31.   President Milan Kucan was elected to a third and final term Sunday, easily beating out his nearest rival, according to initial results.

32.   Ritsma extended his lead in the standings when his nearest rival, compatriot Erben Wennemars, fell entering the home straightaway on the next-to-last lap.

33.   Still, Putin looks preferable to his nearest rival for the presidency, Communist chief Gennady Zyuganov, who favors restoring some Soviet-era borders.

34.   The Japanese were their nearest rivals.

35.   The Sharks stayed top of the table as their nearest rival Auckland crashed twice in Brisbane.

36.   Whatever works is good enough for Davenport, who beat her nearest rival, Martina Hingis, to win the Sydney tune-up event.

37.   He also set the largest margin of victory ever, winning over his nearest rival by a dozen strokes.

38.   He starts with a five-minute lead over his nearest rival, Piotr Ugrumov of Russia.

39.   Her nearest rival from a Belgrade-backed coalition trailed behind with under one fifth of the votes counted thus far.

40.   He won a comforatable victory over his nearest rival.