Big Shots for May 12, 2009

Today Big Shots pedals floating bicycles at the Giro d'Italia cycling race in Venice, collides with birds in an air race in San Diego, and drops in on Vlore, Albania in a paraglider. There's F1 racing in Montmelo Spain, cliff diving in La Rochelle, France, and steeplechase in Doha, Qatar. This week I'll also bring you special posts on the USA Diving Grand Prix in Fort Lauderdale and a look at open flames in soccer stadiums worldwide. ( 33 photos total)

In this infra-red image, Ian Poulter of England plays his tee shot on the sixth hole during the third round of The Players Championship on The Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass May 9 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)

Children play football in East London, South Africa May 8. South Africa will host the 2010 FIFA World Cup. (MANAN VATSYAYANA/AFP/Getty Images) #

Members of the Rollins College crew team lift their shell from the Schuylkill River after racing in the Dad Vail Regatta in Philadelphia May 8. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) #

Paul Hawkins waits for swells on his stand-up paddleboard at Queenscliff Beach May 1in Sydney. Modern Stand-up paddleboarding originated in Hawaii in the 1960's as a way of surf instructors monitoring their classes in the water. (Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) #

People ride pedalos in Venice's Lido May 9 before the start of the Giro d'Italia cycling race. (DAMIEN MEYER/AFP/Getty Images) #

A Canada goose gosling tries to stay clear of an oar during the Dad Vail Regatta on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia May 9. (AP Photo/Joseph Kaczmarek) #

Rangers' Kris Boyd, top, tussles for the ball with Celtic's Darren O'Dea during their Scottish Premier League soccer match at Ibrox Stadium in Glasgow May 9. (AP Photo/PA/Lynne Cameron) #

Toronto FC goalie Stefan Frei (left) makes a save against D.C. United Dejan Jakovic during their MSL match at RFK Stadium in Washington May 9. (REUTERS/Hyungwon Kang) #

David Smith (left) of New Zealand's Wellington Hurricanes is tackled by New Zealand's Waikato Chiefs players during their Super 14 rugby match at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton May 9. (REUTERS/Nigel Marple) #

Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu (left) throws Kakuryu to the ring to win their bout on the first day of the 15-day Summer Grand Sumo tournament in Tokyo May 10. (AP Photo/Kyodo News) #

Golfer John Daly eludes fashion police at recent tournaments in Florida, Girona, and Turin. #

Nelson Philippe sits aboard the i drive green HVM Racing Dallara Honda during practice for the 93rd running of the Indianapolis 500 May 7 at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Darrell Ingham/Getty Images) #

Jonathan Papelbon celebrates after striking out Carl Crawford to end the game with the Tampa Bay Rays May 10. (Bill Greene/Globe Staff) #

Russia's Alexander Radulov celebrates after Russia beat Canada 2-1 during the 2009 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships May 10 in Bern. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP/Getty Images) #

Sevilla's Jesus Navas reacts after scoring during their La Liga soccer match against Mallorca at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan stadium in Sevilla, Spain May 9. (AP Photo/Angel Fernandez) #

Russian fans celebrate their team's victory in the final of the 2009 IIHF Ice Hockey World Championships in Moscow May 11. (AP Photo/Sergey Ponomarev) #

A newly-wed couple pose as cyclists ride past during the second stage of the Giro d'Italia May 10. (REUTERS/Stefano Rellandini) #

Jockey Bill Williams riding Sir Pentire jumps on his way to winning the Flying Horse Bar and Brewery Grand Annual Steeplechase May 7 in Warrnambool, Australia. . (Mark Dadswell/Getty Images) #

Athletes jump in the water during the 3,000 meter steeplechase at the Qatar Super Grand Prix in Doha May 8. (MARWAN NAAMANI/AFP/Getty Images) #

Cyrille Oumedjkane completes a dive off the 27.5 meter high platform during the Red Bull Cliff Diving World Series in La Rochelle, France May 8. (XAVIER LEOTY/AFP/Getty Images) #

Guilherme Guido of Pinheiros Club wins the men's 50 meter backstroke swimming final at the Maria Lenk Trophy in Rio de Janeiro May 7. (REUTERS/Sergio Moraes) #

Athletes run across the Manes Bridge during the Prague International Marathon May 10. (REUTERS/David W Cerny) #

The NAPA Auto Parts Toyota driven by Michael Waltrip ignites going into turn four during the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series Southern 500 May 9 at Darlington Raceway in Darlington, S.C. (Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR) #

Toro Rosso Formula One driver Sebastian Bourdais (center) crashes with teammate Sebastien Buemi (left), Force India's Adrian Sutil (back), and Renault's Nelson Piquet at the start of the Spanish F1 Grand Prix at the Catalunya racetrack in Montmelo May 10. (REUTERS/Josep Loaso) #

The Milwaukee Brewers' Rickie Weeks waits as the game is delayed by smoke from a fireworks display after the Cincinnati Reds' Brandon Phillips hit a home run May 6 in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Al Behrman) #

The Italian Air Force squad "Frecce Tricolori" flies over the peloton during the third stage of the Giro d'Italia cycling race May 11. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati) #

Austrian pilot Hannes Arch hits a bird at the 2009 Red Bull Air Race World Championship in San Diego May 10. (REUTERS/AP/Tom Lovelock/For Red Bull Air Race/Handout) #

Paragliders fly over the city of Vlore, Albania during an annual Balkan competition May 9. (REUTERS/Arben Celi) #

Children play badminton just outside Court One at the Madrid Open Tennis Tournament at the Caja Magica (Magic Box) in Madrid May 11. (AP Photo/Paul White) #

The San Diego Padres' Brian Giles dives in front of Scott Hairston but can't come up with the ball during a baseball game with the Houston Astros May 8 in Houston. (AP Photo/Bob Levey) #

Baylor shortstop Katlyn Freeland (left) takes the throw as Missouri's Rhea Taylor steals second base in the Big 12 softball tournament in Oklahoma City May 9. (AP Photo) #

Dinara Safina lays on the ground after falling heavily during her match against Virginie Razzano during the the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Internazionli BNL D�Italia event at Foro Italico May 5 in Rome. (Ryan Pierse/Getty Images) #

Marat Safin eyes the ball as he serves to Jo-Wilfried Tsonga during their first round match at the Madrid Open tennis tournament May 11. (REUTERS/Susana Vera) #

Sports

Big Shots for May 12, 2009