LONDON OLYMPICS 2012: The Olympic torch relay has ended a successful first week, after commencing its 70-day journey from Lands End on Saturday 19 May 2012

The Olympic torch relay has ended a successful first week, after commencing its 70-day journey from Lands End on Saturday 19 May 2012.

Three-time Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainsley was the first of the 8,000 torchbearers to carry the Olympic Flame for a leg of its journey, which is set to travel through more than 1,000 cities, towns and villages in the UK before arriving in London for the start of the Olympic Games in London in July.
Among the 885 inspirational torchbearers to accept the honour during the first week were a number of well-known faces. Joining Ben Ainslie on the first day of the relay was adventurer Ben Fogle, who took to the spotlight when he carried the Olympic Torch in a helium-filled balloon inside the Rainforest Biome at the Eden Project.
The excitement and fanfare continued into day two of the relay, with police having to limit the number of fans who turned out to watch band Muse carry it over Shaldon Bridge into Teignmouth, their hometown.
Will.I.am, singer for pop band the Black Eyed Peas, became the 109th torchbearer on Day 3 to carry the Flame and surprised the crowds with a moonwalk in honour of the late pop star Michael Jackson.
On Wednesday, former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba delighted thousands of fans lining the streets of Swindon, while the Princess Royal’s daughter, Zara Philips, marked the end of the fifth day when she carried the Flame into Cheltenham Racecourse on her horse, Toytown,.
The torch travelled from Cheltenham to Worcester on day six of the relay, carried by a further 119 torchbearers.  One particularly colourful procession saw 43-year-old Christopher Stokes from Kidderminster greeted by two elephants as he held the Flame aloft from a steam train travelling along the Severn Valley Railway.
Rounding up the first week, the torch was met by thousands of spectators as it entered Wales. Before crossing the border and arriving in the town of Monmouth, Wales, at 10.30am, British Olympic gold medallist Darren Campbell carried the flame in Worcester.
As Olympic fever gains momentum throughout the UK, huge crowds are expected to turn out this weekend to catch a glimpse of the historical flame as it continues its journey around Wales.
Find out more about the London 2012 Olympic Torch Relay Presenting Partners.

WOZNIAK BEATS EL TABAKH TO REACH THE SECOND ROUND IN PARIS
Dubois and Pospisil lose their opening matches
Montreal, May 27, 2012 – Main draw play got underway on Sunday at Roland-Garros and four Canadians were in action. Stéphanie Dubois (Laval, QC), Heidi El Tabakh (Toronto, ON), Vasek Pospisil (Vernon, BC) and Aleksandra Wozniak (Blainville, QC) took to the courts to try and book their place in the second round at the second Grand Slam event of the tennis season.
After winning three matches to qualify for the main draw, El Tabakh was drawn to play her compatriot Wozniak in the opening round. El Tabakh got off to a strong start, holding a 4-1 lead and had three set points serving at 5-4, 40-0, but Wozniak held her ground to win the match 7-5, 6-2. The 24-year-old Canadian advances to the second round of the French Open for the fifith consecutive year. She will next take on the winner of the first round encounter between Alizé Cornet of France and the tournament’s no. 31 seed Jie Zheng.  
Dubois and Pospisil fall
Dubois was playing in the Roland-Garros main draw for the third time and was looking for her first win as she took on world no. 55 Shahar Peer, but came up short falling 6-2, 6-2. Meanwhile, Pospisil lost a four set match to France’s  Édouard Roger-Vasselin 3-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2.
Milos Raonic (Thornhill, ON) and Frank Dancevic (Niagara Falls, ON) will make their 2012 French Open debuts on Monday. Raonic, seeded no. 19, will meet Spaniard Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo and Dancevic will go up against  Martin Klizan of Slovakia.
About Tennis Canada
Founded in 1890, Tennis Canada is a non-profit, national sport association responsible for leading the growth, promotion and showcasing of tennis in Canada. Tennis Canada owns and operates two of the premier events on the ATP and WTA Tours; Rogers Cup presented by National Bank men’s and women’s events that rotate annually between Rexall Centre in Toronto and Uniprix Stadium in Montreal. In addition, Tennis Canada owns and operates seven professional ITF sanctioned events and financially supports nine other professional tournaments in Canada. Tennis Canada operates junior national training centres/programs at the Centre of Excellence in Toronto, Uniprix Stadium in Montreal and the North Shore Winter Club in Vancouver. Tennis Canada is a proud member of the International Tennis Federation, the Canadian Olympic Committee, the Canadian Paralympic Committee and the International Wheelchair Tennis Association, and serves to administer, sponsor and select the teams for Davis Cup, Fed Cup, the Olympic and Paralympic Games and all wheelchair, junior and senior national teams. Tennis Canada invests its surplus into tennis development. For more information on Tennis Canada please visit our Web site at: http://tenniscanada.us1.list-manage1.com/track/click?u=d329ef9f1d1bca85c44b72a8f&id=cb20a0a01e&e=3a4a38a850.

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POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE
WOZNIAK BAT EL TABAKH ET ACCÈDE AU DEUXIÈME TOUR À PARIS
Pospisil et Dubois s’inclinent au tour initial
Montréal, le 27 mai 2012 – C’est aujourd’hui que le tournoi de Roland-Garros se mettait en branle et quatre Canadiens étaient en action. En effet, Stéphanie Dubois (Laval, QC), Heidi El Tabakh (Toronto, ON), Vasek Pospisil (Vernon, BC) et Aleksandra Wozniak (Blainville, QC) tentaient tous de se tailler une place pour le deuxième tour de la deuxième épreuve du Grand Chelem de la saison. 
Le tirage avait voulu qu’El Tabakh, qui avait mérité sa place au tableau principal en remportant ses trois matchs de qualification, et que Wozniak s’affrontent dès le premier tour. La Torontoise a connu un bon début de match en prenant rapidement les devants 4-1. Elle a d’ailleurs eu trois balles de manche alors qu’elle servait à 5-4, 40-0. Wozniak a toutefois résisté pour finalement prendre la mesure de sa compatriote par un compte de 7-5 et 6-2. La Blainvilloise accède ainsi au deuxième tour pour une cinquième année consécutive. Elle croisera maintenant le fer avec la gagnante du match opposant la Française Alizé Cornet et la Chinoise Jie Zheng, 31e tête de série.  

Dubois et Pospisil s’inclinent
Dubois prenait part au tableau principal pour la troisième fois de sa carrière, mais n’avait encore jamais franchi le tour initial. Elle affrontait aujourd’hui l’Israélienne Shahar Peer, 55e joueuse mondiale. La Canadienne a plié l’échine en deux manches identiques de 6-2. Pospisil a lui aussi vu son séjour à la porte d’Auteuil prendre fin alors qu’il s’est incliné face au Français Édouard Roger-Vasselin en quatre manches de 3-6, 6-3, 6-2 et 6-2.

Milos Raonic (Thornhill, ON) et Frank Dancevic (Niagara Falls, ON) feront quant à eux leur entrée en scène demain. Raonic, 19e tête de série, se mesurera à l’Espagnol Ruben Ramirez-Hidalgo tandis que Dancevic sera opposé au Slovaque Martin Klizan.
À propos de Tennis Canada
Tennis Canada, dont les origines remontent à 1890, est une organisation sportive nationale sans but lucratif responsable du développement, de la promotion et de la mise en valeur du tennis au pays. Tennis Canada possède et administre deux des plus prestigieux tournois de l’ATP et du WTA Tour; les volets masculin et féminin de la Coupe Rogers présentée par Banque Nationale, dont la présentation alterne chaque année entre le Centre Rexall, à Toronto, et le Stade Uniprix, à Montréal. De plus, Tennis Canada possède et administre sept tournois professionnels sanctionnés par l’ITF et soutient financièrement neuf autres tournois professionnels au Canada. Tennis Canada administre des centres nationaux d’entraînement au Centre de l’excellence, à Toronto, et au Stade Uniprix, à Montréal, et au North Shore Winter Club, à Vancouver. Tennis Canada est membre de la Fédération internationale de tennis, du Comité olympique canadien, du Comité paralympique canadien et de l’Association internationale de tennis en fauteuil roulant. De plus, Tennis Canada administre, commandite et choisit des équipes pour la Coupe Davis, la Fed Cup, les Jeux olympiques et paralympiques et forme des équipes nationales pour les juniors, les vétérans et les joueurs de tennis en fauteuil roulant. Tennis Canada investit ses excédents budgétaires dans le développement du tennis. Pour obtenir plus amples renseignements sur Tennis Canada, visitez notre site Web sur http://tenniscanada.us1.list-manage.com/track/click?u=d329ef9f1d1bca85c44b72a8f&id=461edc5ba3&e=3a4a38a850..