Off the wire

— MOTOR RACING

Simoncelli killed in race

Italian driver Marco Simoncelli died Sunday after crashing and being hit by two other drivers at the Malaysian MotoGP motorcycle race. He was 24. After the crash, Simoncelli was taken to a local hospital where he died of chest, head and neck injuries, race organizers said. “He was already unconscious when the medical team arrived,” MotoGP medical director Michele Macchiagodena said. “We attempted to resuscitate him but failed. He died 45 minutes later.” The race, the second to last of the season, was canceled. Simoncelli lost control of his Honda at turn 11 four minutes into the race, but his bike regained partial grip and swerved across the track and into the path of American Colin Edwards and Italian Valentino Rossi. Simoncelli’s helmet was ripped off in the collision and was motionless on the track. He had been fourth at the end of the first lap. “Quite clearly the consequences and circumstances surrounding the accident will be thoroughly investigated,” race director Paul Butlersaid. Edwards dislocated a shoulder in the crash. The Italian’s death was the first fatality in MotoGP since Japan’s Daijiro Katoh died from injuries sustained at the 2003 Japanese Grand Prix. Newly crowned MotoGP champion Casey Stoner said that he feared for Simoncelli after seeing video of the crash. “As soon as I saw the footage it just makes you sick inside,” the Australian told the British Broadcasting Corporation. “Whenever the helmet comes off that’s not a good sign.” TENNIS

Tipsarevic, Cibulkova win

Top-seeded Janko Tipsarevic beat defending champion Viktor Troicki 6-4, 6-2 in the first all-Serb ATP final to win the Kremlin Cup on Sunday in Moscow, and Dominika Cibulkova of Slovakia won her first career WTA title, rallying to beat Kaia Kanepi of Estonia 3-6, 7-6 (1), 7-5 for the women’s title. Tipsarevic, who won his first career title in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, thisseason, broke Troicki twice in the second set and served for the match at love. Both players said it was not easy to face each other in a final. “It was pretty strange at the beginning,” Troicki said. “It was first all-Serb final on ATP or WTA tours. We both tried to play our best tennis, but Janko was much better today and he deserved to win. We were friends before and will stay friends after the match.” Tipsarevic also struggled to find his focus against his countryman. “It was tough, especially at the beginning of the match,” Tipsarevic said. “None of us was really hitting the ball - we were running and just pushing the ball back to the other guy. I was more mentally strong on important moments in the first set, which was really tight, and then I showed my real game in the second set.” The eighth-seeded Cibulkova is the first women’s player to win a her first title in Moscow since the tournament started in 1994. The 20th-ranked Slovak had advanced to the final in three previous tournaments - including last week in Linz, Austria, where she lost toPetra Kvitova. Kanepi broke Cibulkova in the fourth game of the first set to go 4-1 up and was close to breaking her again at 5-all in the second to serve for the match, butshe smashed a volley wide in front of an empty court. The Slovak then dominated the tiebreaker to stay in the match. She broke decisively in the 11th game of the third set and sealed the victory on her first match point when Kanepi returned wide. “I was just playing too defensive in the first set,” Cibulkova said. “In the second set I said, ‘Hey, come on, you have nothing to lose.’ And I started to go more on forehand and to be more aggressive and that’s why I won.”

Top-seeded Gael Monfils beat Jarkko Nieminen 7-5, 3-6, 6-2 in the Stockholm Open final on Sunday for his first title of the year. It was the 10th-ranked Monfils’ fourth career ATP Tour victory. The 25-year-old Frenchman had been hampered by a knee injury. “After Bangkok I haven’t practiced that much, mostly been in rehab for my knee,” he said. “The key today was that I managed to keep up my concentration.”

Top-seeded Victoria Azarenka of Belarus won the Luxembourg Open on Sunday, beating Monica Niculescu of Romania 6-2, 6-2. TheNo. 3-ranked Azarenka didn’t lose a set all week and had no problems against a player who was in her first WTA Tour final. It was the 22-yearold Azarenka’s eighth career title.

BOXING

Donaire retains titles

Nonito Donaire retained the WBC and WBO bantamweight titles, unanimously outpointing Omar Narvaez on Saturday night at Madison Square Garden in New York. Donaire improved to 27-1, extending his nine-year winning streak to 26 fights, with winning scores of 120-108 from the judges. He failed to record a knockout for the 10th time in his past 11 fights in a performance that included some booing from the audience. “I was bored,” Donaire said. “When I know that the guy wouldn’t open up, I kind of got bored because no matter what I opened my hands, I opened my face and the least you can do is hit me with a jab, hit me with something.” Narvaez (35-1-2) lost for the first time in his 11-year professional career. “He never hurtme,” Narvaez said. “I didn’t feel any of the punches. I didn’t think he was such a big deal.” TRIATHLON

Armstrong drops back

Lance Armstrong faded from second to 23rd in the running leg of the XTERRA World Championship, with Austria’s Michael Weiss finishing strong to win the off-road triathlon Sunday in Kapalua, Hawaii. Weiss completed the mile ocean swim, 18.3-mile mountain-bike ride and 6.1-mile trail run in 2 hours, 27 minutes. South Africa’s Dan Hugo was second, 33 seconds back, and Eneko Llanos of Spain was third. Armstrong finished in 2:36:59.

HORSE RACING

Irish Art wins at Arcadia

Irish Art beat Luckarack by 3 1/4 lengths Sunday in the $75,840 Uniformity Stakes for 3-year-olds at Santa Anita in Arcadia, Calif.

Ridden by Joel Rosario, Irish Art ran 61/2 furlongs on the turf in 1:11.62 and paid $4.80, $3.60 and $3 as the 7-5 favorite. Rosario rode four winners on the card. Luckarack returned $6.20 and $4.80, while Shred the Secrets paid $5.80 to show.

C C’s Pal, a 12-1 long shot, rallied to beat Alseera by three-quarters of a length Sunday in the $60,800 Miss Golden Circle Stakes for fillies and mares at Belmont Park in New York. Making her first start for trainer Rick Dutrow, C C’s Pal got her fifth victory in 22 starts. John Velazquez was aboard as the 5-year-old ran seven furlongs in 1:23.09. C C’s Pal paid $27.20, $11.60 and $6.40. Alseera returned $4 and $3.90, and Belle of the Hall paid $3.60 to show.

Quick Flip led wire-to-wire in the $45,000 allowance feature at Monmouth Park on Sunday in Oceanport, N.J., beating Caviar N Champagne by 2 1/2 lengths. Trained by Terri Pompay and ridden by Pedro Cotto Jr., the 2-year-old filly ran six furlongs over a fast track in 1:11 4-5 and paid $16.60, $6.40 and $3.40. Caviar N Champagne returned $6.20 and $4.60, and Seaside Magic paid $8.80 to show.

Sports, Pages 16 on 10/24/2011

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