An Olympic veteran and former Langley resident, Hawley Bennett has bagged the tenth position at the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day event 2010. Hawley Bennett rode the talented and swift gelding Gin ‘n’ Juice in the prestigious event which is the sole four star three day event in America and features top riders from across the world. Hawley Bennett is known for her flawless moves on the tracks and has been a part of the 2004 Olympics in Athens. The event which took place in the Kentucky Horse Park saw participation from several top riders from Canada including Diana, Jessica Hampf and Kyle Carter.

Hawley Bennett earned an impressive score of 53.8 in the dressage event. Together with her horse Gin ‘n’ Juice, Hawley Bennett managed to clear the double cross country round without any hindrance of faults or time penalties. With this, the pair became one of the top ten competitors to have reached that level. The stadium section of the grand event saw the duo finishing with four faults and one rail, mounting an overall score of 57.8. This year’s Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event marked a special one for the talented rider as she rode with her prized and most favourite gelding, Gin ‘n’ Juice. Hawley Bennett also bagged the third spot at the CIC*** at Galway Downs and registered their win at the 2009 Boromont International CCI***. The rider is known for her good horsemanship and is one of those few riders who give special

Hawley Bennet calls her gelding Gin ‘n’ Juice by the pet name of Ginny.  Talking about the horse she says that the gelding has been very supportive and together they form a strong bond. Hawley Bennett compares her favourite horse to a sports car packed with swift movements. Before the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, Hawley Bennett was heard as saying that Gin ‘n’ Juice had everything that is required for proving her worth in the dressage event. She goes on to praise the gelding by saying that the horse is not only fast and confident but also knows the tricks to avoid the rail hits during the competitions. Hawley Bennett also added that she has some plans for her career which she sees coming true with the companionship of Gin ‘N’ Juice.

So far, Hawley Bennett has had four chances of representing Canada at the Kentucky Horse Park. She feels proud at being selected for one of the most coveted championships in the field of eventing- the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event. In her own words, she calls riding at Rolex nothing less than a dream. Apart from Gin ‘n’ Juice with whose support Hawley Bennett registered a tenth position in the Rolex Kentucky Three-Day Event, other geldings include- Livingstone, who has been with her for the past 16 years and Allie Slusher who also supported her through several three day events. Hawley Bennett has now set her focus on the World Equestrian Games slated to take place at the Kentucky Horse Park in September 2010.

The top Canadian duo of Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic has replicated their victory the third time this season by defending the prestigious title of the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters. The duo managed to win over the title by 6-3, 2-0 against their opponents Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Mirnyi, who had to retire from the game after spending 44 minutes in court following Mahesh Bhupathi’s left leg injury.

Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic had a smooth beginning as they won 16 out of 29 service points during the first set of the 29 minute game, while hitting five smashing aces. The duo managed to win another two points during the second game of the second set, after which Mahesh Bhupathi who was playing in the 80th tour level final had to retire.

The victory accounts to a third this season for the duo of Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic that has also earned top honours at Rotterdam and Sydney this very year. The duo claimed the runner’s up spot in the Australian Open which took place in January. This has been their 19th title after they came together in the year 2008.

For Daniel Nestor, the victory at the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters proved to be the 67th doubles title in his long tennis career. This also made him the sole active player to have won so many titles. In addition, the Monte Carlo Rolex Masters also puts Daniel Nestor in a tie with the Australian seed Mark Woodforde with regard to the all-time list. Apart from Daniel Nestor, there are only four other tennis champions in the history of tennis who have won all four major tennis titles, the Golden Slam as well as an Olympic gold medal. Daniel Nestor also won the 2004 Monte Carlo Rolex Master and claimed a runner up victory in the year 2006 in the event. So far, Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic have maintained a record of 19-9 as far as title matches are concerned and a record of 21-5 in the season.

Talking about the event and the victory, Daniel Nestor said that the duo played well during the week and that their hard work paid off. He also remarked about the performance of the competing team of Mahesh Bhupathi and Max Miryi and said that they gave a good performance. Daniel Nestor added that he saw them as a strong team to compete with throughout the remaining season.

Nenad Zimonjic for whom the victory marked a 35-23 record regarded Monte Carlo Rolex Masters as one of the best tennis tournaments which is backed by a long tradition. He also said that the tournament won him his very first Masters 1000 title in the year 2004. Nenad Zimonjic added that the duo had maintained their performance all through the weekend which resulted in his fourth title in Monte Carlo. The Monte Carlo Rolex Masters is an ATP World Tour Masters 1000 event. The tournament is followed by the Rome Masters and Madrid Masters. The series of three action-packed Masters paves the way for the French Open which is scheduled to take place in May.

The Rolex Kentucky Three Day event which is one of the best eventing championships across the world is going to be back at the Kentucky Horse Park in Lexington, Kentucky from April 22 to April 25.The event is one among the three events which are held under the aegis of the Rolex Grand Slam of Eventing. The event is the only four star equestrian event which provides a competitive platform to the equestrian players across the world to give a display of their performances. Rolex Kentucky Three Day Event distributes a sum total of about $190,000 among the top champions of the event and also honours them with a Rolex Masterpiece.

This year, several top Canadian riders will be participating in the event together with their talented horses. The strong line-up of riders from Canada includes Diana who will be seen participating in the event with her horse Manny who also ran in the 2008 Olympic Games. The duo, have had the honour of registering themselves as the top-rank team at the Burghley International CCI4*. They also proved to be the third Canadian team in the history of equestrian sports to complete the event.

Another name to grace the Rolex Kentucky Three Day event this year is Jessica Hampf who will be seen riding High Society III, her top horse. The 1020 season of the event will mark the first time for Jessica Hampf. She started off as a rider at a tender age and soon became hooked to eventing. Jessica Hampf was trained by the internationally acclaimed rider Jan Byyny for the Rolex Kentucky Three Day event.

Hawley Bennett who has remained an Olympic veteran following her participation at the Athens 2004 with her horse Livingstone, will also be seen competing at the event. She is one of the marked Rolex riders. Hawley Bennett is pretty familiar with Kentucky, however, this year will be special for her as she would be riding with her mare Gin and Juice. However, her ride is not all that tiny to look at. With statistics of 15.3 h.h, Gin and Juice can give any horse run for their money. Together, the duo bagged third position in the CIC*** at Galway Downs and also registered their victory at the 2009 Boromont International CCI***. Hawley Bennett is one of the riders who gives a new meaning to horsemanship spirit. For her the health and safety of the horse precedes any personal gain.

Kyle Carter, who will also be seen gracing the Rolex Kentucky Three Day event is a Florida base rider and an established rider of the Canadian Eventing Team. Kyle Carter is an advanced level rider who has also participated in the 2008 Olympic Games together with his horse Madison Park. Kyle Carter has been a part of the 2007 Pan American Games which were held in Rio de Janeiro.

The event not only judges the performance of the riders but also tests the training and the breeding of the horses. The rider-horse duo will be tested during the three rounds of the competition and fight to lay their claim of the prize money of $65,000 and the Rolex timepiece.

Fraito Lugo is one lucky man to have registered his eighth victory in a host of classes in the 37th International Rolex Regatta. The man gave his best during last year’s event as well; however, luck had something else in store which saw Fraito Lugo losing during the final phase races held on the last day of the event. The champion put in immense efforts and exceptional paddling during the first two days of the event that made a base for his win which was then followed up by a stable performance on the third day that then resulted in him being victorious in the IC 24 class. After he claimed victory in the International Rolex Regatta, he was awarded with the Rolex masterpiece which he presented to his trimmer, Milton Gonzalesz, as a token of admiration for the prowess of his team that was demonstrated during the 17 races.

The elated champion, Fraito Lugo, after winning the event said on behalf of the entire team that he felt extremely happy on being victorious in the Regatta championship. The team earned a score of 59 points and beat Colin Bathbun (IVB). The champion spoke about his team’s efforts over the first three days of the event and stated that he was optimistic about success following the good, consistent performance that his team displayed. Apparently, the team’s main focus was to maintain a good speed, sail smoothly and not earn any fouls. He also credits great speed to be the key factor that created the whole difference and resulted in his victory.

After the town races, which marked the opening of the event, the IC 24s came about with short round-the-buoy races. It’s other six classes namely the Spinnaker Racing 1 and 2, IRC, Cruising and Beach Cats, and Non-Spinnaker Racing witnessed mighty scenic courses around the cays, cuts and islands off the eastern end of the St. Thomas, USVI and locales of the St. Thomas Yacht Club.

Richard Oland, a sailor from USA in Vela Volace together with Brian Ledbetter created a score of 13 points in the IRC to defeat Gwendolvn Fragmen and Austin Fragomen who were sailing in Interlodge. He spoke about the experience and said that it was a good opportunity to sail along with the sailors from across the world. Apparently, this was his first ever experience of sailing in the International Rolex regatta. His partner, Brian Ledbetter had been a silver medalist in the Finn class in the 1992 Olympics Games. He added that these three days of sailing in the International Rolex Regatta were magical with reference to the leeward and windward racing in the event.

James Dobbs’ who remained the fourth winner in the troupe talked about the race and remarked that it was evident from the very beginning of the race as to which boats stood a chance to win and could give strong competition. He pointed to the top winners and added that he had no doubts about their seriousness towards the International Rolex Regatta.

The 58th annual Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring presented by Fresh from Florida kicked off on March 20, Saturday at about 10:30 a.m. This American Le Mans Series season race will be featuring an impressive line-up of some 36 of the most talented and high skilled racers from across the globe which will include Canada’s very own Tony Burgess, Kyle Marcelli and Mark Wilkins who is a top competitor in the Grand Am Rolex Series. The American Le Mans Series marks as one of the North America’s most sought after endurance races.

The P1-class race of the event will see the veteran driver Tony Burgess driving with the Autocon Motorsports Team. The top end racer has also raced for about sixteen 24 hour sports car races. He first became a part of ALMS racing event in the year 2000, however he only got the chance to earn a place in the P1-class in the year 2007. Tony Burgess looks forward to an eventful ALMS series this year and hopes to become a part of about seven event during the season includingthe 24 Hours of Le Mans and his home track event- Mosport.

The second racer who has got both fans and media taking about him is the 20 year old Kyle Marcelli. The racer is the youngest of the lot to become a part of ALMS and will make his debut in the series at Sebring’s opening event. Kyle Marcelli together with Joel Feinberg will be racing for the Primetime-Braille Battery Race Group in the LMPC division of the event. The racer has also had an experience of driving for the 2009’s IMSA Lites Championship where he bagged the fifth place.

The Grand Am Rolex Series’ champion Mark Wilkins will also be making an appearance in this year’s American Le Mans Series’ Sebring opening event. Mark Wilkins will be seen racing in the No. 55 FLM09 for the LMPC Class Level 5 Motorsports. The star racer who will be making his debut in the ALMS this year is looking forward to the race. Mark Wilkins will be joined in by Scott Tucker and Christophe Bouchut. With the Grand Prix of Mosport geared up to make its way from August 26 to 29, Canadian fans of the championship will get an opportunity to catch the ALMS event live in action. The Star Mazda Championship presented by Goodyear by David Ostella and Mikael Grenier will be seen carrying the colours of Canada.

The upcoming star racer Mikael Grenier who is merely 17 years old will be racing in the 2010 Star Mazda Championship for the first time. He had started racing at the age of five. The young racer will be racing for about 11 races for Andersen Racing following an impressive stint in six races in 2009. The drivers will also form a part of the Mobil 1 Presents GP of Mosport weekend.

The American Le Mans Series will be covered by SPEED. The live coverage of the event will also be aired by the American Le Mans Radio network.

One time Rolex Grand Am champion, Canadian Mark Wilkins is all set to join ALMS Series with the LMPC Class for the Mobil 112 Hours of Sebring which is presented by Fresh from Florida. Together with Christophe Bouchut and Scott Tucker, Mark Wilkins will be seen racing the Level 5 Motorsports No. 55 FLM09. This event will mark the racer’s initial brush with the ALMS Series.

With this famous event coming his way, Mark Wilkins is one happy man. The racer is excited about being a part of the 12 Hours of Sebring and said that this is one race every racer looks up to and wishes to become a part of. He considered this opportunity one not to be missed.

Mark Wilkins, who regularly drives the AIM Autosport No 61 Ford Riley in another series, was excited at the opportunity to drive in the 12 Hours of Sebring. He went on to add that he looks forward to Level 5 race and also hopes to put in his best in the championship together with team mates Christophe and Scott. Apparently, the racer has raced in the past against both his team mates and shares a bond with them which he said would work for them as a team.

The twenty six year old racer, Mark Wilkins started racing in the year 2001 when he first joined Woodbridge to compete in Formula Ford which was followed up by his stint at the Star Mazda, Fran Am and Formula Renault which saw him earning podium victories. The man went on to add many accolades to the list by bagging Podiums in the year 2004 in the Rolex 24 At Daytona which was followed by his victory in the next year in the GT Class, before Mark Wilkins finally became full time member of the GRAND-AM Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No 16 in the year 2007. The super talented racer did not budge from scoring back to back podium victories at Montreal and Watkins Glen- two famous Grand Am Championships.

Mark Wilkins won his second Grand Am Rolex Sports Car Series race in the year 2008 together with Brian Frisselle when it took place in New York just a week after the duo won their first Grand Am Rolex race in Montreal.

Mark Wilkins has led his hand to drive a Daytona Prototype for AIM in the Rolex Sports Car Series and also to Autosport No 61 Ford Riley in one of the other series. The racer worked with his team members in order to get things right in the championship and also participated in the Oreca FLM09. He also flew down to Florida just in time to meet the crew and make seat fittings for the event, while the LMPC class for the qualifying event would take place on coming Friday.

The American Le Mans Series runs on the lines of the 24 Hours of Le Mans and each car is driven by a multiple number of drivers depending upon the duration of the race.

The Caribbean Waters of Casa de Campo Marina in La Romana is all set to make way for the 2010 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship, a four day event which will commence on April 21. The prestigious sailing event will witness the participation of the best athletes from across the world and will take place for the first time on the waters of Dominican Republic.

With some of the supremely talented sailing athletes belonging to Italy, Australia, Denmark, United States, Greece and France among other nations in the troupe going with the presence of a huge number of fans and supporters, the 2010 Rolex Farr 40 World Championship is one grand regatta event to look forward to. The highly awaited event will also register the presence of some of the hot-shot business class elites and a vast line-up of national and international media covering the event. The official sponsor of the event is Rolex with the Casa de Campo Yacht Club and the Casa de Campo Marina Club jointly playing host to the event.

The highly spectacular sailing view and the scenic beauty of the Casa de Campo Marina in La Romana made it a perfect place for a regatta and compelled the organisers of the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship to choose it for the 2010 event. The rich and ultra lush view of the landscapes of this place will act like a bonus for the spectators and fans, allowing them to appreciate beauty of the Caribbean apart from getting a huge adrenaline rush from the adventurous regatta.

Over the years, the Rolex Farr 40 World Championship has earned a fine name and has registered its place among the most adventurous and highly prestigious annual sailing events across the globe. The name of the grand regatta completely justifies its very essence. The competition registers a huge participation from about 500 athletes sailing in yachts with an enormous size of 40-foot. Originally, Farr 40 was a sailing boat about 40-foot in size which was designed by Farr Yacht Design. Managed and controlled by the Stagg Yachts, the event is driven by one main unique rule according to which the owner of the boat should be an amateur and should helm the sailboat as per the advice and support of four talented and qualified sailors who will be there just to motivate the owner and keep up the spirit of the team.

The Rolex Farr 40 World Championship is considered one of the most competitive and challenging regattas globally. The sailing event follows a certain pattern while choosing the venue which revolves around the regional fleets of Europe, Australia, United States and Caribbean. The yacht club is located well in the middle of the Casa de Campo Marina and has a sailing school to its name which is equipped with four J24 boats and is supported by highly qualified teachers from Italy’s Yacht Club- Costa Smeralda which has its base in Porto Cervo Sardinia.

The event is backed by the Rolex which with its constant support aims at bringing out the best in sailors. Rolex has been lending its unparallel support to many sailing events including Farr 40 Pre-Worlds, the Capri Sailing Week and the Farr 40 World Championship.

A Rolex marvel is forever. This was proven following the recent development that came to light with the US President Barack Obama gifting Dalai Lama a timeless present. Dalai Lama, the spiritual master of Tibet who has met every US President in the last two decades was delighted at receiving a pleasant gift from the present US President Barack Obama during a private meeting at the White House recently- a replica of the letter from Franklin Roosevelt dated 1942.

The great spiritual master Dalai Lama looked back at the age-long bond that he shared with the then US President Franklin Roosevelt. Apparently, Franklin Roosevelt gave Dalai Lama a golden Rolex watch together with the letter. Dalai Lama was just seven years old and was preparing a great life ahead as the spiritual leader of Tibet. Dalai Lama felt touched and elated at receiving the letter and said that he still possesses the eternal promise that Rolex Watch is.

The Rolex watch and the letter were given by Franklin Roosevelt to Dalai Lama as a token of friendship and a cursory note to seek good relations with the Himalayan land Tibet. The happy monk said that at the age of seven like any other boy at that age he too was too happy to have got a Rolex watch and that the letter was of secondary interest at that time to him. The spiritual leader spoke about his cherished gift at an award ceremony held at the National Endowment for Democracy. Incidentally he had lost the account of the letter over the years. After as many as 68 years US President Barack Obama presented him a copy of the priced letter.

The monk is presently exiled in India. At 74, he is often found reminiscing about his Rolex watch and how it generated his interest in science and technology during the early years of his life, an interest that stayed with him all his life. Even when Dalai Lama met the president George W. Bush in the year 2007 when he was presented the Congressional Gold Medal, he carried the same Rolex watch with him in his pocket.

The spiritual master has kept the Rolex watch well maintained for 68 years. He is a lover of techno gadgets and machinery and fell in love almost instantly with the Rolex marvel and its precision. The monk who has always lived his life with utter simplicity wearing a maroon robe every day owns only one apparent luxurious accessory, a Rolex watch gifted to him by Franklin Roosevelt.

Rolex Model has always been an epitome of excellence and class. The founder of Rolex, Hans Wilsdorf instilled two important traits in the Rolex watches- to be able to show accurate time and to be an epitome of reliability when it comes to machinery. The unique style and class that Rolex watches possess, make them a thing to be cherished all life long. Taking cue from which, the great spiritual leader Dalai Lama has maintained the Rolex marvel on his wrist for over 68 years now.

The 2009 LPGA Tour Championship sponsored by Rolex saw Jiyai Shin loosing the prestigious title- ‘Player of The Year’ to Lorena Ochoa in a very close race. This year the upcoming LPGA season will see the duo competing again for the top honors. Last year, during the final leg of the championship, Jiyai Shin got her birdie chip from 20 feet which simply slipped by the hole. This prevented Jiyai Shin from bagging the coveted title, making way for Lorena Ochoa to get the title to her name for the fourth time in a row. Had the title fallen into Jiyai Shin’s kitty, she would have got her name registered as the only player to have bagged the rookie and player of the year award in the same season after Nancy Lopez.

However, the determined girl Jiyai Shin, who lost the top honor of the championship by just two inches and one point, kept her spirit alive. She remained victorious three times and bagged the maximum prize money title. Talking about the upcoming scheduled LPGA Tour Championship, Jiyai Shin said that she needs to put in more focus and concentration. Jiyai Shin has already earned about 30 professional titles which include as many as six LPGA Tour titles. Jiyai Shin went on to add that she had a good off season as far as productivity is concerned. Considering her experience at the last season a great one, Jiyai Shin still felt that she could have done better and rated herself at 70 on the count of 100. She wishes to be more consistent in the upcoming season of the LPGA Tour Championship sponsored by Rolex and looks forward to performing the best and enjoy her experience on the golf course.

Where Jiyai Shin looked completely infused with confidence and high spirited, Lorena Ochoa is also geared up for the coming season. Lorena Ochoa, who is married to Andres Conesa, CEO of Aeromexico is a mother to three children from her previous marriage. Despite having a bundle of responsibilities on her head, the wonder woman stays committed to Golf. If Lorena Ochoa gets lucky and maintains her performance, she may end up winning fifth Player of the Year award in the LPGA Tour Championship. She will be the second player to win the five titles consecutively joining the league of Annika Sorenstam. Talking about her practice for the tournament, Lorena Ochoa said that she has been working hard for about six to seven hours a day and also keeps a track of her workout sessions in the gym. Like every event her coach would be joining to help her with some techniques and see her play the tournament. The lady has 27 titles to boast of which include two major championship titles and her fourth consecutive Vare Trophy for which she piped Jiyai Shin by a few points.

The other big names who will be competing this year would be Paula Creamer, Suzann Pettersen, Cristie Kerr, Yani Tseng and Angela Stanford together with the first time winning trio from last year- Ali Miyazayo, Anna Nordqvist and Michelle Wie. With Jiyai Shin and Lorena Ochoa again uniting for the tough race to the title of ‘Rolex Player of the Year’, this year’s Rolex sponsored LPGA Tour Championship is again going to be one high on excitement meter.

The much coveted Pirelli P Zero Bonus Points fell into the kitty of the winners of the Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car series’ season-opening Rolex 24 At Daytona, held on January 30^th-31^st Action Express and Speedsource for winning the 48^th running of America’s premier endurance race. The No.9 Action Express, after winning the overall race and the Daytona Prototype Class registered itself for the Pirelli P Zero Bonus Points, while the No. 70 Castrol Syntec/Speedsource Mazda RX-8 team got its way by being victorious in the GT Class. Both the teams marked the beginning of the new Pirelli P Zero Club Bonus Program. This program will apparently award with $120,000 in cash during the 2010 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series presented by Crown Royal Cask No.16.

One has to be a part of the Pirelli P Zero Club which comprises of the race teams that finished inside the top 10 in final 2009 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series Daytona Prototype and GT points standings, so as to earn the eligibility to enter this newly introduced program. Any member team of Pirelli Club which wins its first victory in either Daytona Prototype or GT Class, earn a $5,000 Pirelli P Zero Bonus. If Action Express or Speedsource is victorious in any more race during the rest of Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series season, the bonus $ 5,000 will get rolled over and will continue to get built until some other member team from the Pirelli Club marks its first 2010 victory.

The team members will get another chance to lay their claims over the Pirelli P Zero Bonus during 2010 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series season finale which is scheduled to be held at Miller Motorsports Park on September 11^th. All member of the club will be eligible for the bonus regardless of the fact as to whether they have won earlier or not. The victorious teams Action Express and Speedsource thanked Pirelli Tire North America for introducing the brand new surprise factor to the race and making it all the more eventful. The winning drivers also gave the credit for their win to the series standard Pirelli P Zero Racing slicks.

Speaking about his experience, Terry Brocheller who was a part of the 2004’s Rolex 24 At Daytona as well as 2003’s Grand-Am Rolex Series Daytona Prototype Championship, said that he was mighty impressed with the Pirelli slicks and that they made it fairly consistent to drive in the damp and cold conditions. Adding to the praise, his teammate Ryan Dalziel won his second career Daytona Prototype following his first one at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in 2008, said that the Pirellis helped them stay in control and make double-stint whenever they needed to. After a contact incident which forced the team to take a long trip to garage, the GT winning Speedsource No. 70 lost pace and lagged behind by as many as six laps. In spite of setbacks the determined team got back to the tracks only to win by nearly four laps. The winners have also bagged the very impressive the Rolex Daytona Oyster Perpetual Cosmograph watches.