





It doesn't take much imagination to answer this question with a resounding Yes! Only 22 years of age, she has already reached the WTA ranking of no.3, and is officially number one in the women's singles race. How does she do it, especially since in her short seven year career as a Pro she has endured (and overcome) injuries to her ankle, right shoulder, lower back, and most recently, pain in her neck.
"When we go on court, it's like we're going on a war" -- Jelena Jankovic Like many young Serbian (and Croatian) tennis stars, Jelena grew up surrounded by a terrible war. JJ has said that she believes this is what gives them their 'fighting spirit'. Finding a place to practise was a real problem, not only during the war, when they had to practise very early before the bombings, but also in winter. Jelena recalls when she use to have to practise in her winter gloves, hat, and jacket, and this was indoors! Both her and her compatriot, Ana Ivanovic, practised in a drained Olympic sized swimming pool. It was carpeted, and because the wall was only 18 inches from the sidelines, cross-court play was nearly impossible, forcing the young players to play down the lines.
"I always give my best, and I fight until the end" -- Jelena Jankovic Jelena's hard work paid off when the great tennis coach, Nick Bollettiieri, recognized her talent and invited her to attend his boarding school tennis academy in Bradenton, Florida. The alumni of this prestigious tennis academy reads like the Who's Who in ATP and WTA tennis. But in early 2006, Jankovic nearly did give up after nine consecutive first round match defeats. She was already a part-time student at the Megatrend University in Belgrade, studying business administration and was considering dropping her WTA touring to study full-time. Thankfully for women's tennis, she changed her mind, but she still keeps an eye on her future and is still part-time student.
"It helps me to stay relaxed to smile on-court." -- Jelena Jankovic This ability to go out and really enjoy her game might be the key to her success. It was noticed by the world's media that she was laughing and giggling on her chair prior to her recent match against Venus Williams. Venus was somberly reading her match notes. Jelena's family, friends, and colleagues are very important to her, and this might also be a big advantage.
"No better way to finish a rainy day than with a big smile, watching Serbian comedy on TV." -- Jelena Jankovic It's hard to imagine how such fantastically determined, world-class athlete could be so, let's say, normal. Like many women her age, she loves the latest fashion in women's tennis clothes, her favorite brand being Reebok. That doesn't mean she is frivolous; She recently complained that the Italians were only concerned with her make-up and hair, but not about her backhand. During one of her recent matches in Rome, there were wolf-whistles when she bent down on-court to tie her shoes in her white tennis skirt. But really, who could blame them?
"I'm a girl...." -- Jelena Jankovic She's much more than a girl, and then again, she isn't. With her outgoing personality, and her ever cheerful attitude, she is a brilliant role model for young women everywhere. It is heartening that many such young WTA Stars are performing so well, but the 'Golden Girl', Jelena Jankovic, seems to be sparkling the shiniest.

1. Height
There are 3 different heights of snowboards; short, medium and long. A short board will come somewhere between you're collar bone and you're chin. Short snowboards are easy to ride on; so many people prefer them for learning on. Short snowboards are also great for people who like to do a lot of tricks. A medium board will be anywhere between you're chin and you're nose. Intermediate riders prefer medium boards, but so do certain advanced riders who like to ride on different types of terrain. Long boards will be from eye level to above you're head and are used by advanced riders who are looking to get a lot of high speed carving. Long boards are excellent for deep powder snow and mountains.
2. Width
The width of you're snowboard will relate directly to the size of you're feet. If you're feet are long you will need and wide snowboard, if you're feet are small you will need a narrower one. When standing on a board, you're feet should meet the edge of the bored or you're toes should only hang slightly over. If you're feet are hanging off you're bored, you risk the chance of you're boot catching on the snow while you ride. As well, if you're feet are much too small for you're board, you are not going to be able to get the amount of control you need to direct you're board. Snowboards and Gear [http://www.winter-gear-online.info]
3. Type of snowboard
Before you purchase a snowboard you will want to decide which type of board is right for you. There are three types of snowboards, which are freestyle, free ride and free carve. Freestyle is the most popular type of board today. Freestyle boards are great for doing jumps, tricks, rails and half pipes. A freestyle board is relatively short, and made for soft boots who are designed specifically for doing tricks; most boarding competitions are based around the freestyle board. A free ride board is perfect for people who like open terrain such as the mountains, trees and powder shoots. Free riding is where the pros show what they are really made of. Free ride boards are generally longer than freestyle boards, but they also use a soft boot. If you're not sure what kind of boarding you prefer or if you like doing everything, this is a great, versatile board for you. Free carve boards are often overlooked in the world of snowboarding. Specifically made for speed and carving, these boards use a hard boot and a long stiff board. Used on packed snow, there is generally little or no jumping involved in this style of boarding. This is a popular Olympic sport in which the riders swing around flags or poles.


The concept of jet skis came up in 1973 when the Kawasaki Motor Company used it to name a personal watercraft. In the early 1960s a company by the name of Bombardier made a similar model. A jet ski is basically motorized transport over water in a small craft. The use of this model is regulated by the governing body of the country and is generally for amusement rather than any kind of transportation. Mostly they have found it to be useful to lifeguards at beaches and rescue squads.
The Kawasaki craft has the brand name Jet Ski and all models have safety standards they must conform to. It runs on the concept of ejecting water from the back of the craft and has planing speeds. Since water is ejected under water the surrounding stationary water absorbs the movement, propelling it forward. The earliest design of jet boats was in 1931 by Secondo Campini, an Italian inventor in Venice, although the original design is claimed to have come from Sir William Hamilton. The largest jet-propelled vessels are frigates in South Africa.
The companies manufacturing jet skis and jet boats are the Kawasaki Motor Company, Hamilton Jet Designs, Bombardier of Canada, American Honda Motor Co. Inc., Polaris Industries Inc. and Yamaha Motor Corp. The title of "jet boat capital"goes to Queensland, New Zealand.
Some of the best waters to indulge in this sport are Arizona, Queenstown, and all the major beaches of Thailand. This sport provides hours of fun and the thrill of speed, although it is not without its dangers.
