WELCOME TO
SPORTINGWALES
The Great British Summer of Sport, they call it – but maybe this year we can lay
claim to the Great Welsh Summer of Sport.
Wimbledon may not have moved this side of the Severn Bridge, while the Open Golf will be in Scotland,
but there are plenty of landmark events in Wales to keep us going.
Top of the list is the Ashes – I cannot quite get used to the Countdown to Cardiff, but it will be fantastic
as cricket’s oldest and most famous showdown starts off at the SWALEC Stadium before moving onto
Lords. We feature the man who must make it happen, new Glamorgan chief executive Simon Lee.
Then even bigger than that will be the Ryder Cup next year – however this year’s Wales Open had a real
feeling of the Ryder Cup coming, thanks partly to captains Corey Pavin of the US and Colin Montgomerie
of Europe.
There are always doubts when the big events are held in Wales, plenty of people on both sides of the
bridge lining up to take a pop.
It happened with the FA Cup at the Millennium Stadium, but in the end fans had to admit it was a special
venue with the city centre location. After the last fi nal here a Liverpool fan rang one phone-in to request
the FA Cup Final be played in Cardiff whenever Liverpool qualifi ed.
There were mutters about the Ryder Cup being moved from Celtic Manor, but the course went a long
way to answering those critics in this year’s Wales Open as the weather conditions tested it to the
extreme. Next year’s Ryder Cup will be something to be proud of.
There are plenty looking to complain about the Ashes starting in Cardiff, it is up to Lee and his team to
answer those criticisms just as fi rmly.
So plenty to look forward to with Wales at the centre of the sporting world – that is without even
Editor:
mentioning the Wales involvement with the Lions Tour to South Africa.
Hamish Stuart
Art Director:
As ever at Sporting Wales, we look to bring you those success stories – to portray Welsh sport in a
Paul Bailey
deservedly positive light.
Photography:
Steve Pope In this issue we have the remarkable story of Craig Bounds and the Dakar Rally, worth reading on its
Advertising Sales Manager: own.
Wayne McAuliffe
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So plenty here for you and of course it is all free thanks to our advertisers and backers, quality support
Contributors:
staff and contributors
for a quality product. Also do not forget to subscribe online at
www.sportingwales.net – paper copies of
Gary Baker
this magazine really do run out fast. You can also join our new Facebook group, search for Sportingwales
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– all one word.
Jane Williams
Simon Grant
Gafyn Townsend
Hamish@sportingwales.com
Contributing Photographers:
Andrew Fosker
©Sportingwales 2009
Michael Fortune All rights reserved.
Publisher:
Editors Message
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or recorded in any form or by any means without prior written permission
Sportingwales
from the publisher.
Managing Director: While the publishers believe that all information contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing, they can accept no
Steve Pope
liability for any inaccuracies that may appear.
SW
Accounts Manager:
4
John Pope
Contact:
info@sportingwales.com Tel: 01633 410450
sportingwales
issue7twothousand&nine
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