Women's hockey on the rise in Pacific Northwest, with young girls excited about PWHL's arrival
SEATTLE (AP) — Elly Garcia-Dudek can't help but gaze out toward the ice during hockey practices at the Kraken Community Iceplex.
The 12-year-old Garcia-Dudek is a big fan of women's national team stars like Hilary Knight, who starred for the Boston Fleet of the Professional Women's Hockey League last season. Pretty soon, Garcia-Dudek — who started playing through the Seattle Kraken's Learn to Play program — won't have to look across the country for role models like Knight.
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Winnipeg Free Press
an hour ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
The Paris Games flame rises again – but it's no longer ‘Olympic'
PARIS (AP) — The Paris Games may be over, but the flame is still rising — just don't call it Olympic. The helium-powered hot-air balloon that lit up the French capital's skyline during the 2024 Games is making a dramatic comeback to the Tuileries Gardens, reborn as the 'Paris Cauldron.' Thanks to an agreement with the International Olympic Committee, the renamed marvel will now lift off into the sky each summer evening — a ghostly echo of last year's opening ceremony — from June 21 to Sept. 14, for the next three years. Gone is the official 'Olympic' branding — forbidden under IOC reuse rules — but not the spectacle. The 30-meter-tall (98-foot) floating ring, dreamed up by French designer Mathieu Lehanneur and powered by French energy giant EDF, simulates flame without fire: LED lights, mist jets, and high-pressure fans create a luminous halo that hovers above the city at dusk, visible from rooftops across the capital. 'It's one of those monuments in Paris that could stay,' said Laurent Broéze, a local architect pausing in the gardens Thursday. 'It was set up temporarily, but a bit like the Eiffel Tower, it makes sense for it to return. It's a bit of a shame they want to take it down later, but maybe it could be installed somewhere else, I don't know.' Though it stole the show in 2024, the cauldron's original aluminum-and-balloon build was only meant to be temporary — not engineered for multi-year outdoor exposure. To transform it into a summer staple, engineers reinforced it: The aluminum ring and tether points were rebuilt with tougher components to handle rain, sun, and temperature changes over several seasons. Aérophile, Paris's tethered balloon specialist, redesigned the winch and tether system to meet aviation rules, allowing safe operation in winds up to 20–25 kmh (12-15 mph). Hydraulic, electrical, and misting systems were fortified — not only to ensure smooth nightly flights but to endure months of wear and tear untested on the original design. These retrofits shift the cauldron from a fragile, one-off spectacle to a resilient, summer-long landmark — prepared to withstand everything Paris summers can throw at it. The structure first dazzled during the Paris 2024 Games, ignited on July 26 by Olympic champions Marie-José Pérec and Teddy Riner. Over just 40 days, it drew more than 200,000 visitors, according to officials. Now perched in the center of the drained Tuileries pond, the cauldron's return is part of President Emmanuel Macron's effort to preserve the Games' spirit in the city, as Paris looks ahead to the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. Visitors have already begun to gather. 'Beautiful,' said Javier Smith, a tourist from Texas. 'And the place where it's going to be, or is sitting now, it's beautiful. All these beautiful buildings, the Louvre, all that is fantastic.' Access is free and unticketed. The cauldron will be on display from morning to night, igniting with light from 10 a.m. and lifting off each evening after the garden closes — 10:30 pm in June and July, with earlier times through September. It will float above the city for several hours before quietly descending around 1 a.m. The 'flame,' while entirely electric, still conjures a sense of Olympic poetry. 'Yes, we came for a little outing focused on the statues related to mythology in the Tuileries Garden,' said Chloé Solana, a teacher visiting with her students. 'But it's true we're also taking advantage of the opportunity, because last week the Olympic cauldron wasn't here yet, so it was really nice to be able to show it to the students.' The cauldron's ascent may become a new rhythm of the Parisian summer, with special flights planned for Bastille Day on July 14 and the one-year anniversary of the 2024 opening ceremony on July 26. It no longer carries the Olympic name. But this phoenix-like cauldron is still lifting Paris into the clouds — and into memory. ___ Nicolas Garriga in Paris contributed to this report
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Man United completes signing of Brazil forward Matheus Cunha
MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Manchester United completed the signing of Brazil international Matheus Cunha from Wolverhampton Wanderers on Thursday. The 26-year-old forward signed a five-year contract to 2030, with the option of a further 12 months. 'Ever since I was a child in Brazil watching Premier League games on TV at my grandmother's house, United was my favourite English team and I dreamed of wearing the red shirt,' Cunha said. United paid a reported 62.5 million pounds ($84 million) for Cunha, who is expected to be one of several signings for the fallen Premier League giant as coach Ruben Amorim looks to overhaul his squad following a woeful season. Cunha scored 17 goals for Wolves last season. The United attack had the fifth worst scoring record in the English top flight last term. 'All my focus is now on working hard to become a valuable part of the team, and helping get this club back to the top,' he said. United was 15th in the standings, its worst position since the Premier League era began in 1992. It also had its most losses in a Premier League season and recorded its lowest points total. The joint record 20-time English champion has gone 12 years without the title since last winning it in former manager Alex Ferguson's final season in 2013. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'Bringing in Matheus was one of our main priorities for this summer, so we are delighted to have completed his signing so early in the window,' said Jason Wilcox, United director of football. 'He has proved his ability to succeed in the Premier League as one of the most exciting and productive forwards in England during his time at Wolves, and before that in Spain and Germany. 'He has all the qualities we are looking for as we seek to build a strong, dynamic and entertaining team capable of challenging for the biggest honors.' As well as Cunha, United is also interested in Brentford forward Bryan Mbeumo, ___ AP soccer:
Winnipeg Free Press
2 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Wimbledon announces record $73M prize fund and $4M for singles champions
LONDON (AP) — Wimbledon's prize money has risen to a record 53.5 million pounds (about $73 million) and the singles champions will each earn three million pounds ($4 million), All England Club officials announced on Thursday. The total amount is 3.5 million pounds ($6.8 million) more than last year, an increase of 7% — and exactly twice the pot handed out to competitors at the grass-court Grand Slam 10 years ago. 'We're immensely proud of the fact that if you look back 10 years, you can see the increase over that period and 7% this year,' All England chair Deborah Jevans said. 'And we have listened to the players, we have engaged with the players.' The 2025 winners' checks represent an 11.1% jump on last year's prizes for the men's and women's singles champions and comes amid growing player demands for a bigger share of grand slam profits. Players who lose in the first round of singles will get 66,000 pounds, up 10% year on year. 'The focus on just the prize money at four events, the Grand Slams, does not get to the heart of what the challenge is for tennis,' Jevans added. 'The challenge with tennis is the fact that the players don't have an offseason which they want, they have increasing injuries that they're speaking about, and we've always said that we as Wimbledon are willing to engage and talk with the tours to try and find solutions, and that door remains open.' Wimbledon starts on June 30 and runs until July 13. For the first time in the oldest Grand Slam, line judges will be replaced with electronic line-calling. ___ AP tennis:
