We're kicking things off with Christine Sinclair & NWSL this weekend! + LOTS MORE!

Oct 22, 2021

In partnership with CBC Sports, The 4% Rising is your guide to finding and watching women's sports online and on TV. Subscribe now to receive this guide each week.

NWSL

OK - Portland Thorns are on 🔥! They have the best regular season record (13-6-4) in the league with OL Reign trailing not far behind. Canadian Christine Sinclair is going to do everything in her power to help the Thorns win their FOURTH trophy this year. So far, Portland has won the NWSL Shield, NWSL Challenge Cup, and the International Champions Cup. Now it’s all about the championship!

Portland Thorns FC @ThornsFC

Hey Alexa, play All I Do Is Win.😎🎶 #BAONPDX https://t.co/tYJcqOZ7fo

National Women’s Soccer League @NWSL

Staying like this 'til October 22nd 😬 https://t.co/79cYmURc2w

Earlier this week, we saw Racing Louisville beat Orlando Pride 3-1. Orlando scored their lone goal of the match in the third minute and just seconds before halftime, Racing Louisville equalized with this great Ebony Salmon goal. 👇

National Women’s Soccer League @NWSL

We were fishing for the words...🎣 But we'd rather you just catch @ebony_salmon's 🔥 👇

⚽️ Matches this weekend:

Kansas City vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC - Friday at 8 p.m. ET

Only one match this weekend, so you know I’ll be glued to my screen for this. Catch this game Friday on Twitch!

World Gymnastics Championships

I live for those hold-my-breath-until-they-land moments. If you’re looking for that same thrill, look no further than the World Gymnastics Championships that are underway in Kitakyushu, Japan. The defending champion, Simone Biles, and Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee are not taking part in the World Gymnastics Championships… I know. I’m sad too. But there is tons of exciting new talent to watch out for!

Russia’s Angelina Melnikova does not seem to be slowing down. After winning a gold and two bronze medals at her second Olympic Games, she’s here for her fourth world championships. It seemed only fitting that she grabbed the first gold medal after winning the women’s all-around final yesterday. She finished with a solid score of 56.632 points.

Gymnastea @gymnastea

SHE’S A WINNER BABY! Angelina Melnikova you are a QUEEN

The 21-year-old is also set to compete in all four apparatus finals over the weekend. (BTW, this makes her the first woman to qualify for all five individual finals since Biles back in 2018.)

🤸‍♀️ Events this weekend:

Apparatus Finals: Women's Vault and Women's Uneven Bars - Saturday at 3:05 a.m. ET
Apparatus Finals: Women's Beam, Women's Floor - Sunday at 3:20 a.m. ET
Road to the Olympic Games - Sunday at 1 p.m. ET

Ouch… The time difference is rough, but CBC Sports has got you covered with more Melnikova and gymnastics all weekend long. You’re not going to want to miss it!

LPGA BMW Ladies Championship

Hungry for some golf? I got you covered.

First round action of the BMW Ladies Championship began Wednesday with some history on the line. Jin Young Ko had a chance to tie the Tour record for the highest number of consecutive rounds in the 60s… But she didn’t, shooting a 71 in the rain yesterday. The record was certainly something on her mind:

LPGA @LPGA

Tying the Tour record for the number of consecutive rounds in the 60s was on Jin Young Ko's mind at @LPGAfounders. History will be on the line this week in the first round of the BMW Ladies Championship. #BLC2021

Ko is projected to rank No. 1 for the third time in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Rankings if she wins the Tour.

We love a dream chaser, don’t we? Well, Na Rin An is closer to achieving her dream of playing on the LPGA Tour after topping the tournament leaderboard ahead of Round 2. But there’s still so much more golf action left! Round 3 starts TONIGHT!

LPGA @LPGA

Smile! 😀 Round 2 of the BMW Ladies Championship is well underway! #BLC2021

🏌️‍♀️ Tee times this weekend:

Round 3 - Friday at 11 p.m. ET and Saturday at 12 a.m. ET
Final Round - Saturday at 11 p.m. ET and Sunday at 12 a.m. ET

You can catch all the weekend games on Golf Channel.

Grand Slam of Curling Masters

The roaring game has begun as the Grand Slam of Curling Masters in Oakville, Ont. started Tuesday. Canadian Kerri Einarson and her team were in a tight one against Team Wranå, needing an extra end to advance to the next draw on opening day. Next, they beat Team E. Kim 5-3. In Draw 9, Team Einarson took down Team Fujisawa 8-5.

Pinty's Grand Slam of Curling @grandslamcurl

RECAP: There might have been some nervous moments but things are "A" OK for @TeamHoman and @TeamTirinzoni in the #MastersGSOC. Both completed 3-0 runs through the A Event to qualify for the playoffs. #curling

Homan, Tirinzoni first to qualify for playoffs at Masters - The Grand Slam of CurlingOttawa’s Team Rachel Homan and completed undefeated 3-0 runs through the A brackets of the Masters to qualify for the playoffs.thegrandslamofcurling.com

Another Canadian, Rachel Homan from Ottawa, also advanced to the next draw after a 6-5 victory on opening day. Team Homan went on to beat Team Fleury 6-5 in their next game. Yesterday, Homan and the squad faced off against Team Peterson, beating them 7-5.

🥌 Games this weekend:

Women’s Triple Knockouts - Friday at 3 p.m. ET
Women’s Quarterfinals - Saturday at 4 p.m. ET
Women’s Semifinals - Saturday at 8 p.m. ET
Women’s Final - Sunday at 12 p.m. ET

The triple knockouts continue today. Plus don’t forget to catch the weekend playoffs Friday, Saturday, and Sunday on Sportsnet ONE or stream on Sportsnet NOW and Yare.

A quick look back: WNBA Champs, Indian Wells Final, Speed Skating

We can’t not talk about the awesome results from last week. How amazing was all of that women’s sports action? I know… SUPER AMAZING! Here’s a results recap for you.

WNBA: After an incredible series against Diana Taurasi and the Phoenix Mercury, the 2021 WNBA champs are the Chicago Sky defeating Phoenix 80-74 in Game 4. This is the franchise’s first championship. Kahleah Copper earned Finals MVP. Late in the game, Courtney Vandersloot helped seal the victory, scoring in the lane nearing the end of regulation, and at that point, it was OVER. The Sky celebrated with a championship parade this week in the Windy City.

Chicago Sky @chicagosky

KFC MVP 🏆 @kahleahcopper | #skytown

Chicago Sky @chicagosky

Looking beautiful, #skytown 🏆😍

Candace Parker’s legacy came full circle winning the championship with her hometown team. She left the LA Sparks after 13 seasons and proved her worth at home with another team. Parker had some tear-jerking, heart-warming, and incredibly powerful words to share at the press conference post game. 👇

WNBA @WNBA

"Sometimes you don't have to tell your story. Time will." @Candace_Parker dropping some wisdom 🧡 #MondayMotivation

Not to mention there was this special moment of Parker’s daughter, Lailaa, sprinting to her mother after the final buzzer sounded:

ESPN @espn

Candace Parker and her daughter Lailaa ❤️🥺

🥺 I’m not crying… You are.

(FYI - WNBA Finals viewership increased by 63 per cent, according to ESPN. This was the most viewed Finals since 2017. That’s what I like to hear!)

Indian Wells Finals: A first-time tournament champion was also produced in tennis when Paula Badosa edged Victoria Azarenka 7-6 (5), 2-6, 7-6 (2) in her Indian Wells debut. She joined Canadian Bianca Andreescu (2019) and Serena Williams (1999) as winners of the title in their first appearance.

Badosa is having herself a year! This was her second career title. She won in Belgrade earlier in 2021. BTW, the match was a good one - it went on for THREE hours!

Paula Badosa @paulabadosa

It has not been an easy path, but we got the reward with hard work, passion and faith. Don’t let anyone tell you cannot achieve something. If that happens, prove them wrong. Today I fulfilled one of my dreams, playing the finals in one of the biggest events in the world…

Canadian Long Track Speed Skating Championships: Ivanie Blondin was off to a rocky start, but finished off in golden form to win the national championship in the 1,500-metre event. The Ottawa native finished with a time of 1:54.64. Blondin is among the seven speed skaters preselected to the Canadian World Cup team.

CBC Olympics @CBCOlympics

Ivanie Blondin picked up her second victory in as many days with a win in the women's mass start at the Canadian long track speed skating championships in Calgary

Blondin, Gelinas-Beaulieu close out speed skating trials with victories in mass start | CBC SportsIvanie Blondin picked up her second victory in as many days with a win in the women’s mass start at the Canadian long track speed skating championships in Calgary on Sunday.buff.ly

Women’s Sports on TV Guide

Why 4%?

Only 4% of national airtime is devoted to women’s sports. At The 4% our objective is to promote what, when, and where to watch women’s sports to help raise awareness and grow the audience for women’s sports on TV.

The 4% Rising