Simona Halep, o jucătoare profesionistă de tenis din România, aflată în prezent pe locul 1 mondial. A câștigat turneul de Grand Slam de la Roland Garros (2018), după alte trei finale de Grand Slam

 Simona Halep (n. 27 septembrie 1991,^[1] Constanța, România^[1]) este o jucătoare profesionistă de tenis din România, aflată în prezent pe locul 1 mondial.^[3] A câștigat turneul de Grand Slam de la Roland Garros (2018), după alte trei finale de Grand Slam: două la Roland Garros (2014, 2017) și una la Australian Open (2018). Halep a câștigat de-a lungul carierei alte 18 turnee WTA la simplu (șase în 2013, două în 2014, trei în 2015, trei în 2016, unul în 2017, trei în 2018), dintre care cele mai importante sunt turneele Premier Mandatory de la Indian Wells și Madrid. Următoarele premii ca importanță sunt cele de categorie Premier de la Montréal, New Haven, Connecticut, Moscova, Doha, Dubai, precum și cel de la turneul de la Sofia.

2008: titlu la Roland Garros (la junioare)

A început anul jucând finala la Notting Hill, dar a fost învinsă de Arantxa Rus, apoi a trecut de Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova în sferturile de finală ale turneului de junioare de la Australian Open, însă a cedat în semifinale în disputa cu Jessica Moore.
La turneul ITF de la București, Halep a eliminat-o în primul tur pe fosta semifinalistă de la Roland Garros, Sesil Karatantcheva, înainte de a pierde în sferturi întâlnirea cu Sorana Cîrstea în trei seturi: 6–3, 3–6, 1–6.
În luna mai a câștigat două turnee de junioare: ITF de 10.000$ de la București, în fața lui Stéphanie Vongsouthi cu scorul 7-6(4), 6-3.^[6] Victoria a fost urmată de succesul în turneul Trofeo Bonfiglio unde a învins-o pe Bojana Jovanovski cu 6–4, 6–1. ^[7]

La turneul junioarelor de la Roland Garros, Halep a fost desemnată cap de serie numărul nouă. În primul tur a învins-o pe Charlotte Rodier, 6–4, 6–1, apoi pe daneza Karen Barbat, 6–3, 6–1. În turul trei, Halep a trecut de a cincea favorită, Jessica Moore, 6–0, 6–1 pentru ca în sferturi să o învingă pe Ksenia Lykina, cap de serie numărul 13, cu 6–1, 6–2. În semifinale, Halep a trecut de a doua favorită, Arantxa Rus 6–3, 7–5, pentru a câștiga apoi o finală 100% românească, scor 6–4, 6–7(3), 6–2 în fața celei de-a 10-a favorite, Elena Bogdan.^[8][9]

2009: titluri ITF și intervenția chirurgicală

În startul anului 2009, Simona Halep a ajuns în finala turneului ITF de la Makarska, fiind însă învinsă de principala favorită, Tatjana Malek cu 6–1, 4–6, 6-4. ^[10]
În mai, a ajuns în sferturile de finală la turneul ITF de la București, unde a cedat în fața nemțoaicei Andrea Petkovic 6-2, 7-6(2). ^[11] În aceeași lună a evoluat în calificările turneului de senioare de la Roland Garros, unde a eliminat-o în primul tur pe Michaella Krajicek, cap de serie numărul 17, scor 6–4, 7–5, dar a cedat în runda următoare disputa cu Vitalia Diatchenko, 2-6, 6-1, 6-3. ^[12]
În august, Halep a câștigat turneul ITF de 25.000$ de la Maribor, în finală trecând de principala favorită, Katalin Marosi din Ungaria, cu 6-4, 6-2. ^[13]
La 18 ani, Simona a recurs la o intervenție chirurgicală de reducere a sânilor, care o incomodau în joc și îi creau și probleme cu coloana vertebrală.

2017: Al treilea titlu Premier Mandatory, a doua finală de Mare Șlem - Roland Garros și realizarea punctajului pentru locul 1 WTA

Simona Halep, locul 4 WTA, și-a început sezonul la Shenzhen, în China, turneu de categorie WTA Internațional. Halep a început cu o victorie, câștigând cu 6-1, 3-6, 6-3 împotriva lui Jankovic, însă a pierdut în turul 2 cu Kateřina Siniaková, scor 3-6, 6-4, 5-7
În următorul turneu, Australian Open, a jucat în turul I cu Shelby Rogers, fiind învinsă cu scorul 3-6, 1-6.
La începutul lui februarie, Simona a jucat la turneul Premier, St. Petersburg Ladies' Trophy, unde a început cu o victorie împotriva croatei Ana Konjuh (39 WTA), scor 6-4, 7-6 (2). Halep urma să joace, în sferturile de finală, împotriva rusoaicei Natalia Vikhlyantseva (19 ani, locul 115 WTA), sportivă venită din calificări, însă a fost nevoită să se retragă din cauza unei accidentări la genunchi.
La Indian Wells ajunge până în turul 2, unde este învinsă de Kristina Mladenovic cu scorul de 6-1, 6-3.
La Miami are un parcurs mai bun, dar a pierdut în trei seturi cu Johanna Konta în sferturi.
În Germania, la Stuttgart, merge până în semifinale, învinsă de Laura Siegemund cu 4-6, 5-7.
La Madrid, s-a impus pentru a doua oară, învingând-o în finală pe Kristina Mladenovic (17 WTA) cu scorul 7-5, 6-7 (7), 6-2. Astfel, devine prima jucătoare care ajunge de trei ori în finala turneului.
La Roma, ajunge în finală, fiind învinsă de Elina Svitolina, în 3 seturi 6-4, 5-7, 1-6. Meciul a fost marcat de accidentarea Simonei la glezna dreaptă.
La 10 iunie 2017, Simona a disputat a doua ei finală la Roland Garros, fiind învinsă în trei seturi (6-4, 4-6, 3-6) de Jeļena Ostapenko.
La 7 octombrie 2017, în urma victoriei din semifinala cu Jeļena Ostapenko de la Openul Chinei din Beijing, Simona a devenit noul lider mondial al Clasamentului WTA, fiind prima jucătoare de tenis din România clasată pe locul 1 WTA și devenind a 25-a jucătoare din toate timpurile care a deținut această poziție.^[40]
La Turneul Campioanelor câștigă în primul meci cu Caroline Garcia, apoi pierde la Caroline Wozniacki și la Elina Svitolina, părăsind astfel competiția pentru al 3-lea an la rând încă din faza grupelor.

2018: Primul titlu de Grand Slam și accidentarea

Simona începe perfect anul 2018, câștigând turneul de la Shenzen. În finală, ea a învins-o pe campioana din 2017 Katerina Siniakova în trei seturi: 6-1, 2-6, 6-0. De asemenea, s-a impus și la proba de dublu de la turneul chinez alături de Irina-Camelia Begu, învingând în ultimul act perechea Barbora Krejcikova/Katerina Siniakova, favorite principale. Pentru Simona e primul titlu WTA la dublu, iar pentru Irina al șaptelea.
Halep pierde finala Australian Open, în fața danezei Caroline Wozniacki, într-un meci strâns, de trei seturi: 6–7^(2–7), 6–3, 4–6.
În iunie 2018, Simona Halep reușește să câștige prima sa finală de Grand Slam la Roland Garros, învingând-o pe Sloane Stephens, numărul 10 mondial, cu 3-6, 6-4, 6-1, după ce pierduse primele doua finale la acest turneu cu Maria Șarapova (în 2014) și Jelena Ostapenko (în 2017).
În august 2018, Simona Halep a câștigat din nou turneul WTA de la Montreal, impunându-se pentru a doua oară consecutiv în fața americancei Sloane Stephens. Tot în august a ajuns în finala turneului de la Cincinnati, unde a pierdut în fața lui Kiki Bertens, deși a avut minge de meci în setul doi.
În septembrie 2018, Simona Halep a ajuns la 47 de săptămâni în fruntea ierarhiei mondiale și ocupă locul 11 într-un clasament all-time, apropiindu-se și mai mult de belarusa Victoria Azarenka, aflată pe 10, cu 51 de săptămâni pe prima poziție a clasamentului WTA^[41].
În acea lună, a fost eliminată însă din primul tur la turneul de la Wuhan în ciuda unor dureri puternice,^[42] și a abandonat în primul tur la Beijing.^[43] O investigație cu RMN a relevat faptul că Halep suferă de hernie de disc.^[44] Presa a speculat că nu ar fi trebuit să meargă la aceste turnee, dar a făcut-o pentru a obține bonusul de 1 milion de dolari din partea WTA pentru participarea la toate turneele Premier Mandatory și la patru din cele cinci turnee Premier Five.

 

Annie Lennox, a Scottish singer, songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving moderate success in the late 1970s as part of the new wave band The Tourists, she and fellow musician David A. Stewart went on to achieve major international success in the 1980s as Eurythmics

Ann Lennox, OBE (born 25 December 1954) is a Scottish singer, songwriter, political activist and philanthropist. After achieving moderate success in the late 1970s as part of the new wave band The Tourists, she and fellow musician David A. Stewart went on to achieve major international success in the 1980s as Eurythmics. With a total of eight Brit Awards, which includes being named Best British Female Artist a record six times, Lennox has been named the "Brits Champion of Champions".^[1]
Lennox embarked on a solo career in 1992 with her debut album, Diva, which produced several hit singles including "Why" and "Walking on Broken Glass". To date, she has released six solo studio albums and a compilation album, The Annie Lennox Collection (2009). Aside from her eight Brit Awards, she has also collected four Grammy Awards and an MTV Video Music Award. In 2002, Lennox received a Billboard Century Award; the highest accolade from Billboard Magazine.^[2] In 2004, she won both the Golden Globe and the Academy Award for Best Original Song for "Into the West", written for the soundtrack to the feature film The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King.
In addition to her career as a musician, Lennox is also a political and social activist, notable for raising money and awareness for HIV/ AIDS as it affects women and children in Africa. In 2011, Lennox was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II for her "tireless charity campaigns and championing of humanitarian causes". On 4 June 2012 she performed at the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Concert in front of Buckingham Palace. Lennox performed the song "Little Bird" during the 2012 Summer Olympics closing ceremony in London on 12 August 2012.
Lennox has been named "The Greatest White Soul Singer Alive" by VH1 and one of The 100 Greatest Singers of All Time by Rolling Stone.^[3] In 2012, she was rated No. 22 on VH1's 100 Greatest Women in Music.^[4] She has earned the distinction of "most successful female British artist in UK music history" due to her commercial success since the early 1980s. As of June 2008, including her work within Eurythmics, Lennox had sold over 80 million records worldwide.^[5]
At the 2015 Ivor Novello Awards, Lennox was made a fellow of the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors, the first female to receive the honour.^[6][7] In 2017, Lennox was appointed Glasgow Caledonian University's first female chancellor, taking over the role from Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus.^[8] Lennox's vocal range is contralto.

Marc Rosset, a former professional tennis player from Switzerland who is best remembered for winning the men's singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games

Marc Rosset (born 7 November 1970) is a former ptennis player from Switzerland who is best remembered for winning the men's singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games. He also won one Grand Slam doubles title at the French Open in 1992 partnering compatriot Jakob Hlasek.

Rosset turned professional in 1988 and won his first tour singles title in 1989 in Geneva as a wildcard, defeating Guillermo Pérez Roldán. His first doubles title was won in Geneva as well in 1991 with partner Sergi Bruguera.
1992 was the pinnacle of Rosset's career. Representing Switzerland at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, he defeated several top players en route to qualifying for the men's singles final, including Jim Courier, Goran Ivanišević, Wayne Ferreira, and Emilio Sánchez. In the final, he faced Spain's Jordi Arrese and won an exciting five-set match, 7–6, 6–4, 3–6, 4–6, 8–6, to claim the gold medal. Rosset also won the 1992 French Open men's doubles title with partner Jakob Hlasek. Rosset also was a member of the Swiss team which reached the final of the 1992 Davis Cup. Switzerland lost in the final to the United States despite Rosset's winning a five-set singles rubber against Jim Courier (who was ranked world No. 1 at the time).
Rosset's most memorable Davis Cup match came in defeat in a singles rubber against Arnaud Clément of France in 2001, which he lost 15–13 in the fifth set after 5 hours and 46 minutes. During the later years of his playing career, Rosset also served as the Swiss Davis Cup team captain.
Rosset also enjoyed success playing in other international team competitions for Switzerland. In 1996, he was a member of the teams which won the World Team Cup and finished runners-up in the Hopman Cup. That year he also achieved his best performance at a Grand Slam when he beat Carl-Uwe Steeb, Jiří Novák, Jakob Hlasek, Stefan Edberg and Bernd Karbacher before losing to Michael Stich in the semi-finals.
Rosset had a 2–2 record against his successor as Switzerland's top male tennis player, Roger Federer. Rosset won their first two meetings in 2000 (including the final of the Open 13 at Marseille), but Federer won their meetings in 2001 and 2003.^[1]
At 2.01 meters (6 ft. 7 in.), Rosset was one of the game's tallest players throughout his career. He was one of the game's fastest servers and most prolific servers of aces for most of his career.
Rosset changed his flight plans after a first-round defeat at the US Open in September 1998. After he changed his plans, the flight he had originally planned to take, Swissair Flight 111, crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, killing all on board.^[2]
Rosset's career-high ATP singles ranking was world no. 9, and his career-high doubles ranking was world no. 8. He won a total of 15 top-level singles titles and eight doubles titles. He won at least one singles title on all surfaces: clay, grass, carpet, and hard court. His career prize money totaled $6,812,693.

Maricel Voinea, a retired Romanian team handball player and coach. He played 263 matches for the national team, scoring 706 goals and winning bronze medals at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics and 1990 World Championships

Maricel Voinea (born 17 March 1959) is a retired Romanian team handball player and coach. He played 263 matches for the national team, scoring 706 goals and winning bronze medals at the 1980 and 1984 Olympics and 1990 World Championships.^[1] At the club level he was part of HC Minaur in Baia Mare (1977–1989), winning the EHF Cup in 1985 and 1988. He later joined the Spanish club Avidesa Valencia (1989–1992), and eventually moved on to Germany, where he competed for SG Leutershausen (1992–1994) and HSG Nordhorn (1994–1998).^[2]
In 1999, Voinea was appointed head coach of HC Ibbenbüren, promoting it to the Bundesliga the following year, while continuing to play in the field. Moving on to TSV Landsberg as a coach-player, he repeated the performance in 2002. The last team coached by Maricel Voinea was the local one in Fürstenfeldbruck, near Munich, registered in the Fourth League. He subsequently retired from sport and works in Furstenfeldbruk's local administration.

Amélie Mauresmo, a French former professional tennis player, and a former world No. 1. Mauresmo won two Grand Slam singles titles at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon, and also won a Silver Medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Amélie Simone Mauresmo (born 5 July 1979) is a French former professional tennis player, and a former world No. 1. Mauresmo won two Grand Slam singles titles at the Australian Open and at Wimbledon, and also won a Silver Medal at the 2004 Summer Olympics.
Mauresmo first attained the top ranking onMichaël Llodra. She helped Marion Bartoli in 2013 and during Bartoli's triumph at Wimbledon. Mauresmo coached Andy Murray from June 2014 until May 2016.

13 September 2004, holding it for five weeks on that occasion. She was the fifteenth World No. 1 in women's tennis since the computer rankings began. She is well known for her powerful one-handed backhand and strong net play. She officially announced her retirement from professional tennis on 3 December 2009, ending a career of fifteen years. She returned to Wimbledon in 2010, acting as a grass court advisor for Frenchman and 2007 Wimbledon doubles champion
Mauresmo was inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame in 2015.

The unseeded Mauresmo reached the Australian Open final in 1999 with wins over three seeded players, including world no. 1 Lindsay Davenport, before falling to world no. 2 Martina Hingis. Mauresmo was only the second Frenchwoman ever to reach the Australian Open final; (Mary Pierce was the first, winning the championship in 1995). She was only the third Frenchwoman to reach any Grand Slam final during the Open Era.
Mauresmo defeated Hingis later in the year, en route to the final of the Paris indoor event.
After the defeat of Davenport at the Australian Open, Mauresmo, 19 at the time, came out as gay to the international press.^[1] She "attributed her success on the court to coming to terms with her sexuality and finding love."

Mauresmo reached the semifinals at Wimbledon, where she lost to Serena Williams in three sets after winning the first set and up a break in the second set. She reached the quarterfinals of the three other Grand Slam tournaments and won three Tier I titles in Rome, Berlin, and Montreal.
Mauresmo won a silver medal in singles at the Olympic Games in Athens, where she was defeated by Belgian Justine Henin in the final.
On 13 September 2004, Mauresmo became the first French tennis player to become world no. 1 since the computer rankings began in the 1970s. She held that ranking for five weeks and was the second woman, after Kim Clijsters, to have attained the top spot without having won a Grand Slam title

Mauresmo reached the quarter-finals of the Australian Open, but was defeated there by eventual champion Serena Williams.
At the French Open, seeded third, Mauresmo was upset in the third round by the then little-known 17-year-old Ana Ivanovic of Serbia in three sets.^[2] Mauresmo had, at the Australian Open earlier in the year, become the first player to defeat the Serb in the main draw of a Grand Slam tournament, winning in straight sets also in the third round.^[3]
At the US Open, Mauresmo lost in the quarter-finals to Mary Pierce in straight sets. That followed a semi-final loss to Lindsay Davenport at Wimbledon.

Mauresmo claimed her first singles title at the WTA Tour Championships. She defeated Pierce in the final after losing to Pierce in a round-robin match at that tournament, in three sets.

Britt Ekland, a Swedish actress and singer. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including critically acclaimed roles in William Friedkin's The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968), and the British crime film Get Carter (1971), which established her as a movie sex symbol

Britt Ekland (born Britt-Marie Eklund; 6 October 1942) is a Swedish actress and singer. She appeared in numerous films in her heyday throughout the 1960s and 1970s, including critically acclaimed roles in William Friedkin's The Night

They Raided Minsky's (1968), and the British crime film Get Carter (1971), which established her as a movie sex symbol. She also starred in the British cult horror film The Wicker Man (1973) and appeared as a Bond girl in The Man with the Golden Gun (1974).
Her high-profile social life and her 1964 marriage to actor Peter Sellers attracted considerable press attention, leading to her being one of the most photographed celebrities in the world during the 1970s.

Early roles: 1960–1970

Ekland began her career with bit parts and uncredited walk-on roles, including her first onscreen role in G.I. Blues (1960). This was followed with a small supporting part in The Happy Thieves (1960). She had small roles in the Swedish films Kort är sommaren (1962) and Det är hos mig han har varit (1963), before landing her first major supporting part in the George Marshall Western Advance to the Rear (1964).
In 1964, she appeared in the Christmas television film A Carol for Another Christmas, meeting her future husband, Peter Sellers, her co-star in the film. She followed this with After the Fox (1966), also starring Sellers; she made one more film with Sellers, The Bobo (1967). This was followed with a lead role as an Amish girl turned New York City burlesque dancer in William Friedkin's musical The Night They Raided Minsky's (1968), which earned Ekland critical acclaim.^[4] Next came Stiletto (1969), a crime drama, based on a novel by Harold Robbins, co-starring Alex Cord. She then starred in a string of Italian films, Machine Gun McCain (1969), The Conspirators (1969), and as Antigone in The Cannibals (1970).

Sex symbol and horror roles: 1971–1988

In 1971, she was cast as a leading lady and gun moll in the iconic crime film Get Carter, opposite Michael Caine, which firmly established her as a blonde bombshell. The 1970s also saw Ekland in several horror films, including What the Peeper Saw (1972) as a disturbed bride; the Agatha Christie adaptation Endless Night (1972), playing the friend and companion of an American heiress; and as a hallucinatory figure in the anthology film Asylum (1972) opposite Charlotte Rampling. Her most iconic horror role came in the 1973 cult horror film The Wicker Man, in which she played a Pagan villager and seductress; however, her voice was dubbed in the film to disguise her Swedish-accented English.^[5]
Other roles included in the thriller The Ultimate Thrill (1974) and the British drama Baxter! (1973). On television, she was cast in the TV film The Six Million Dollar Man: Wine, Women and War (1973) opposite Lee Majors. Ekland's next prominent role came when she was cast as the lead Bond girl, Mary Goodnight, in the James Bond film The Man with the Golden Gun (1974), which received mixed reviews but furthered Ekland's status as a sex symbol.^[1][6] In 1976 she provided the French spoken part at the end of then boyfriend Rod Stewart's hit single "Tonight's the Night (Gonna Be Alright)". Ekland also portrayed biographical characters, such as the one based on real-life actress Anny Ondra (boxer Max Schmeling's wife) in the television movie Ring of Passion (1978). Ekland was also featured in the horror pictures The Monster Club (1980) and Satan's Mistress (1982).
Ekland had supporting roles in independent films, and appeared in the comedy film Fraternity Vacation (1985), followed by a role in the slasher film Moon in Scorpio (1988) and as prostitute Mariella Novotny in the feature film Scandal (1989) about the Profumo Affair.

Stage and television: 1989–present

She has guest-starred on various television series, including an appearance on the popular series Superboy, playing an alien disguised as Lara, Superboy's biological mother, during the show's second season in 1990. Ekland published a beauty and fitness book, Sensual Beauty: How to Achieve It (1984), followed by a fitness video in 1992. In the BBC television series I Love the '70s (1999) she hosted the 1971 episode in homage to her role as "Anna" in the film Get Carter.
Ekland's later career has mainly consisted of stage and television, with her last feature film role being in The Children (1990). She appeared on stage as a cast member in Cinderella at the Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent in December 1999 and January 2000. She also appeared in Grumpy Old Women Live, participated in December 2007 in the Swedish reality show Stjärnorna på slottet (The stars at the castle) along with Peter Stormare, Arja Saijonmaa, Jan Malmsjö and Magnus Härenstam, and in December 2007 and January 2008 she starred again in Cinderella at the Wyvern Theatre, Swindon.^[7] She appeared as a guest on the British daytime television show Loose Women, in January 2008. From December 2008 to January 2009, Britt starred in Cinderella at the Shaw Theatre in London. In a rare instance of her singing, she performed the song My Prince, originally recorded by Lara Pulver on the album Act One – Songs from the Musicals of Alexander S. Bermange. In 2009–10, she played the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella at Princess Theatre, Torquay. In December 2010, she starred as the 'Fairy Pea Pod' in Jack and the Beanstalk at the Kings Theatre, Southsea. She starred in further Pantomimes at the Theatre Royal, Windsor, in 2011 and 2012.
Ekland was one of the housewives of Svenska Hollywoodfruar (en:Swedish Hollywoodwives) on TV3 during the 2013 season. In 2010 Ekland took part in the reality TV show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! where she was fourth to be voted off. During the program she developed a close relationship with Stacey Solomon and Nigel Havers, while making an enemy of Gillian McKeith.^[8] She will participate in Let's Dance 2018 broadcast on TV4. She was the first to be eliminated on 30 March placing 11th.

Relationships and family

Ekland became famous overnight as a result of her 1964 whirlwind romance and marriage to English actor and comedian, Peter Sellers, who proposed after seeing her photograph in the paper and then meeting in London.^[9][10] She stood by him after he suffered a series of heart attacks shortly after their marriage. Ekland was stepmother to Sellers' children Sarah and Michael (who died of a heart attack at about the same age as his father). In January 1965 they had a daughter, Victoria. The couple made three films together — A Carol for Another Christmas (1964), After the Fox (1966) and The Bobo (1967) — before divorcing in 1968.^{[citation needed]}
In June 1973, she had a son, Nic Adler, with record producer Lou Adler.^{[citation needed]}
She also had a much publicised romance with rock star Rod Stewart; they were introduced in 1975 by Joan Collins and lived together for more than two years, with Ekland giving up her career to focus on the relationship.^[11]
From 1979–1981, she dated and became engaged to Girl frontman and future L.A. Guns singer Phil Lewis^{[12] [13]}
In 1984, at age 42, she married Stray Cats drummer Slim Jim Phantom, who was 19 years younger than her, aged 23. They had a son, Thomas Jefferson (born in 1988).^[14] They divorced in 1992.

Cristi Minculescu, solist vocal și compozitor de muzică rock român. Este cunoscut în special pentru activitatea sa de peste 30 de ani ca vocalist al trupei Iris.

Cristian Alexandru Minculescu (născut pe 9 ianuarie 1959, Pitești), mai cunoscut sub numele de Cristi Minculescu, este un solist vocal și compozitor de muzică rock român. Este cunoscut în special pentru activitatea sa de peste 30 de ani ca vocalist al trupei Iris.
Vocea sa confundabilă cu formatia IRIS, un vocalist
 care a strălucit în ringul rock-ului românesc, cu un numǎr impresionabil de concertele în palmares, compoziții și maniera proprie de interpretare, dar și o activitatea de aproape 30 de ani, l-au făcut unu dintre principali candidați la titlul de "legendă" al rock-ului românesc.
Începând din anul 1980, este vocalistul trupei de rock Iris. Cristi Minculescu reprezintă alături de Iris simbolul rezistenței culturale pentru generații întregi de fani rock în perioada comunismului, și, de asemenea, unul dintre puținii artiști care au făcut legătura între acele generații și cele actuale, el activând cu mare succes și după 1990, până în prezent.
Cristi Minculescu crede că a moștenit vocea de la mama sa: „mama era în cor la mănăstirea Bistrița, de lângă Râmnicu Vâlcea. Mai mult ca sigur că de la ea am moștenit”.^[1]
Defectul pe care și-l recunoaște Minculescu este sinceritatea. Asemenea lui Eliade, trăiește într-o perpetuă evoluție spirituală, o nouă trăire necontrazicând alta mai veche, ci aducând un ceva al său, nou. Sinceritatea conciliază aparenta contradicție dintre trăirile noi și cele vechi, iar succesul său în tulburile vremuri ale aplaudacismului politic, respectiv, în prezent, ale celui financiar, s-a datorat sincerității cu care a transmis prin muzică, voce și coreografie ceea ce simte și crede, direct, fără canoane.^[2]
Cristi Minculescu și-a început cariera în 1979 ca solist vocal al trupei Harap-Alb, alături de muzicieni precum chitaristul Gabi Nacu sau basistul Anton ­Hașiaș. El a participat la imprimarea pentru radio a unor piese precum „Harap-Alb”, „Scatiul” (compoziție a lui Gabi Nacu), „În calea norilor”, „Tu doar tu”, „Vei veni”. Minculescu rămâne la Harap-Alb până în 1980, când Anton ­Hașiaș îl prezintă celor de la Iris, care aveau nevoie de un vocalist.
Cristi a dat probă la Iris chiar de ziua lui și a reușit să-i cucerească pe membrii trupei cu vocea sa inconfundabilă^[3]. Minculescu a cântat piese din Free, Led Zeppelin și ­Deep Purple, iar examinatorii săi au fost Nelu Dumitrescu, bateristul și liderul trupei, și chitaristul Nuțu Olteanu.^[4]
La primul său concert cu Iris, pe data de 5 februarie 1980, „a fost de balamuc, moșule! N-au vrut ăia să mă primească la intrare. Eu le ­ziceam «Bă, sunt solistul de la Iris, am cântare», ăia nimic. «Pleacă, mă, că îi știm noi pe băieții de la Iris». I-am «rezolvat» până la urmă cu o sticlă de vodcă. Asta e, am dat șpagă la primul meu concert”, îi place lui Cristi să se amuze.^[4]
La sfârșitul anului 1981, revista „Săptămâna”, care avea unul dintre cele mai apreciate topuri muzicale din presa comunistă, l-a desemnat pe Cristi Minculescu drept cel mai bun solist din 1981.^[5]
În 1982, împreună cu chitaristul Adrian „Adi” Ilie, Cristi Minculescu părăsește Iris și înființează trupa Voltaj. În locul său, la Iris este adus ca vocalist Dan Bittman.
„Voltaj a avut o personalitate prea puternică pentru regimul comunist, reprezentând pentru unii un pericol social”, scrie pe pagina oficială a trupei.^[6]. Prima piesă a formației, „Nori de hârtie”, a constituit capul de afiș al primului concert, ținut la Casa de Cultură „Mihai Eminescu“ din București. Următoarele apariții scenice au avut în repertoriu piese de succes ca „Aceasta-i întrebarea”, completate de hituri AC/DC. Componența inițială (Horațiu Rad — bass, Nikki Dinescu — tobe, Gabi Nacu — chitară, Cristi Minculescu — voce, Adrian Ilie — chitară) nu rezistă, iar trupa se desființează în 1983. Octombrie 1986 este considerat un nou început, cu apariția lui Cristi Ilie ca solist, Amedeo Bolohoi la chitară, Dan Mateescu la bass, Doru „M.S.” Istudor la tobe și Adrian Ilie la chitară, singurul ce rămâne din formula anterioară.
În 1984 Cristi Minculescu cântă în trupa Totuși, în Cenaclul „Flacăra“, alături de Andrei și Ioana Păunescu. Din această perioadă datează piesa „Trenul fără naș” a trupei Iris, pe versuri de Adrian Păunescu. La Cenaclul Flacăra Minculescu a mai cântat și alături de trupa Flacăra Pop - Flapo (Al.Jimmy Zărnescu, Jerry Schwartz, Romeo Beianu).
În 1984 Dan Bittman pleacă la Holograf, iar în februarie 1985 Cristi Minculescu se întoarce la Iris, alături de care va rămâne până în ziua de azi. În total, Cristi Minculescu a înregistrat cu Iris 19 CD-uri și DVD-uri, a întreprins sute de turnee și și-a pus o amprentă de neșterș asupra trupei. Salutul „Bună seara, prieteni”, ajuns o emblemă personală, a devenit celebru, iar imaginea lui Cristi Minculescu este practic inseparabilă de cea a formației Iris.
În 1992, împreună cu Minculescu, în cadrul festivalului de la Cannes Iris ocupă locul II la secțiunea rock și îi este consacrat un reportaj ce a fost difuzat pe postul MTV^[7], fiind prima formație românească ce a fost difuzată pe celebrul post.
În 2012 Cristi Minculescu părăsește trupa Iris. La scurt timp după plecarea din trupa Iris,acesta se mută cu familia în Germania . Împreună cu Judy Seutter – chitară, Boris Rusakov – bass, Mauro Ciccarelli – tobe, Regina Hammerle – backing vocal , formează grupul Lotus și susține o serie de concerte de promovare în România.
În 2013 Cristi Minculescu împreună cu fostul său coleg din trupa Iris, Ion Olteanu , formează grupul "Cristi Minculescu & Nuțu Olteanu Super Grup" . Acest grup fiind format și din membrii trupei lui Ion "Nuțu" Olteanu . Grupul are o serie de concerte în toată țara , interpretând și piese consacrate ale trupei Iris, precum : "Strada ta", "Trenul fără naș", "Lumina zilei", "Pe ape " ,dar și din repertoriul trupelor deja celebre în lume .
În 2015 Cristi Minculescu revine în Iris.Fanii sunt în extaz.

Simon Woolf, a British journalist and writer

Simon J Woolf is a British journalist and writer currently clinging to mainland Europe in Amsterdam.
A regular contributor to Decanter magazine and Meininger Wine Business International, Simon is a critical advocate for organic, biodynamic and natural winemaking, and specialises in the wines of Italy, Austria and Eastern Europe.

He is the founder and editor of The Morning Claret, one of the world’s best loved online resources for natural wines.

Simon is currently writing the world’s first book about orange wines, and was shortlisted for the Roederer International Feature writer of the year in 2017.

/Natural wine expert Simon J Woolf is launching what he believes to be the world’s first book exclusively dedicated to orange wine.
Amber Revolution: How the World Learned to Love Orange Wine uncovers the ‘rags to riches’ story of the world’s oldest wine style.
The book, whose publication is being funded via a Kickstarter campaign, details orange wine’s decline after two world wars and its extraordinary rebirth in the late 1990s thanks to pioneers like Joško Gravner and the late Stanko Radikon. The book includes exclusive interviews with both winemakers.
Amber Revolution is the result of more than four years of research, covering post-war Friuli and neighbouring Slovenia, joining the dots to Georgia’s 8,000-year-old traditional wine culture, which is associated with the origin of orange wine. The 250-page book profiles 180 top orange wine producers, and is illustrated with more than 100 images from photographer Ryan Opaz. /Darren Smith/

Ivan Patzaichin, the most decorated Romanian canoeist of all times. He took part in all major competitions between 1968 and 1984, including five consecutive Olympics, and won seven Olympic and 22 world championship medals, including four Olympic gold medals

Ivan Patzaichin is a Romanian canoe racing coach and retired sprint canoeist. He took part in all major competitions between 1968 and 1984, including five consecutive Olympics, and won seven Olympic and 22 world championship medals, including four Olympic gold medals. This makes him the most decorated Romanian canoeist of all times.^[1] He later worked as a canoeing coach, attending five more Olympics in this capacity.^[4] In 1990 he was awarded the Olympic Order, and in 2006 a nationwide poll included him on the list 100 Greatest Romanians of all time.

Patzaichin was born in a Russian Lipovan family in the village Mila 23. His father Vicol was a fisherman and his mother Alexandra was a dressmaker. He took up canoeing in early age inspired by his grandfather,^[5] and decided to pursue a canoeing career after watching a TV broadcast of two canoers from his village, Vicol Calabiciov and Serghei Covaliov, winning the 1966 world title in doubles. In 1967, aged 18, he moved to the capital Bucharest, where he joined the club Dinamo.

Already in 1968 he was included to the national team and won an Olympic gold medal, rowing with Covaliov. At the 1972 Olympics, Patzaichin broke his oar and placed last in the singles heats. Yet he managed to finish the race,^[6] paddling with a piece of wood that he removed from the floor of his canoe, and was included to the repechage.^[7] He won the repechage and the final race. In the doubles he again teamed with Covaliov and placed second, just 0.03 seconds behind the winners.^[8]
Patzaichin spent his entire career with Dinamo, first as a trainee and competitor, rowing 4000–5000 km per year in his prime,^[4] and then as a coach. His most famous trainees are Olympic champions Florin Popescu and Mitica Pricop.

A statue of Patzaichin is installed outside of the Dinamo main office.^[4] Besides canoeing he also founded the association Ivan Patzachin – Mila 23 and launched the national project Rowmania aiming to promote heritage tourism and other outdoor activities.^[3] Patzaichin has his own line of clothing made of natural products.^[4]
In 1976 Patzaichin married Georgiana, a woman he met in August 1975. They have a daughter Ivona Beatrice (born c. 1979), who works at the National Commission of Hospital Accreditation.

Awards and honors

• Silver Olympic Order (1990)
• Order of Faithful Service (2000)
• Order of Sports Merit (Romanian: Meritul Sportiv, 2008)
• Military rank Brigadier General (1 December 2004)
• Nihil Sine Deo (2010)
  
  
  
  

Gheorghe Zamfir is a Romanian pan flute (nai) musician. He is known as "The Master of the Pan Flute"

Gheorghe Zamfir is a Romanian pan flute (nai) musician.
Zamfir is known for playing an expanded version of nai, of 20 pipes to 22, 25, 28 and 30 pipes to increase its range, and obtaining as many as eight overtones (additionally to the fundamental tone) from each pipe by changing the embouchure.
He is known as "The Master of the Pan Flute".

Zamfir came to the public eye when he was approached by Swiss ethnomusicologist Marcel Cellier, who extensively researched Romanian folk music in the 1960s. The composer Vladimir Cosma brought Zamfir with his pan flute to Western European countries for the first time in 1972 as the soloist in Cosma's original music for the movie Le grand blond avec une chaussure noire. This was very successful,^{[citation needed]} and since then, he has been used as soloist in movie soundtracks by composers Francis Lai, Ennio Morricone and many others. Largely through television commercials where he was billed as "Zamfir, Master of the Pan Flute", he introduced the folk instrument to a modern audience and revived it from obscurity.
In 1966, Zamfir was appointed conductor of the "Ciocîrlia Orchestra", one of the most prestigious state ensembles of Romania, destined for concert tours abroad. This created the opportunity for composition and arranging. In 1969, he left Ciocîrlia and started his own taraf (small band) and in 1970 he had his first longer term contract in Paris. Zamfir discovered the much greater freedom for artistic adventure. His taraf consisted of: Ion Drăgoi (violin), Ion Lăceanu (flutes), Dumitru Fărcaș (tarogato), Petre Vidrean (double bass) and Tony Iordache (cymbalum) all number 1 soloists in their country. This taraf made some excellent recordings (CD Zamfir a Paris).^{[citation needed]} He changed the composition of the band soon after: Efta Botoca (violin), Marin Chisar (flutes), Dorin Ciobaru and Pavel Cebzan (clarinet and tarogato), Petre Vidrean (bass) and Pantelimon Stînga (cymbalum). It is said that this change was made to increase the command of Zamfir and have more artistic freedom.^{[citation needed]} A turning point was the recording of Zamfir's composition "Messe pour la Paix" (Philips).^{[citation needed]} His taraf joined a choir and a symphonic orchestra. This was evidence of the growing ambition.^{[citation needed]} While the Philips recordings of that time were rather conservative, Zamfir preached revolution in the concert halls with daring performances.^{[citation needed]} Some^[who?] say that this short period was the highlight of his career. In 1977, he recorded "The Lonely Shepherd" with James Last. Zamfir put himself on the world map and since then his career became highly varied, hovering over classical repertoire, easy listening and pop music.

Zamfir's big break in the English-speaking world came when the BBC religious television programme "The Light of Experience" adopted his recording of "Doina De Jale", a traditional Romanian funeral song, as its theme.^{[citation needed]} Popular demand forced Epic Records to release the tune as a single in 1976, and it climbed to number four on the UK charts.^{[citation needed]} It would prove to be his only UK hit single, but it helped pave the way for a consistent stream of album sales in Britain. His song "Summer Love" reached number 9 in South Africa in November 1976.^[3] In 1983, he scored a No. 3 hit on the Canadian Adult Contemporary chart with "Blue Navajo," and several of his albums (including 1982's Romance and 1983's Childhood Dreams) have charted in Canada as well.

After nearly a decade-long absence, Zamfir returned to Canada in January 2006 for a seven-city tour with the Traffic Strings quintet. The program included a world premiere of Vivaldi's Four Seasons for PanFlute and string quintet arranged by Lucian Moraru, jazz standards, and well-known favourites.

In 2009, Zamfir was sampled by Animal Collective in the song "Graze" on their EP Fall Be Kind.
In 2012, Zamfir performed at the opening ceremony of the 11th Conference of Parties to the Ramsar Convention at the Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest, Romania.

David Piper, a British former Formula One and sports car racing driver from England

David Piper (born 2 December 1930)[1] is a British former Formula One and sports car racing driver from England. He participated in 3 Formula One World Championship Grands Prix, debuting on 18 July 1959. He scored no championship points.

Early career and Formula One

Piper was born in Edgware, Middlesex[1] and began his career in the mid-1950s by competing in sprints and hill-climbs, before beginning circuit racing with a Lotus Eleven.[2] He then moved up to a Lotus 16 which he used in 1959 and 1960 to compete in both Formula One and Formula Two,[2] by means of changing engines as appropriate.[2] His best result with the car was a second place in the Lady Wigram Trophy, in 1960, behind Jack Brabham in a Cooper.[2]
In 1961, Piper competed in European Formula Junior alongside Jo Siffert but drove the Gilby F1 car in the Gold Cup.[2] He also competed in non-championship races in 1962, but had become disenchanted with single-seater racing and moved into sports car racing initially with a Ferrari GTO.[2]


Later career





Between 1962 and 1970, Piper raced frequently in many locations worldwide using his personally owned Ferraris and, later, Porsches. He was moderately successful and gained a reputation for reliability and consistency.[2]
Piper crashed a Porsche 917 during the 1970 shooting of the film Le Mans and lost part of one leg.[3]
Piper later raced his personal, green, Porsche 917 and other cars in historic events.

Mihai Leu aka Michael Loewe, a former professional boxer who competed between 1991 and 1997

Mihai Leu also known as Michael Loewe (born 13 February 1969, in Hunedoara) is a Romanian former professional boxer who competed between 1991 and 1997. He held the WBO welterweight title in 1997.

Leu retired after one title defense, against Michael Carruth, becoming the third European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Jack McAuliffe and Terry Marsh. Due to an injury, he was forced to abandon boxing but unwilling to give up the world of sports, he turned to be a rally driver. He later became a national rally champion.

In 1998 he started his new career at the wheel of a Ford Ka and after only three years, he managed to become Romania's rally vice-champion. He had already participated in rallying before, having made his debut in 1994, at the Banat Rally, in a Volkswagen Golf GTI.