Surfing crown goes to Fanning

Mick Fanning, who won the Hang Loose Catarina Pro in Imbituba, Brazil, on Tuesday, became the first Assn. of Surfing Professionals world champion from Australia in eight years.

Fanning, 26, clinched the title before winning the final against countryman Joel Parkinson because eight-time world champion Kelly Slater and Taj Burrow, the only surfers still in the points race, were eliminated in earlier rounds.

Slater, 35, who was defeated in a fourth-round heat against Australia’s Kai Otton, has strongly hinted that he’d retire after this season if he didn’t win a ninth title.

Slater was the two-time defending champion.

Before that, three consecutive titles went to Hawaii’s Andy Irons, and one apiece to Florida’s C.J. Hobgood and Hawaii’s Sunny Garcia.

Mark Occhilupo, who prevailed in 1999, was the last Australian to win the title.

-- Pete Thomas

TENNIS

Henin is easy winner in Madrid

Top-ranked Justine Henin began her title defense at the season-ending Sony Ericsson Championships with a 6-1, 7-6 (4) victory over Anna Chakvetadze at Madrid.

Maria Sharapova returned from a nearly three-week absence to defeat Daniela Hantuchova, 6-4, 7-5, in the red group.

Sharapova has been hampered by a shoulder injury since the U.S. Open. It was her first victory since Aug. 31.

PRO HOCKEY

Moore turns down settlement offer

Steve Moore has rejected an approximately $350,000 offer to settle the player’s $15-million lawsuit against Todd Bertuzzi and the former owner of the Vancouver Canucks, according to recently filed documents.

Moore’s lawyer Tim Danson said the offer “was calculated to be an insult and was an insult.”

Lawyers for Bertuzzi and Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment made the offer to Danson during an NHL-brokered meeting in December 2006.

The lawsuit, currently in the discovery stage, stems from an ugly incident during a March 8, 2004, game in Vancouver when Bertuzzi, then of the Canucks, attacked Moore, who was playing for the Colorado Avalanche. The trial isn’t likely to start for at least another 12-18 months.

BASKETBALL

Ohio State loses exhibition to Findlay

Marcus Parker scored 18 points at Columbus, Ohio, to lead Findlay to a 70-68 victory over Ohio State, the second time in a week a Division II team beat a Big Ten team in an exhibition game.

On Saturday, Grand Valley State defeated No. 8 Michigan State, the conference preseason favorite, 85-82, in double overtime. The Buckeyes have only one starter back from last season’s team, which lost to Florida in the national title game.

Joe Crawford scored 20 points and No. 20 Kentucky began the Billy Gillispie era with a 67-40 victory over Central Arkansas in the opening round of the 2K Sports College Hoops Classic at Lexington, Ky.

Freshmen scored 71 points for Pepperdine in a 97-80 exhibition victory over Westmont at Firestone Fieldhouse. Daniel Johnson had 20 points and Tyrone Shelley had 19. . . . Senior forward Patrick Sanders scored 14 of his team-high 18 points in the second half to help lead UC Irvine over Cal Baptist, 73-71, in an exhibition at Crawford Court.

California guard Jerome Randle, who recently underwent a kidney biopsy, is expected to return to practice in two to three weeks after results showed a mild inflammation that can be treated with medication.

Diana Taurasi had 21 points and 11 rebounds and Sue Bird added 14 points to help the U.S. national team beat No. 15 Baylor, 82-56, at Waco, Texas.

MISCELLANY

Lindros expected to announce retirement

Eric Lindros is expected to announce his retirement Thursday after 13 seasons in the NHL, according to a report.

The 34-year-old forward played for the Dallas Stars last season and became an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season.

He had 372 goals and 493 assists in 760 games for Philadelphia, Toronto, the New York Rangers and Dallas.

Some of the 38,676 people who completed the New York City Marathon two days ago were given incorrect finishing times, possibly affecting runners’ attempts to qualify for the Boston Marathon.

The New York Road Runners, which organized the race, sent e-mails to some participants saying that “there was a technical problem that caused your start time to not be recorded when you crossed the starting line.”

Former Acorn Stakes winner Island Sand sold for $4.2 million during a robust day at Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington, Ky. Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Adoration sold for $3.1 million.

International Boxing Federation champion Wladimir Klitschko and World Boxing Organization title-holder Sultan Ibragimov hope to wrap up negotiations this week for a bout to unify two of the four heavyweight world titles Feb. 23 in Madison Square Garden.

Mammoth Mountain on Thursday will become the first resort in California to open for skiing and snowboarding.

Only one lift, Broadway Express, will operate until more snow either falls or can be produced by machines at the Eastern Sierra resort. The Broadway trail has 8-14 inches of natural and man-made snow.

-- Pete Thomas