Michael Schumacher is raring to go racing again, and the rest of Formula One is just as keen to have him back.

Australian surf queen Stephanie Gilmore has become the first Australian to win a Laureus Award since 2004, taking out the action sportsperson of the year title at a gala function in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday night.

Trainer Grahame Begg has reported it is full steam ahead for beaten Newmarket Handicap favourite All Silent, who will leave for Dubai next Wednesday.

Racing Victoria will delay the start of the jumps season by 11 days because of problems with the construction of its new barriers.

Australia will take on the Netherlands in the semi-finals of the hockey World Cup despite the Dutch losing 2-1 to South Korea overnight.

Australia's men's hockey team has topped its group in New Delhi, but already stressed the importance not to squander a golden chance to win the World Cup.

A 15-year-old Japanese schoolboy tipping the scales at 145 kilograms is set to make his professional sumo debut and is already being tipped as a future 'yokozuna'.

Seven-times world champion Michael Schumacher warned he is ready to fight for success when he returns to Formula One with Mercedes GP this weekend.

Favourites Australia sweated to a 2-1 win over Pakistan overnight to join England in the semi-finals from group B in the hockey World Cup.

Former champion jockey Patrick Payne has celebrated his biggest day as a trainer with Capecover winning the Group Two Adelaide Cup at Morphettville from stable-mate Kerdem on Monday.

Defending champions Germany played out a thrilling 2-2 draw with the Netherlands overnight to throw open the semi-final race in the hockey World Cup.

Queensland champion Blacks A Fake was at his scintillating best to confirm his place as the greatest Inter Dominion performer in history with a demoralising victory in the $1 million series final at Menangle Park on Sunday.

Queensland Firebirds continued their successful build-up to the new trans-Tasman season by dominating the Netball Cup preseason tournament in Sydney.

New South Wales won its third consecutive King's Cup at the National Rowing Championships at Lake Nagambie in Victoria on Sunday.

Australia's Vic Darchinyan retained his WBA and WBC super flyweight titles by handing out a brutal beating to unheralded Mexican Rodrigo Guerrero over 12 rounds in Rancho Mirage, California.

Favourite Australia defeated Beijing Olympic silver-medallist Spain 2-0 overnight to move closer to a semi-final berth in the men's field hockey World Cup.

Sally Kehoe continued her brilliant showing at the National Rowing Championships by claiming her second and third titles in quick succession at Lake Nagambie in Victoria on Saturday.

The Peter Moody-trained Wanted broke a frustrating run of Group One placings with a commanding all-the-way victory in the Newmarket Handicap at Flemington.

Australia's Stephanie Gilmore has nailed her plans for a fourth consecutive world surfing title to the wall, with an emphatic win in the opening ASP event of the year at her home break of Snapper Rocks on Queensland's Gold Coast.

Australia's Luke Roberts won the third stage of the Tour of Murcia overnight, in a mass sprint finish that involved the race favourites, including seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong.

Olympic champion Germany held its nerve to beat Argentina 4-3 in an exciting league match overnight to move closer to a semi-final spot in its bid for a third successive World Cup.

South Korea wrapped up the women's hockey series in Perth on Friday night, downing Australia 3-2 in the decider.

Australian surfer Taj Burrow has won the Quiksilver Pro at Snapper Rocks on Queensland's Gold Coast, defeating South Afica's Jordy Smith in the final.

Reigning world champion Stephanie Gilmore has joined three other Australians in the quarter-finals of the Roxy Pro at Snapper Rocks on Queensland's Gold Coast.