The Volkswagen Group has revealed it currently has no plans to join the Formula 1 grid despite the FIA opening up the possibility for a further team to join the championship.

The governing body surprised the motorsport world by opening up an opportunity for prospective F1 entrants to submit proposals, which automatically led to a retread of suggestions that VW – or one of its group brands – would be interested in expanding its motorsport programme into the top flight. However, the German giant has since told ESPN that it will not be bidding for a place

“Currently, there are no plans or intentions for the Volkswagen brand or any other brand of the Volkswagen Group to join F1,” a spokesman said, echoing innumerable similar quotes issued over the years.

VW, which has motorsport brands such as Porsche, Audi, Bugatti, SEAT, Skoda and Lamborghini under its umbrella, has repeatedly stated that it is not interested in starting an F1 programme, a claim echoed by its subsidiaries, most of which have competition arms active in other series. VW, of course, is the new WRC champion, while new WEC sportscar champion Audi is about to be joined in LMP1 competition by Porsche.

“We are a sports car company,” head of R&D Wolfgang Hatz told Autocar back in April, “Porsche has always lived for the transfer of racing to production cars. For that reason, it was clear two or three years ago that we had to be back in high-level motorsport, and it was a choice between top-flight sports cars or F1.

“But the final decision was the only logical one. F1 was an alternative, but the road relevance is not there. Also, there is a lot of publicity around politics and tyres, but not so much about the engines and chassis. The aero, too, is incredible, but so extreme that it cannot result in any development in our road car understanding.”

Audi has also been connected to various openings in the F1 field, and as a potential engine partner to existing teams, but has regularly denied interest, and VW’s latest dismissal completes the set. The latter’s Wolfgang Duerheimer said back in the summer, however, that F1 could be an option in the longer term.

“I could imagine involvement in F1 in 2018, when the company is at the forefront of the industry,” he told Auto Motor und Sport, “We have enough brands that could do that.”

Initial interest in the spaces on the F1 grid has to be registered by 3 January 2014 and, with the FIA looking to make a final decision on 28 February.

Chennai will continue to remain the home of India and South Asia’s only ATP tour event until 2016 as the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA) has extended agreement by three-year’s with IMG Reliance, operators and organisers of the Chennai Open, and IMG, owners of the tournament.

The prestigious tournament will be conducted with the active collaboration of the Tamil Nadu Tennis Association (TNTA) and the Government of Tamil Nadu. The 2013 event was the 18th edition of the tournament in India and 17th edition in Chennai.

IMG Reliance COO Ashu Jindal said, “The Chennai Open is part of Chennai’s culture and we are extremely happy that TNTA and IMG Reliance have been able to keep this iconic tournament in the Mecca of tennis in India. With the extension of this contract, we will continue to utilize the Chennai Open as a platform to develop India’s tennis talent. The Chennai Open has played an important role in growing the sport of tennis in Tamil Nadu and also provides a family-friendly entertainment experience for fans in Chennai. I would like to express my gratitude to all sponsors and partners for their invaluable support of this year’s tournament.”

TNTA President M.A. Alagappan said: “We are delighted to announce that Tamil Nadu Tennis Association with the active support and patronage of the Tamil Nadu Government has come to an agreement with IMG Reliance to continue the tournament from 2014 to 2016. As the only ATP world tour event in South Asia, the Chennai Open provides a key opportunity for Indian players to compete with the best players in the world. We look forward to three more years of quality tennis in Chennai.”

Qatar’s list of forthcoming major sports events grew on Wednesday as the Gulf state was awarded the 2016 world cycling road championships by the International Cycling Union (UCI).

The UCI took their decision on the margins of the present edition of the world championshipsbeing held here.

The historic Italian city of Florence is due to host next year’s edition, with the Spanish city of Ponferrada the host in 2014 and the American city of Richmond, Virginia, scheduled to organise the event in 2015.

Qatar is already due to host the 2022 football World Cup, while in recent years they have also been awarded the 2014 world swimming championships and the 2015 men’s handball world championships.

Paciolan, the leading provider of ticketing, marketing, and fundraising solutions in college athletics, announced today that NC State University has renewed its partnership with the company.

With the renewal, NC State will be implementing Paciolan’s Access Management for football and basketball, as well as its Customer Relationship Management (CRM) solution. NC State has been working with Paciolan since 1992.

“Paciolan represents a trusted, reliable partner that delivers the industry standard for college athletics ticketing,” said Dick Christy, associate athletics director, external operations, for NC State. “With Paciolan, we’re able to provide invaluable 24/7 ticketing services with excellent execution to Wolfpack fans. These new services will help us to further integrate our brand and sales plans to achieve success.”

With the partnership renewal, NC State will implement Paciolan’s Access Management scanning for football and basketball, which will allow the university to learn who attended which games, identify what tickets were used, and tailor marketing messages and offers based on attendance patterns. NC State will be implementing print-at-home tickets and ticket transfer capabilities as well.

“The addition of Paciolan’s Access Management will allow us to provide more flexibility to our season ticket holders and better manage the game day environment, while collecting important data that will help us enhance the fan experience,” added Christy.

NC State will also be implementing Paciolan’s CRM solution, which should enhance ticket sales efforts and efficiently manage relationships with season ticket holders and donors. The university will also be able to accurately document every transaction and enhance its communications process to provide personalized services for each Wolfpack fan.

“With Paciolan’s CRM, we’ll be able to better manage and streamline our outbound sales process, and track leads and sales, while mobilizing a greater portion of our staff,” added Christy.

NC State will use a student lottery process, powered by Paciolan, which will be integrated into Access Management to deliver all students’ tickets via print at home delivery. The process provides exceptional flexibility and inventory fluidity to meet the needs of the student body.

In addition to adding Paciolan’s Access Management and CRM solutions, NC State will be leveraging the company’s online retargeting services to market to fans that browsed an event, but didn’t purchase tickets, with an online advertisement the next time they browse the internet. These retargeting services secure incremental ticket sales as well as sell value-added items, such as parking and chair backs.

“We’re very happy to be continuing our long-term partnership with NC State,” said Dave Butler, chief executive officer of Paciolan. “We look forward to implementing our Access Management scanning solution for football and basketball, as well as our CRM system, which will allow it to build its ticket sales through enhanced customer engagement.”

ISAF Nations Cup 2013 Grand Final will be staged from the 6th to 10th August in Denmark. 

The International Sailing Federation has awarded the Danish town, check Middelfart in Funen, cialis the world championships for match racers. Denmark will thus play host of yet another sailing event. Denmark was one out of six countries that bid to host the Championships. 

“It is crazy! We are happy and proud to be elected host by ISAF. It is a scoop for Funen and Denmark and this event can place us on the world map of sailing and also showcase Funen, pilule Denmark as an attractive tourist destination,” says Event Director Match Racing Denmark, Søren Laugesen. 

Held six times previously, the ISAF Nations Cup triggers a pyramid of events, with nations holding club and then national championships to select their teams to attend the Regional Finals, which in turn lead to the Grand Final, where nations are pitted against each other, creating a sound, viable and appealing series of events. 

Regional Finals will be held over a maximum of four days, with one or more crews going through to the 2013 ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final in Denmark. 

The ISAF Nations Cup 2011 was a successful event with competitors from more than 40 Nations all around the globe. The Regional Finals were organized in Cape Town (RSA), Doha (QAT), Gmunden (AUT), Gdynia (POL), Fort Worth Texas (USA), Sydney (AUS), Porto Alegre (BRA) whilst Sheboygan, Wisconsin played the host of the Grand Final. 

Erik Juhl Mogensen, Event Director in Developing Fyn – Sport and Event: said: “Middelfart is one of the few places in the world that can actually provide so many similar boats for both women’s and men’s teams. There is no doubt that we have a unique venue which is very attractive internationally. Together with Match Racing Denmark, The Municipality of Middelfart and Sport Event Denmark we have accumulated valuable knowledge from the European Championships in 2009.” 

Lars Lundov, CEO, Sport Event Denmark, added: “Sailing events have become a trademark for Denmark and Denmark has a lot of really great sailing events on the event calendar. We therefore range high in the international event organizers mind. Match racing for women is on the Olympic Program in London and therefore the discipline has a lot of international focus. Together with our local partners we set sails for ISAF Nations Cup Grand Final 2013.”

Fresh Euro 2012 boycott fears have been laid down by Sweden, Britain and France over co-host Ukraine and its record on democracy and human rights on Monday.

Sweden, which has been sharply critical of the prosecution and jailing of former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko, said it was not sending any government minister to its match against the home side at Kiev’s Olympic stadium.

England and France, Sweden’s European Union allies, were due to play in Ukraine’s eastern city of Donetsk without any of their government officials present in a snub to President Viktor Yanukovich. They and Sweden will be represented by ambassadors.

The unofficial boycott by the three EU powers serves up a reminder that Yanukovich’s record on human rights and democracy could disqualify his country from entry into the Union’s elite club of democracies.

Denmark and the Netherlands, also EU members, took a different tack and sent their ministers to attend their match in Ukraine on Saturday.

But they used the occasion to meet victims of alleged police torture and discuss homophobia and the need for an independent judiciary in Ukraine.

The boycott by EU allies which also include Germany is aimed at securing the release of Tymoshenko, Yanukovich’s main rival.

She was sentenced to seven years in prison last October for abuse of office and, even though the West says her trial was politically-motivated. 

The UK government have already decided not to send their ministers to the tournament.

Digital Shelf Space (DSS) Corp. has signed a long term licence agreement with George St-Pierre (GSP) that will look into potential future fitness products and services under the Rushfit brand, site effective from December 12, find 2011.

The new long term Licence agreement is in addition to DSS’s original agreement with Georges St-Pierre (“GSP”) for its innovative GSP Rushfit ultimate home workout DVD fitness series.

“Working with the team at DSS has been a fantastic experience thus far, cough they are the best at what they do, and they have delivered on exactly what they said they would when we first began the GSP Rushfit project together late last year,” said Georges St-Pierre. “I am very excited about the potential to bring new fitness products and services to my fans around the world under the Rushfit brand.”

The new Licence Agreement provides DSS a revenue share on all new business ventures utilizing the Rushfitbrand, whether such ventures are done by DSS and GSP together or if GSP utilizes the Rushfit brand for any mutually approved products and services that do not directly involve DSS.

Jeffrey Sharpe, CEO and President, said: “We are very excited to have solidified a long term relationship with GSP under the Rushfit brand. Extending our original relationship from exclusively the GSP Rushfit DVD home workout series to now include all new business ventures utilizing the Rushfit brand is a tremendous step for DSS and a significant revenue opportunity for both parties. GSP is a first class individual and a global brand all in one package, it has been an absolute pleasure working with him thus far. Both the DSS and GSP camps are working to bring new Rushfit fitness products and services to the marketplace either together and or under Licence to third parties.”

GSP Rushfit was designed to appeal to the massive global audience with an interest in MMA and MMA training methods as a complete home fitness workout program. GSP Rushfit combines three of the hottest fitness trends. The complete program uses various MMA conditioning exercises, intense circuit style training and body weight training for fitness consumers to build muscle, cut weight and get in shape. GSP Rushfit is unlike any fitness program available.

Georges St-Pierre has dedicated his life to Mixed Martial Arts and is regarded as one of the top conditioned athletes not only in the sport, but also in the world. Fitness fans everywhere can benefit directly from the same commitment GSP has made to his own health and fitness.

An announcement of a purchase agreement between NHL team St. Louis Blues and businessman Matthew Hulsizer could be made today, as both sides are close to signing an agreement, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Last week, multiple reports indicated that a sale was close and that a verbal agreement was in place for Hulsizer, a Chicago businessman, to buy a majority stake in the club.

The purchase agreement is merely the next step in the process; it cannot be finalized until the deal is approved by the NHL Board of Governors, which will likely take several weeks.

Blues chairman Dave Checketts has been looking for a buyer since March, when he announced the team was for sale, and had hoped to have a deal in place by the start of the regular season.

Hulsizer previously showed interest in the Blues, but he seemed to be out of the picture when his initial offer was rejected.

The Post-Dispatch estimates the sale price to be $190 million, which also includes the lease to the Scottrade Center, the Blues’ home; the team’s AHL affiliate in Peoria, Ill., and the Peabody Opera House adjacent to Scottrade.

Hulsizer would run the Blues under the proposed deal, but Checketts would remain involved in some capacity, according to the Post-Dispatch.

Hulsizer was close to buying the bankrupt Phoenix Coyotes but eventually bowed out after an Arizona watchdog group threatened litigation to block the sale of bonds to help facilitate the purchase.

The Blues are known to have rejected a bid from current minority owner Tom Stillman, who owns 10 percent of the team, and from Calgary businessman Max Chambers, according to the Post-Dispatch.

Chambers acknowledged last month that his offer of $167 million was rejected.