Gotcha - but just a little bit over the line. New Zealand's Nicholas Clere concedes the third goal.

The final was between Australia and Iran, but the match the local crowd came to Surakul Stadium to watch yesterday was the battle for third place in the Seniors World Cup, between Thailand and New Zealand.

As the Thai teens jammed into the stadium screamed their approval (or simply screamed to show they could do it louder than the other kids), Thailand utterly dominated the match.

Partly this may have been because the humidity felt like it was around 2,000%. That, combined with a temperature not far off 35º had the Kiwis looking like limp lettuce in no time. Added to that was the state of the pitch, waterlogged after recent heavy rain, resulting in any ground ball going about five yards before stopping, throwing up a tail of water like a jet-ski. It was slippery out there.

This game's a scream! Teens celebrate another goal for the home side.

The Thais, naturally more used  to such conditions, ran rings around the cautious Kiwis. The contrast between the two sides’ styles of play could not have been greater – the Kiwis playing tentative triangles – forward, sideways, back – and the Thais playing long fast passes, swinging play joyfully from side to side, always pushing for the far goal.

At times it seemed as though Thailand had three times as many players on the pitch as New Zealand did. Whenever a Kiwi got hold of the ball, the Thais were all over him. Whenever a Thai got hold of it, chances were 50-50 there was no Kiwi anywhere near.

NZ goalie Nicholas Clere got stacks of exercise as the Thais fired shot after shot at his goal. Eventually, the fusillade took its toll – it had to; sheer weight of numbers. Final score: 3-1.

Oh yes, and the final: Australia 4, Iran 1. Congratulations to all you old blokes. A fine afternoon’s entertainment.

Thailand in action during the 2008 Seniors World Cup. They came out champions that year, but are not looking so hot in 2010. Photos: FISA

Professional soccer players ranging in age from 38 up – some in their 50s – might be thought to be too far over the hill for a shot at the World Cup. But in Phuket over the next few days one lucky national side has a chance of glory, in the Football Senior World Cup 2010, currently being played out, mostly at Surakul Stadium in Phuket Town and Karon Stadium.

Eight national teams – Thailand, Iran, England, Armenia, Australia, the USA, New Zealand and Taiwan – are in the race. Divided into two groups of four, they are currently playing three days of  round-robin matches to decide first and second place in each group.

On Friday (June 4) the Cup semis will be played between the winners of Group A and the second-place team in Group B, and vice-versa.

The following day, matches will be played at Karon and Surakul to decide 3rd to 7th places in the tournament, with the final taking place at Surakul at 6pm. (Most matches take place at either 4 or 6pm.)

After the first two days, only Australia had a clean record, having beaten the USA 3-0 and New Zealand 2-1. Thailand – champions in the first and third Seniors World Cup competitions, in 2006 and 2008 – have not started well, recording two draws – a goalless game against Iran, and a 2-2 result against England.

Other results for Day 1 were: England 3 Armenia 2; New Zealand 0 Taiwan 2. On Day 2 the other results were: Iran 4 Armenia 0; USA 2 Taiwan 1.

The rules stipulate that each team’s goalkeeper must be at least 38 years of age, with the remaining members divided as follows: three between 38 and 44 years old, foue between 45 and 49, and three aged 50-plus.

The Seniors World Cup is organised by the Thailand-based Fédération Internationale de Senior Football Association, or FISA, headed by former national politician Somsak Thepsutin. FISA also organises an annual Bangkok Masters soccer competition for seniors in December each year.

Kids have a 2-km race all to themselves.

It’s time to get those smelly old Nike and Adidas running shoes out of the depths of the closet and start getting into shape for the Laguna Phuket Marathon in just over a month’s time, on Sunday June 13.

As always, for those who reckon that a 42-km jog – roughly the distance from Phuket Town to the Sarasin Bridge at the top of the island – might just be a little too much to take on, there will be shorter races.

The marathon itself starts in darkness, at 4:30 am. At 6 am the half marathon will kick off, followed by the 10.5-km run at 6:30. The winners of these three events are expected to breast the tape between 7:10 and 7:45.

At 8 am the rather more leisurely 5-km walk begins, followed an hour later by the 2-km Kids’ Run.

To register online, go here (Internet Explorer or Safari only).

Those registered before June 4 will pay lower entry fees. Those who don’t get themselves organised by that date can still join in by registering on June 11 and 12, the two days before the event. They should go to Laguna Grove – the start/finish area – between 10 am and 5 pm on those days. Entry fees (in baht) are as follows:

The Fantastic Phuket team, from left, Hervé Duprat, GM of the Novotel Phuket Resort, See-Som, Sales & Marketing Manager at the All Seasons Naiharn, Tu, Sport & Activities Manager at the Novotel Phuket and Pop, Sales Director at the Mercure Patong.

If you happen to be on Koh Lone, in the middle of Chalong Bay, on March 24, be careful you don’t get run over by 16 red-faced, sweating hotel people pounding along a 4-km course. If you do get run over, consider it a sacrifice to the well-being of the children of Thailand.

The hotel athletes will all be from the Accor hotel group, which is staging this year’s Race For Survival – a group fund-raising event – in Phuket. It’s a pretty grueling event: four days of kayak, swimming, bike and running races, all aimed at raising funds for Accor’s Yim Kids Fund, which will use the money to improve educational opportunities and children’s health.

Specific targets will include supporting slum schools in Bangkok, support for abandoned, HIV-infected children being looked after at Bangkok’s Mercy Centre, helping Koh Lao School in Ranong, which is still suffering from the effects of the 2004 Asian Tsunami, and improving the fishing equipment of villagers on Koh Lone.

The Race For Survival has raised significant charity funds in various places around the world. For example, the event held in Fiji raised more than 5.3 million baht for medical equipment. The minimum target for this year’s Phuket event is 3.6 million baht.

Sixteen teams of four from Accor hotels and offices ranging from Australia to Hong Kong will compete in the Phuket event:

Day 1 – March 22 – will see participants compete in a 5km run from Patong, a 1km swim at Patong Beach and a 20km bike ride from Patong to Naiharn. Day 2 has a 15km mountain bike race, a 1km swim at Naiharn and a 3km kayak race, also at Naiharn. Day 3′s competition consists of a 10km bike ride from Naiharn to Panwa, a 1km kayak race from Panwa to Koh Lone Island and a 4km foot race on Koh Lon Island. Finally, Day 4 will consist of a 1km swim and a 3km kayak race off Koh Lone, and a 20km bike race back to Patong

The local heroes are Fantastic Phuket, a foursome from the Novotel Phuket, the All Seasons Naiharn and the Mercure Patong. To see more about the team, go here. To back them, grab your credit card and go here.

The elephant was disqualified for having too many legs, so Australian pro racer Richie Cunningham won the men's title in the 2008 Laguna Phuket Triathlon. - Photo courtesy Laguna Resorts & Hotels.

After 16 years of hosting the highly successful Laguna Phuket Triathlon, Laguna Resorts & Hotels (LRH) has been rewarded by being named as the venue for the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship. The race, on December 10 next year, will be the culmination of a new annual Asia-Pacific Ironman 70.3 Event Series and Laguna is expected to be the permanent home of this Championship.

The triathlon, which attracts hundreds of athletes including, in recent years, top triathletes from various parts of the world, now has the added luster of being an Ironman championship event, which means a $60,000 professional prize purse as well 50 qualifying slots for the 2011 Foster Grant Ironman World Championship 70.3 in Clearwater, Florida.

The Series is expected to include six races and grow to eight  or 10 races long-term. Athletes will be able to qualify, at the Laguna Phuket Asia-Pacific Championship race to compete at Ironman 70.3 races around the world and at selected races in new markets such as the first ever international triathlon to be held in India.

Belinda Granger, also of Australia, took the women's pro title last year. Both she and Cunningham will return this year to defend their Laguna titles. - Photo courtesy Laguna Resorts & Hotels.

“The decision to host the Championship event at Laguna Phuket was an easy one,” said Murphy Reinschreiber, the World Triathlon Corporation’s managing director for Asia-Pacific. “The resort serves as a destination with broad appeal to athletes in all of our markets, including Australia, Singapore, Japan, the U.S. and Europe, and it is a proven and storied triathlon venue.”

Michael Ayling, managing director of LRH, commented, “The management of Laguna Phuket and the government of Phuket Province are truly honoured, extremely excited and proud that Phuket has been selected to host the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship.

“We feel that the 16 years of hard work and dedication that has gone into organizing the Laguna Phuket Triathlon has been rewarded by the international triathlon community, who recognize that we have the know-how and resources to ensure a very successful Asia-Pacific 70.3 Championship event in 2010 and beyond.”

Scrum down: From left, Sean Panton, Klaus Hebben, Pat Cotter, Graeme Spence and David Adamson. Photo: PIA.

A few months ago, Patrick Cotter, Phuket’s “Mr Rugby” was bemoaning the lack of local official support for the game in Phuket (see story here). Today he’s beaming with delight after the signing of a memorandum of understanding that will see an international-standard rugby academy set up in Phuket and a world-class pitch made available for the game.

The deal was signed a few days ago between the Phuket International Academy’s Sports, Art & Wellness Centre (PIASAWC), and NZRugby Resources (NZRR), a private company that specialises in rugby training.

At the end of last month NZRR signed a similar MOU with the Malaysian Rugby Union, and its overseas marketing director, Rob Yule, recently returned from a successful assignment as Iran’s National Coach. He has also coached Sri Lanka. NZRR  has other rugby training deals with organisations in Japan, Lebanon, the Philippines, Portugal, Tahiti, and Bhutan.

The Phuket MOU was signed by the PIASAWC’s general manager, Sean Panton, and David Adamson, global operations director for NZRR. Watching with delight were the PIA’s founder Klaus Hebben, Graeme Spence, NZRR’s Southeast Asia director of operations and, of course, a grinning Cotter.

“We are very excited to sign our first of many strategic alliances with leading global sporting bodies. We are thrilled to establish the Rugby Academy at PIASAWC, as it fits our philosophy of developing individuals and teams in order to enhance their performance through a myriad sports services,” said Panton.

Ball's out! A shot from the ever-popular Phuket Rugby 10s, which attracts teams from around the world. Photo © Alasdair Forbes.

Cotter, who was instrumental in bringing the two sides together, said, “It’s fantastic for Phuket, the PIA, the NZRR and sport in general on the island, and I think Klaus Hebben has done a brilliant job in getting this all started, and has set a superb example of how education and sports should be tackled on the island.”

The Thai Rugby Union, too, has applauded the deal. Its secretary, Adisak Hemyoo, remarked, “The Thai Rugby Union is pleased to support and sanction rugby at Phuket International Academy as well as any tournaments that may occur there.”

PIASAWC, currently under development near the foothills of Phuket’s Khao Phra Taeo national park, on the east side of Phuket island, will provide a range of international-standard sports facilities for both the local community and for visiting international athletes, both professional and amateur.

These facilities will include an International Rugby Board-approved pitch, and Olympic competition pool, futsal and basketball courts and a boutique hotel for visiting athletes.

Youth involvement: Players from the Baan Sainamyen Municipal School take a breather during their match in the Rugby 10s. Photo courtesy Patrick Cotter.

For its part, NZRR will provide training courses covering rugby skills, sports science, physical conditioning, game sense, skill analysis and the role of the coach, and development of rugby in the community.

NZRR acts as a conduit between those who want to learn rugby and some of the top rugby players and coaches in New Zealand, plus the latest technology and training methods.

Okay, so you're unlikely to be shooting the tube in Phuket (this shot was taken in Oahu) but there are plenty of challenging waves.

For those who like their exercise wet, mid-June sees the inaugural Thailand Surf Series, from June 12 to 14 in the sea off Kalim Beach. Up to now, Thailand has not been exactly first choice for surfers – Bali holds that crown in Asia – but competitions have been held for several years, with proponents stressing that although Phuket doesn’t have the spectacular waves, there’s still plenty of skill required to get it right.

The series has the backing of Quiksilver, and followed a visit to Phuket by Bali-based Aussie pro surfer Jake “the Snake” Paterson, winner of such events as the 1996 and 2002 WQS Tour, the 1998 Pipeline Masters, and at Jeffrey’s Bay South Africa in 2000 and 2001. In 2003 he won the Rip Curl Cup at Sunset Beach.

There will be two more rounds, the “King of the Jungle” round in mid-August at Kamala Beach and the “Island Crown” round in early September at Kata Beach. The events are open to all. See www.thaisurfseries.com for more information.

For details, see the website here or contact the organiser.

The Kukris celebrate victory for the second year running in the Clive Williamson Trophy.

Defending champions the Saudex Kukri Badgers from the UK beat Australia’s Morrabbin Adidas Rams by a convincing 38-0 to take the Clive Williamson Cup in the 2009 Phuket Rugby 10s.

In fairness to the Rams, half their team had only just come off the field after playing in the final of the Coffin Dodgers competition for old-age pensioners, in which they beat the Wanderers Wrinklies from Singapore by a single try, for a scoreline of 5-0.

Phuket’s own Vagabonds failed to take home silver, crockery or cutlery, and the seniors, the Viagrabonds, also missed out, even suffering defeat to their ancient rivals, the Old Bangkok Bangers in the two-team Weasel Cup.

As a possible taste of Vagabonds to come, however, a 15-a-side game pitching Sai Nam Yen School, Patong, against  the British International School showed skill and determination on both sides, with BIS squeaking a 5-0 win through a single try.

Final results:

Coffin Dodgers Trophy

Bowl – Dubai Hurricanes 14, Royal Selangor Old Dogs 0
Plate – Bedok Kings 5, Cottesloe Pirates 10
Cup – Wanderers Wrinkles 0, Moorabbin Old Rams 5

Clive Williamson Memorial Trophy (Main Competition)

Bowl – Singapore Bucks 17, British Club B 12
Plate – Kriel Roosters 34, Emirates Flying Muppets 5
Cup – Moorabbin Rams 0, Kukri Badgers 38

Phuket hosts a round of the Swatch International Women's Beach Volleyball Tour - but this and the Laguna Triathlon are the only regular world-class sports events held on the island. Photo by Swatch

The government, its representatives in Phuket and local authorities on the island have come under fire from two leading local sports figures for their inability to understand the potential tourism revenue that could be brought in through sports events.

Eam Thavornwongwong, President of the Phuket Sports Association, and Patrick Cotter of the Phuket Vagabonds Rugby Club, who organises the annual Phuket Rugby Tens tournament, said yesterday that the island had repeatedly missed chances to host major sports events because the authorities had failed to support organisers, because of their whimsical attitude towards sporting facilities and their lackadaisical approach to maintenance, particularly of pitches.

Cotter pointed out that the eleventh Rugby Tens tournament, which will take place at the end of May – despite setbacks – will bring in as many as 600 players, plus up to 400 family members and supporters, and that many of these people would return time and again.

“The sad thing is that Phuket sells itself,” Cotter said. “Anyone who comes here to play wants to come back again. That’s why the 10s have been so successful. They’re not coming for three days. They come for two weeks, not just for the matches in Phuket – they also go to Samui, Bangkok and so on.

But the process you go through [to get a stadium to play in], a lot of it depends on the whim of the person in charge. They don’t seem to take into consideration that you’re bringing in a thousand people who are going to be spending 30-40,000 baht each.”

Eam Thavornwongwong: Missed opportunities.

Eam gave examples of the opportunities lost to lukewarm or non-existent support from national and local authorities. These included the X Games, he said. Qualifying rounds were hosted by Phuket in 1998 – 2000. “But after we hosted [these], we approached the Sports Authority of Thailand for support [to host the main Asian tournament]. But they refused because these were not Olympic sports. Malaysia heard about this and got the X Games. You won’t see them back in Phuket again.”

Another missed opportunity, he said, was a planned 24-hour Asian beach soccer tournament. This idea had been heartily supported by Phuket’s previous Governor, Dr Preecha Ruangjan, said Eam, “Then he was transferred … You need the support of the governor to start [a tournament like this], and then funds from the local councils. The governor is the one who can authorise it.”

Cotter criticised the poor maintenance of Phuket’s stadiums. As an example he cited Karon Stadium, where the recent Phuket Cricket Sixes tournament was played on mats because the ground is almost entirely bare earth, with a fringe of grass around the edges.

Cotter said, “I don’t think they realise what they have. They’ve got a facility that, if it was upgraded … would be ideal for hosting quality international events. There are not many places in the world where you can go to play football, rugby, cricket, whatever, and 10 yards away you’re on a tropical beach. It seems to me that they can’t get their head around the facility – how to use it, how to maintain it and promote it – it’s a complete waste of a facility, a waste of money and a waste of people’s time.”

Eam agreed. “They turf it and then three months later they have to do it all again.” He added that he was also worried about the quality of the pitch at the island’s premier stadium, Surakul in Phuket Town, which is owned by the Phuket Provincial Administration Organisation, and which will be the venue for this year’s Rugby Tens.

“Looking at this place now I’m very worried,” he said. “I have to talk to the chairman to assign the proper people to come and look after it because of the big potential for sport for tourism.”

Both men agreed that the private sector can and does play a big role in supporting sports tourism, but stressed that government support in the initial phases was still essential. Apart from the problem that sports stadiums in Phuket are all owned by local government bodies, Eam explained, “You need public sector funds to kick it off. The previous governor persuaded the hotels to commit to providing the lighting [for the beach soccer stadium]. But nothing’s happening yet. I already proposed the idea to the Thai FA, who were looking to have somewhere for beach football. They were very keen. We were looking at the possibility of an Asian FC competition and then in a couple of years a FIFA beach soccer world championship.”

He added that, with adjustment, the same facilities could have been used for the Swatch International Women’s Beach Vollyball Tournament, which is now a regular fixture in Phuket, and which will return in November this year. But none of this is happening.

The Karon Mud Wrestling Stadium.

Cotter agreed, noting that there is a plan for Thailand to be the venue for an international rugby sevens tournament. “What they want to do is a King’s Cup seven-a-side tournament. Then they want Thailand to host the Asian round to decide which Asian teams go on to the International Rugby Board sevens circuit.

“But first of all you have to prove to them you can host an international tournament. What [local government bodies] don’t understand is that when you have an international tournament, whether its cricket, football, beach volleyball or rugby, once you’re on the circuit, you get accreditation and then you get the funding. But first they want to see whether you can do it. If you can prove to them that you can do it, then they’ll give you the funding to bring the teams in, for everything. And they’ll keep coming back.”

However, whimsical decisions by the stadium owners made this very difficult, he said. “It’s, ‘Oh no. I don’t like rugby so you can’t have the stadium.’ Every year we have to go through the same rigmarole to try to get hold of [Surakul for the rugby tens]. But international tournaments have to be planned a year in advance. You can’t keep waiting and waiting until two months before the tournament for permission – or for them to turn you down two months before the tournament.”

Asked whether the Tourism Authority of Thailand might provide support, Cotter sniffed, “They don’t even answer your emails.”

Gentlemen playing the hooligan's game.

That ‘s “hookers” as in “front row” or “head butts” or “squashed nose and no ears” . In other words, rugby – the hooligan’s game played by gentlemen (as opposed to soccer which, it is said, is the other way round).

All of which is a roundabout way of announcing that 600 or so rugby players of all sizes and ages, along with family, friends and fellow-drinkers will descend on Phuket at the end of this month for the three days of the 2009 Overgaard Phuket International Rugby Tens.

The Tens is one of Phuket’s oldest sporting tournaments – this is the 11th time it has been organised, and even for non-rugby types it is a friendly, fun, three days for all the family. Last year the International Rugby Board, which organises, among other things, the Rugby Union World Cup, handed the Phuket Tens its  Spirit of Rugby award for 2008.

Unlike in previous years, when the organisers had difficulty finding a good field to play on, this year’s Tens will be played at Phuket’s premier ground, Surakul Stadium in Phuket Town. In the past, the reaction of the Provincial Council, which owns the stadium, was, “Rugby? That hooligan’s game where people knock each other over, wrestle in big piles and get covered in mud? They’ll ruin the pitch. No thanks.”

This year, however, following elections, there’s a new crew in charge of the council and they have seem to have seen the light and decided it’s worth sacrificing a bit of turf to keep 600 players and hundreds of fans happy – and to send the message that Phuket is happy to host more sports tournaments.

The Tens take place on May 29-31 (Friday to Sunday). Main sponsor is construction company Overgaard of Hong Kong, which also sponsors the Manila Tens and Fatboy Tens in the Philippines, and the Dubai Rugby Sevens.

The first day will be taken up with the now infamous Coffin Dodgers competition, featuring players who are old enough to know better but still play anyway, most likely as an excuse to work up a thirst (as if they needed one…).  The organisers are hoping for 16 teams to compete for the Weasel Cup, but so far 12 have confirmed. They are:

Space

All games will be played on the Friday, stating at 1030, apart from the final, which will take place on Sunday, just before the final in the main competition.

Twenty four teams of rather slimmer, fitter players are signed up for the main competition, battling it out for the Clive Williamson Memorial Trophy, Plate and Bowl. Games will be played on the 30th, starting at 0730 and the 31st, starting at 0800. The teams in this competition are:

Line Space

Copious supplies of amber liquid will be on hand for spectators with throats dry from shouting for (or at) their favourite teams.