Briefs | Lepisto takes lead at Skate Canada
Figure skating
Finn wins short program: Finland’s Laura Lepisto won the women’s short program at Skate Canada, finishing with 59.18 points Friday in Quebec City. American Emily Hughes was second at 58.72. The free skate is today.
Brian Joubert of France took the men’s short program with 78.05, and countryman Yannick Ponsero was second at 67.09.
Tennis
Nadal to face Baghdatis: Rafael Nadal, of Spain, beat Mikhail Youzhny, of Russia, 6-4, 6-2 to reach a Paris Masters semifinal against Cyprus’ Marcos Baghdatis, who advanced by beating Tommy Robredo of Spain 6-4, 6-4.
In other quarterfinal matches, David Nalbandian, of Argentina, defeated David Ferrer, of Spain, 7-6 (7-3), 6-7 (3-7), 6-2 and Richard Gasquet, of France, beat Andy Murray, of Britain, 6-3, 0-6, 6-4.
American advances: U.S. qualifier Julie Ditty reached the Bell Challenge semifinals in Quebec, beating compatriot Vania King 6-4, 3-6, 6-4. Ditty will face Ukraine’s Julia Vakulenko.
NHL
Spezza gets extension: Ottawa Senators center Jason Spezza, 24, agreed to a $49 million, seven-year contract extension through 2014-15.
Web site ruling: U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska refused to block the league from taking control of the New York Rangers’ Web site. She said the league seemed on solid legal ground when it decided to take control of its teams’ Web sites.
Canucks injuries: The Vancouver Canucks will be without two defensemen, losing Kevin Bieksa to a calf injury for up to eight weeks and Sami Salo to a broken nose during a 3-0 loss to Nashville Thursday. It is unclear when Salo will be able to return.
Cycling
Kashechkin sues: Fired Astana rider Andrej Kashechkin, of Kazakhstan, is taking cycling authorities to court over a failed drug test, a case that could have implications in all sports in the fight against doping.
Kashechkin is suing cycling’s world governing body in Belgium, challenging key provisions of the World Anti-Doping Agency’s code and contesting the unlimited right of sports federations to test riders out of competition.
Running
Big weekend in New York: The U.S. men’s marathon Olympic trials for the 2008 Beijing Games will be today in New York, a day before the New York City Marathon.
Olympics
Vancouver drug testing: More drug tests will be conducted at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics than at the 2006 Turin Games, and the search for cheats will extend into the athletes’ village, training centers and private residences.
The Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee plans to conduct about 2,000 drug tests, up from about 1,200 that were performed in Turin.
Horse racing
Curlin is for sale: Curlin, winner of last Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic and North America’s likely 2007 Horse of the Year, is up for sale.
That seems to be good news for 418 people awarded the rights to a 20 percent stake in Curlin as part of a lawsuit against two of the colt’s original owners. A Kentucky judge awarded the ownership stake to the 418 plaintiffs to help settle a $42 million judgment against attorneys Shirley Cunningham Jr. and William Gallion, who own a minority stake in Curlin.
A group successfully sued Cunningham, Gallion and another attorney, Melbourne Mills Jr. Mills doesn’t have a stake in the colt. The plaintiffs accused the three lawyers of bilking them of funds from a $200 million settlement involving the diet drug fen-phen.
Pro wrestling
WWE suspends two performers: World Wrestling Entertainment suspended Chris Mordetzky (who wrestles as Chris Masters) for 60 days and Harry Smith (D.H. Smith in the ring) for 30 days for violating its substance-abuse and drug-testing policies.
Seattle Times news services