International Capsules: World's fastest man adopts world fastest feline

NAIROBI, Kenya — The world’s fastest man adopted the animal kingdom’s fastest sprinter Monday, as Usain Bolt welcomed a new baby cheetah named Lightning Bolt into his life.

The Jamaican sprinter’s sponsorship of the 3-month-old male cheetah is part of an effort to boost Kenyan conservation efforts of its famous wildlife, whose survival is threatened by trophy hunting, climate change and human encroachment.

The world record-holder in the 100 and 200 meters paid $13,700 to formally adopt the cub. He will also pay $3,000 a year to care for Lighting Bolt, who will be raised at an animal orphanage in Nairobi.

The money will go to the Kenya Wildlife Service, and some will be used to protect Kenya’s endangered species, KWS director Julius Kipngetich said.

Bolt was joined on the trip by Colin Jackson, a former 110-meter hurdles Olympic champion, and Jochen Zeitz, the chief executive of athletic gear manufacturer Puma. Zietz made the visit to launch his charity’s campaign to preserve ecosystems.

Jackson adopted a 2-year-old eland, the largest of the antelope species.

Bolt, who was on a four-day visit to Kenya, said Friday he was looking forward to seeing Kenya’s diverse wildlife, but was scared of meeting lions.

He nearly ran away when asked Monday to pet a fully grown cheetah named Sharon for a photo shoot with Kenyan Prime Minister Raila Odinga. Bolt had Zeitz stand in for him, until he saw that Sharon seemed harmless.

The world record holder appeared more comfortable later while handling his baby cheetah, which was the size of a fully grown domestic cat. He cradled the fuzzy-headed cub while feeding it bottled milk as cameramen snapped away.

When asked if he was afraid of cheetahs, Bolt said: "Yes, I was, but not anymore."

Lighting Bolt is among three cubs rescued by KWS officials after their mother abandoned them in a game park.

Sailing

Alinghi wants America’s Cup to stay in Gulf

GENEVA — America’s Cup champion Alinghi is still intent on defending its title in the Persian Gulf.

The Swiss-based syndicate said Monday it will appeal last week’s ruling rejecting United Arab Emirates as the site for the race against the American team BMW Oracle. Alinghi wants a speedy decision to avoid a delay in the best-of-three series between the rivals in February.

The New York Supreme Court said the Cup’s 19th-century rules mean racing can’t be held in the Northern Hemisphere before May. The California-based BMW Oracle had appealed, saying the port of Ras al-Khaimah was too close to Iran and posed a security threat.

Alinghi referred to the "plain language" of the May 2008 ruling from the same court that said its home yacht club, Societe Nautique de Geneve, can choose the venue.

Alinghi contends the weather in February in the UAE is suitable for sailing’s signature event. If the UAE is ruled unsuitable, then the Spanish port of Valencia appears the most likely venue.

Neither syndicate objected to Valencia earlier in the prolonged court battle over where, when and how to compete for the oldest trophy in sports. Valencia hosted the 32nd America’s Cup in 2007, when Alinghi defeated Team New Zealand to retain the title.

Almost immediately, this edition of the Cup became entrenched in legal arguments between billionaires Ernesto Bertarelli of Alinghi and Larry Ellison of BMW Oracle.

The two sides have spent more than two years arguing while building 90-foot multihull boats for racing. The Alinghi 5 catamaran is undergoing sea trials in the Middle East. BMW Oracle Racing’s trimaran has been tested off the Pacific coast of the United States.

Cycling

Evans signs with American cycling team BMC Racing

PARIS — Road race world champion Cadel Evans of Australia signed a three-year contract with BMC racing with a victory in next year’s Tour de France as his main goal, the American cycling team said Monday.

The two-time Tour de France runner-up, who announced last week he would leave the Silence-Lotto team at the end of the year, will join former Lance Armstrong teammate George Hincapie and former world champion Alessandro Ballan.

"Cadel brings a wealth of experience in the Grand Tours to the team," team co-owner Jim Ochowicz said in a statement.

The 32-year-old Evans got the biggest win of his career in September when he won the men’s race at cycling’s road world championships.

Following a disappointing 30th place on this year’s Tour, Evans finished third in the Spanish Vuelta and now hopes he will be able to win the prestigious three-week race next summer.

"A great opportunity has come for me to join a growing team of like minded individuals at BMC," Evans said. "I look forward to working with the BMC group toward the same goals including the Tour de France. Obviously, I would like to do better than my two second places at the Tour de France."

BMC Racing, however, doesn’t have a Pro Tour licence that would guarantee its participation at the Tour and the team will need to get an invitation from organizers to feature in the race.

"We have a plan to go to the biggest races, including the Grand Tours," sports director John Lelangue said. "That includes the Tour de France. This will be possible since our sporting level has greatly increased in standard."

In addition to placing second in the Tour in 2007 and 2008, Evans was runner-up in the past three Dauphine Libere stage races.

Olympics

Dubai rulers push Dubai 2020 Olympic bid

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — The ruler of Dubai has taken part in a high-level meeting to discuss the Gulf emirate’s possible bid for the 2020 Olympics.

Sheik Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum and his son, Crown Prince Sheik Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, led a working group meeting Monday to push the joint effort for the 2020 Olympics and 2020 World Expo.

The committee says Sheik Mohammed described Dubai’s "rich Arab history and sublime record of achievement" that will win favor with "countries and companies."

Dubai is the second Gulf state trying for the Olympics. Doha, the capital of Qatar, failed to make the list of finalists for the 2016 Games.

Figure Skating

U.S. ice dancers announce coaching switch

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Madison and Keiffer Hubbell, winners of the 2008 junior U.S. ice dance title, are switching coaches.

The Hubbells announced Monday they will now train with Pasquale Camerlengo, Angelika Krylova, Elizabeth Swallow and Natalia Deller at the Detroit Skating Club. They had spent the last 10 years in Ann Arbor, Mich., with Yuri Chesnichenko and Yaroslava Nechaeva.

Camerlengo and Krylova also coach Federica Faiella and Massimo Scali of Italy, the European silver medalists in dance.

The Hubbells were fourth at last season’s nationals, their first as seniors. They have won U.S. titles at the juvenile, intermediate and junior levels.