Latvia beat Denmark 78-66 in the final Group D qualifier for the 2007 European Basketball Championship Sept. 17. Kaspars Cipruss was the high scorer for Latvia with 28 points. He also had nine rebounds. Kristaps Janicenoks scored 13 points, and Aigars Vitols 11. Michael Andersen scored 20 points for the Danes. Latvia qualified for the championship in Spain, after beating both Denmark and Estonia.
This year marks Latvia's "Soccer centenary" in the media. Although the sport had been played for decades, it was only first mentioned in the national press in 1906. In celebration of the event, Skonto Stadium has invited children to participate in "Super Cup," on Sept. 24. The competition will include a star match with some of Latvia's most popular players, and end with a game between Skonto FC and FHK Liepajas Metalurgs.
Tour of Spain winner Alexander Vinokourov of Kazakhstan has his eyes set on victory in the World Championships this week. Vinokourov took the first major stage race of his career on Sept. 17 after claiming the Tour of Spain lead with a spectacular surge in stage 17 to Granada. "Now that I've won the Vuelta, the World Championships are my last objective of the season," Vinokourov said. The cyclist finished third in the 2004 world time trial championships.
