NEWS » r thus far. Ninjas hang from a bar and propel themse

Gold Coast prop Ryan James hopes to have an answer on his NRL future before Christmas, with the Titans desperate to keep their chief enforcer.James is off-contract at the end of 2017 and has reportedly fielded interest from up to six NRL clubs, and Brisbane pose the biggest threat to the Titans in their bid to keep the 25-year-old.While James said Gold Coast remained his first choice, he indicated his future remained uncertain.The Gold Coast is where I grew up, he said on Thursday.Im still in the middle of all that ... Its up in the air at the moment.James was the Titans best in 2016, receiving their player-of-the-year award after crossing for 12 tries and busting through 52 tackles.He said he expected a decision a month or a bit away from now, and he remains a top priority for Titans chief executive Graham Annesley.Ryans an absolutely integral part of our future, he said.Well be doing absolutely everything that we can to keep him here and Im confident that hes happy here and he wants to stay.When Ryan is ready to talk to us were ready to talk to him.James could also feature as a possible captain, with Greg Bird and Luke Douglas departing for the English Super League and Nathan Friend retiring.He said its a role he was interested in.Id love to do it, James said.I was fortunate enough to do it a couple of times this year ... theres a lot of big shoes to fill. Cheap Shoes Websites China .Y. - Nelson Mandela will be honoured by the New York Yankees with a plaque in Monument Park. Wholesale Shoes Cheap . -- Matt Ryan needed one of the best games of his career to lead the Falcons and their depleted offence out of their three-game losing streak last week. http://www.cheapshoeswebsites.com/ . -- Aldon Smith believes he is on the path to being sober for good. Cheap Shoes Wholesale Free Shipping . Thats about all he can do right now, so hes trying not to think about when he might be able to play again for the Los Angeles Lakers. Wholesale Shoes Online . Denis Coderre, the former federal MP who was elected mayor on Nov. 3, has drawn the ire of some Montreal Canadiens. During last nights game he tweeted: "Hello? Can we get a one-way ticket to (minor-league) Hamilton for David Desharnais please. Another woman has claimed her ticket to the American Ninja Warrior national finals in Las Vegas.Four women took to the course in Philadelphia on Monday night, more than any other city finals in American Ninja Warrior history. Jesse Flex Labreck, the new kid on the block, watched hopefuls Michelle Warnky, Rachel Goldstein and Allyssa Beird buckle under the pressure of Rolling Thunder, the courses dreaded fifth obstacle. But Labreck -- a former University of Maine track star -- defeated the beast. Later, she became the first newcomer to make it to the Stair Hooper, the ninth obstacle in Monday nights episode. She will join ANW powerhouses Jessie Graff and Meagan Martin in Vegas. ?Labreck is relatively unknown, and her success is a bit of a surprise.Well, kind of.The 25-year-old is 5-foot-7? and 145 pounds, and her size mirrors that of Graff, another successful female competitor. While size isnt everything in ANW, it certainly helps. It also doesnt hurt that Labreck simply excels athletically, despite having a relatively unorthodox background compared to other top female ANW competitors.Typically, the elite women of American Ninja Warrior have a background in gymnastics, pole vaulting and rock climbing. In contrast, Labreck was a hurdler and competed in heptathlons, and she has no formal training in tumbling. I cant do any of that, she said when comparing her skills to those of her comrades.However, she has since learned how to do a standing back tuck.Labrecks road to ANW was a rocky one. While preparing for competition, she lined up a gig coaching track and field at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, alongside her former University of Maine coach, Dave Cusano. But when Cusano left Wheaton to work at Colby College in Waterville, Maine, she was left without a job.I came here for ninja [training], but I also had no job, she said. I was a lost kid.With the support of the ninja community, Labreck got back on her feet. She moved in with a fellow ninja enthusiast and began working part time at Action Athletics gym in Newton, Massachusetts. There, Labreck added rock climbing to her skill set.Seeking a steadier gig, Labreck became a live-in caretaker for a 20-year-old woman with cerebral palsy. The position gave Labreck a sense of purpose, direction and stability.I just wanted to make a difference, Labreck noted.Always bouncing around and climbing on things, Labreck is very high-energy and doesnt sit very often.dddddddddddd ? Her effervescence has shaped her training. She doesnt take herself too seriously. But her drive and ambition keep her focused.Heading into the Las Vegas finals, her confidence will be key. In the past, Labreck downplayed her achievements and skill level. For example, in high school she doubted her track and field abilities because the competition was so fierce in her home state of Maine. It wasnt until she started placing at larger meets that Labreck realized she was actually pretty good.Sometimes I rely more heavily on my friends and family to give me that confidence, Labreck said. But -- thats something Im working on.Philadelphia city finals specs:Finishers: 0Female finishers: 0Women moving on: 1New or modified obstacles on second half of course: 1 out of 4The course:Were well into the city final episodes of ANW; the first six obstacles remain the same as in each of the qualifiers (except for a couple of tweaks). Four additional obstacles were added to the second portion (which well review below), bringing the total to 10 obstacles.The first obstacle on the second part of each city finals course (i.e., the seventh obstacle overall) has been the Salmon Ladder thus far. Ninjas hang from a bar and propel themselves upward, climbing the bar on a series of rungs.The eighth obstacle in Philadelphia was the Flying Shelf Grab. Competitors hung from a bar and latched on, or alternatively, jumped to a suspended shelf. After swinging to gain momentum, ninjas grabbed onto the next shelf and then dismounted.The Stair Hopper is new this year. Ninjas hang from a bar and, using the upper body, hop it down a series of steps, and back up. Then they swing to the dismount.The Invisible Ladder returns as the 10th obstacle. So far, thats been the case for each of the city finals courses. Ninjas grab rings suspended from a hole in a platform and pull up. When their movement stops, the ring catches their weight, making it appear as if they are pulling themselves up a ladder and through the hole at the top of the finishing platform.Looking forward:Vegas is finally here! Next week is the first of three episodes featuring the Las Vegas finals. With such a historic season for women thus far, hopefully the trend continues with some amazing runs from our faves in Vegas. ' ' '