Latest news with #Kesh
Irish Examiner
12 hours ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Motorsport: Paddon targets Donegal success on first competitive Irish outing
Reigning and double European Rally Champion, New Zealander Hayden Paddon (Hyundai i20 N Rally2) gets his first competitive taste of Irish rallying shortly after eleven o'clock on Friday on the 14.3km Malin Head stage, the first of the weekend's twenty stages of the Wilton Recycling Donegal International Rally. Although the three-day Letterkenny-based event is the fourth round of the NAPA Auto Parts Irish Tarmac Rally Championship, the fact that both Keith Cronin and Matt Edwards, have for different reasons, paused their rallying, some of the usual shine has been taken from the series. However, the presence of Paddon along with Kesh driver Jon Armstrong and Moira's William Creighton has cranked up the competition level in the north-west. Paddon has faced both and indeed top seed Callum Devine in last year's Rali Ceredigion in Wales, where the New Zealander took a comfortable victory. However, Donegal will be very different as Paddon told the Irish Examiner yesterday morning. "We (with his Cork born co-driver David Moynihan) have just completed all our recce (reconnaissance), the stages are very fast and technical at the same time. It's going to be very difficult to be at the same speed as the locals when you don't have the knowledge of the roads. We're going to do the best job we can but its difficult when you don't have the experience. Ceredigion was even, we had the same amount of experience but coming here is different as they (local drivers) know the roads so well and we have respect for that. "First and foremost we've come here to enjoy ourselves. The second pass through the stages will be quicker, but until you actually drive them for the first time and have a feel of all the bumps and how the car reacts you don't know. For sure on the second pass you would be more confident." He concluded: "It's a big challenge for us both, obviously Dave (co-driver) has got to learn my pacenote system and for me it's a different voice that you hear in the intercom and how I interpret the words. A challenge is good, it makes it more exciting." Paddon will try and add his name to other luminaries that have triumphed in Donegal like Achim Armbold (1975), Ari Vatanen (1978) and Sebastien Loeb (2007) all of whom have added to the event's legendary status. Top seed Devine will be followed off the start line by Jon Armstrong - fresh from a fine third place on last weekend's Rally Poland and without the shackles of a championship bid, he's unlikely to hold back. In any case, such is the pace, there's no time to adopt a wait and see process when seconds or even parts of, are crucial. Creighton missed the last round of the BRC but arrives in Donegal as leader of the BRC courtesy of his victory in the East Riding Stages and second on the Carlisle Stages. At the wheel of the MEM Castrol-backed Toyota GR Yaris Rally2, he is fulfilling a personal desire. "Donegal is a rally that I've always wanted to contest in a Rally2 car. It's such a special event for Irish rallying and the atmosphere is second to none. The pace at the front of the ITRC is very strong. There's no room for error. It's important to find a good rhythm from the beginning of the rally. But that's what makes it such a brilliant challenge." Others in the top ten are Monaghan's Josh Moffett (Citroen C3 Rally2) and Welsh ace Meirion Evans in the second of the MEM Castrol Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 cars, who will be aiming to go one better than last year when he finished 17.4s behind Devine. "I'm happy with where I am with the Yaris Rally2 at the moment and I hope I can translate that into a really strong performance again. Our speed on the Rally of the Lakes in Killarney was really good and we managed to move our pace forward a bit more on the Jim Clark Rally. It would be great to go one better this time." Today's first leg is a loop of three stages repeated twice with servicing in Carndonagh.
Int'l Cricket Council
3 days ago
- Sport
- Int'l Cricket Council
Mulder wants to make No.3 spot his own for South Africa
Mulder contributed scores of six and 27 during the Ultimate Test at Lord's, with the 27-year-old's partnership of 61 with centurion Aiden Markram on the third day of the contest a pivotal moment in the Proteas' five-wicket victory over Australia. It was just the fourth time that Mulder had batted at No.3 for South Africa at Test level, and the talented all-rounder is keen to cement that spot in the Proteas' line-up. "To be honest, I loved it (batting at three) in this Test. I'm a bad watcher, especially knowing I'm going in next to bat, I get so nervous, and I think everyone really does,' Mulder told ICC Digital . Proteas return to Lord's for more celebrations | WTC25 The Proteas return to Lord's for more celebrations following their ICC World Test Championship triumph. "If they say they don't, I think they're lying, to be honest. There are a lot of things that go through your head when you're watching when you're batting at three, you have to be switched on pretty much from the first ball. 'I didn't mind that and I really enjoyed it. And I really hope that Shuks (South Africa coach Shukri Conrad) sees me there going forward in that position as I think I can have a big impact." The No.3 position in the Proteas' batting group is one spot that hasn't been locked in during recent times, with Ryan Rickelton, Tony de Zorzi, and Tristan Stubbs among the players to have been utilised in the crucial batting slot across South Africa's run to the Lord's finale. But if Mulder does bat at No.3 going forward, then it allows the Proteas the luxury of being able to select three first-choice seamers and experienced spinner Keshav Maharaj in the same side. "I think it balances our team well," Mulder noted. "If you look at the combinations we can play, we can play Kesh up anywhere we go if I bat at three, because I can be the fourth seamer and Kesh will be your spinner pretty much anywhere in the world. "And I think that makes us quite versatile in so many different conditions and if I can get some runs there it would mean a lot. "To be able to get a bit more responsibility with the bat just suits my character a bit more and that opportunity to bat at three just gives me that opportunity to always have an impact on the game somewhere along the line." Mulder won't have to wait long to get his next chance at No.3, with the Proteas scheduled to play two Tests against Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in the coming weeks where a trio of first-choice batters in Markram, Rickelton and Stubbs have all been rested. It means Mulder will almost certainly get the opportunity to make that spot his own and he can't wait to get back out in the middle. "I haven't batted a lot at three, so it's another opportunity to learn and try and get some runs and have an impact on the game," Mulder added. "It's going to be a little bit different mentally to this (WTC Final) Test and the preparation to this Test, because we were playing against the Aussies in probably the biggest Test I'll ever play in. "So to get up for it is going to be a different challenge, but I love the game, so I just want to play and when I spoke to Shooks about it, I said, 'please don't even consider not playing me'." ICC World Test Championship Final, 2025NewsMen's News
Irish Examiner
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Irish Examiner
Armstrong and Byrne secure podium finish in Poland
With an impressive performance, Kesh driver Jon Armstrong and his Bruckless co-driver Shane Byrne took the final podium spot in the ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland that marked the midpoint in the eight-round European Rally Championship. Onboard their Pirelli-shod M-Sport Ford Fiesta Rally2, they were second fastest on the Power Stage to claim an additional four championship points, and with a total haul of twenty-five championship points, Armstrong has moved into sixth in the series. It was his second ERC podium (he was second on this event last year when it was a tarmac rally) and his first podium with co-driver Byrne. The event was won by Estonians Martin Sesks/Renars Francis (Skoda Fabia Rally2), who finished a minute and 6.3s ahead of the similar car of ERC leaders and local heroes Mikolaj Marczyk/Szyman Gospodarczyk. Armstrong/Byrne were 9.5s further behind in third having been penalised 10s for what was termed "chicane destruction." Ninth in Friday night's super special at the Mikolajki Arena, Armstrong was only 2.1s off the lead and was up to sixth on Saturday morning's opening 16.3km stage and held the spot through the day's first loop of three stages. He posted his best time (third fastest) on SS4 - just 1.8s behind the Skoda Fabia RS Rally2 of stage winner and rally leader Martin Sesks. Quickly into the groove, Sesks snatched the lead from home hero Miko Marczyk on SS2 to open up a 9.3s lead over the Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 of Roope Korhonen. However, on the very next stage, Sesks made a braking error on a fast right-hand corner that resulted in his Skoda having a brief off road excursion and losing its front bumper. The indiscretion allowed Korhonen trim the deficit to 1.5s. Unaware that he had actually lost the bumper, Sesks then established a 5.6s advantage over Korhonen with Marczyk third - 8.6s off top spot. On the repeat stages, Armstrong was in fine form, another third fastest stage time - on SS6, he leapfrogged Mads Ostberg into fifth, and with his third top three stage time (on SS7) he snatched fourth from Isak Reiersen. At the stage finish, he said: "It didn't rut as much, but I messed up the hairpin at the end. We were supposed to come out of it in second (gear) and we came out in fourth gear for some reason." Overnight, Armstrong was 8.7s behind Marczyk. Meanwhile, in the Junior ERC category, Cavan's Craig Rahill (Peugeot 208 Rally4) was the top Irish driver, he occupied fourth place - just 3s behind the similar car of Welsh ace Ioan Lloyd. On Sunday's final leg, Armstrong punched in the best time on the day's second stage where pre-event series leader Finland's Roope Korhonen rolled his Toyota GR Yaris Rally2 out of second place and the rally. Following the Finnish driver's demise, stage winner Armstrong moved into third after SS10. Then, having closed to within 6.2s of Marczyk on SS11, he incurred a 10s penalty for "deconstructing" a chicane on SS12. He didn't allow it deflect his concentration and was second fastest on the remaining two stages to secure his best result of the year. "My first podium on gravel. Great weekend, Shane (Byrne) and the team did a great job. It's been a bit of a bleak year so far in terms of results, so really happy with this." In the Junior ERC Rahill, who had closed to within 1.8s of Lloyd on SS9 retired a stage later when his Peugeot 208 Rally4 slid wide and broke a driveshaft. In a fluctuating leaderboard where Swedish winner Calle Carlberg (Opel Corsa Rally4) was the only constant, Galway's Aoife Raftery, who began the day in ninth, ended up fourth with Leitrim's Keelan Grogan slipping to eighth, both in Peugeot 208 Rally4's. Belfast's Charlie Eastwood was a member of the TF Sport team along with Angolan-Portuguese driver Rui Andrade and Tom Van Rompuy (Belgium) that netted third place in the LMGT3 category in the 24 Hours of Le Mans. In the LMP2 category, the RLR Msport team (owned by Corkonian Patrick Cullen and included his son Ryan) were twelfth. ORLEN OIL 81st Rally Poland (Round 4, European Rally Championship) Mikolajki: 1. M. Sesks/R. Francis (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2) 1h. 37m. 56.4s; 2. M. Marczyk/S. Gospodarczyk (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+1m. 06.3s; 3. J. Armstrong/S. Byrne (Ford Fiesta Rally2)+1m. 15.8s; 4. I. Reiersen /S. Gustavsson (Skoda Fabia RS)+ 1m. 37.9s; 5. M. Ostberg/G. Bernacchini (Citroen C3 Rally2)+1m. 54.9s; 6. S. Tempestini/I. Simone (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+2m. 34.4s; 7. M. Johansson/J. Gronvall (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+2m. 38.3s; 8. A. Mabellini/V. Lenzi (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+2m. 49.6s; 9. J. Matulka/D. Syty (Skoda Fabia RS Rally2)+3m. 32.2s; 10. K. Bubik/A. Sadowski (Skoda Fabia R5)+4m. 56.7s. European Rally Championship (Positions after Round 4): 1. M. Marczyk 81pts; 2. M. Ostberg 65pts; Roope Korhonen 60pts; Isak Reiersen 60pts; Andrea Mabellini 60pts; 6. Jon Armstrong 46pts; 7. Mille Johansson 41pts.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- ABC News
Darwin's first 'Queer Youth Prom' gives Top End teenagers an inclusive high-school formal experience this pride month
Fancy dress, a balloon arch and a red carpet to strut down along to the beat served up by a live DJ — it sounds a lot like the formal many of us had to commemorate our time in high school. But this event is a little different, because it's dedicated to the many LGBTQIA+ people who don't have fond memories of that key coming-of-age milestone. Attendees aged 15 to 26 can wear what makes them feel confident, bring whoever they wish as their date and enjoy an event that celebrates who they are, with a choir that sings Chappell Roan, a series of drag performers and an array of volunteers who know what it means to live a queer life with pride. For Jules, the 19-year-old co-organiser of the event, being openly out as queer at her private Catholic high school was an isolating experience with there being a "big stigma" around homosexuality. "I knew that a lot of teachers had their opinions on queer people, and if they thought it was right or wrong or whatever it was, and that's a lot to hear as a young person trying to figure yourself out," she says. When it came to the highly-anticipated formal night, Jules brought her then-same-sex partner Kesh as her date but felt "really alone" among her private school peers. "What was supposed to be one of the happiest days of my life ... it felt really uncomfortable, it wasn't a good time. I went home crying," Jules says. Kesh — who was assigned female at birth but identifies as a man — says he and Jules were the only queer couple that showed up together, and they both felt like they were "disconnected from everybody" at the event. "We just felt like we didn't have a community," he says. "And leading up to the graduation as well, it was like, 'Who's even on our side? Where are our people?' "Just because we had come out as queer things changed — we weren't the same for them anymore. "But you know what they say, 'you have to sacrifice your old life to build your new one'". Knowing their experience wasn't unique the couple decided it was a time to create an event that was catered for Darwin's young queer people. "It hasn't been done before and usually we find that Top End Pride events are more geared towards older people, which is great," says Jules. Chair of Top End Pride, Becky Tidman says events like the Queer Youth Prom are an important part of building young queer people up by giving them a space to be "comfortable in their own skin" and role-models to look up to. "It's just so amazing [for them] to see adults living their life as queer people ... as lawyers and artists and teachers. And so it's that idea that actually they deserve this space," says Ms Tidman. Ms Tidman says when it comes to the wellbeing of young people, hearing the announcement from the NT government earlier this year that it would look to wind back some of the territory's anti-discrimination laws was "heartbreaking". In particular, Ms Tidman referenced a change that would allow for religious schools to refuse to hire people outside of that faith. "To not to have those role models, it makes it so much harder for kids in school ... and then [they] are having to be in the closet because it's not a safe and accepting space within the education system," she says. Attorney-General Marie-Clare Boothby said at the time the proposed changes would "restore religious freedoms to religious schools". Speaking to a 15-year-old attendee of the Queer Youth Prom, who the ABC has chosen not to name, the teen says they know all too well the struggle of having nowhere to be their authentic selves. "[At school] they keep bullying me because [of my sexuality] and I've dressed as my aesthetic ... and I never really tell people my sexuality in public because I get a lot of negative backlash," they say. "And I can't really say anything at home either, because [my parents] are heavily Christian. One of the key drag performers for the night, Prawn Cracker Spice, says it was heartwarming to see that things had changed since they were a teenager. "When I think of my prom and coming here today, it's just such a different energy and a different support and love," she says.
Belfast Telegraph
12-06-2025
- Automotive
- Belfast Telegraph
Dungannon driver Kris Meeke reveals the big challenge he faces in latest Portuguese test
He is returning to a rally he won back in 2023 — and came close to conquering last year only for a throttle issue and a late puncture to deny him — in a car he has never driven in anger on Tarmac before. To complicate matters further, the competitive route for the two-day, closed-road fixture has undergone a number of tweaks as organisers attempt to increase the challenge for competitors. A shakedown test has been planned by the Sports & You team for the Dungannon man and team-mate Stuart Loudon to help the 45-year-old dial in the new Toyota Gazoo Racing Yaris Rally2 on asphalt. 'It will undoubtedly be an interesting challenge,' admitted Meeke, who had been due to travel from Portugal to Letterkenny for next weekend's Donegal International Rally before having a change of heart following the death of Dai Roberts while competing on the Jim Clark Rally in Scotland, and his co-driver for Donegal — Brian Hoy — suffering injuries in a crash on the Cavan Stages Rally. 'It will be my first time with the new Yaris on asphalt, so there is going to be a lot to learn. In addition, we have not driven competitively on asphalt since last October's Vidreiro Rally, so the test is going to be essential to gain confidence — and help us prepare ourselves as best possible.' Meeke's winning start to the defence of his Portuguese crown came to an end on May's Rally de Portugal when late suspension failure on the final stage meant he was unable to make it back to parc ferme and collect another maximum points haul for topping the timesheets. He added: 'Rally de Portugal was obviously very disappointing, but that is behind us now. There are many new aspects to the Castelo Branco Rally and looking at the route, there are new special stages, and that means prior knowledge will not carry as much weight. 'It makes everything even more competitive, it will certainly be a close fight, especially with people like Dani (Sordo, Team Hyundai Portugal), but I am excited about the challenge.' Rali de Castelo Branco begins on Friday with four short stages and continues on Saturday when crews will tackle a further eight speed tests, the last of which is scheduled to get underway at 9.30pm UK time. Meanwhile, Kesh driver Jon Armstrong is also in action this weekend as he resumes his FIA European Rally Championship campaign at Rally Poland with Shane Byrne and M-Sport Ford.
