Canarian Weekly newspaper - distributed across Tenerife to 1000's of residents & tourists every week

News in Brief - 25.06.2010
News in Brief Bullseye! Marathon men hit world record GOOD-LUCK messages from on-line viewers poured in from all over the globe at the weekend as two local darts players broke the official world record for a continuous game of singles. Oasis Fm League darters Mark, from Exiles, and Andy, from the Knights, played non-stop for 27hrs 42mins to register their names in the Guinness Book of Records. They even received support from the US and Australia as they threw over 14,271 darts and scored over 210,771 points during the course of their marathon 233 games. Andy battled through the final hour with calf and muscle cramp in his legs, and both players suffered back pain. To add to his woes, Mark over-extended on one throw and burst a blood vessel in the inner elbow. But the pair were determined the record would be theirs, and so it proved. The new world record-holders wish to thank Ian, from Bar Nauta, for staging the event, the Little Britain bar for sponsorship, and everyone who turned up to support them ‒ and their on-line fans also received a big pat on the back. Wimbledon’s epic match As the Canarian Weekly goes to press the Queen is visiting Wimbledon for the first time in 33 years, with gutsy competitors Nicolas Mahut and John Isner due back on court for a third day. The pair will continue their marathon match - the longest in top-rank tennis history - this afternoon (Thursday) after it was called off for a second day on Wednesday evening due to bad light. Frenchman Mahut and American Isner have been battling it out in the fifth set, which stands at a record 59 games all. The 10-hour match - including seven hours and six minutes in the fifth set alone - has smashed the previous record for the longest Grand Slam singles match. In that game, lasting six hours and 33 minutes, Fabrice Santoro beat fellow Frenchman Arnaud Clement at the French Open in 2004. The two players return to Court 18 and are likely to draw another large crowd, despite the high-profile events on Centre Court. A royal audience will watch British number one Andy Murray take on Finland's Jarkko Nieminen in the second round, with the Queen making her first visit to Wimbledon since 1977. That year - her Silver Jubilee - marked the last time a Briton won a senior singles championship at SW19. Virginia Wade claimed the women's title with victory against Betty Stove of the Netherlands. Before taking her seat in the royal box, the Queen toured the grounds of the All England Club and met players who were due on court. Murray recently dismissed speculation he might not bow when upon meeting the monarch, saying: "I don't know what I'll say exactly. I'll probably be a little bit nervous, understandably. I guess I don't want to mess up at all." On Wednesday, the Mahut and Isner match lasted so long, the scoreboard broke down as the temperature peaked at 28C (82F). Mahut called for a temporary ceasefire shortly after 9pm, citing bad light - although Isner wanted to carry on. The score stood at 4-6, 6-3, 7-6, 6-7, 59-59. After receiving a standing ovation, an exhausted 23-seed Isner said: "Nothing like this will happen again. Ever." His bulldog opponent said: "He's a champion and we are fighting like we never did before." Six-time Wimbledon champion Roger Federer said: "I love this. I know they're maybe not loving this, but I guess this is unheard of in our game. Normally there are breaks in tennis matches. "It's so impressive to see. I was watching this. I don't know if I was crying or laughing." Mahut, ranked 148 in the world, is no stranger to epic tussles - he qualified for Wimbledon after beating Britain's Alex Bogdanovic 3-6, 6-3, 24-22. Records broken during the unfinished Wimbledon first-round match between John Isner and Nicolas Mahut. :: Longest match (time elapsed): currently 10 hours :: Longest match (games played): currently 163 games :: Longest fifth set and longest set at a grand slam: 59-59 (7 hours and 6 minutes) :: Most aces by a player and match total: 98 Isner, 95 Mahut (previous record: 78 - Ivo Karlovic of Croatia at 2009 Davis Cup)