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Aussies to watch in 2012

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daz

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Well lads and ladies, we have a good 2012 to dig into with the Olympics heading the bill.

But I thought we should keep track of other Aussies in action around the globe in 2012.

Feel free to add to the list so we can get a heads-up on our brothers and sisters going for glory in our name.

1) Mark Webber (Red Bull) and the new and exciting kid on the block, Daniel Ricciardo (Toro Rosso) - F1.
2) Cadel Evans (BMC) and the all new, all-Aussie GreenEdge racing team - Cycling.
3) Casey Stoner - MotoGP.
 

bryce

Darby Loudon (17)
What I'm most interested in is the Aussie Coxless Four. Particularly Drew Ginn. Going for his fourth Olympic gold medal, having come back from 2 years off after what looked like a career ending back injury in 2008. The guy would have to be one of Australia's greatest ever athletes. This would be his crack at a 5th gold if he hadn't injured his back a year out from the Sydney Olympics. Back then him and James Tomkins were untouchable in the pair. He has a really interesting blog that I've been following since 2009, it is worth googling. I think it will be tough for the four to win, as the British four is shit hot. But you never know, he is getting back to his best and he has some young guys in the boat who are potential stars of the future, particularly the guy in the stroke seat, Josh Dunkley-Smith. For those of you who have rowed before, this guy is 22 and apparently pulls a 5.40 2k, and a 18.17 6k (on sliders).

Also, James Magnussen. The guy is a superstar, love the way he swims. If he keeps up the form he had at the world championships should win the 100 free in london, and hopefully help us win the 4x100m freestyle and medley relays. That would be something.
 

Swat

Chilla Wilson (44)
David Warner... Hopefully can cement a place in the test side


Miranda Kerr... Why not
 

spectator

Bob Davidson (42)
I think that the potential train wrecks will be just as interesting to watch in 2012. Former superstars like Thorpe, Trickett and Klim will be trying to regain past glories in the pool. Will they make it?
 

yourmatesam

Desmond Connor (43)
I think that the potential train wrecks will be just as interesting to watch in 2012. Former superstars like Thorpe, Trickett and Klim will be trying to regain past glories in the pool. Will they make it?

I doubt it, the up and comers seem pretty slick at the moment. I think they've all had their time.
 
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daz

Guest
I think that the potential train wrecks will be just as interesting to watch in 2012. Former superstars like Thorpe, Trickett and Klim will be trying to regain past glories in the pool. Will they make it?

Of those three, it seems Trickett may have the better showing. I'm not yet ready to write Thorpe off, but so far I'm not exactly jumping up and down. Still, good on them for giving it a shot, and I'm wishing them nothing but good luck.

Speaking of train wrecks, what about the Aussie cricket team? I have still not forgiven them for losing the Ashes at home, and for the last 2 years or so they have spectacularly under-whelmed. Can they get their shit together in 2012?
 

yourmatesam

Desmond Connor (43)
Of those three, it seems Trickett may have the better showing. I'm not yet ready to write Thorpe off, but so far I'm not exactly jumping up and down. Still, good on them for giving it a shot, and I'm wishing them nothing but good luck.

I agree daz, I'd love Thorpey to kill it at London, but I can't see it happening.
 

matty_k

Peter Johnson (47)
Staff member
The Kookaburras. The mens hockey team is playing some great hockey at the moment and with Ric Charlesworth coaching it seems they should continue this form.
 

Joe Mac

Arch Winning (36)
This is an amazing feet by a talented Aussie;


18 Mar 12
Simon Gerrans Wins Milano-Sanremo
Australian National Road Champion Simon Gerrans gave Australia back-to-back wins at Milano-Sanremo. Gerrans outsprinted Fabian Cancellara (RadioShack-Nissan-Trek) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) to take top honors at the first monument of the season. The elite trio formed on the ascent of the Poggio and maintained a narrow lead over a chasing field at the finish. Gerrans is the second Australian to win La Primavera, following in the footsteps of 2011 Milano-Sanermo Champion Matt Goss.
“I still haven’t realized what we actually did today,” said Gerrans. “This is an amazing feeling to win this monument. The team rode perfectly, and we played our cards just the right way.”
The first 200 kilometres of the 298-kilometre race played out according to script with an early break escaping from the bunch and building up a maximum advantage of 13 minutes before the field began to give chase.
“It’s always a bit of a gamble to allow the break such a big gap,” said Sports Director Matt White. “I’ve done this a long time, so I was confident in my direction and judgment. There was a lot of wind on the coast, and I took the option to lay low, stay cool and conserve for the key moments of the race. The strategy worked out well for us.”
By the race’s mid-point, the gap between the break and the field began to slowly but steadily fall. The pre-race favorites all remained comfortably in the bunch as the field hit La Mànie, the second climb on the menu.
The climb caused the first split in the field. The increase in pace that followed further shed riders from the main bunch. The peloton reabsorbed the break and sped on towards San Remo.
“We rode as a team all day,” explained White. “The guys were always looking after each other and making sure to keep Goss in position at all the key moments. When we hit the Cipressa, we had four riders left in the front group.”
Several riders launched small digs on the Cipressa. The field easily responded to each move. The descent of the Cipressa passed without incident, and a 50-strong front group hit the Poggio.
Near the summit of the final climb, Nibali attacked. Gerrans jumped on his wheel and Cancellara quickly bridged across. The trio immediately established a ten-second advantage.
“Simon had free reign to cover the big moves, and he certainly did today,” said White. “We had two leaders in the race today. If it went hard on the Cipresso or Poggio, Simon was our man. If it came back together for a sprint, we’d look to Gossy.”
“I knew when the move went on the Poggio with Fabian, that this was time to go,” added Gerrans. “It turned out to be the crucial move of the race.”
“I let Sebastian and Gossy know that Simon had gotten over the top with Fabian and Nibali,” White continued. “That’s all I said. At this stage in the race, it’s better to say nothing. The guys don’t want to hear anything over the radio. They need full concentration for the descent.”
The trio managed to evade the chasing field on the descent and hold them off on the run-in towards the finish. With 12 seconds on his pursuers, Cancellara led out the sprint as Gerrans came around him for the victory.
“Fabian is always keen to ride hard to get the win or a podium” explained White. “Simon played it cool. For Fabian, it was pull hard to get a chance to win or sit back in the bunch. Simon knew this was Fabian’s attitude, and he capitalized on it. He has a fast sprint, and he was able to get over the top of Fabian today.
“Simon’s a class act,” added White. “This is the biggest win of his career.”
Post-race, Gerrans noted the historical significance of the race for GreenEDGE.
“It’s amazing for GreenEDGE to win a Classic – to win the first real Classic we’ve done as a team,” added Gerrans. “To finish up the great work the guys did today is an honor. A big thanks to everyone on this team – the staff, the riders and the people who created this team. Thank you to Gerry Ryan and Shayne Bannan.”
 

bryce

Darby Loudon (17)
Thought I'd bump this up.

At the moment there is a world cup rowing event on at Lucerne. It's the first event of the year that crews from all over the world go to so it is a pretty good marker for the Olympics. So far today the world records have been tumbling. Most notably in the mens eight and the coxless four. The Brits broke the world record in the four by something like 4 seconds. The good news is though that in the next heat the Aussies were one second quicker at the 1000m (half way) mark and eased off over the last 500m to save themselves for the final. In the eight the Aussies were second in their heat to the world champion Germans. The Canadians broke the world record in the other heat.

There should be some cracking finals on Sunday, especially the four. I think Fox Sports is broadcasting it in Australia.
 

bryce

Darby Loudon (17)
Well, they almost won in Lucerne, and now the Aussie 4 beat the Brits at the World Cup regatta in Munich last weekend. God it would be sweet if they beat the Brits in London on their home water. Good story on Drew Ginn below. If he wins in London he will become, for mine, one of, if not the greatest athlete Australia has produced. (I'd actually already rank him up there, even had he retired after Beijing)

http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=8486802
 
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