Τοπικό Ποδόσφαιρο: Ο Άρης (Γούρνες) εναντίον Διαγόρα (Ανώπολη). Ήταν ένας συναρπαστικός αγώνας ανάμεσα σε δύο ομάδες του Δήμου Γουβών, η οποία προσέλκυσε ένα ενθουσιώδες και μεγάλο κοινό οπαδών. Πριν το παιχνίδι, τηρήθηκε δύο λεπτών σιγή στη μνήμη της πρόσφατα χαμένης μητέρας του Νεκτάριου Σπυριδάκη μέλους της ομάδας του Διαγόρα. Το παιχνίδι παίχτηκε στις 14 Οκτωβρίου, χωρίς κανένας από τους δύο τερματοφύλακες να δοκιμάζεται μέχρι το 39^ο λεπτό, όταν ο Δημήτρης Γκαραγκούνης σκοράρισε για την ομάδα του Διαγόρα. Αυτό άλλαξε το παιχνίδι, και ο τερματοφύλακας του Άρη έσωσε θεαματικά δύο φορές τη μπάλα, λίγο πριν το σφύριγμα του ημιχρόνου. Στο δεύτερο ημίχρονο, ο Κώστας Δεληστάθης έβαλε το δεύτερο γκολ για την ομάδα του Διαγόρα, ξαναγυρίζοντας το ματς πίσω στο μέσο του γηπέδου, με την ομάδα του Άρη να προσπαθεί να διαπεράσει τη δυνατή άμυνα του Διαγόρα, χτυπώντας δύο φορές το δοκάρι, αλλά αποτυγχάνοντας να σκοράρει. Ο Διαγόρας κυριάρχησε το παιχνίδι για να κερδίσει τον αγώνα με 0-2. Ο Γιώργος Δεληστάθης ψηφίστηκε ως Ο Παίκτης του Αγώνα από το αθλητικό τμήμα της εφημερίδας Τα Χρονικά.

Το επόμενο παιχνίδι του Διαγόρα ήταν στο γήπεδό του, στις 21 Οκτωβρίου, εναντίον του Χάνδακα (Ηράκλειο), και ξεκίνησε ως ένα ισότιμο παιχνίδι στο πρώτο ημίχρονο, με ευκαιρίες και για τις δύο ομάδες. Ωστόσο, το παιχνίδι ταράχθηκε από μία απόφαση του διαιτητή που προκάλεσε ενοχλήσεις  και στους δύο προπονητές και παίκτες των ομάδων. Αυτό είχε ως αποτέλεσμα να αποχωρήσουν για δέκα λεπτά από το γήπεδο ο διαιτητής και ο επόπτης γραμμών μέχρι να ηρεμήσουν όλοι. Στο δεύτερο ημίχρονο ο Χάνδακας είχε την αποβολή ενός παίκτη που έβρισε τον επόπτη γραμμών. Ο Διαγόρας κέρδισε τελικά το παιχνίδι με 1-0, ενώπιον περισσότερων από 100 υποστηρικτών οπαδών. Ο Δημήτρης Γκαραγκούνης έβαλε το γκολ στο 70^ο λεπτό.

Local Football:

Aris (Gournes) v Diagoras (Anopoli), It was an exciting battle between two teams of the Gouves Township, which drew an enthusiastic and large crowd of fans. Before the match, a two-minute silence was observed in memory of the recently deceased mother of Nektario Spiridaki a Diagoras team member. The game, played on October 14, began as a midfield battle with neither goal keeper being tested until the 39^th minute when Dimitris Garagounis scored for Diagoras. This changed the game, and Aris’ goal keeper made two spectacular saves just before the half time whistle. In the second half, Costa Delistathis scored the second goal for Diagoras, putting the match back to a midfield battle, with Aris trying to break through Diagoras’ strong defence, twice hitting the bar, but failing to score. Diagoras hung on to win the match 0-2. George Delistathis was voted Man of the Match by The Khronicles sports department.

Diagoras’ next game was at home pitch, on October 21, against Handakas (Heraklion), began as an evenly played first half, with chances for both teams. However, it was marred by a decision by the referee which caused disturbances between both coaches and players. This resulted in the referee and the linesmen walking off the pitch for ten minutes until all had calmed down. In the second half Handakas had a player sent off for swearing at the linesman. Diagoras eventually won the match 1-0, in front of more than 100 supportive fans. No. 9 player, D. Garagounis scored the winning goal.

Spartathlon Ultramarathon: Scott Jurek (U.S.A.) won his second Spartathlon in 23 hours 12 minutes and 14 seconds in this 246 kilometre race from Athens to Sparta. In second place, out of a field of 331 runners, was Piotr Kurylo (Poland) and third was Valmir Nunes (Brazil). This annual race originated after the legendary messenger, Pheidippides, who, according to ancient history, left Athens in 490 BC in search of reinforcement troops, and arrived in Sparta one day later. John Foden of Britain, in 1982, set out to prove that a man could complete the course in less than 36 hours, which he did. Yiannis Kousos (Greece) holds the course record of 20 hours, 25 minutes which he set in 1984. The Spartathlon ends at the statue of Spartan king Leonidas which, as legend has it, is where Jurek was crowned with an olive wreath and given a well earned bowl of water from the Evrotas River.

Climbing: If you’re into the spot of climbing, then look no further than the Malia Crag. It has eight routes to the summit, some of which are said to be the most difficult on Crete. The climbing period for the crag, approximately 25 to 30 metres high, is all year round. Currently, there are eight main routes up the crag with possibilities for others.

Greek Football: U.E.F.A. has donated just over 600,000 euros to the Greek Football Federation to help rebuild football facilities damaged by fires which ravaged the country this past summer.

European Championship 2008: After beating Bosnia Herzegovina 3–2, Greece, the European Champions, took on Turkey in Istanbul. A goal scored by Ioannis Amanatidis in the 79^th minute ensured that Greece now progress to defend their Championship in Austria and Switzerland next year.

Greek Super League: With all five Greek football clubs (Larissa, A.E.K., Aris, Panathinaikos and Panionos) winning their matches and going into the next qualifying round for the UEFA Cup, crowds have come flocking back to the football stadiums. An unusual number of fans have gone through the turnstiles of the above clubs and this has set pulses racing in anticipation for the next round.

Also, Olympiakos had their first away win in the Champions league when they beat Werder Bremen 3-1 taking them to the top of their group. They will play Real Madrid on November 6, a game in which defeat would make it difficult for Olympiakos to move into the knockout stage.

Local Golf: A reminder of the David Walker Memorial Trophy which will be staged at the Crete Golf Club, Hersonissos, on November 10. All sponsorship donations and proceeds will be given to a cancer research organization. The program for the event is: 10.00 -welcome and short ceremony in honour of David Walker; 11.00 -18-hole stable ford competition, shotgun start, with prizes for longest drive, closest to the pin; 20.00 – black-tie dinner and prize giving. All are invited to enter competition and the maximum handicap played will be 28. For further info contact Harry Zervos at 28970 26010, Neils Bogstad at 6946 448929 or email: gm@crete-golf.gr .

Sports to watch in November:

November 1 – 4:
Golf. The Walt Disney World Resort Classic, Lake Buena Vista, Florida.

November 4:
Athens Marathon

November 6:
Champions League. Olympiakos v Real Madrid.

November 8 – 18:
Disability sport, football. Seven-a-side World Championship, Rio de Janeiro.

November 17:
Football, Euro 2008 qualifying match, Greece v Malta.

November 21:
Football.Euro 2008 qualifying match, Hungary v Greece.

November 30 – December 2:
Tennis. Davis Cup Final. U.S.A. v Russia, Portland, Oregon, U.S.A.

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