and the season opener because of a procedure to correct an irregular heartbeat, a condition diagnosed during a training camp physical. He made his Stars debut on Oct. 5 against Washington.
He sat out last week’s game at Columbus because of an irregular heartbeat. Peverley had felt strange after last Monday’s game and couldn’t fly.
Peverley then played in Dallas’ next two games before Monday.
Nadal and Sharapova out at Indian Wells
INDIAN WELLS, Calif. — Defending champions Rafael Nadal and Maria Sharapova were upset in the third round of the BNP Paribas Open on Monday.
First, Sharapova went down to qualifier Camila Giorgi, 6-3, 4-6, 7-5, giving the young Italian her first victory over a top-five player. Then, Nadal followed on the main stadium court, losing 6-3, 3-6, 7-6 (5) to Alexandr Dolgopolov of Ukraine.
In the earlier matches, Australian Open champion Stan Wawrinka routed 29th-seeded Andreas Seppi of Italy 6-0, 6-2.
Andy Murray outlasted Jiri Vesely of the Czech Republic 6-7 (2), 6-4, 6-4 in his second straight three-set match, and four-time tourney champion Roger Federer defeated 27th-seeded Dmitry Tursunov of Russia 7-6 (7), 7-6 (2) with an ace on match point.
Women’s top seed Li Na defeated Karolina Pliskova of the Czech Republic 6-3, 6-4.
Youth concussion guidelines released
WASHINGTON — According to new guidelines, athletes with concussions should not return to play the same day.
Dealing with concussions was the main topic Monday at the fifth annual Youth Sports Safety Summit. The gathering brings together nearly 140 organizations committed to keeping young athletes safe. Today, members meet with legislators on Capitol Hill.
The new guidelines were released Monday by the National Athletic Trainers’ Association.
Concussion rates among high school athletes have steadily climbed the last 11 years. Dawn Comstock of the University of Colorado, however, notes that concussion rates have declined in wrestling and boys soccer while other sports show a leveling off.
Comstock says the “epidemic curves” are beginning “to peak just a little bit. We’ve got to figure out why.”
3,500 police planned for Boston Marathon
FRAMINGHAM, Mass. — Spectators attending this year’s Boston Marathon with backpacks, coolers and other large items will have them subject to search.
Officials on Monday strongly discouraged attendees from bringing such bags and instead urged them to carry belongings in clear plastic bags like those being given to runners to stow their gear.
At least 3,500 police officers will be spread across the eight cities and towns that make up the marathon route. That’s more than double the number from last year.
This year’s race is scheduled for April 21.
Consecutive losses for US soccer women
The United States women’s soccer team lost consecutive games for the first time in 13 years, finishing last in its group at the Algarve Cup with a 5-3 loss to Denmark on Monday at Albufeira, Portugal.
Denmark built a 3-0 lead when Katine Veje scored in the 24th minute and Nadia Nadim added goals in the 35th and 39th.
Christen Press pulled the U.S. to 3-1 in the 51st, but Joanna Rasmussen restored a three-goal lead in the 62nd. The U.S. closed to 4-3 on goals by Sydney Leroux in the 63rd and Megan Rapinoe in the 68th, and Karoline Nielsen ended the American comeback hopes when she scored in the third minute of stoppage time.
The U.S. last lost consecutive games at the 2001 Algarve Cup, 2-0 to Sweden in the group stage on March 17 and 4-3 to Portugal two days later in the fifth-place match.
By wire sources