China, Belarus, Hungary and Poland: a wind from the East blows in the August Global Cup

August 2010 was a month packed full of major sporting events, and the GSN Global Cup ranking has been shaken up accordingly.

Not in the top 4 places, apart from Russia slipping up ahead of Canada, but immediately behind them: China came a very close second to the US in the August monthly standings (913 points vs 921) and has moved up four positions in the ranking. It lies now fifth, thanks to excellent results in the Shooting World Championships (3 golds to Chinese ladies) and to utter domination on the Badminton World Championships.

Meanwhile, Great Britain continues its steady rise up the table and now sits in 7^th place, with a gain of four positions, thanks to victories in the 200m K1 event (men) at the Canoe – Kayak World Championships, and the Elite race (women) at the BMX Worlds.

The Canoe – Kayak World Championships have been hunting ground for three Eastern European nations: Belarus earned 410 GSN points, the main contribution for their explosive, sixteen positions rise into 21^st place; Poland, who jumped up eleven places, won 290 points at the Canoe – Kayak Worlds and Hungary, a remarkable fifth overall in the August monthly standings, earned points from victories in the Shooting Worlds plus a tally of 422 points at the Canoe – Kayak Worlds.

And the Global Cup leaders?

The US were pressed hard by China, but victories in the Women Volleyball Grand Prix, at the Ten Pin Bowling World Championships , plus several golds at the Shooting and Racquetball Worlds kept them on top, with a healthy 554 points margin over Germany.