Athletics
NCAA, DoD chip in for an extensive concussion study
More than 35,000 college athletes and cadets at U.S. service academies are helping researchers write a new, extensive and groundbreaking chapter in the study and tracking of concussions.
With about $22 million in funding from the NCAA and Department of Defense, the college students have agreed to be monitored over a period of years, even decades, to determine the frequency, severity and cumulative effects of head injuries in their respective activities.
Baseline data has already been gathered on 6,500 students, about 225 of whom have suffered concussions and been evaluated.
Auto Racing
Colorado motorcyclist dies in Pikes Peak race practice
COLORADO SPRINGS – A motorcyclist died after going over a cliff during practice for the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb on Thursday.
He was identified by family and race officials as 39-year-old Carl Sorensen of Centennial.
Qualifying and practice for the Hill Climb were suspended after the accident between Devil’s Playground and the summit.
While emergency crews were on the scene, a storm moved across the summit of Pikes Peak, and medical personnel had to evaluate six people after a vehicle was struck by lightning. One person was treated at the scene.
Racing takes place on a course that spans more than 12 miles and rises nearly 5,000 vertical feet on the highway to the mountain’s summit. The Hill Climb, scheduled for Sunday, includes motorcycle, car and truck divisions.
Cycling
Tour organizers change 2015 route after landslide
PARIS – Tour de France organizers changed the route of the 20th stage of this year’s race following a landslide in the French Alps.
At 68.6-miles, the length of the Alpine stage between Modane and l’Alpe d’Huez remains unchanged, but the famed Col du Galibier is no longer part of the race program.
Organizers said in a statement that following “the closure of the Chambon tunnel because of a landslide in April,” traffic in the area won’t be restored before the passage of the peloton July 25.
Instead of tackling the Galibier, riders will climb the Col de la Croix-de-Fer in a “stage that from a sporting point of view remains generally unchanged.”
Golf
Ageless Watson claims U.S. Senior Open lead
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Tom Watson took advantage of cooler morning conditions Thursday to shoot a 4-under 66, grabbing a one-stroke lead after the opening round of the U.S. Senior Open.
With the temperature soaring over 100 degrees in the afternoon, Watson worked through Del Paso Country Club before the scorching heat intensified in California’s capital city. The eight-time major champion overcame a double bogey early in his round and had four birdies in a six-hole stretch after the turn.
Snowboarding
Jake Burton returns home after time on life support
Modern snowboard inventor Jake Burton is back home after spending nearly two months on life support with a rare autoimmune disease.
The 61-year-old Burton was diagnosed with Miller Fisher Syndrome and was completely paralyzed for a short time.
In late April, Burton moved from intensive care to a rehabilitation facility. He is now home in Vermont and is expected to make a full recovery.
He is best known for bringing snowboarding to the masses and building a multimillion-dollar business along the way.
Associated Press
