Canada's Pendrel takes overall mountain bike lead

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Caroline Wozniacki (CP)

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Catharine Pendrel (CP)

HOUFFALIZE, Belgium -- Canadian world champion Catharine Pendrel won the second round of the Mountain Bike World Cup on Sunday, moving into the overall lead of the series after two events.

The Kamloops, B.C., rider was third after the opening round of the World Cup last month and took the lead from defending World Cup champion Julie Bresset of France in the third lap of the five-lap race with an attack on one of the climbs.

Pendrel steadily increased her lead through the remainder of the race to finish with a time of one hour 31 minutes 15 seconds, 48 seconds ahead of Bresset. Maja Wloszczowska of Poland, the winner of the first round of the 2012 series, was third.

Marathon will run hot

BOSTON -- Many of the 27,000 runners signed up for the Boston Marathon are spending their last day before the race trying to decide whether to deal with the heat forecast for today or take a deferment and run next year instead.

With temperatures expected to rise into the mid-80s, marathon officials have offered registered runners an opportunity to sit this one out and take their chances in 2013. The race's medical staff is telling people who are inexperienced and those who have been ill, "Please don't run the marathon on Monday."

Those who do run are being advised to slow their pace and not go for a personal record.

That also applies to the elite athletes.

Kerber wins second title

COPENHAGEN, Denmark -- Angelique Kerber of Germany beat top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki 6-4, 6-4 to win the e-Boks Open on Sunday and her second title of the year.

The second-seeded Kerber, who won her first WTA tournament at the Paris Indoors in February, broke the Dane's serve three times in each set to earn the title in 1 hour, 38 minutes. Wozniacki had sought her third straight title in her home tournament, but couldn't match the 24-year-old German, breaking only twice in each set.

Allen the champ

LUTZ, Fla. -- Michael Allen won the Encompass Insurance Pro-Am on Sunday for his second Champions Tour title, closing with a 3-under 68 for a three-stroke victory over Kenny Perry.

Allen finished the three-day event at 12 under. He took a five-shot advantage into the final round, tying the tournament record for the largest 36-hole margin.

Water polo rout in Italy

TRIESTE, Italy -- Christine Robinson and the Canadian women's water polo team got off to a fast start at the Olympic qualifying tournament on Sunday.

The native of Lachine, Que., scored four goals to lead Canada in a 15-4 rout over Kazakhstan in its opening round robin match at the event.

Monika Eggens of Maple Ridge, B.C., Katrina Monton of Dorval, Que., Marina Radu of Pointe-Claire, Que., and Calgary's Emily Csikos had two goals each for Canada. Krystina Alogbo of Rivieres-des-Prairies, Que., Tara Campbell of Baie-Durfe, Que., and Joelle Bekhazi of Pointe-Claire scored once each.

"It was a really good win for us to get our jitters and our nerves out," said Robinson. "The game was a little bit close at first but I think the team came through towards the end."

"This was a good game for the team and the start we wanted to the tournament," said head coach Pat Oaten.

-- from the news services

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition April 16, 2012 C6