Macau Sport News

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FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships, Macau and the Asian Karting Open Championships, Macau mark the opening of the Motorsport Festival – Grand Prix

Organized jointly by the Macau Sports Development Board (MSDB), the Macau Government Tourist Office (MGTO)and the China-Macau Autosports Club (ACMC), the FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships, Macau and the Asian Karting Open Championships, Macau to be held in October and November will mark the opening of the Motorsport Festival – Grand Prix Carnival.

Macau hosted a round of the FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships for the first time in 2003, and it was acclaimed as a successful event by both spectators and competitors alike. This year, Macau will again organize a round of this important series, which also visits Indonesia, the Philippines, Guam and the United Arab Emirates.

To be held on October 29 and 30, the FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships, Macau will be televised globally on Star TV and ESPN to a projected audience of 400 million households, putting Macau in the international spotlight.

The FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships is organized by the world motorcycle sport governing body, the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and the Asian Motorcycling Union (UAM), with the Macau round organized by the MSDB, MGTO and the ACMC. Established in 1998, the UAM is the governing body for all motorcycle events held in Asia and is comprised of 18 member countries including Macau.

Macau will host the penultimate round of the 2004 Asian Karting Open Championships (AKOC) on November 13 and 14, as one of the highlights of the Motorsport Festival – Grand Prix Carnival. It was through the efforts of the MGTO, MSDB and the ACMC that Macau has secured the right to host the fourth round of the region’s leading karting series.

In addition to Macau, the Championships includes stops in Malaysia, the Philippines, India and Indonesia, and is recongnised as the most challenging karting series in the region.

AKOC has attracted some most talented youngsters from the region, and the Macau round has encouraged strong entry from China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Macau for the series.

The event will be held at the Kartodromo in Coloane, Macau. The international B grade karting facility has a 1.25km circuit, with a grandstand which can seat up to 2,500 spectators, control tower, briefing room, restaurant, VIP rooms – and even has a children’s go-kart circuit.

First launched in 2002, the AKOC aims to promote the karting sport in Asia and to improve the drivers’ skill.

The FIM-UAM Asian Motocross Championships, Macau and the Asian Karting Open Championships, Macau will be live broadcast on Teledifusão De Macau (TDM).

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November 13-14, 2004
Venue: Karting Track Coloane, Macau
Organizers: Macau Sport Development Board, China-Macau Autosports Club, Macau Government Tourist Office



Asian Karting Open Champions (AKOC) started on April, 2002 with three countries: Philippines, Malaysia and Indonesia, playing host to karters in the regions. The Series main objective was to develop karting as and to uplift the skills of Asian Karters to world standard level.

The AKOC, as it was called, became an instant success with participations coming from Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Philippines, China, Hong Kong, Brunei and Singapore. An average of 80 karters join loyal karting teams from the region supports in the series.

The entry of Macau on the AKOC has brought karters from the East Asian region particularly China, Korea, Japan, Hong Kong and Taiwan. For the first time in the history of the Asian Karting, a total of 13 countries and regions will compete side by side in the historic Asian Karting Open Championships in Macau.

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Despite having graduated to the FIA F3000 Championship mid-season, Ernesto Viso is still hoping to feature in the end-of-season Formula Three events in Macau and Bahrain, and is currently talking to UK team Hitech.

As usual, the sticking point appears to be sponsorship and, despite having backing from long-time sponsors Cantv, Ultralub and IND, Viso is attempting to finalise extra funds to confirms a seat in the two events, which are expected to bring the cream of this year's international F3 crop together for the final time. Macau is already established as one of the blue riband F3 events, while Bahrain's new grand prix circuit replaces the former street event that was staged in Korea's Changwon district.

"We have a proposal from Hitech to run in Macau and Bahrain, but it will all depend on whether we manage to obtain the funds to do what are two costly events," Viso admitted, "For the time being, I am continuing to prepare in the gym and keeping my hand in as an instructor at the Formula Palmer Audi school.”

Viso raced in last year's Macau-Korea double-header with Promatecme, but was forced to retire from one leg of both events. He also contested the inaugural Sardinia F3 Masters with Carlin Motorsport, claiming fourth place in leg one before again being forced out of part two.

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After Popeye Rubi, three other Cebuano motocrossers will try their luck in an international event in Macau on October 30.

They are Jon-Jon Adlawan, Renan Alquisola and Ian Reyes, all from PowerSports Racing (PSR), according to PSR main man Jonas Adlawan.

Adlawan will be representing the country in the juniors division, Alquisola in the peewee, and Reyes in the 125 class.

Adlawan and Alquisola earned slots to the RP team after the staging of the second leg of the 2004 Camel Motocross Series in Bacolod City last Saturday.

Adlawan bagged the juniors crown after beating eight other riders including teammate Ryan Alquisola, who came out second.

In the mini class, Renan Alquisola finished fourth, but it was enough for him to earn a ticket to the Macau tilt.

Two other PSR riders barged into the top five with Joshua Abellar finishing second and Edgar Alduane Canlas fourth in the novice 125 class.

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SHENZHEN, South China, Oct. 17 (Xinhuanet) -- Singapore kept its unbeaten run at the Asian under-18 women's basketball championshiphere with a 77-16 victory over Macao of China on Sunday.

Singapore, who had defeated Malaysia and India in its previous Group B matches, now ranks atop in the group that also includes the Philippines.

The Singaporeans raced to a 22-0 lead in the first quarter and Macao of China didn't score a point until Sandra Chang hit a 2-pointer with 1:10 left to go.

Struggling with poor accuracy, Macao scored eight points in thesecond period. It was, however, the most they got in a single quarter during Sunday's match.

Holding a 28-point advantage at halftime, the Singaporean players looked sluggish in the following minutes. Even so, Macao couldn't make any improvement and had to settle for its third straight loss at the tournament.

Chery I Poon, who hit nine 3-pointers to score 31 points in Singapore's 89-46 victory over Malaysia on Saturday, was the leading scorer with 17 points.

Gwendalynn Koh had 12 points and 13 rebounds for Singapore. Sandra Chang and Ang Maybelline added 12 points apiece.

Leong I Wai led all Macao players with five points and eight rebounds.

Macao of China shot only 7-for-45, while their Singaporean opponents were 28-for-62 from the field.

The other Group B match for Sunday will later be contested between the Philippines and Malaysia. India has bye on Sunday.

According to the competition rules, teams in Group B compete for promotion to Group A, while those in Group A, including defending champion China, South Korea and Japan, vie for the title.

The biennial regional tournament kicked off on Friday and runs through next Thursday. Top two finishers of the event qualify fornext year's world championship in Tunisia. Enditem

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SHENZHEN, South China, Oct. 16 (Xinhuanet) -- C. Rashmi scored a game-high 25 points to lead India past Macao of China 97-37 at the Asian under-18 women's basketball championship here on Saturday.

Singapore, who crushed Malaysia 89-46 earlier Saturday, now leads Group B with two straight victories, followed by the Philippines and India on one win.

The Philippines has bye on Saturday.

Rashmi got India off to the start they wanted, firing in eight points to steer her team to a 16-point lead and stretch it to 24 points at halftime.

Baffled with India's zone defence, Macao scored just five and six points respectively in the last two quarters.

Macao shot only 14-for-48 overall from the field, while India was 39-for-73.

Aashna scored 13 points and Bharti added 11 points for India.

Kun Sok Man was the top scorer of Macao with 15 points, and Cheong In Ian had eight points in 40 minutes.

Teams in Group B compete for promotion to Group A, while those in Group A, including defending champion China, South Korea and Japan, vie for the title.

The biennial regional tournament kicked off on Friday and runs through next Thursday. Top two finishers of the event qualify fornext year's world championship in Tunisia. Enditem

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Briton Michael Rutter, who notched up his fourth Macau title in six years in 2003, is set for a return to one of the most unique and demanding road races on earth, the 38th Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix taking place during late November.

Rutter, fresh from a tremendous year in the British Superbike Championship, which saw him finish the season second on the leaderboard in the highly-competitive series, the 31-year-old will be aboard a 1000cc Honda Racing Team machine for this year's Macau Motorcycle Grand Prix as he continues his charge to break motorcycle legend Ron Haslam's unbeaten record of six Macau victories.

However, such is the quality of the entry this year, that Rutter will find it tough to repeat his dominance of the event last year.

On-track arch rival and off-track friend, John McGuinness, who won the event in 2001 and has been runner-up to Rutter for the last two years, will be aboard a 1000cc Monstermob Ducati and no doubt with the determination to break his adversary's run of wins. The 32-year-old fellow Briton has had a brilliant season, winning the Formula 1 and Junior events at the Isle of Man TT and also competing in the British Superbike Championship, finishing third in the Brands Hatch GP round. In the TT, McGuinness set a new outright lap record.

Britons, with their superior experience on street circuits, have won the Macau event for the last six years, and included in the strong UK contingent is multi-Isle of Man TT winner Ian Lougher and racing journalist Gus Scott who describes the Guia Circuit as “the most challenging and exciting track I have ever ridden on”.

Scott, who is making his sixth trip to the Far East Classic and has been competing in the British Superbike Cup this year finishing a creditable seventh, will ride the 1000cc Vodka Kick Slingshot Honda.

Macau regulars Iain Duffus and last year's third place finisher Brian Morrison have hung up their leathers but the lure of Macau has inspired them to form their own team and bring Macau newcomers Les Shand and Dean Ellison.

Other British newcomers include James McBride, Ian Armstrong and Roy Richardson who is mounted on the Fylde Superbikes 636cc Kawasaki.

Returning to Macau after a two-year absence is Scotsman Roger Bennett. Making his 14th visit, Bennett has always sworn to conquer the Guia Circuit, just missing out on a victory in 1996 when he finished second. Bennett won the Scottish Championship in 2002 and 2003 on a 1000cc Suzuki.

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Speculation has been rife of a Formula 3 debut and Asian Formula Renault Champion Rodolfo Avila has now confirmed his participation in the forthcoming FIA Formula 3 Intercontinental Cup at the 51st Macau Grand Prix. UK-based British F3 Championship-winning team Carlin Motorsport has been tagged, with which the young Macanese shall carry the cudgels for Macau in a Dallara Mugen-Honda.

"I consider this a golden opportunity I aim to use well. The inherent pressure of home ground competition is something I may have to contend with but the overwhelming support of my fellow-Macanese will surely keep me focused and inspired", says the 17-year-old about competing at an event many consider as the testing ground for future Formula 1 stars.

Previous testing at Pembrey throughout summer consistently produced positive results for the young driver and another set of tests at Croft, already under way, are all aimed to keep Avila up to par with the world's best. Carlin Motorsport is known to have played a critical role in the careers of winning drivers such as Takuma Sato, Kimi Raikonnen, Jenson Button, and fellow Macanese Andre Couto, among others.

"My motorsport management team and I have plotted my career and if all goes well in Macau, we may be looking into a full F3 series next season. As in all my previous races, my sights will be on getting a respectable finish position; of course, anything better than that would be magnificent", added Avila.

Direct from Croft, Avila returns to China in time for the penultimate round of the Asian Formula Renault Challenge at Zhuhai, where he currently trails the series leader by a single point.

As the Asia Formula Renault 2000 Championship unfolds by the third weekend of October, all eyes will then be on the 51st Macau Grand Prix, which is slated to be held from November 18 to 21.

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The Macau Guia Race has attracted its most high-profile entry in years as the race gears up to become the final round of the new FIA World Touring Car Championship from next season.

In preparation for 2005, the Macau Grand Prix Committee (MGPC) has modified the regulations and format of the race this year to bring them closer to the FIA WTCC rules. This year, the SJM Guia Race will be run over two race of 8 laps each (approximately 50km each), with a 15 minute break in betweeb.

This year's event has also been opened up to the Super 2000 specification cars that compete in the ETCC, the Hong Kong Touring Car Championship (HKTCC), Macau competitors, and other national series which allow Super 2000 machinery.

As an a result, the entry list for the event is certainly healthy.

The entry list is dominated by BMW, which enjoyed a clean sweep of the drivers', manufacturers' and independents' titles in the ETCC this year.

Newly-crowned ETCC champion Andy Priaulx is confirmed for Macau in a Schnitzer-run Team BMW Germany 320i, with the squad also brings running regular drivers Jorg and Dirk Muller, who shared out five ETCC victories between them.

Also running a pair of BMWs are Carly Motors, winners of the past four touring car races at Macau. Duncan Huisman, who has claimed Guia honours for the last three years, drives one car, with ETCC Independents' champion Tom Coronel.

Another BMW is entered by the British Edenbridge Racing team. Former British Touring Car champion, and 1989 Macau winner, Tim Harvey will be behind the wheel.

BMW is also represented by a trio of teams from the German DMSB-Produktionswagen-Meisterschaft (DPM) series.

Team Engstler Racing and Team Wiechers have been frontrunners in their domestic championship with Franz Engstler and Marc Hennerici respectively. Both will be looking to improve on their podium finishes from last year's Guia race. Guia regular Ratanakul Prutirat has been drafted into the Engstler squad along with newcomer Jody Coseteng of the Philippines.

Schubert was last year's DPM title winner and its three-car BMW squad is led by team boss Torsten Schubert, another driver familiar with the streets of Macau.

Spanish manufacturer SEAT's in-house factory team is bringing two of its Toledo Cupra R contenders to Macau. Former Macau F3 GP winner Rickard Rydell, who gave SEAT its first ETCC victory at Oschersleben in September, drives one, while Jordi Gene will be behind the wheel of the other.

Jan Nilsson represents Volvo with a solo S60, a car originally developed by race and rally specialist Prodrive Engineering – the people who run the Subaru WRC team. Another front-line Swedish team, Tomas Engstrom Racing, has entered a Honda Civic Type-R for BTCC regular James Kaye.

GR Asia also represents Honda. The team that starred in last year's Guia race with Simon Harrison is back - with Simon Harrison and Toni Ruokonen driving the the two Civics the team has run in this year's ETCC.

The region's leading touring car experts join the international field from the Asian Touring Car Series (ATCS) and the HKTCC, and there is also a strong contingent of eight Macau drivers.

ATCS Division one points leader going into the final round of the 2004 season, Lo Ka Fai, will be at the wheel of his 778 Autosport Honda Integra, and is joined by series regulars Lo Ka Chun, Chen Jun San, and 2003 champion Gary Sham.

From the HKTCC, championship leader Kenneth Look drives a Honda Integra DC5, while Paul Poon and Samson Fung are in the pair of China Dragon Racing Team Honda Civic EP3s. Rolly Sham and Lau Keung Tak make up the remainder of the HKTCC contingent also in EP3s for the Cheong's Speed Limited team.

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The sons of former world champions Alan Jones, Nelson Piquet and Keke Rosberg will all race in next month's prestigious Macau F3 grand prix.

The famous fathers won the Formula One title, respectively, in 1980, 1981 and 1982, although Piquet also did the winning deed in 1983 and 1987.

Alan Jones' little known Australian son, Christian, will compete against teenagers Nico Rosberg and Nelson Piquet Jnr at Macau on November 21.

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MACAO, (Xinhuanet) -- Chief Executive of the Macao SpecialAdministrative Region (SAR) Edmund Ho Hau Wah will light the flamefor the Macao 2005 East Asian Games (EAG) to start the torch-relayfor the event on October 29.

Manuel Silverio, Chairman of the Organizing Committee of the fourth EAG, said Wednesday that the flame-lighting ceremony and the ensuing torch relay activity for the EAG will take a scene in front of Macao's most historical landmark, the A-Ma Temple Square,which will start the one-year countdown of the biggest sports event to be held in Macao next year.

Silverio said that the flame-lighting ceremony will be followedby the Drunken Dragon Dance performance by the Macao Fish Sellers'Association.

Famous athletes from East Asian countries and regions, including two Athens Olympic champions from China, female judoka Xian Dongmei and female diver Lao Lishi, will participate in the torch relay.

The Organizing Committee of the 4th EAG will stage a grand ceremony to launch the Countdown Clock of the EAG at the Golden Lotus Square, which will be the end-point of the torch relay. Enditem

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Many Asian newspapers from Macao, China and Hong Kong published the scandalous news about the "bankrupt" betting parlor "Lisbon Sport" who lost US$ 4.1 Million on the Andorra-Macedonia duel. A day after the qualifying match which ended with surprising victory for Andorra, employees of this betting company sent an official complaint to FIFA, claiming that the match was fixed.

Makedonski sport could not get confirmation from FIFA about this matter, because they did not work today. [The article was written on Sunday and appeared in the Monday edition.]

Asian newspapers claim that the Austrian betting parlor "Interveten" placed a bet of Euros 110.000 in the Hong Kong betting parlor "Joker Sport," which managed to react swiftly and place a defensive bet of US$ 210.000 in Macao where the winning coefficient of 20 was second highest in the world (the highest was in Greece - 25).

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Macao of China finished its outing at the Asian under-18 women's basketball championship after losing 86-37 to Malaysia in its last Group B match here on Monday.

Macao led Malaysia 4-2, 6-5 and 8-7 in the opening quarter, butSim Ming Huey hit two baskets to help Malaysia overtake the lead at 12-10 at the end of this period.

The Malaysians went on a 10-1 run to pull away at 22-11 with 5:41 remaining in the second quarter and 29-18 at halftime.

The match turned lopsided after the break as Macao players struggled with their poor shooting accuracy and had to settle for its fourth defeat in a row at the tournament that began on Friday.

Nur Lzzati led Malaysian players with 15 points, and Law Wen Nee added 14. Lee Siew Fun had six points and 10 rebounds.

Chan Hong was the top scorer for Macao with eight points.

Malaysia was 33-for-70 from the field, while Macao went just 13-for-47. The Malaysians also outnumbered their opponents 19-4 in rebounding.

Earlier, India routed the Philippines 81-33 in another Group B match.

Singapore now remains at the top of Group B with three straightvictories. India and Malaysia are in joint second place, both on two victories against one loss. The Philippines is fourth, with Macao at the bottom.

According to the competition rules, teams in Group B compete for promotion to Group A, while those in Group A, including defending champion China, South Korea and Japan, vie for the title.

The biennial regional tournament kicked off on Friday and will run through Thursday. Top two finishers of the event qualify for next year's world championship in Tunisia. Enditem

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NO RAIN, NO VINNIE ROE

# VINNIE ROE's Down Under plans may come underdone.

Irish trainer Dermot Weld's four-time Irish St Leger winner is already in Sandown, Australia, but could well be on the next plane back to Ireland without seeing a racetrack.

Connections have threatened to withdraw the Melbourne Cup entry from next Tuesday's 3,200m nation-stopper unless it rains.

Said Mark Weld, the trainer's son: 'Everything hinges on what falls from above. If there is not a considerable ease in the ground he won't partake.'

Flemington's rock-hard surface was largely blamed for Vinnie Roe's fourth in the 2002 Melbourne Cup. But Weld still holds one ace in Media Puzzle who won the same edition, with Australian top hoop Damien Oliver up.

Weld said the final decision on Vinnie Roe would not be made until race day.

Oliver will reunite with Media Puzzle after weeks of being linked to the other foreign entry Distinction.

The two Irish runners are currently listed as the second and third favourites behind last year's winner Makybe Diva.

THWAITES PLANS KRANJI ROCK

# TRAINER Malcolm Thwaites hopes to be back at Kranji come May next year.

No, the former Kranji champion is not planning to move his Macau operations here.

Rather, he is hoping his stable flagship Rock N Roll Kid will get a crack at the glamour $3 million Singapore Airlines International Cup on May 15.

The Group 1 2,000m event, a race which he won with Ouzo in 2000, is one of two international races the 59-year-old is considering for his promising charge.

Last Sunday at Taipa, Rock N Roll Kid capped his fourth feature-race success in the Japan Racing Association Trophy. His other big wins were the Macau Cup, Macau Guineas and Macau Gold Cup.

The other race which Thwaites has in mind is the Selangor Turf Club's inaugural international race which is expected to be staged during the second half of the year.

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The Macao East Asian Games Organizing Committee (MEAGOC) signed a TV signal production and transmission contract with China Central TV (CCTV) Macao on October 29 to sell the host broadcasting right of the event.

The 29.3 million yuan (3.6 million US dollars) contract was linked by Fernando Chui Sai On, Secretary of Social and Cultural Affairs of the Macao Special Administrative Region government, and CCTV director Zhao Huayong.

Under the contract, CCTV will use its production and global broadcasting coverage network to produce and relay promotional programs, opening and closing ceremony, torch relay, semi-finals and finals of 15 sports of the Fourth East Asian Games (EAG) to be held from October 29 to November 6 next year in Macao.

Another 1 million yuan (125,000 US dollars) contract was also signed here by MEAGOC on Friday to sell to CCTV the EAG broadcast rights in China's mainland.

The Fourth EAG will be the largest sports event to be held in Macao. MEAGOC intended to seek cooperation with other interested broadcasters with the assistance of CCTV, which include ESPN, Star Sports, Phoenix TV, TVB and ATV.

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Inside line

Piquet v Jones v Rosberg. It sounds like a scene from formula one a quarter of a century ago. But in the Macau Grand Prix on November 21, the sons of three consecutive world F1 champs will go head-to-head, as the classic race runs for the 51st time. Nelson Piquet jnr, Christian Jones and Nico Rosberg are part of an entry bringing together champions from all three major formula three championships in an unofficial world championship on the mean streets of Macau. Piquet recently clinched the British F3 title and Jones is a runaway leader in the equivalent Asian series. Rosberg was a contender for the Euroseries crown before losing out to Britain's Jamie Green. The old Macau GP two-race format has been changed. Now there's a 10-lap qualification race on Saturday afternoon, setting the grid for a 15-lap GP on Sunday.

Jordan gets jitters

Retired basketball legend Michael Jordan rode four laps at Valencia at the weekend on the Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP bike. A keen motorcyclist since the age of five, Jordan is a racetrack regular in the US, where he runs a team in AMA supersport and superstock. He has a substantial stable of road bikes. Jordan flew to Spain in his private jet, with the idea of watching the Valencia GP. But he was talked into taking a ride on Ducati's 230-plus-horsepower V4. Sete Gibernau, Colin Edwards, Kenny Roberts jnr and Kurtis Roberts kept him company. "That was fun but I only got it up to fourth gear," Jordan said. "I can't imagine what these things are like wide open in sixth. The straightaways were no problem but I was trying to find the markers for the corners, then I had these other guys riding alongside tapping me on the leg. These things have so much power, I was trying to pull a wheelie, but in the end I was a bit too afraid, so I just started waving." Jordan's heartbeat jumped a little higher when he unwisely accepted the offer of a lap or so around the track in a BMW with Valentino Rossi driving.

Diffey back in box

Nomadic Australian motor sports commentator Leigh Diffey, who made a surprise return to Channel Ten's microphone at the Surfers telecast, will be back here permanently next year to host the network's V8 supercar coverage. Diffey, who has been working in the UK and US for the past five years, replaces Bill Woods, who is returning to general news and sporting duties, but will continue to host RPM on Sundays.

Skoda secret is out

Former world champion Colin McRae tested a Skoda before the Rally of Catalunya, heightening speculation that he may be close to a deal that will lead to him returning to the World Rally Championship in 2005. The Scot has been dallying with major endurance events like the Paris-Dakar and the Le Mans 24 Hour, but still harbours a strong desire to play on the world rally stage again. The Skoda team confirmed that McRae spent a couple of hours secretly testing a Fabia WRC but said that nothing further should be assumed. He has not gone away with a contract, the Skoda man said. McRae's agent confirmed that the former world champ was considering a return to the series in some form in 2005. His preferred option is a partial return.

Crump going wild

New world speedway champion Jason Crump will race as a wildcard in the final round of the 2004 long track world championship in New Zealand on Saturday. It will mark a return to the championship in which he twice finished in the top 10 - in 1995 and 1996 - before the shorter version of the sport became his focus. Crump has indicated he won't contest the four-round Australian championship series but has agreed to ride in the Mick Poole Open at Gosford on Wednesday, January 12, likely to be the only time he competes in Australia this summer.

Rooklyn coasts to win

The former Sydney to Hobart ocean classic winner, Warwick Rooklyn, has added the East Coast Targa rally to his list of successes. Driving a 2001 Mitsubishi Evo VII, Rooklyn and navigator Linda Long led throughout the four days. The event was marred by a high-speed crash resulting in the death of Victorian Doug Briese, 32.

Corser jumps on Suzuki

Australian Troy Corser has confirmed speculation that he will join Alstare Corona Suzuki to ride in the World Superbike Championship next season. After a sometimes frustrating year, Corser left the FPR team headed by former world champion Carl Fogarty at the end of the just-concluded season. And in V8 supercars, Steve Owen, who impressed in the second Kmart Commodore at Bathurst last month, seems set to drive for Jason Bright's new Ford team in 2005. Greg Ritter looks set to join Bright at Ford Performance Racing. Minardi, never far from the brink in survival terms, is planning a mega-test in the coming weeks, with up to 11 drivers under scrutiny. Tim Edwards, who has been Jordan's team manager for the past four years, is heading home to Australia after 14 years in Europe. He will bob up next year with a local V8 supercar team.

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Marchy Lee Returns to the Macau Grand Prix

Chinese racing sensation Marchy LEE Yin-Kin (HKG) returns to Macau for the 51st edition of the gruelling street race, but this time he will be in the headlining Formula 3 race, where the best F3 drivers in the world come together for a world final. The winner of the Macau GP almost always steps up into Formula 1 within 2 years, and past winners have included Ayrton Senna, Michael and Ralf Schumacher and David Coulthard.

After finishing first runner-up in last year's Asian Formula Renault Challenge in Macau, Lee had an extremely successful season in Formula BMW Asia, winning 12 of the 14 races, breaking the previous record of 10 wins. This prompted Lee to step up to the F3 event this year, where he will be racing with the Monarch Lubricants Red Bull Meritus team - the same team that helped him win the F-BMW Asia championship. Lee's car will be managed by British F3 outfit Promatecme, who have had great success in Macau including Jenson Button's runner-up finish in 1999.

"I am thrilled to be racing in the F3 event this year. Although I have not had any running in an F3 car this year, I am still confident because the Formula BMW Asia series was very competitive, and I also know the Macau circuit quite well because I have raced it many times before," said Lee.

Besides last year's F-Renault race, Lee also raced in the Porsche Carrera Cup event the same year, as well as the F3 event in 2000 and 2001. This experience will be very useful for Lee, as the Macau street circuit is very unforgiving, with the only run-off areas being the paint on the walls surrounding the track.

Lee has been very busy in the build up to the event, both in race preparation as well as sponsor commitments. Lee was chosen as an Oris Watch ambassador for their 100th year celebrations in Hong Kong, where he was presented with an Oris Williams F1 chronograph watch and took part in a conference call with another Oris racer, Ralf Schumacher. Later this week Lee will be heading to the UK for some testing, then back to Beijing for a press conference and TV advert shoot for his sponsor Monarch Lubricants. The advert will be shown on CCTV in China over the next few months.

"I have been quite busy, but that is because I have found good support for this event, so all this hard work will help me in the race in a few weeks time. We have been talking to some major teams for next year, and so a good result in Macau will give me a huge boost and hopefully secure a good drive," said Lee.

"We have a few interested parties in formulae between F3 and F1 for next year, so we are confident that we will find a good package to further Marchy's career. As Marchy moves into higher championships, the level of support required increases, so we hope that more companies will see the value of supporting probably the best Chinese driver around today," said Peter Thompson, Lee's manager and Founder & President of Meritus Racing.

As the 2004 season draws to a close, Meritus Racing has once again stamped its domination on Asian Formula racing, clinching its 15th and 16th titles (Driver and Team champion) since setting up in Asia in 1996. Meritus has already begun looking to next year, and is searching for the next Marchy Lee, Tung Ho-Pin and Takuma Sato. The team will be holding driver evaluation sessions at Sepang Circuit, Malaysia, starting at the end of October, which gives young hopefuls the chance to try the Formula BMW racing car and develop their race craft. The 2005 driver line-up will be selected during these sessions, and interested parties should visit www.MeritusRacing.com or write to Driver@MeritusRacing.com

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Chinese racing sensation Marchy Lee returns to Macau for the 51st edition of the gruelling street race later this month, but this time he will be in the headlining Formula 3 race, where the best F3 drivers in the world come together for a world final.

After finishing first runner-up in last year's Asian Formula Renault Challenge in Macau, Lee had an successful season in Formula BMW Asia, winning 12 of the 14 races, breaking the previous record of ten wins.

This prompted Lee to step up to the F3 event this year, where he will be racing with the Monarch Lubricants Red Bull Meritus team - the same team that helped him win the F-BMW Asia championship. Lee's car will be managed by British F3 outfit Promatecme, who have had great success in Macau including Jenson Button's runner-up finish in 1999.

"I am thrilled to be racing in the F3 event this year,” Lee said. “Although I have not had any running in an F3 car this year, I am still confident because the Formula BMW Asia series was very competitive, and I also know the Macau circuit quite well because I have raced it many times before.”

Lee has already been busy in the build up to the event, both in race preparation as well as sponsor commitments. Lee was chosen as an Oris Watch ambassador for their 100th year celebrations in Hong Kong, where he was presented with an Oris Williams F1 chronograph watch and took part in a conference call with another Oris racer, Ralf Schumacher.

Lee will also be heading to the UK for some testing, then back to Beijing for a press conference and TV advert shoot for his sponsor Monarch Lubricants. The advert will be shown on CCTV in China over the next few months.

"I have been quite busy, but that is because I have found good support for this event, so all this hard work will help me in the race in a few weeks time,” he said. “We have been talking to some major teams for next year, and so a good result in Macau will give me a huge boost and hopefully secure a good drive.”

Peter Thompson, founder and president of Meritus Racing, hopes that Lee will be able to impress enough people to help him move up the motorsport ladder.

"We have a few interested parties in formulae between F3 and F1 for next year, so we are confident that we will find a good package to further Marchy's career,” he said. “As Marchy moves into higher championships, the level of support required increases, so we hope that more companies will see the value of supporting probably the best Chinese driver around today."

[SeeMacau]

Twelve-year-old Calvin Wong has a talent not everyone possess on the go-kart track. Apart from being fast on the track, he knows how to tinker with his go-kart.

And the knowledge is helping Calvin to create a storm in the junior category of the Asian Karting Open Championship.

Calvin stands a good chance of winning the title in his debut season if he wins both races in the fourth round of AKOC in Macao on Sunday.

CALVIN: Raw talent
Calvin has amassed 92 points after six races in three previously legs (Malaysia, Philippines and India).

He is in second place, trailing 16-year-old Gianmatteo Guidicelli of Philippines by 10 points.

A win the championship is worth 20 points while the runner-up secures 15 points.

Calvin, who has won three out of the six races so far, has set his sights on a strong finish in the last two rounds.

“I have to finish ahead of Guidicelli in Macao. If I can do that, I will take the overall lead and it will put me in a good position for the final round in Indonesia next month.”

Calvin picked up his second successive title in the cadet category of AKOC last yea

The cadet category is for those aged 8-12 while the junior is for those from 12-16. The senior category is go karters above the age of 16.

After retaining his title in the cadet category with a 100% record, Calvin took on a gamble.

He decided to ask for special exemption to move up to the junior category. Calvin and fellow Malaysian Jazeman Firhan were given exemptions eventhough both were underaged.