Clash of Continents - November 25, 2012

I’ve been in Singapore for just over 4 months now and in that time, I think I’ve seen a wider variety of sports than any similar period I spent in Japan. Locally I’ve seen soccer, water polo, golf, rugby sevens, and F1, and taken a couple of quick overseas trips for cricket and basketball. Many of these events may not have the media recognition of their more famous counterparts in Japan, but it has been a lot of fun to be part of them anyway. As a result, I’ve become more interested in seeing things that I would have dismissed as “amateurish” just a few months ago. The most recent example is the inaugural Clash of Continents tennis tournament that was held this past weekend at the Singapore Indoor Stadium.

The format of this tournament was a 2-day round robin between four top stars, each representing their continent. World #8 Janko Tipsarevic of Serbia represented Europe while Japan’s Kei Nishikori was the Asian entry, Argentina’s Juan Monaco came all the way from South America, and Yank Sam Querrey played for North America. Mardy Fish was originally slated for that spot but his personal issues forced him to withdraw just a week before. I would have preferred to see Canadian Milos Raonic instead but I’m guessing the organizers had limited choice and took the first big name they could find.

The indoor stadium is one of several facilities that will make up the Singapore Sports Hub, a sports complex with five distinct venues along with retail and residential space. Scheduled to open fully in 2014, it will be highlighted by the new National Stadium which promises to be the best in Southeast Asia. For now though, it is still under construction.

The indoor stadium is old by comparison, having first opened in 1988. Despite its age, the stadium seems brand new and is one of the nicest venues I’ve seen in Asia. It is also the home of the Singapore Slingers, a team that plays in the Asean Basketball League, so I’ll be back for a couple of their games next year and provide a more thorough review at that time.

Instead of discussing the stadium itself, I’ll talk about the event, which was OK for a first attempt but needs to improve to become a regular part of the sporting calendar. Saturday featured four of the six round robin matches. I did not attend as I had flown overnight from Chennai after a tiring business trip and I had no energy to even get out of the house. I did follow online and each match was won by the higher ranked player. Tipsarevic won both his matches, Querrey lost twice, while Monaco beat Nishikori in the other.

Sunday was the more interesting day, with an exhibition match between Daniela Hantuchova and Peng Shuai (serving above), who are apparently more famous for their looks than their tennis talent. I showed up as this was getting started and watched a few games before doing my stadium tour. Peng won in two sets.

After this, British pop star Leona Lewis (above) gave a brief concert which was much more enjoyable than I expected. A great number of fans were there for her rather than the tennis and it made for a very diverse crowd. Lewis sang 5 or 6 songs in her first live performance in Singapore which took about 30 minutes. I enjoy when live music is mixed with sport in these circumstances (i.e. an exhibition tournament) as I get to see something I otherwise would have no interest in.

After Lewis left the stage, Kei Nishikori came out looking very sad (above). The evening was supposed to end with the final two round robin matches. First Querrey would take on Monaco and then Tipsarevic would face Nishikori. I was quite looking forward to the second match but it wasn’t to be as Nishikori announced (in perfect English) that had hurt himself the day before and had to withdraw. The fans were not happy but there was little that could be done. We all waited patiently for the other two to get ready, but there was not much enthusiasm from the crowd or the players.

Monaco defeated Querrey (above) in a bizarre battle that seemed to indicate both players just wanted to go home. Querrey won the first set 6-1; Monaco won the second set 6-1, setting up a first-to-10 tiebreak for the match. At this point, it seemed like play began for real and Monaco came away with a 10-7 win to take the match and second place.

Nishikori’s withdrawal was not the only disappointment. The availability and cost of food and drink was simply not worthy of a sporting event of this stature. The major issue is that the hot food was served at 10:30 and had to be consumed by 2:30, so if you arrived after that (like I did), there were slim pickings indeed. Even if there was hot food, I don't know if I would have bothered; hot dogs were listed at $8.

Alcohol, on the other hand, was widely available, but rather overpriced with two bottles of beer going for $25. Booze is expensive here in Singapore due to high taxes, but this was crazily overpriced. Cocktails and wine were also on the menu but I saw very few patrons trying any sort of potent potables. Most preferred Coke at $4 or mineral water at $3.

The price of tickets ranged from $150 for arena seats to $60 for balcony (from where the above picture was taken), with the terrace seats in between at $90. Given that this would allow you two full days of tennis (seven matches in all) along with the concert, I think that the lower priced options are fair value for tennis fans, but if you only want to go one day, then it gets a bit much. I think they need to include single-day options for those of us who don’t want to spend our entire weekend watching the same players over and over again.

On the positive side, there were some "kids' courts" (below) at the south entrance where children could practice with soft tennis balls, as well as a section sponsored by "Tennis for the Blind" where you could be blindfolded and try to hit large tennis balls that were equipped with bells. This was not marketed as well as it could have been, but was still crowded with fans throughout the afternoon.

Overall, this was the first Clash of Continents and it was deemed a success with around 7,000 fans showing up each day. There is no guarantee that the event will be held in 2013, but if it is, organizers will have to improve their offerings to make it more attractive to tennis fans who have high expectations as Singapore becomes more and more of an international sporting hub.

Next Up

Nothing remaining for this year, although I am still planning my Christmas trip and that could end up somewhere with a sporting event. As well, the 2013 schedule is being firmed up and should include some new destinations and events and no NHL regardless of how the lockout finishes. Check back on occasion for announcements on both fronts.

Best,

Sean

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Singapore Open Golf - Nov 10-11, 2012

When I first moved to Singapore, I noted in a post that the city is considered the 6th top sports destination in the world, beating every U.S. city except New York. After a half-year here, I can see how that might be true if you are not particularly geared toward American sports, For such a small country, there are a lot of interesting international sporting events filling the calendar. Golf is no exception, with the Singapore Open the annual highlight.

It was first played in 1961 as part of an Asian circuit that included a handful of tournaments in Malaysia, Hong Kong, the Philippines and Japan. When the more official Asian Tour began in 1995, this tournament became one of its key stops until 2002, when it took a three-year hiatus due to a lack of sponsorship. Barclays came to the rescue in 2005 and in 2009 the European Tour co-sanctioned the event as part of its year-end tour to warmer climes. With these additions, the Singapore Open is now Asia’s richest tournament and attracts top golfers from around the world.

Tickets were $20 for Thursday or Friday and $50 for Saturday or Sunday, a great value given that some top talent was in attendance. However, I found somebody selling two tickets for $40 and asked a  colleague if he would like to join me, and he told me that he had already received a pair of freebies from a sponsor and wouldn’t be using them. A fortunate turn of events as I was able to attend both Saturday and Sunday and enjoyed a thrilling finish to a top-notch event.

The Serapong

The tournament is hosted by the Sentosa Golf Club, which has two championship golf courses, the Serapong and Tanjong. The first two rounds are played on both courses, but the final two rounds take place only on The Serapong, which has great views of the harbour.

The Serapong was opened in 1982 and measures 7,300 yards from the championship tee, with a par-71 in place for the Singapore Open. In 2007, the course underwent an upgrade that included improvements in both course design and greens technology. That renovation helped The Serapong win Asian Golf Monthly’s “Number 1 Championship Golf Course in Asia". No doubt that award helped the course win favor with the European Tour, who bring along some of their best every year.

One feature that really impressed me here was the main hand-operated scoreboard, particularly between the 2nd and 3rd rounds when the volunteers had to quickly reset the players' groups based on their score after two rounds.

The course is on the island of Sentosa, which is fairly close to downtown. You can take the MRT to Harbourfront and then a monorail over the small channel that separate the two islands, or walk along the boardwalk. There is even a cable car, but at $28 return, it is not worth it. Once on the island, you can take the free Yellow Line bus to the golf course. All of this sounds relatively simple, but it takes time, so I would recommend taking a taxi from downtown, which would likely cost less than $20. If you have a car, you can drive and park on the island for just $3.20 but traffic on the way out will be slightly bothersome.

If you have time, you can also tour Sentosa itself. The island has dozens of themed areas, with Universal Studios the main attraction. There is also a casino for visitors (locals must pay $100 to enter) and several beaches (and beach bars) that lie on the south coast. There are also plenty of special areas for kids and families. Some local funnymen say that Sentosa stands for So Expensive, Nothing TO See Anyway, but these days there is enough to keep you busy for a day or two.

The Tournament

This year, Rory McIlroy headed a list of European Tour stars that included Colin Montgomerie (below) and Adam Scott. Phil Mickelson earned a sponsor’s invite as well, so there were certainly some big names to attract fans. 

Friday’s play had been postponed by rain, which meant that many golfers had to finish up their second round on Saturday morning. I arrived at 4 pm just as the third round was getting started. I first stopped at the practice green where Miugel Angel Jimenez was warming up with a cigar (below).

McIlroy was two groups later, so I headed over to the first tee to watch him begin his round, and then I scurried over to the 10^th where Mickelson (below), who had just made the cut, was getting ready.

After that, I headed to the sponsors suites (above) near the 18th green. Verizon was the Premier Sponsor and offered free food and drink all day long as well as providing a great viewpoint from above the green (pic below). The food here was from the nearby Shangri-La and spectacular, so I did not have to eat anything from the regular concession stand.

Play was called on account of darkness around 6:30, with some players having completed only three holes of their third round. This meant that Sunday would be a full day of golf and I therefore returned early Sunday morning to see as much of it as I could.

When I arrived, the third round was in full swing, and Matteo Manassero was leading after shooting a stunning 7-under in the morning. I spent some time walking to most of the holes on the back nine and enjoying the perfect weather, although my afternoon was almost ruined by an errant tee shot from a still unknown golfer. The ball landed about two feet behind me, and then rolled back down the sidewalk, forcing me to jump out of its way. It was quite fun to watch the other fans scatter as the ball gathered pace on the downhill slope before it came to rest in a small patch of grass next to the path. I did not realize how close it had come until my friend told me that I was mere inches from a hospital visit, if not worse.



This was not the only time that the golfers were unable to keep their shots in play. Above is Pablo Larrazibal of Spain shooting from well off the 1st fairway.

Now that I had learned about the dangers of golf spectating, I continued to walk back to the 18^th green grandstand (above) more alertly than before. I sat at the edge of the green and watched a few players finish up their rounds. When McIlroy reached the green in two, he had a 35-footer left for eagle, which he drained in spectacular fashion, earning him 3^rd place at -10 and the money title on the European tour to go with his PGA title as well. That is him below acknowledging the fans after his eagle putt.

The two golfers in front of him were Masters runner-up Louis Oosthuizen (below, chipping out of the rough) and Manassero, who both finished at -13. The tie meant a playoff between the two would be necessary, with the 18^th hole to be replayed over and over until a clear winner was announced. By this time I was back in the Verizon box and with most people having left for the day, had a clear view of the action from tee to green.

Both golfers made birdie on their first attempt, and so they were driven back to the tee to try again. Manassero bogeyed and Oosthuizen had a fairly easy birdie putt for the win but it lipped out and a third playoff hole was on tap. This time Manassero’s approach shot was near perfect and he holed the eagle putt to win the title, his 3^rd on the tour despite being only 19 years old. It was an exciting finish to a very interesting event.

This was the first pro golf tournament I attended and I realize that it doesn't compare to the majors in the United States, with only about 12,000 fans here on the final day. Still, the atmosphere was great and with the rain holding off for the weekend, the weather couldn’t have been better, save for a bit of humidity. Mickelson said that Singapore fans are the best behaved in the world and for the most part he would be right. When there was no immediate action, fans chatted amiably with strangers, or took pictures of the golfers. But when a tee shot was about to be struck, or a key putt was being lined up, people shut up and watched, as good golf fans should. A really enjoyable weekend.

Unfortunately, Barclays has not renewed their sponsorship contract, leaving the tournament without a major benefactor. Reports indicate that the event will be held for at least the next five years, but the long-term viability is in doubt. If you like to watch golf in a tropical climate and see a vibrant city at the same time, make your way to Singapore for their Open Championship in a November in the not-too-distant future. It just might be the SportsRoadTrips.com Singapore Open by then!

Best,

Sean

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Rugby Sevens at the Singapore Cricket Club - November 2-4, 2012

Singapore may not have more than a single soccer league, but that doesn’t mean there are no other sports to watch. November has three world-class events being played on three separate weekends and I’ll be there for all of them. First up was the 65th edition of the Singapore Cricket Club’s International Rugby Sevens tournament. Initially contested in 1948, the tournament has grown in popularity since and is now one of the top international club competitions in Asia, with teams coming from around the world. This year saw 20 clubs from countries including England, Sweden, Kenya, and Malaysia, playing over three days on the first weekend in November.

As a bonus, the Asia Rugby Sevens Series held their World Cup Qualifying tournament at the same time, with 12 national squads doing battle on Friday and Saturday afternoon, looking to get one of three Asian spots in next summer’s event in Moscow. Add on a college tournament and even one for the kids, and there was rugby galore at the SCC.

Singapore Cricket Club



The SCC was established in 1852 and is now one of the premier social clubs in this small island nation. For the average person, there is little chance of getting into the Club without a member’s invite, but tickets for this tournament are available to the general public.



The action takes place on the Padang, the large field on which the SCC conducts its usual sporting activities. It is located smack in the middle of downtown, between the Central Business District (skyline above) and Marina Bay (that's the iconic Marina Bay Sands in the distance below). For this weekend, about 7,000 temporary seats are installed (the same seats used in the F1 race, interestingly) along with a reasonably large eating area. It is a remarkable setup and quite necessary as the tournament attracts a good crowd on the weekends.



Five local restaurants have small stands that provide decent fare such as fish and chips, Mexican food, pies, kebabs, and burgers for about the same as you would pay outside. There were a few tables where you could sit and a television was nearby if you wanted to follow the action on the field, which was blocked from view by the stands. There was also an extensive drinks menu, although it was slightly overpriced with cans of beer going for $9. Refillable jugs were a more popular option but at $40, not a huge savings over the option of going one at a time. Wine and spirits were also available. There were three bars around the ground, with the Guinness Bar at one end of the field the spot of choice for many fans looking to socialize. When the weather was good, Guinness girls provided beer service to your seat.



The main problem with this temporary setup is that there is little escape from a rainstorm. The wind blows the rain into the top and bottom rows of the stands, and the ground becomes drenched. Walking from one end to the other becomes a thoroughly unpleasant experience, as muddy water pops up between the cracks in the plastic path that you are forced to use, soaking your shoes. Despite the eating area being covered, the grassy area underneath became a mud pit and there is no way around it if you needed to use the facilities. It rains quite regularly in Singapore during this time of year, and both Saturday and Sunday saw storms, with Sunday’s causing an hour delay and forcing two matches to be cancelled. Bring an umbrella if you want to stay dry.



A three-day general admission ticket costs $70 (US $57), which is a bit much given the lack of infrastructure. There were discounts of 20% available if you had certain promotion codes provided by a sponsor or local rugby club, but even $56 is slightly overpriced in my mind. With the price of beer also a bit on the high side and the limited food selection, I felt the admission price could have been lowered somewhat. Still, there were three full days of quality rugby with three games every hour from early in the morning to well past sunset, a great offering for any sports fan.

Rugby Sevens

Rugby sevens is similar to rugby union, but with 7 aside instead of 15. With so much more space, tries are common and hence the game consists of two 7-minute halves with a 1-minute intermission. It is a fast-paced game, with speed more important than size. There are penalties but rarely are they taken for a goal, since tries are so much easier to achieve. Conversions are attempted via a drop (below) rather than kicking from a tee as in rugby union.  With just 20 minutes scheduled for each match, there is no rest for fans, with the next game’s teams racing onto the field before the players from the previous match have even left.



Rugby Sevens is becoming very popular worldwide and will be part of the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. There are tournaments featuring national teams played all over the world, with one in Las Vegas in February, 2013. If you want to see a lot of action without all the stoppages that make rugby union difficult for novice spectators, check out a game when you have a chance.

The Tournaments

ARFU Rugby Sevens World Cup Qualifier

As mentioned, there were two separate tournaments over the weekend. The Asian Rugby Football Union was holding their last competition of the series here, with the top three teams earning a berth in next year’s World Cup in Moscow. Japan, Hong Kong, China, and South Korea were the heavy favourites and each easily won their two pool games, played on Friday afternoon. I spent my lunch break watching Hong Kong (in red below) defeat the Philippines 29-12 and Japan humble Sri Lanka 35-0 and neither game was particularly interesting.



The knockouts were on Saturday, with the top two from each pool taking part. The four favourites should have had no problem, but plucky Philippines bested China 14-7 to reach the semifinals. The other matches happened as expected, and with no upsets in the semis, Japan and Hong Kong advanced to the final, guaranteeing their spot in the World Cup. The 3rd-place game featured South Korea taking on underdog Philippines for that coveted final spot and it was actually quite exciting. The Philippines were dominant from the start, bursting out to a 22-5 lead and holding on after the Koreans scored twice in the last few minutes. The 22-19 victory can be counted as a huge upset in Asian rugby. After the match, the winners took a lap of honour and were heartily cheered by the fans. Congratulations to the Philippines and good luck next year!



In the essentially meaningless final, Japan beat Hong Kong 14-12, using a last minute conversion to clinch the match. A drizzle had started midway through the game and I was happy to see the ball make it through the uprights so I could head home before the storm hit.



SCC International Rugby Sevens

Despite having 12 national teams competing in the World Cup qualifier, the real event of the weekend was the club tournament featuring 20 sides from around the world. Divided into five pools of 4, the round robin was conducted on Friday and Saturday, with the playoffs taking place on Sunday. I skipped the round robin, mistakenly expecting that the clubs would not be as good as the national sides. I found out shortly after I arrived on Sunday that this is not the case; the players here have been involved in rugby since they were wee ones and it showed. The top clubs likely would defeat even the Japanese or Hong Kong national sides.

To ensure that each club gets to play in its share of games, there are three knockout competitions. The bottom four teams play for the Bowl , while those teams that lose in the first round of the playoffs take part in the Plate tournament. The other eight teams compete for the Ablitt Cup, named after a former president of the SCC. The quarter-final matches featuring these top sides were gritty and hard-hitting, with fewer drops and far better tackling than I saw over the previous couple of days.



I spent some time standing right behind one of the goals and found that to be a great spot to watch, particularly when the action is right in front of you. Most of the photographers had set up here but there was still plenty of room for fans to stand as well. Seeing players fight for a try just a few feet away is an experience that you cannot get elsewhere, especially when the teams are so similar in quality. The picture above is actually from the previous day with Thailand and Kazakhstan playing but illustrates just how close you can get.

Unfortunately, midway through the afternoon, the skies opened and it rained hard and heavy for over an hour. With lightning threatening, players left the pitch and many fans took advantage of a rare opportunity to strip down to their skivvies and run onto the field, sliding face first, hydroplaning across the grass. The grounds crew did not seem to mind, so those of us who prefer to stay dry were entertained for a while by these body boarders, some of whom began tackling each other in the muck. It is certainly not something that would happen in a regular venue, were field access is restricted, and really added to the overall experience.

When the rugby resumed, the field was still soaked and the quality of play suffered, with far more mistakes. After watching a couple of matches like this, I decided to head back before the situation got worse. Daveta, the team from Fiji, defended their title by beating a team from Scotland in the final.

Overall, I found this to be a great event in terms of atmosphere. Fans from all over the world were in attendance and they made lots of noise when a team from their country was on the field. Even when the game featured two teams from other nations, they watched closely, cheering the great plays and laughing at the more embarrassing errors. When it was announced that the president of one club was celebrating his 60th birthday, the crowd broke out in an impromptu rendition of Happy Birthday, and they sang along to songs played during the rain delay. It is unfortunate that it is only held on an annual basis, but I’ll definitely be back next year, and with an umbrella this time!

Next Up

This weekend sees Phil Mickelson, Rory McIlroy, Adam Scott and other top golfers in town to contest the Singapore Open and I’ll be there for one day. The following weekend I will travel to Manila and revisit the Araneta Coliseum, one of the Philippines biggest stadiums. After a stop in India for work, I’ll return to Singapore and check out the final day of the Clash of Continents tennis tournament, featuring Kei Nishikori, Mardy Fish, Janko Tipsarevic, and Juan Monaco in a round-robin. November is another busy month so check back often for updates.

Best,

Sean

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F1 Singapore Practice

Formula 1 has returned to Singapore, the 5th year that the race has been on the calendar. It is the biggest sports weekend in the country and certainly not an event I could skip. Last year at this time I was visiting Singapore on short notice and managed to get a limited walkabout pass on the day of the race. This year though, with time to prepare, I took advantage of the fact that far too many locals buy far too many tickets and there are always decent offers available online. I prefer the walkabout tickets to a single grandstand location and bought a Friday/Sunday Premier Walkabout combination, which is not available through normal outlets.



Friday is the "cheap" day with two F1 practices, while Saturday has a third practice and the qualifying before the race on Sunday. There are three other car types as well that hold practice and qualifying throughout the weekend, along with several concerts, with Maroon 5 and Katy Perry headlining this year.



I am now working in the Marina Bay area and my office building (Millenia Tower, on the left above) is just a couple of minutes from Gate 2, so at 5:30 I bounded out of the office and crossed the street to enter the circuit. Never before had I been so conveniently located to a major sporting event! I immediately made my way to Zone 1, which is where the start/finish line, pits, and suites are all located. I arrived just as the first of two practices was getting started. My friend Sajith, who also recently moved to Singapore from Japan, joined me.

My main goal of the practice session was to figure out the best place to stand for the race on Sunday. I started next to Turn 1, which is where the cars exit the pit. That is Mercedes' driver Michael Schumacher starting his run below.



I found this area to offer the best view as the cars are decelerating into the first turn and you can see them move into Turns 2 and 3 as well. The Pit Grandstand is further down the track and it seems like all you would see is the cars zooming by or being attended to in the pit, although I can't say for sure. I prefer to be next to the turns in any case.

In order to check out the views from other areas, we moved down the track, going against the direction of cars, past the grandstands and start line to Turn 23, the last turn before the straight. Here, you are somewhat farther away from the track and it is not as interesting as being near Turn 1, and pictures are not as good.



By this time, the first practice was nearing its end, so we made our way over to zone 2. As I came down from the overpass, I saw the GP2 cars waiting to enter the track for their qualifying run. The GP2 is sort of the minor leagues for F1 and many current F1 stars participated in GP2, including Lewis Hamilton. It is rare to be so close to a race car with the driver inside and I was amazed at Nigel Melker of the Netherlands (above) whose concentration was so intense that he simply stared ahead for ten minutes, the occasional blink the only sign he was alive. Below is the car belonging to Stephane Richelmi of Monaco.



Once the GP2 cars had moved out onto the track, Sajith and I continued over to the Singapore Flyer, the world's largest ferris wheel. Those with Premier Walkabout tickets were entitled to unlimited free rides, normally a $33 value. Because the Flyer is inside the circuit, the general public is not able to get inside during the weekend. Even then, I expected long lines, but was surprised to see that few fans were taking advantage of this offer. That allowed us enough time to grab dinner at the Singapore Food Trail, an upscale hawker centre (outdoor food court) just underneath the Flyer, where 10 satay sticks will cost you $10, much cheaper than the other options scattered around the circuit.



After eating, we entered the Flyer and were quickly aboard one of the 28 capsules, along with about 20 others. The second F1 practice had yet to begin, so we were left with taking pictures of the Singapore skyline (above, with the Bay Grandstand off to the right).

It takes about 30 minutes to make one revolution, and we were back on the ground at around 9:15. With the next practice scheduled to begin in just 15 minutes, we decided to ride one more time, hoping to capture some of the action from 165 metres above the track.



We could hear the first roars of the engine as we entered the capsule and were fortunate that the second practice took place in perfect conditions, clear and dry. As the wheel takes you higher, you have a great view of the straightaway (above). Below you can see one of the Red Bull cars crossing the finish line, a possible outcome on Sunday as well. This photo also serves as a reminder that it is time to get a better camera!



On the way back down, you see the other side of the track, starting at Turn 5 and going all the way around to the Esplanade Bridge before making its way back to the Bay Grandstand, where the cars briefly disappear as they actually drive underneath the seats. Below is Heikki Kovalainen of Caterham at Turn 5.



After completing our second go-around, we made our way trackside, where I heard that Bruno Senna had crashed at Turn 19, very close to where we were. Just then we saw the track marshals bringing Senna's car off the track and they set it down right in front of us, causing a large crowd to gather. From the shot below, you can't really see the damage as he just touched the wall, but it was enough to end his evening.



That was also enough for me as there was just a few minutes of practice left, so I walked back to my office to collect my stuff and head home. Even from the office, the engines were incredibly loud and I was able to see a small portion of the track coming out of Turn 5, but not enough that it would be worth watching the race from there.

This was a great evening and a bargain at just $60. The crowd is perhaps a third of what will show up for the race, so it is easier to move around and see a variety of different attractions. It was a definitely one of the more interesting sport spectator experiences and for those who may not be racing fans, worth checking out just for the other options.

Update

Sebastian Vettel won the race on Sunday after Lewis Hamilton suffered a gearbox failure while leading midway through.

Next Up

Lots of travel in the next month, with a few sporting events thrown in. I'll be in Hong Kong this coming week but have yet to spot anything worth attending. After spending a single day in Singapore next Saturday, I'll be off to Sri Lanka for a few matches in cricket's Twenty20 World Cup. The week following, I'll be back to Tokyo, where a ball game and a tennis tournament are possibilities, not to mention the world-famous Yamato Cup, at which I'll be helping out. Check back for updates.

Best,

Sean

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