Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/29
By: Lee Cheng-yu and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Nov. 29 (CNA) Teresa Lu (盧曉晴) was tied for sixth with a four-round total of 1-over-par 289 Sunday at the conclusion of the Japan Women’s Open Golf Championship and donated ￥4.68 million (about NT$1.25 million) in prize money she earned from the tournament to three charity groups in Japan.

Lu finished the first round of the Japan Tour tournament with 76 and scored 71 each in the next three rounds.

Before the beginning of the event organized by the Ladies Professional Golf Association of Japan (JLPGA), Lu said that although she is a foreigner, she wanted to donate all the prize money she was to earn during the game considering the strong support of Japanese fans and the tournament was the last one in which she was to play before the end of this year.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/29
By: Su Chih-tzung and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Nov. 29 (CNA) After three days of heated competitions,

three foreign surfers were crowned Sunday in all three categories of contests of the 2015 Taiwan Open of Surfing, which kicked off on Nov. 26 at Jinzun in Taitung County.

Perth Standlick from Australia defeated Japanese rival Takumi Nakamura to win the finals of the QS1500 event with a score of 17.65 points.

“This is my first QS win!” said Standlick in a report on the World Surf League (WSL) official website.

“This gives me some confidence, points and money heading into next year. Thanks to everyone at home for the support and thanks for everyone in Taiwan at this event, I love this place,” the new champion said.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date: Nov 30, 2015
By: Paul Huang  /  Contributing reporter

Kinmen Kaoliang overcame a sluggish start in the first quarter

with monstrous second and fourth quarters to rally past Bank of Taiwan 73-72 for their first win of the season at the Banciao Gymnasium in New Taipei City yesterday.

Lin Wei-han’s timely steal that led to a quick transition basket to put Kinmen Kaoliang ahead late in the game, coupled with a rare missed free throw by Banker captain Chen Hsuen-hsiang, were the game’s key moments.

Newcomer Kyle Barone of the US showed no signs of weakness in his Taiwan debut by netting 27 points and 19 rebounds, one board shy of a double-20 effort to pace the Distillers past their foes in a highly competitive contest.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/28
By: Lee Mei-yu

Taipei, Nov. 28 (CNA) Taiwanese Lin Tzu-hui (林資惠) won a gold medal at the 2015 IPC Powerlifting European Open Championship Saturday in Eger, Hungary.

Lin, 33, grabbed gold in the women’s 79kg division with a winning lift of 127kg.

Lin expressed appreciation to her trainers and Taiwan’s Sports Administration, whose financial sponsorship made it possible for her to compete in the championship.

Eying the 2016 Rio Olympics, Lin said she would work harder to perform to the best of her ability.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/26
By: Hsu Chih-wei and Y.F. Low

Taipei, Nov. 26 (CNA) National Taiwan Normal University (NTNU) has been listed

among the top seven in the world in terms of sport sciences, physical education and kinesiology, according to a comparison conducted by Japan’s University of Tsukuba.

Others schools on the list are Auckland University of Technology (New Zealand), Loughborough University (UK), University of Calgary (Canada), University of Porto (Portugal), University of Tsukuba (Japan) and Waseda University (Japan). The universities were not ranked in order.

The “World University Comparisons in Sport Sciences, Physical Education and Kinesiology 2015” was carried out by University of Tsukuba in cooperation with Thomson Reuters Corp.     [FULL  STORY]

Taipei Times
Date:  Nov 27, 2015
By: AFP, SYDNEY

Taiwan amateur Yu Chun-an trailed two shots behind leader Lincoln Tighe after

the first round of the Australian Open in Sydney yesterday.

Yu, who moved from Taiwan to Orlando, Florida, earlier this year, scored a three-under-par 68 to share third place with former Australian Open winner Geoff Ogilvy and Australia’s Todd Sinnott.

World No. 1 Jordan Spieth trailed five shots behind Tighe, with the defending champion and double major winner citing tough, windy conditions.

Texas-born Spieth was tied 19th place on the first day after he recorded three birdies and an equal number of bogeys in a level-par 71 on the Australian Club course.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/25
By: Lu Tai-cheng and Lee Mei-yu

Taipei, Nov. 25 (CNA) Taitung County launched a four-day surfing competition on

Wednesday, with more than 70 surfers, including world champions Taylor Jensen and Chelsea Williams, competing at Jinzun beach.

Dubbed the biggest surfing event in Taiwan, the 2015 Taiwan Open of Surfing, which carries a purse of NT$2 million (US$61,521), is a recognized WSF QS1500 event.

It is tantamount to a 3-star event under the the old rating system, and on a higher level than the previous 1-star events held in Taiwan.

As Taiwan’s only surfing event that is officially part of the World Surfing League (WSL) world circuit, the competition has attracted big names in world surfing. Among them are longboard world champions Taylor Jensen, Harley Ingleby and Chelsea Williams, who holds the 2014 title.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/23
By: Ku Chuan, Yu Kai-hsiang and Elizabeth Hsu

Taipei, Nov. 23 (CNA) The secretary-general of Taipei City government, Su Li-chiung (蘇麗瓊), has been named as the chief executive of the 29th Summer Universiade, which will be held on Aug. 19-30, 2017 in Taipei, city government spokesman Lin Ho-ming (林鶴明) said Monday.

The reason Mayor Ko Wen-je (柯文哲) named Su to take the job while serving in her current position is that he wants someone who can continue to oversee personnel affairs and still be able to immediately begin work to organize the international sports event in Taipei, the capital city of Taiwan, Lin said.

The 2017 Universiade will be the largest international sports event that Taiwan will host.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/23

Taipei, Nov. 23 (CNA) World surfing champions such as Taylor Jensen and Chelsea Williams are part of the 70-odd surfers from around the world who have been attracted to the 2015 Taiwan Open of Surfing that will take place in Taitung County in eastern Taiwan, which boasts stable and beautiful waves that are recognized by the World Surfing League (WSL) as among the best in the world.

The WSL has listed the waves off Jinzun in the same class as those in the United States, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Bali and Thailand, particularly when seasonal northeasterly winds are blowing.

World longboard champions Taylor Jensen, Harley Ingleby and Chelsea Williams — who holds the 2014 world title — will be competing in the event Nov. 26-29, organizers said.     [FULL  STORY]

Focus Taiwan
Date: 2015/11/23
By: Lin Hung-han and Evelyn Kao

Taipei, Nov. 23 (CNA) U.S.-based Taiwanese left-handed starting pitcher Wei-Yin Chen (陳偉殷), who has become a free agent for the first time after his 4-year contract with the Baltimore Orioles expired, is an attractive option in the Major League Baseball (MLB) free agent market.

However, Chen said Monday in Taipei that he has not yet decided which team he wants to play for.

Recently, reports have indicated that the New York Yankees will be among the teams pursuing Chen, and many of his fans would be happy to see him play for the team.

Chen, who arrived in Taiwan that day, said at a press conference that the Yankees is a good option but not the only choice for him, given that it is only one of the 30 MLB teams.     [FULL  STORY]