Gurit, anesthetist a leading global manufacturer and supplier of Composite Materials, decease Systems and Engineering is sponsoring the World Yacht Racing Forum and Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium taking place in Gothenburg/Sweden from 10-11 December 2013.

The 6th World Yacht Racing Forum (WYRF) and Yacht Racing Design and Technology Symposium (YRDTS) have become must-attend events with the most influential speakers in the industry sharing their knowledge and delivering insights into the big issues. Attendees at the event will include representatives from the major yacht racing events including the America’s Cup, Volvo Ocean Race, MOD Circuit, Extreme Sailing Series and many others.

On Tuesday 10 December Gurit will be participating in a panel discussion at the YRDTS. Paolo Manganelli from Gurit’s Engineered Structures team will be on the panel of experts discussing the topic of “What were the design innovations in the AC 34 boats”. The discussion will cover the technological advances from the AC 34 boats and how they may trickle down to other classes of racing yachts in the near future.

Outback Bowl have announced an agreement to extend its contract with the Big Ten Conference six additional years through the 2019 college football season.

The agreement extends a 20-year relationship with the conference to play in Tampa on New Year’s Day at Raymond James Stadium.

“After celebrating a 20^th straight appearance in the city of Tampa last New Year’s Day, we are happy to announce that Big Ten teams will continue to take part in the Outback Bowl through the 2019 season,” Big Ten Commissioner James E. Delany said. “Since the Big Ten made its first appearance at the bowl in 1988, nine different conference schools have had the opportunity to take the field in Tampa, and this bowl will continue to be a wonderful and rewarding postseason destination for student-athletes and fans. With a premier NFL facility in Raymond James Stadium and a large alumni base in the state of Florida, we think the Outback Bowl is another terrific addition to a national schedule of bowl competition.”

“We are proud and thrilled to extend our relationship with the Big Ten for six additional years,” noted Outback Bowl President/CEO Jim McVay.  “The Big Ten and Outback Bowl are a perfect fit.  We love the teams, bands, fans and the tradition and history of the conference.  We appreciate our wonderful relationship with Commissioner Delany, the school presidents and Big Ten Athletic Directors.  They are great partners.”

The Outback Bowl has hosted a Big Ten team in its game the past 20 years and 24 times in its 27-year history.

Australian Open organisers have announced prize money will be significantly increased for the Grand-Slam tournament.

The Australian Open will now pay more prize money per round than any other tournament, with increases also coming in doubles and qualifying matches, but mixed doubles saw a money freeze.

The biggest increases were for first round losers in the men’s and women’s singles, who will now receive A$27,600 (17,829 pounds), representing a 32.7 percent boost from 2012, with those exiting in the second round taking home $45,500, up 36.6 percent.

Coffee shop chain, ed Costa Coffee has branched into sport sponsorship for the first time by sponsoring Rapha Condor-Sharp, the cycling team that includes British Olympic gold medallist, Ed Clancy.

Terms of the agreement include the Costa Express logo appearing on the team apparel and bikes during the Tour of Britain, starting on 9 September 2012.

Caroline Harris, Marketing Director of Costa Enterprises said: “”Cyclists love their coffee so it’s a natural fit for Costa Coffee as we grow around the UK and are providing more consumers with the chance to grab a coffee on the go.

“We are very excited about the relationship, particularly at a time when cycling is becoming so popular in the UK.”

Clancy struck gold in the team pursuit event at the London Olympics and bronze in the omnium event.

Reebok India, owned by Germany sports apparel manufacturer Adidas, have begun criminal proceedings against two former top executives accusing them of fraud that had led the company to lose 8.7 billion rupees ($157 million). 

The alleged fraud would be the most high-profile corporate scandal in India since 2009 when Satyam Computer’s former chairman and founder Ramalinga Raju revealed that the company had overstated profits and falsified assets for years.

Reebok India is accusing former India Managing Director Subhinder Singh Prem and former Chief Operating Officer Vishnu Bhagat of financial wrongdoing, said police officials in Gurgaon, where the complaint was filed.

“Our criminal complaint has been registered for investigation by the Indian law enforcement authorities,” Adidas said on Wednesday, without giving further details.

Adidas said in March that the two men had left the company.

“We have started our investigation and will now be checking the records of the company and carrying out an audit,” an officer with the economic unit of the Gurgaon police told Reuters by phone on condition of anonymity.

Earlier this month, Adidas, the world’s second-largest sporting goods company, said it will cut the number of Reebok stores in India by one-third as it was tackling “financial irregularities” at Reebok’s Indian operations.

Prem filed a suit against Adidas after the German company’s announcement and claimed damages of 150 million rupees, according to the Economic Times. The newspaper said Prem denied any involvement in financial irregularities.

According to local media reports, the company alleged that the two former officials stole products, set up secret warehouses, fudged accounts and engaged in fictitious sales for several years.

The reports also said Reebok alleged that the two officials ran an unauthorised franchise referral programme and money was collected on the pretext of opening new stores against instructions from Adidas.

Adidas bought U.S. rival Reebok in August 2005 for $3.8 billion but their Indian operations were merged only in 2011.

ISAF Sailing World Cup has named Qingdao in China as it’s fourth venue.

With two confirmed regattas from 12-19 October 2013 and 11-18 October 2014, the announcement marks a huge step forward for the ISAF Sailing World Cup.

The sailors in the six confirmed events, Men’s and Women’s RS:X, Laser, Laser Radial and Men’s and Women’s 470, will also benefit from today’s announcement with 300 boats available to charter during the regatta. For the first time in the history of the ISAF Sailing World Cup, there will be a great incentive of $180,000 USD in prize money, which will be divided amongst the medallists of each event.

Set to be held at the Qingdao Olympic Sailing Center, the Chinese venue joins Melbourne, Australia, Palma, Spain and Hyeres, France in the list of named venues.

Following a bid process, an ISAF appointed evaluation panel advised the Executive Committee on the bids received on factors including sailing conditions, venue infrastructure and facilities, organisation and financial resources.

ISAF Secretary General Jerome Pels said, “Sailing is developing fast in Asia, and Qingdao, China was a clear choice as an Asian venue for the ISAF Sailing World Cup. With Qingdao added to regattas in Australia, France and Spain the ISAF Sailing World Cup from 2013 onwards will be a truly global affair. ISAF welcomes the great effort of the Chinese Yachting Association and Qingdao Yachting Association towards facilitating a regatta that will enhance the participation of elite sailors.

The prize money on offer and chartered equipment availability will go a long way in growing the regatta which shows China’s outstanding commitment to the ISAF Sailing World Cup.”

The Mayor of Qingdao Municipal Government, Mr Zhang Xinqi added: “With our experience of hosting international sailing events such as Olympic Sailing Competition, the Volvo Ocean Race, Clipper Round the World Yacht Race and the Extreme Sailing Series we welcome the ISAF Sailing World Cup as part of the legacy left behind from the 2008 Olympic Sailing Competition. Meanwhile, it is also an important step taken by Qingdao to carry on the Olympic Spirit whilst building the “Sailing Capital” of China.

“Our aim is to have a record number of developing sailing nations competing in the ISAF Sailing World Cup and with a sailing boom across Asia it marks a new era for Asia and Olympic class sailing.”

The ISAF Sailing World Cup was launched in December 2008 and brings together the world’s leading Olympic sailors. Today’s news marks another step in the ISAF Sailing World Cup’s development on its way to becoming a truly world circuit of events.

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LOCOG, asthma the committee organising the London 2012 Games, ambulance | has confirmed Olympic Games contingency tickets will go on sale on May 11. Tickets will be sold on a first come, and first served basis.

900,000 Olympic Games contingency tickets will go on sale from 11am on 11th May. First priority will be given to the 20,000 people who were unsuccessful in both the initial ballot and in the second chance sales. Applicants will be given 31 hours of exclusive access to the tickets.

The 1 million people who applied in the initial ballot but were unsuccessful will then have an exclusive 5 day sales period. This follows a promise by LOCOG Chair Sebastian Coe to prioritise unsuccessful applicants from previous rounds.

All customers can apply for one session and a maximum of 4 tickets. Those eligible for the sales will be contacted directly via email by LOCOG today.

LOCOG has also confirmed that Olympic Park tickets will be available as part of the sale. These tickets will allow holders to watch sport on the big screens primarily in the first week before the Games begin.

The new London 2012 Team GB and Paralympics shop was unveiled yesterday in Westfield Stratford City by Triple Olympic gold medal winning cyclist Bradley Wiggins and London Paralympic hopeful and current T35 100 metre, 200m world number two Sophia Warner officially.

Called “Our Greatest Team”, the unique 2,000 sq ft store is located on the doorstep of the Olympic Park and will be home to over 1,500 products by Games time, allowing fans to pick up some GB merchandise, while showing support for their home nation.

The shop is expected to sell T-shirts, sweatshirts, cushions, bed sheets, children’s colouring books, collectable jewellery, luggage and even scooters and bicycles.

Warner said: “It is fantastic that fans will have such a huge range of items to choose from to get behind ParalympicsGB. We’re all aiming to do Britain proud and having visible home nation support during the Games will give us a unique advantage over our competitors.”

Meanwhile, Wiggins said: “As an Olympic athlete, it’s the ultimate dream to win gold in front of your home crowd. Visible home support makes a huge difference so it would be amazing to look into the velodrome crowds and see our supporters wearing the team colours.”

Team GB Chef de Mission Andy Hunt added: “During the sports test events this summer we saw the great positive impact that the passionate support of an enthusiastic home crowd can have on the performances of British athletes. It would be fantastic for them to enter their London 2012 venue to find a sea of red, white and blue Team GB support next year.

“There is no other sporting competition where Great Britain and Northern Ireland fields such a large, diverse and talented team to represent our nation. With the full support of the UK behind them at London 2012, Team GB and ParalympicsGB – Our Greatest Team – will be 900 athletes, 60 million strong.”

By Games time an estimated 10,000 merchandise items will be on sale in the UK, generating more than £1 billion ($1.6 billion) worth of sales and contributing more than £80 million ($125 million) to the cost of staging the Games, which currently stands at around £7.2 billion ($11.2 billion).

Paul Deighton, London 2012 chief executive added: “Merchandise is an important revenue stream when funding the Games but these products also give fans the chance to show their support for London 2012 and for Team GB and ParalympicsGB.”

Team GB, ParalympicsGB and London 2012 products can be purchased online, as well as from selected high street retailers and official London 2012 shops, including St Pancras International, Paddington station, Heathrow Terminal 5, Stansted Airport, Canary Wharf, John Lewis Oxford Street and John Lewis Stratford City.