The Vancouver Sun from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada • 37

D3 SPORTS MONDAY The Vancouver Sun, Monday, April 11, 1994 AUTO RACING CURLING Moore becomes youngest Indy Lights race champion Peterson wins two; Folk drops his opener Canadian Press Sun News Services ill OBERSTDORF, Germany Sandra Peterson and her Regina rink tamed unruly ice and tough opposition Sunday, reeling oft" two impressive wins to begin defence of their world curling championship. Peterson defeated Sweden's Elis-abet Johansson 10-5 after bouncing American Bev Behnke 9-4 in her opening match. Peterson defeated Johansson in last year's championship semi-final before winning it all. "Both teams (Sweden and Canada) are pretty good and can come around some stuff and that's one good thing wild, crashed-filled race and a challenge from new Penske Racing teammate Al Unser Jr. to win Sunday's Slick 50 200-lap IndyCar race at Phoenix International Raceway.

Fittipaldi, second in the season-opening race last month in Australia, took the PPG Cup points lead with the victory, his first on Phoenix's one-mile oval and the 21st of his IndyCar career. "It was a very tense race, one of the most tense I have ever participated in," Fittipaldi said. "I was up on my feet all the time." A frightening five-car incident occurred on Lap 62 when Teo Fabi ran over the front wheel of Hiro Matsushita as he overtook him. That collision scattered debris and sent both cars skidding into the third-turn wall. Race leader Paul Tracy of Toronto, the third Penske entry and the record-setting pole winner, got pinned to the wall by Matsushita.

Rookie Jacques Villeneuve of Iberville, the surprise of the weekend by qualifying on the outside of the front row, got high in the turn and was unable to stop before slamming into Matsushita's stopped car just behind the cockpit. That separated the front of the car from the engine and gearbox GREG MOORE: Young winner PHOENIX Greg Moore of Maple Ridge led all the way Sunday and became the youngest driver to ever win a Firestone Indy Lights auto race. Moore, 18, started from the pole in one of the Lola-Buicks driven by all the Indy Lights competitors and led all 75 laps on the one-mile oval, beating outside front-row starter Steve Robertson of England by 6.688 seconds. Eddie Lawson, a four-time world motorcycle champion, finished third, followed by Brazilian Andre Rebeiro and Markus Liesner. Moore became not only the youngest driver to win in the nine-year history of Indy Lights, but the youngest driver in Indy Car-sanctioned auto racing history to win both a pole and a race.

He broke fellow Canadian Paul Tracy's record as the youngest pole-sitter ever in an Indy Car-sanctioned event. Tracy, of Toronto, was 23 in his first career pole position in an Indy-Car World Series race at Elkhart Lake in 1992. Additionally, Moore's race winning average speed of 146.268 mph is a 75-mile record at Phoenix International Raceway and the fastest Indy Lights race ever. "We've been running well all weekend," said Moore. "But putting everything together in qualifying and now coming out on top in the race is exciting.

All our pre-season testing is already paying dividends. "I had a good jump off the start and I was lucky enough to catch Steve (Robertson) off guard." Moore joined the Indy Lights series last year at age 17 after receiving special permission from officials. They waved the normal age requirement of 18 in lieu of Moore's impressive ANDREW VAUGHNCP Sandra Peterson yells while Bev Behnke of U.S watches history. He won the championship three times in four years of racing in IKF, F-1600 and F-2000, and finished ninth over-all in the Indy Lights championship standings last year. His best finish was third in Portland, Ore.

"Last year, we were competitive on the ovals," added Moore. "We had a couple of plans entering this race including creating what we thought would be the best set-up for this particular track and also set the car for a fast qualifying effort. "I think both plans worked. We won the pole and the race. It doesn't get much better." Moore earned a maximum 22 points, which includes 20 points for the win and two bonus points for leading the most laps and qualifying on the pole.

"All credit goes to Greg as he did an incredible job," said Robertson. "He ran in traffic really well. Even when he wasn't in traffic he was very quick." Emerson Fittipaldi survived a RENEW YOUR BLACKTOP 20 year new life lor youipnrklng lot, Industrial area, driveway with PtRMA SEAL crack repairs cull about this ice, said Peterson. "That why the scores are so high, people are burying rocks and freezing to stuff. "The difference in draw weight from one end to the other is the only problem." While Peterson's rink wasn't fighting the ice, it left Rick Folk the normally sure-handed Canadian men's skip shaking his head.

Folk lost 6-4 to Switzerland's Markus Eggler in his only game of the day. The teams entered the 10th end tied 4-4, but the Swiss held last-rock advantage and Eggler pulled off a dramatic takeout of two Canadian rocks Folk had neatly buried behind a guard in the four-foot ring. Eggler the 1992 world champion squeaked a hard-thrown rock between two front guards to blast out Folk's stones and count two for the win. "I'd give anybody that kind of shot to try to win the game and throwing it that hard he had to be perfect and he did it," said Folk, 43, of Kelowna. "You have to take your hat off to him, he made a great shot." Both men's rinks said they were hampered by inconsistent ice speeds.

There is a slight tilt to the JUNIOR CURLING 649-7760 he was surprised with the problems Folk had with the ice. "I had a really difficult last shot, but I knew that when I passed through the hole there was no chance to miss it," said Eggler, after his first win ever over Canada in his third trip to the worlds, 'i like to play the hard takeouts. "But we had a little less problem with the weight." Peterson had little trouble with the wacky weight and found her first game a lot easier than Folk. "We adjusted pretty good to the difference in weights going to each end," said Peterson after the win over the United States. "It (scoring three in third) gave us a chance to play our wide open game." Oberstforf ice centre floor, causing rocks to run faster in one direction, "It's extremely fast coming downhill there and it takes some getting used to," said Folk, the 1980 world champion.

"But it was good to get into a real good game like that, it's a game we could have easily won. "It doesn't hurt us to lose a game like that We didn't play too bad considering the ice conditions." Folk, regarded as one of the best when it comes to using a light touch, missed on draw shots that he has made countless times before. Third Pat Ryan, who skipped Canada to the 1989 world championship, also found the ice perplexing. Eggler and his rink were elated with the win over Canada, adding "Vancouver's Best Weekly Show" Metro Centre Hotel 4561 Kingsway, Bby. Door Prizes Much More! For more into: Call Bill 251-6164 Canadian teams win both world titles Canadian Press 11th as her team of Corie Beveridge, Lisa Savage and Sandy Graham became the first Canadian junior women to win the world crown since LeDawn Funk's rink won in 1989 in Markham, Ont.

"It feels good to do this for Canada," said Gellard. "I know we've been close a couple of times, lost in the finals or lost in the semis. But we did this for Canada." Davison's foursome including Kelly Mittelstadt, Scott Pfeifer and Sean Morris jumped to a 2-0 lead over Germany in the third end and sailed to the win to become the first Canadian junior men to win the world crown since Jim Sullivan won in 1938 at Fussen, Germany. "The guys played great," said Davison. "We knew they were a tough team and they were right up to the very end.

"They got some bad breaks and we curled great. I'm really, really happy." SOFIA, Bulgaria Canada's drought at the world junior curling championships ended Saturday with a sweep of the men's and women's titles. Kim Gellard's Toronto foursome won Canada's first junior women's title in five years by beating Erika Brown's U.S. foursome 10-7 in an extra end. Then Colin Davison's Edmonton rink beat Daniel Heberg of Germany 6-2 for Canada's first junior men's title in six years.

"My team and I are just so excited," Gcllard said, after rebounding from a 7-4 deficit. "I can't believe it. It's a great feeling." The U.S. built its 7-4 lead over eight ends. Then Gel-lard began her comeback.

She scored one the ninth end on a superb double-raise and stole two in the 10th to force the extra end. She built a barricade around three counters in the DALE EARNHARDT: ends slump STOCK CARS Earnhardt impressively dominates NASCAR race Associated Press TENNIS The Vancouver Sun Spring Fitness Fair! Everyone is welcome, free admission, enter to win some fantastic prizes, all down at the Hyatt Resency Vancouver as part of The 1994 Vancouver Sun Run on April 1 7th. Sun Run participants must pick up their participant kits (t-shirtrace number) at the Spring Fitness Fair. Lareau a loser in doubles final Sun News Services 'Mo u' i ttffitrvs 'oi i Thursday April 14th 10:00 AM PM Friday April 1 5th 9:00 AM 7:00 PM Saturday April 1 6th 9:00 AM 5:00 PM "Hf it The Vancouver Sun Spring Fitness Fair Everything you need to start your Hi summer right? KIMIMASA MAYAMAjRmilur PETE SAMPRAS: hoists winner's plato after capturing Japan Open TOKYO Sebastien Lareau and his new doubles partner, Patrick McEnroe, were beaten by a pair of experts Sunday for the title at the Japan Open, losing 7-6 (7-4), 6-1 to Swedes Anders Jarryd and Henrik Holm. Lareau, 20, from Boucherville, had teamed with the younger brother of John McEnroe totally by chance this week at Ariake Park after both found themselves without partners.

"I've had a great week," said Lareau, who will travel to I long Kong and play doubles next week with Davis Cup partner Daniel Nestor of'foronto. "1 certainly never expected to reach this far in doubles. We really hit it off. It was a really solid team." In singles play, Pete Sampras, blasting at least one ace in each service game, overwhelmed American compatriot Michael Chang H-4. 6-2 to win his second consecutive Japan Open tennis championship.

Japan's Kimiko Date, rebounding from a 04 first set deficit, beat American Amy Frazier 7 5, 6 0 and won the women's singles title for the third consecutive year. The Canadian-American pair, seeded third clue to the combined doubles ranking of the two players, stayed level with their fourth-seeded rivals throughout the first set. The tight opener went into a tiebreak, where the experienced Swedes, winners of four events including one in Spain two weeks ago, took a 'A 0 lead. Lareau found an open court for 1 A in the decider, but lost a rellex battle with Jarryd fur 1 4. Holm's unforced error left the scorelme at 44.

but the Swedish pair got a set point at 6 4 after a pass from their side brought the younger McEnroe to his knees attempting a return. Lareau returned long to lose the BRISTOL, Tenn. Dale Earnhardt snapped out of an uncharacteristic short-track slump Sunday with a dominating victory in the Food City 500 NASCAR auto race. Earnhardt led over the final 183 laps at Bristol International Raceway to capture his second straight win of the season and 61st of his career. It was Earnhardt's 24th short-track victory but his first since October 1991.

It also was Earnhardt's eighth career win here, but first since Earnhardt took the lead for the first and only time on the 318th lap, and went on to finish 7.6 seconds ahead of Ken Schrader. Lake Speed, who was 12 seconds behind the winner, was the only car on the lead lap. Earnhardt also regained the lead in his bid to win a record tying seventh Winston Cup title. Earnhardt, who came in 81 points behind Ernie lrvan, now hads a 40-point lead over lrvan. The race was marred by 10 wrecks.

Earnhardt triggered the largest one, on the 210th lap when he banged his Chevrolet Lumina into the rear of pole-sitter Chuck Down's Ford Thunderbird as the two exited turn two. Bown clipped the retaining wall and then slid back into the racing groove, setting off a seven-car collision behind him as drivers frantically tried to stop in time. Geoff Bodine appeared as if he might give upstart tire manufacturer Hoosicr its first victory. He led twice for 160 laps in the middle of the race before pitting under green for routine maintenance on the 318th lap, putting himself a lap down and handing the lead to Earnhardt. Four laps later, Rick Mast's wreck intothe fourth-turn wall brought out a caution, I I I I koyai tiNrfcr ROYAL CENTRE for Sanchez Vicario, who won four tournaments in 1993 but had gone 0-5 in finals since last May including losses to Steffi Graf in this year's Australian Open and Virginia Slims of Florida.

Sanchez Vicario dedicated the victory to her father, Emilio, who had a heart attack in Spain five days earlier. "She played a good match," said Sabatini, who has gone nearly two years 'XA consecutive tournaments without winning a title. "She didn't give me much chance to do anything." Richard Krajicek of the Netherlands defeated Carlos Costa of Spam 6 4. 7 (i (8 6), 6 2 Sunday to win the Comic de Godo tournament. In the doubles final, Russia's Yevgeny Kafelnikov and David Kikl of the Czech Republic rallied to beat Jim Courier and Spain's Javier Sanchez 5-7, 6 1,6 4.

opening set, The Swedes found their momentum in the second set, breaking McEnroe's serve in the second and sulli games for a 5-1 margin. Holm smashed over a winner to bring on match point and repeated the winning shot on the next point to earn the victory. "I've learned a lot this week, especially playing with Patrick," said Lareau. "I'll he going to Hong Kong with a lot of confidence and hoping that my game with Daniel can also improve," Spain's Arantxa Sanchez Vicario captured the 1 'S Hansen and Loiiib tournament Sunday, defeating Gabriela Sabatini 0 1,64 at Amelia Island, Fla. "It's always great when you final ly win," said the top seeded player "I played my best, moved the ball well and dominated the match." The title was the first ol the year Sun Run Headquarters: Hyatt Regency Vancouver Tennyson Room 655 Burrard Vancouver, B.C.

V6C 2R7 To register for the 1994 Sun Run 10k watch the The Vancouver Sun for entry forms or call the Sun Run Hotline. SUM UUH HOTLinS 689-9441 'Slic'PanrouraSnn yss. I.