More than 100,000 surfers, tourists, and Sydney-siders are expected to flood the beach to attend the free 9-day event, which also includes an exciting world-class Skate Bowl featuring the world’s best skateboarders, live concerts featuring some of Australia’s top musicians.

“The Inaugural Australian Open of Surfing will reinforce Manly Beach and Sydney’s reputation as a top surfing destination not just for pro-surfers, but for any traveler interested in a vibrant coastal lifestyle and all the activities that go along with that,” said Sandra Chipchase, Chief Executive Officer at Destination New South Wales. “Manly Beach is a destination gem in Sydney and this event will help to showcase all that it has to offer young travelers – not only an unbelievable surf location, but the hub of live music, surf lifestyle, great restaurants, shopping, museums and art.”

Destination New South Wales, along with event sponsors Hurley and Billabong are partnering to bring the event to Manly Beach.  While the surf competition will take center stage, the other activities have been designed to attract beach lovers, surfing enthusiasts and youth travelers alike.  A unique wooden bowl structure, dubbed the “Beach Bowl,” has been constructed especially for the skateboarding competition, which will feature three divisions – Juniors, Pro, and Pro Masters – showcasing more than 80 competitors. The total prize winnings being awarded to skateboarders top $50,000, and promises to draw notable athletes from around the world. Large scale music performances from Australian bands and artists will also hit the stage throughout the event, drawing music lovers out to the sand for some music in the famous Australian summer sun.

“I grew up surfing New South Wales‘ beaches and to me, there is no better surf destination in the world,” said Sally Fitzgibbons, winner of the ASP Women’s World Title at the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA in July 2011 and New South Wales native. “New South Wales is full of incredible surf spots, and Manly Beach is one of the best in the world. I’m so excited that the surf community is recognizing the amazing surfing Australia and Manly Beach have to offer by hosting this world renowned event there.”

Along with the featured athletic events, attendees will also have the opportunity to partake in unique Manly Beach activities and Australian surf culture. The area offers extensive opportunities for waterfront dining, exciting nightlife, contemporary fashion boutiques, museums and adventure activities. Adventure and sports enthusiasts can partake in some of Manly’s  offerings such as beach volleyball, kayaking, paddle boarding, surf lessons, or even whale watching while the more retail oriented traveler can stroll through the stores, arcades and boardwalks discovering Australian handmade jewelry, clothes, shoes and artworks.

To celebrate the Australian Open of Surfing, Destination New South Wales and STA Travel are partnering to offer affordable travel packages to young travelers starting as low as $1,383 per person including roundtrip airfare from Los Angeles and five nights’ accommodation at a choice of hotels. Additional nights are available for as low as $54 per person. Rates are based on twin share accommodation valid for travel February 16-20, 2012. Prices are valid for students or those aged 26 years or less. For more information and to purchase travel packages, please visit http://www.statravel.com/virgin-australia-student-tickets.htm

Manly Beach is home to more than 100 years of surf heritage, and was the host of the first World Surfing Championships in 1964. The “Path of Olympians” lines the boardwalk honoring notable athletes of the past and commemorates the area’s rich athletic heritage. Many world famous surfers call New South Wales home including Sally Fitzgibbons, winner of the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach, CA in August 2011, Layne Beachley and Barton Lynch adding to Manly’s tie to the surfing community. Manly’s unique history in the world of surfing from its iconic surf culture to its deep athletic history makes it the perfect location to host this inaugural event.

For more information, please visit Sydney.com.

While winter sports provide a wonderful opportunity to exercise and enjoy the outdoors, these activities also have the potential to cause severe injury if proper safety precautions are not practiced. Common injuries from skiing, skating and sledding include sprains and muscle strains, dislocations and fractures.

More than 440,000 people were treated in hospitals, doctors’ offices and emergency rooms for winter sports-related injuries in 2010, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission. This includes more than:

• 58,500 ice skating injuries;
• 91,000 injuries from sledding and tobogganing;
• 144,000 snow skiing injuries; and
• 148,000 snowboard injuries.

“When participating in winter sports, it’s important for participants to know the weather and terrain, to stay alert for changes, and to take a break when feeling pain or fatigue,” said orthopaedic surgeon A. Herbert Alexander, MD. “Before skiing, skating or sledding, make sure you’re dressed appropriately, in good physical shape, know and abide by the rules of the sport in which you’re participating, and seek medical attention immediately if necessary.

“And don’t forget safety equipment, in particular helmets for skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and even ice skating,” said Dr. Alexander.

As part of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’(AAOS) on-going Prevent Injuries America!® campaign, the AAOS urges children and adults to consider these additional winter sports injury prevention tips before braving the snow:

• Check the weather for snow and ice conditions prior to heading outdoors. Pay attention to warnings about upcoming storms and severe drops in temperature to ensure safety while outdoors. Skiers and snowboarders should make adjustments for icy conditions, deep snow powder, wet snow, and adverse weather conditions.
• Dress for the occasion.  Wear several layers of light, loose and water- and wind-resistant clothing for warmth and protection. Layering allows you to accommodate your body’s constantly changing temperature.
• Wear appropriate protective gear, including goggles, helmets, gloves and padding.  Also, check that all equipment, such as ski and snowboard bindings, is in good working order.
  • Skiers and snowboarders should have their boots and bindings adjusted, maintained and tested by a ski shop that follows American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM) standard job practices.
• Never participate alone in a winter sport.  If possible, skiers and snowboarders should ski with a partner and stay within sight of each other. If one partner loses the other, stop and wait. Also, make sure someone who is not participating is aware of your plans and probable whereabouts before heading outdoors.  Consider carrying a cell phone in case of an emergency.
• Skiers and snowboarders should observe all marked hazard and trail signs, and should never venture into closed areas. You also should respect designated slow skiing and family areas and never ski in the trees alone. Backcountry skiers and boarders should avoid avalanche zones, carry proper safety equipment and ski only with a licensed guide or partner who knows the terrain well.
• Avoid sledding near or on public streets. Sledding should be done only in designated and approved areas where there are no obstacles on the sledding path. Speeding down hills in parks that are not designed for sledding puts you at risk to be hit by cars and trucks, or to slam into parked vehicles, curbs, and fences.
• Sit in a forward-facing position when sledding and steer using your feet or the rope steering handles for better control of the sled.
• Wear a helmet.  Children especially should wear a helmet for skiing, snowboarding, sledding and even skating.
• Warm up thoroughly before playing. Cold muscles, tendons and ligaments are vulnerable to injury.  It’s important that skiers and snowboarders warm up by taking it easy on the first few runs.
• Drink plenty of water before, during, and after outdoor activities.  Don’t drink alcohol as it can increase your chances of hypothermia. Drink plenty of fluids to stay hydrated, especially to avoid altitude sickness when participating in sports at a high elevation.
• Keep in shape and condition muscles before partaking in winter activities. If over the age of 50, it may be wise to have a medical check-up prior to participating in a winter sport.
• Know and abide by all rules of the sport in which you are participating.
• Learn how to fall correctly to avoid injury. Take a lesson (or several) from a qualified instructor, especially in sports like skiing and snowboarding, to learn how to fall correctly and safely which can reduce the risk of injury. Falling techniques aim to protect your vulnerable body parts.
• If skiing, learn how to properly hold the poles with the strap to avoid “skiers thumb” – tearing an important ligament by falling onto an outstretched thumb.
  • Also, don’t fight a fall! Instead, try to break the fall with your arms in a flexible position, landing first on your hands and wrists, letting your elbows bend into the fall, and then rolling onto the back part of your shoulder. A fall onto stiff arms can cause a severe wrist fracture. Also, try to avoid landing with your thumb against the handle of your pole.
  • Injuries to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in the knee occur frequently in skiing, often when a skier makes a sharp sudden movement or a hard, off-balance landing. Avoiding high-risk ski behavior, maintaining balance and control, and recognizing and responding correctly to dangerous situations, can help alleviate the risk for ACL injury.
• Seek shelter and medical attention immediately if you, or anyone with you, is experiencing hypothermia or frostbite.  Early frostbite symptoms include: numbness and tingling in you digits, lack of feeling and poor motion.
• Avoid participating in sports when you are in pain or exhausted. Many skiers are injured on the final, “one last run” — if tired, call it a day.
• Follow-up with an orthopaedic surgeon if injured during any winter excursion, especially if pain or discomfort persists.

WrestleMania XXVIII will take place Sunday, April 1, 2012 at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, FL. The event will be headlined by the highly anticipated main event featuring “the most electrifying man in all of entertainment,” The Rock against WWE Superstar John Cena.

Ticket prices range from $25-$850. There will also be a limited number of “Gold Circle” VIP Packages available for $1,500. The Gold Circle packages include seating in the first four rows ringside, an exclusive Gold Circle VIP Stadium Entrance, a collectible WrestleMania XXVIII ticket holder and the commemorative WrestleMania XXVIII take-home folding chair. Tickets can be purchased through all Ticketmaster outlets, www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. All tickets are subject to service charges and facility fees.

Last year, a capacity crowd of 71,617 fans from all 50 states and 30 countries attended WrestleMania XXVII at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, GA. WrestleMania is more than just a one day event, it’s a week long celebration, as WWE will be taking over the greater Miami area during WrestleMania Week. In addition to WrestleMania XXVIII, other activities will include: WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four day interactive fan festival; WrestleMania Reading Challenge Finals; WrestleMania Pro-Am Golf Tournament and the 2012 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. Additional information on these events will be announced in the future at www.wrestlemania.com.

WWE, a publicly traded company (NYSE: WWE), is an integrated media organization and recognized leader in global entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family friendly entertainment on its television programming, pay-per-view, digital media and publishing platforms. WWE programming is broadcast in more than 145 countries and 30 languages and reaches more than 500 million homes worldwide. The company is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., with offices in New York, Los Angeles, London, Mumbai, Shanghai, Singapore, Istanbul and Tokyo.

The Webb Ellis Cup was supplied by British Jewellers and Silversmiths, Garrard, prior to the first Rugby World Cup in 1987. Garrard has a heritage of over 275 years in jewellery and silverware, and hopes to celebrate this rich creative history, with the return of one of its most prized trophies.

The Webb Ellis Cup was selected, from Garrard, for the first Rugby World Cup tournament in 1987. John Kendall-Carpenter, former England  forward and the organiser of the first Rugby World Cup and Bob Weighill , the secretary of the International Rugby Board, visited the Garrard flagship in Regent Street to choose an appropriate trophy for the occasion. The then director, Richard Jarvis brought the trophy from the vault and presented it to the former sportsmen: after approval from various international Rugby personalities, the cup was named the Webb Ellis Cup and became the inaugural trophy for the tournament.

Garrard’s sporting legacy dates back to the mid 18th Century where it inaugurated a rich and glorious relationship with the sporting world that still remains evident today. From equestrian, sailing, cricket and golf to rugby, football, snooker and greyhound racing. Garrard has endeavored to remain at the forefront of the world’s most renowned sporting events, producing the finest and historic trophy ware to date.

Garrard is credited with supplying the America’s Cup, the oldest international sporting trophy in history, the I.C.C. Cricket World Cup, and the Premier League Trophy for football plus several equestrian trophies for events at Ascot, Goodwood and Badminton.

Garrard’s unsurpassed silverware craftsmanship will be celebrated once again, as the deserved winners of the Rugby World Cup 2011, lift the trophy in victory.

Each of these 15 basketball legends has been meticulously recreated with an uncanny level of detail, including period-specific depictions of their arenas, team uniforms, signature moves, and even historically accurate broadcast presentation styles in NBA 2K12. Gamers will now tap into the legacy of these legendary athletes by utilizing their signature moves, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s unstoppable skyhook, to rule the virtual hardwood.

“Fans across the country were ecstatic to see Jordan, Bird, and Magic on the cover of NBA 2K12, and have speculated for weeks about who would fill out the rest of the ‘NBA’s Greatest’ roster,” said Jason Argent, vice president of marketing for 2K Sports. “These 15 legendary athletes will allow sports fanatics to create the NBA’s most storied matchups – and lock in bragging rights for their favorite teams in NBA 2K12.”

“NBA’s Greatest” legends in NBA 2K12 include:

• Kareem Abdul-Jabbar;
• Larry Bird;
• Wilt Chamberlain;
• Julius Erving;
• Patrick Ewing;
• Magic Johnson;
• Michael Jordan;
• Karl Malone;
• Hakeem Olajuwon;
• Scottie Pippen;
• Oscar Robertson;
• Bill Russell;
• John Stockton;
• Isiah Thomas;
• Jerry West.

Bonus Gift with Purchase – Customers who purchase their copy of NBA 2K12 for the Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3 early will receive two bonus, historic NBA teams featuring their own NBA greats – the 1990-91 Golden State Warriors and the 2001-02 Sacramento Kings. Bonus content will be available on launch orders only, while supplies last.

NBA 2K12 can now be pre-ordered from leading video game retailers nationwide, and will be available on October 4, 2011, for Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, Wii, PSP and Windows PC.

NBA 2K12 is currently rated E by the ESRB.

Forty-eight players (24 men and 24 women) representing all seven divisions of the U.S. Lawn Bowls Association (USLBA) have qualified in their divisional play downs to compete for the National Championship title in a round-robin tournament of Women’s Singles, Men’s Singles, Women’s Pairs and Men’s Pairs events.

Jefferson Park LBC, a North West Division member of the USLBA, will host the four-day tournament located at 4103 Beacon Ave. S., atop Seattle’s Beacon Hill overlooking the iconic Seattle skyline.

The event schedule is:

• August 24:Opening ceremonies, 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.
• August 25-28: Two matches are held daily from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• August 29: Reserved for play-offs, in the event of a tie

Ranging in ages between 18 years and nearly 80, the skilled finalists will compete in mandatory whites (a lawn bowling tradition) and their division colors on two world-class, immaculately manicured greens. The final list of the top competitors can be found on the tournament website at www.seattlebowls.org. The event is FREE and open to spectators.

Often described as “curling on grass,” the object of lawn bowls is to roll a ball, or bowl, closest to the target, a small white ball called a jack. The shape of the bowl, slightly flattened on one side, creates a bias to the roll and therein lies the challenge. Easy to learn yet difficult to master, lawn bowls is currently enjoying a renaissance nationally and internationally at both the recreational and competitive levels.

In honor of the tournament, the city of Seattle/King County has proclaimed August 24-29 “Lawn Bowls Week” to recognize lawn bowls as a low-cost, low impact, intergenerational activity that promotes health and fitness across all ages.

With over 6000 competitors, the Volleyball Festival, sponsored by NFinity, Spalding, SnapSports and Papa John’s Pizza, is one of the largest women’s volleyball tournaments in the country. 550 teams with girls ages 12-18 will compete in seven different age divisions at the Phoenix Convention Center from June 23-27. Arizona is sending 131 teams. Past participants have included former Olympians Kerri Walsh, Misty May, Heather Cox, Kristin Folkl, Holly McPeak, Tara Cross-Battle, and Kelli Tennant.

“We are thrilled to be hosting this event in Phoenix this year,” said Festival founder Dr. David Epperson. “The Phoenix convention center is a world class venue and we look forward to having some of the best players in the nation competing at the highest level while also demonstrating the essential qualities of good sportsmanship.”

All activities are open to the public. Ticket information can be found at www.volleyball-festival.com. Ms. Tennant, a three time festival champion and USC standout, will co-announce the 18s Finals broadcast with Olympic Gold Medalist and seasoned broadcaster Paul Sunderland. The 18s finals will be broadcast in tape-delay on Fox Sports Arizona, Prime Ticket and Fox Sports West after the tournament.

In less than 5 minutes, coaches and parents can go through a checklist of possible signs and symptoms to decide whether to remove the child from play and seek medical attention.

The app also provides home symptom monitoring for post-injury follow-up. Designed for the iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch, and Android device or tablet, the app is now available for download from the Apple App Store or Android Market.

Using information from the CDC’s “Heads Up: Concussion in Youth Sports” program, the app guides users through a set of questions to determine the likelihood of a suspected concussion based on observations by the parent or coach as well as symptoms reported by the athlete.

• Takes only 5 minutes or less to complete the checklist.
• Easily tracks athletes’ recovery to share with health care providers.
• Records GPS location of each incident for documentation.
• A portion of all proceeds will be donated to support concussion research.

PAR’s Concussion Recognition & Response app was developed by concussion experts Gerard A. Gioia, PhD, a pediatric neuropsychologist and chief of the Division of Pediatric Neuropsychology at Children’s National Medical Center, and Jason Mihalik, PhD, is an assistant professor in the Department of Exercise and Sport Science at the University of North Carolina.

The largest men’s health event series in America kicks off this weekend with road races, golf tournaments, car shows and more planned for 27 cities across the country.

“We’re more than doubling the number of activities from last year as the idea of creating close-knit community events that join together athletes, doctors, prostate cancer patients and the family and friends who care about them is really catching on,” Dr. Sanford Siegel, founder of the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge, CEO of Chesapeake Urology Associates in Baltimore, and ZERO Board Member said. “With the involvement of thousands of people, the event series delivers the message that men don’t have to die from this disease. It’s a fun event that brings everyone in the community together.”

The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge raised nearly $1M for prostate cancer early detection, and advocacy for increased federal funding for research last year and more than $400,000 was distributed in grants to various local non-profits and hospitals with the aim of ending prostate cancer.

ZERO chose to begin this year’s Great Prostate Cancer Challenge series on Mother’s Day weekend in Albuquerque, NM, to honor another ZERO board member Sherry Galloway, who’s son, Jeremy Paster, died of prostate cancer at the age of 36 in 2008.

“We need to take care of our men by making sure every one of them gets tested for prostate cancer,” Galloway said. “One in 10 men under 40 get prostate cancer and usually it’s the most aggressive kind. In honor of my son Jeremy, join our cause and help save lives.”

More than 15,000 participants are expected for this year’s Great Prostate Cancer Challenge that will include new races in Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit and 10 other locations with a celebrity golf tournament this August in Myrtle Beach featuring sports greats like NFL Hall of Famer Dan Hampton and legendary musicians like Bradford Marsalis.

“As a runner and someone who’s lost loved ones to cancer, it’s a labor of love to build this event series,” Jamie Bearse, ZERO’s COO and creator of the Dash for Dad said. “We’re proud to partner with urology practices, volunteers and companies like Abbott all around the country in an effort to end prostate cancer.”

The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge was founded in 2007 in Baltimore and expanded to four cities in 2008, seven in 2009 and then 13 in 2010.

Complete list of event cities:

• Albuquerque, NM
• Atlanta, GA
• Austin, TX
• Baltimore, MD
• Birmingham, AL
• Buffalo, NY
• Camden, NJ
• Charlotte, NC
• Central Florida – The Villages, FL
• Cincinnati, OH
• Columbus, OH
• Dallas, TX
• Detroit, MI
• Fort Myers, FL
• Fort Wayne, IN
• Harrisburg, PA
• Indianapolis, IN
• Kansas City, MO
• Knoxville, TN
• Memphis, TN
• Minneapolis, MN
• Myrtle Beach, SC (Golf Tournament)
• Nashville, TN
• Oklahoma City, OK
• Rochester, NY
• Tucson, AZ
• Washington, DC

For more information about the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge and the Dash for Dad events and a full list of event dates and times, go to GreatProstateCancerChallenge.com.

The Chess Club and Scholastic Center of Saint Louis (CCSCSL) crowned Grandmaster Gata Kamsky, 36, of New York City, the 2011 U.S. Chess Champion. In a repeat of last year’s championship, Kamsky once again bested GM Yury Shulman of Chicago in the finals. In addition, the CCSCSL crowned International Master Anna Zatonskih, 32, the 2011 Women’s Chess Champion.

The prestigious tournaments are part of the “Triple Crown” of chess championships held in the United States this year. The third event is the 2011 Junior’s Championship, a tournament for players under the age of 21, which takes place June 15-25. It also will be held at the CCSCSL.

“There are two types of players: those who are aggressive and want to kill their opponent, like Yury [Shulman], and there are people like me who simply enjoy chess, and they look at it like an art,” Kamsky said. “My style is sort of efficient, economic. It allows me to not go for those brutal heart-attack sessions where you have every piece hanging and a lot of tactics.”

Kamsky is ranked 16 in the world and No. 2 in the U.S. by rating. He beat out 15 of the top-ranked chess players in the United States to win the title and grand prize of $40,000. Shulman, the second-place winner, is currently ranked No. 5 in the nation. He receives $30,000. The U.S. tournament’s total winnings for first through last place totaled more than $170,000 – the largest per capita purse this tournament has ever offered.

Two 19-year-old college students qualified for the semi-finals against the veteran grandmasters. Brandeis University freshman and Grandmaster-elect Sam Shankland, originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, lost in the semi-finals against the reigning champion Kamsky. Robert Hess, who hails from New York City and will attend Yale University in the Fall, also qualified for the semi-finals and lost to Shulman in a playoff.

Zatonskih beat out seven of the top-ranked female chess players in the United States to win the Women’s title and grand prize of $18,000. Second-place Women’s Championship winner Woman FIDE Master Tatev Abrahamyan, 23, of Glendale, Calif., took home a $12,000 prize. The women’s tournament’s total winnings for first through last place totaled more than $60,000.

“It’s definitely the most difficult U.S. Women’s Championship that I’ve won,” Zatonskih said. “It took me more energy than any of the other U.S. Championships. I will definitely remember this one.”

Zatonskih, who entered the tournament a three-time U.S. Women’s Champion, bested reigning U.S. Women’s Champion and International Master Irina Krush in the semi-finals after a series of rapid tiebreak matches. Abrahamyan put up a spirited fight against the higher-rated Zatonskih, but finally succumbed in a rapid playoff on Thursday.

Counting the special tiebreak matches, Zatonskih played a total of 19 games of chess over the two-week period.

“It’s really amazing to see the fighting chess exhibited in both the U.S. Championship and U.S. Women’s Championship,” said CCSCSL Executive Director Tony Rich. “The exhilarating finish of the women’s event and the superb performance of a number of strong young players in the U.S. Championship made this truly a memorable championship event.”