Keeping it national and proud.

With the lack of League football this past weekend, the nations sports fans have been some what in limbo, desperately searching for a makeshift alternative. Lets be honest, the England Euro Qualifier against Montenegro on Friday night lived up to its abysmal expectation, and the hugely disappointing Rugby World Cup Semi-Final against France hardly quenched the thirst of English sports fans either.

Look What I've got: Murray's glare
of delight at Japan Open Victory

勝利のボタン: Button Victorious
In his 'second nation'; Japan 

There were some cheers to shout about though: Andy Murray's victory against Rafael Nadal in the Japan Open in Tennis for example, convincing fans and the national media that Murray is indeed a Brit, and not a Scot due to his success. In addition, Jenson Button continued the British Empire ruling in Japan, by taking a fantastic victory of tactics, driving perfection, and pure and utter passion to win the Japanese Grand Prix in the early hours of Sunday Morning (GMT).

  Despite these conquests however, my personal highlight of the sporting weekend wasn't from the Tennis, nor my favoured sport of Formula One. It was however still Motor Sport, but in the form of the British Superbike Championship; where the Championship title decider was being held at the Kent circuit of Brands Hatch. Going into the final race of the weekend, and indeed the Championship,  the series' two leaders on points, Tommy Hill and John Hopkins, were separated by a mere 2 points in the favour of the latter American. With this in mind, I figured that a lack of football and with an early starting Grand Prix race out the way, that this Sunday was was a perfect time for me to become more familiar with a series I have only ever been vaguely in touch with, in it's last race of the 2011 season.

  After watching the final race, the simple fact of the matter was this: It was the best race I have ever seen. Better than the 2008 F1 title decider in Brazil, better than the 2009 Laguna Seca Moto GP race, and certainly better than any race fixture I have witnessed so far this season. Never have I seen such raw determination and bravery; risky tight trajectories, defensive nous of the highest level, and a visually apparent level of desire that I simply have never seen before in any sport. The last lap in particular, was amazing. Edge of the seat, slight noise of gratification, hand pumping action of the most exciting level. A fitting tribute to the amazing talent of the two riders Hopkins and Hill, was that as they crossed the line for the final time, the margin between the two contenders was a ridiculous 0.060; a gap warranting a photo finish, A Championship, after over 25 races, warranting a photo finish. Unbelievable. In fact, that race may have just shifted my allgencies to the BSB series a little closer...

Happy Hill: Stunning Performance

So drawn into the event I was, that as the result became common knowledge to the teams and riders, I felt a tinge of emotion, both for the successful Tommy Hill and the gutted John Hopkins; missing out in the standings by no more than a single point.. The scenes after the race had finished were unforgettable; scenes of raw emotion, tears, cheers, and more than a few life-topping moments in careers. No politics, no PR intervention, no exaggerated media effects. Just pure.