Ten things to know from what happened in the world of sport. September 14-20, 2021. Controversial Motorcycling, Surfing, Canoe / Kayak, Darts...
  1. Surfin’ California. The World Surf League Tour crowned its season Champions in San Clemente, California. Gabriel Medina beat Filipe Toledo in al All-Brazilian Men’s Final, which gave Medina his 3rd World Title. Meanwhile, Carissa Moore (HAW, USA) beat Tatiana Weston-Webb (BRA) to win her 5th World Title, second consecutive.
  2. Canoe / Kayak. The Canoe / Kayak Sprint World Championships were won by Hungary, which won 6 gold medals, followed by Belarus, with 4. Belarus prevented Hungary from taking their fourth consecutive Women’s K4-500 title but Danuta Kozák and Tamara Csipes won the K2 500 duel. This was Kozak’s 15th World title won. Local Emma Jørgensen (DNK) won the K1 200. María Mailliard (CHL) impressively won the C1-500 in the first time she competed in this distance. Conrad Scheibner (DEU) redeemed himself by winning the Men’s C1 100 after being 6th in Tokyo 2020. Lisa Carrington (NZL) was absent but fellow Kiwi Aimee Fisher won the Women’s K1 500 ahead of two Tokyo 2020 medalists. She was absent from the Games. In Paracanoe, Serhii Yemelianov (UKR) won a fourth consecutive men’s KL3 World Championship and 10th overall world title. Emma Wiggs (ENG) won her 9th world title.
  3. Ganna vincitori! Filippo Ganna (ITA) won his second consecutive Road Racing Time Trial World Championship, over Wout van Aert (BEL) and Rempo van Evenepoel (BEL). Ellen van Dijk (NED) won in the Women’s competition, over Marlen Reusser (SUI) and Annemiek van Vleuten (NED).
  4. Emotional darts. Michael van Gerwen (NED) had an emotional first win in this year’s PDC Tour, by taking the Nordic Masters tournament. This Final represented the first time that a woman made it to the Final of a televised mixed gender tournament, as Fallon Sherrock (ENG) was ahead of van Gerwen for a little while, before losing to the Dutch player.
  5. Controversial Final. Jordi Torres (ESP) became the Moto E World Cup Champion in Misano (ITA). Dominique Aegerter (SUI) made contact with him on the last lap, making Torres fall. Aegerter was the unofficial Champion before he was penalized, giving the title to Torres. Eric Granado (BRA) could have also been the Champion, had he not fallen down in the last lap of the race one day prior, where he could have won, ahead of Torres. Had he not fallen, he would have won. Meanwhile in MotoGP Francesco Bagnaia (ITA, Ducati) won his second race in a row but Fabio Quartararo (FRA) still leads. France is also excelling in Supermoto, taking their 10th SuperMoto des Nations, with World Champion Thomas Chareyre (FRA) leading their charge.
  6. Spanish Trials domination. Spain reaffirmed that it is the best Trial Nation of all time in both the Men’s and Women’s Divisions. They took their 17th consecutive Men’s title at the Trial des Nations, and fourth consecutive with Toni Bou, Adam Raga and Jaime Busto. The three topped the Trial GP World Championship standings. This is Bou’s 15th consecutive Trial GP Championship. He is the winningest motorcycle rider of all time, with 29 individual titles counting the indoor versions. Bou also won the Final round of the season this weekend, in Portugal – followed by Raga and Busto, just as in the Championship. In Women’s Laia Sanz and Sandra Gómez won their record 7th Trial des Nations Féminin, while Berta Abellán won her third, after their triumph in Gouveia, Portugal. One day prior, Sanz and Abellán did the 1-2 in the World Championship’s season Finale. This allowed Sanz to take her record-extending 13th title.
  7. Spain wins in Basque Pelota too. Spain won the outright 30 meters Basque Pelota World Cup Valencia (ESP), after their Men’s Frontenis team pulled the upset against México. The Mexican Women’s Team confirmed the dominance of the country in the sport by beating Spain in the Basque Pelota 30 meters World Cup, in Valencia (ESP). Mexico is unbeaten in the World Cup since 2013 and has won every single gold medal since the Women’s World Championships started in 1990. Guadalupe Hernández has been World Champion since 2002. Spain (Women’s) and Argentina (Men’s) won in Paleta Goma.
  8. Sport climbing. Chaehyun Seo (KOR) is just 17 but she has already won the World Sport Climbing Championships in just her third season as a senior competitor. In the men’s division Jakob Schubert (AUT) won his third world title. In Boulder Kokoro Fujii (JPN, 28) and Natalia Grossman (USA, 20) won the Men’s and Women’s Divisions, respectively.
  9. Exciting Sailing. Several important competitions took place last week. Pierre Quiroga (FRA) won the Solitaire du Figaro. Also in France, the Défi Azimut-Lorient Agglomération 48-Hours regatta was won by Charlie Dalin and Paul Meilhat (FRA). The GC32 World Championship was won by Red Bull Sailing Team (AUT) barely beat Alinghi (SUI), as they finished 4th and 7th in the final regatta. They were tied in points but the Austrian team won. The Swiss team was close to winning but a breakage before the last gate dropped them down the order. In the Match Racing World Tour, Stars + Stripes Team USA, skippered by Taylor Canfield, won the 56th Congressional Cup at Long Beach Yacht Club. Canfield is the winningest skipper in this regatta.
  10. Lacrosse Chaos. The first season after the merger between Premier Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse featured Chaos and Champions Whipsnakes in the Finals. Chaos won 14-9.