51.   Maria Butyrskaya began defense of her European title with the top performance in qualifying, despite skating early in the qualifying on Wednesday.

52.   Martin Brodeur, Patrik Elias and the Devils begin defense of their Stanley Cup title.

53.   Mayor Gholamhossein Karbaschi, who has pleaded innocent to the charges of corruption and embezzlement, will begin his defense on Saturday.

54.   Maria Butyrskaya began defense of her European title with the top performance in qualifying.

55.   Modahl was notified just minutes before she was to begin the defense of her Commonwealth title in Victoria, Canada.

56.   Murray Richman, the attorney for Barrow, will begin his defense Friday.

57.   Murray Richman, the attorney for Barrow, was to begin his defense Friday.

58.   New Zealand hopes to give captain Eric Rush one last Hong Kong Rugby Sevens title before he retires when it begins the defense of its crown on Friday.

59.   Novotna could face a roadblock when she begins her title defense.

60.   Real Madrid begins the defense of its league title when it visits Valencia Saturday in a fascinating curtain raiser for the new Spanish league season.